Kobyashi Naru

Kobyashi Naru

Console: Sinclair ZX Spectrum
TV Standard: PAL
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Developer(s): Mastertronic
Publisher(s): Mastertronic Ltd.
Release Date: 1987-01-01
Players: 1
Co-op: No
ESRB: Not Rated
Type: Adventure, Puzzle

Split into knowledge, wisdom and understanding sections, the Kobyashi Naru trial must be completed in order to gain immortal status. Collect the required objects from each one in this adventure game.

The game offers pictures of each location and significant objects, and a textual description of each location, but beyond this the game system is atypical of 1980s adventures, especially those originating on cassette. A set of icons is displayed in the top half of the screen, which are selected to activate movement, item manipulation, analysing the scene (by selecting specific words of text), and actions like ascending, throwing and swimming. Puzzle solving always uses objects either in the scene description or your inventory.