''Apple Cider Spider'' is a

platform game A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...

written for the

Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...

by Ivan Strand and published by Sierra On-Line in 1983. A Commodore 64 port followed. The player takes the role of a spider in an apple cider factory. The goal is to progress through three non-scrolling screens to reach the top of the factory.

Gameplay

The structure of the three screens follows the production cycle of apple cider in a reverse order, starting from the bottling and sealing of cider and ending at the delivery of fresh whole apples. The first screen mainly concerns extracting the apple

juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

to be made into cider, the second screen concerns splitting the apples in two and crushing the halves, and the third screen concerns the actual import of the apples. Each screen is situated on top of the previous one, so the spider progresses upward while the apples are carried downward. The challenge in the game comes almost completely in the form of natural obstacles in the cider factory. Contact with cider, apples, or cider-making instruments kills the spider instantly. All three screens feature a complex system of

conveyor belt A conveyor belt is the carrying medium of a belt conveyor system (often shortened to a belt conveyor). A belt conveyor system consists of two or more pulleys (sometimes referred to as drums), with a closed loop of carrying medium—the conveyor b ...

s that the spider must travel along, in the opposite direction to the cider and the apples. Various cider-making instruments operate periodically to make the apples into cider. The factory is oblivious to the presence of the spider. When the three screens have been completed, the game starts again, but with added dangers. These include various

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

s that hop along the platform as well as blocker bars on the ladders that the spider uses to move upwards.

References

{{reflist 1983 video games Apple II games Commodore 64 games Platformers Sierra Entertainment games Single-player video games Video games about spiders Video games developed in the United States

Gameplay

See also

References