Castle Wolfenstein
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
_________________________

In this game, the player takes control of a lone prisoner who has been taking captive in a large castle occupied by the Nazis. Getting out of the cell and picking up a weapon is just the beginning; the ultimate goal is to acquire the war plans of the Nazis, and escape from Castle Wolfenstein alive.

Castle Wolfenstein is notable for being the first game that incorporated stealth-based gameplay mechanics. The player navigates the hero through the top-down corridors and rooms of the castle. The main gameplay challenge lies in dealing with the guards who patrol the castle and will be alerted to any noise made by the player. It is possible to shoot the guards, but the ammunition in the game is scarce, and some guards are very hard to kill, so the preferred course of action is moving without being noticed. If the player surprises a guard with a gun drawn, the guard will surrender, and the player will be able to frisk him for valuable items.

The player should also search the treasure chests scattered across the castle. Some of them contain war plans, which are essential for winning the game; others have useful items, such as bullets, grenades, bulletproof vests, and guard uniforms. The uniforms can be worn for disguise; however, higher-ranked SS guards will be able to recognize the intruder. Chests might also contain food and beverage; imbibing alcohol will result in a temporary loss of aim and balance for the player character.

The game's sound effects include some of the earliest examples of digital voice samples. The guards would sometimes shout out short phrases in German in an attempt to stop the protagonist.

Alternate Titles
"Wolfenstein 2D" -- Popular title

Trivia

Apple II & Commodore 64 versions were the Winner of 1983 Arcade Awards from Electronic Games Magazine. Note: Certificate of merit for outstanding achievement.

In the 200th aniversary issue of Computer Gaming World, this game was proclaimed the third best game of all time by the readers.

This is the game that was the inspiration for id Software's Wolfenstein 3-D. id even got a deal so they could use the name, since they couldn't think of anything better themselves.

---

Description from the packaging:

World War II rages across Europe. Castle Wolfenstein is occupied by the army of the Reich and converted into battlefront headquarters. You have been captured and brought to the Castle for interrogation by the dreaded SS.

From a hiding place behind the stones of the dungeon a dying cellmate produces a Mauser M-98 pistol fully loaded with ten bullets and gives it to you. Your new mission: Find the Nazi war plans and escape Castle Wolfenstein alive.

Castle Wolfenstein is an action adventure game from Muse demanding fast thinking and quick manual response. Using game paddles, joystick, or your computer keyboard. Castle Wolfenstein generates an unlimited variety of castle layouts, each more difficult to escape than the last.


http://www.mobygames.com/game/c64/castle-wolfenstein
