Tower of Doom
Platform: Intellivision
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: INTV
Genre: Role Playing Game
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1987
Developer: Mattel Electronics
Publisher: INTV
Players: 1
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Reaching high towards the heavens, the Tower of Doom stands, beckoning brave adventures to confront the bizarre creatures and brave the deadly traps it contains in hopes of collecting the bountiful treasures and magical items found within its corridors.


DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:

With the success of the first Dungeons & Dragons cartridge, Marketing wanted a continuing series of D&D games. They were a bit concerned that the second release, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TREASURE OF TARMIN Cartridge, was a bit too complex, so when adding a third D&D game to the schedule, they took to calling it Arcade D&D. "Arcade" was their code word for more action, less brains.

After completing Loco-Motion, Dan Bass took up the challenge of defining what Arcade D&D would be. He designed a screen layout with scrolling text instructions that made the game easy to follow, but would still allow the complex, strategic play that D&D fans expected. Battle scene close-ups provided the action Marketing wanted.

A limited demo of the game appeared at one trade show with the name ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REVENGE OF THE MASTER Cartridge (once again, the bizarre capitalization and inclusion of the word "cartridge" in the title was demanded by contract), but by the time it appeared in Mattel Electronics catalogs it had been renamed ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TOWER OF MYSTERY Cartridge.

The game was only half-completed when Mattel Electronics closed its doors in January 1984. Over two years later, INTV Corp. expressed an interest in releasing it. Dan, working full-time in Massachusetts by this time, was not available to finish it, so John Tomlinson (Mission X) was hired for the job. Connie Goldman (Thunder Castle) completed the graphics started at Mattel by Monique Lujan-Bakerink and Karl Morris.

Not wanting to pay for the Dungeons & Dragons license, INTV released the cartridge in 1987 under the new name, Tower of Doom.

Mattel Electronics had an M Network Atari 2600 version and an Apple version of the game in development when Mattel Electronics closed.


EASTER EGG:

Press 0 (zero) on either hand controller while the title screen is displayed to view game credits.

 
http://www.mobygames.com/game/intellivision/tower-of-doom
http://www.intellivisiongames.com/bluesky/games/credits/1984.html#tower
