HonestGamers - JoeTheDestroyer's Berzerk review

honestgamer Staff Dec 18, 2011

I'm wondering if this game is the one that was also released on Apple IIe computers and known as THIEF. Check out this asset gallery:

http://www.honestgamers.com/assets/26875/view/0.html

Is it the same game, or are they clones or whatever? I'm curious!

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world

JoeTheDestroyer Staff Dec 18, 2011 edited

Holy crap! Yeah, it looks exactly the same. The only difference would be the level designs. The rooms are slightly more elaborate in Thief.

EDIT:
That's got me wondering as well. I know Berzerk was on a few other systems like Vectrex (played that version as well), so perhaps Thief was a renamed port.

The only thing my milkshake brings to the yard is a subpoena.

bloomer Dec 18, 2011

THIEF was indeed Apple II's Berzerk clone.

I didn't realise til I was in my 20s, but a huge proportion of the games from the first half of the Apple II's lifespan were pretty close ripoffs of arcade games.

Thief was Berzerk
Bug Attack was Centipede
Gamma Goblins was Astro Blaster
Outpost was Space Zap
Falcons was Phoenix

etc

After a few years, you start to get the official ports from some companies. Atari in particular ported tons of stuff to the Apple II. Jungle Hunt, Congo Bongo, Crystal Castles, Dig Dug, Moon Patrol etc.

honestgamer Staff Dec 18, 2011

Bug Attack doesn't feel like a clone in the same sense, though. Centipede was a lot more limited, while Bug Attack introduces so many elements (including bonus levels and different enemy types and such) that it's more like a clone in the sense that Sonic is a clone of Super Mario Bros. or something.

I remember playing Apple Invaders as one of my first Apple IIe experiences, which was just Space Invaders with a name change. But I hadn't played Space Invaders. The Apple IIe was my introduction to gaming, after all. There were also games like Raster Blaster and even a version of Mrs. Pac-Man. The Apple IIe games that made a real impression on me were Spy Hunter and Moon Patrol. Oh, and Mario Bros. that was (naturally) ported over by Atari. Because we all know that Atari is the brains behind the Mario games. ;-)

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world

bloomer Dec 18, 2011

Yes, that's why I didn't mention Mario Bros ^_^ That is certainly one of the most awesome 2 player games on the Apple II. A really great port.

You're right that Bug Attack adds more stuff than Centipede had. But the others I mentioned are pretty much tit for tat. I forget what the Targ clone is called (Crazey Mazey?, but there is one. Wikipedia suggests Crossfire, but, uh, Crossfire is pretty evolved from Targ.