Run for the Money (video game)
{{Short description|1984 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Run for the Money
|image = Run for the Money game cover.jpg
|developer = Tom Snyder Productions
|publisher = Scarborough Systems
|designer = Tom Snyder
Arthur Lewbel
|released = 1984
|genre = Business simulation
|modes = Two-player
|platforms = Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, IBM PC, Mac
}}
Run for the Money is a two-player business simulation game developed by Tom Snyder Productions and published by Scarborough Systems in 1984 for Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, IBM PC, and Macintosh. The players have crash-landed their spaceships on an alien planet and compete to buy resources and convert them to goods to sell to locals in order to raise funds to repair their ships.
Overview
The players take the roles of two aliens called Bizlings who have crash-landed their Proto-Ruf Ships on the planet Simian after flying through a zinger storm. The zinger storm has removed the paint from the ships' protective shields. The two players purchase raw materials called Rufs from aliens called Ruffians and use a machine on their ships to convert the Rufs into Synannas, which they sell to local aliens called Simians. Players can purchase low, medium, or high quality rufs, set the price of their Synannas, and spend money on advertising. The goal is to generate enough profit to purchase paint to repair the ship's protective shield and launch through the Simian atmosphere. The game ends when a player successfully launches.{{cite book
|title=Run for the Money Manual
|publisher= Tom Snyder Productions
|isbn=0-916377-21-0
|date=1984
|pages=10–22
}}
Reception
Compute! called Run for the Money "an interesting game for a broad age group", being both "competitive for adults and fast-moving for children." The reviewer suggested games like it had "the potential to become the modern-day equivalent of the sidewalk lemonade stand for lessons in economics."{{cite magazine
|title=Run For The Money For PC & PCjr
|last=Battaglini
|first=Raymond
|pages=76–77
|date=March 1985
|work=Compute!
|publisher=Compute! Publications, Inc.
|volume=7
|issue=3
}}
Commodore Power/Play called Run for the Money "a very entertaining program as well as a super learning tool" and suggested the game's fast-paced action would "keep your child's attention as he or she learns about the business world."{{cite magazine
|title=Business Made Fun for the Commodore 64:Run For The Money
|last=Adamec
|first=Christine
|page=54
|date=October–November 1985
|work=Commodore Power/Play
|publisher=Contemporary Marketing Inc.
|volume=4
|number=5
}}
Creative Computing said the game balanced fun gameplay with teaching "many sophisticated economic concepts, including the laws of supply and demand, bidding practices, production processes, marketing decisions, as well as good old fashioned business sense and customer service".{{Cite magazine |last=Lockwood |first=Russ |date=September 1984 |title=Run for the Money |url=https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1984-09/page/n117/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=2025-03-21 |magazine=Creative Computing |publisher=Ziff-Davis |pages=116,118 |volume=10 |number=9}}
Family Computing called the game fast-moving and complex but "relatively easy to master" due to the documentation and in-game tutorial. The review play-testers enjoyed the game, although players aged 10 to 15 took longer to grasp the game's concepts.{{cite magazine
|title=Software Reviews: Run for the Money
|work=Family Computing
|last=Delson
|first=James
|volume=2
|number=11
|date=November 1984
|publisher=Scholastic Inc
|page=127
}}
Enter said the game was enjoyable and would teach players "a lot more about economics than Monopoly did."{{cite magazine
|title=Software Scanner: Run for the Money
|work=Enter
|last=Weisert
|first=Hilde
|volume=1
|number=10
|date=September 1984
|publisher=Children's Television Workshop
|page=14
}}
K-Power called the game "a typical business situation" despite the bizarre setting, with gameplay that was exciting but not too hectic and time to strategize during the game.{{cite magazine
|title=Screening Room: Run for the Money
|work=K-Power
|last=Leforgee
|first=Jason
|volume=1
|number=6
|date=July–August 1984
|publisher=Scholastic Inc
|pages=61–63
}}
PC Magazine rated the game 16 out of 18, calling it "surprisingly deep" and praising the game manual's "clarity and organization".{{cite magazine
|title=PC Arcade: Educational Quests
|work=PC Magazine
|last=Wiswell
|first=Phil
|volume=3
|number=13
|date=10 July 1984
|publisher=Ziff-Davis Publishing
|pages=291–292
}}
Games called Run for the Money a "solid introduction to basic economic principles" and "a lot of fun."{{cite magazine
|title=Computer Capers: Simulations
|work=Games
|last=Lechner
|first=Jack
|volume=8
|number=12
|date=December 1984
|publisher=Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
|page=51
}}
Electronic Games nominated Run for the Money for the 1985 Arkie Award for Best Electronic Money Game.{{cite magazine
|title=1985 Arcade Award Contenders: 1985 Best Electronic Money Game
|pages=27
|date=October 1984
|work=Electronic Games
|publisher=Reese Communications, Inc.
|volume=2
|number=15
}} The award was won by Millionaire: The Stock Market Simulation.{{Cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_03_Number_01_1985-01_Reese_Communications_US/page/n25/mode/2up| magazine=Electronic Games | volume=3 | issue=1 | publisher=Reese Communications, Inc. |date=January 1985 | title=1985 Arkie Awards | page=27 }}