''Elixir'' is a

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

for the

Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron (nicknamed the Elk inside Acorn and beyond) was introduced as a lower-cost alternative to the BBC Micro educational/home computer, also developed by Acorn Computers, to provide many of the features of that more expensive mach ...

and

BBC Micro The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a family of microcomputers developed and manufactured by Acorn Computers in the early 1980s as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project. Launched in December 1981, it was showcased across severa ...

released in 1987 by

Superior Software Superior Interactive (formerly known as Superior Software Ltd) is a video game publisher. It was one of the main publishers for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in the 1980s and early 1990s, and occasionally published software to the C ...

. It 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 ...

in which the player takes the role of a shrunken scientist.

Plot

The story follows a scientist, named Cyril, who accidentally manages to shrink himself. In order to restore him to his normal size the player has to navigate their way around the laboratory, collecting vitamin pills and finding the

elixir An elixir is a sweet liquid used for medical purposes, to be taken orally and intended to cure one's illness. When used as a dosage form, pharmaceutical preparation, an elixir contains at least one active ingredient designed to be taken orall ...

of the title.

Release

The game was released in 1987 for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro on a wide variety of media. It was available on cassette and 5.25"

DFS DFS may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, advertising agency, now Saatchi & Saatchi * DFS Furniture, a furniture retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland * DFS Group (Duty Free Shoppers), Hong Kong * DFS Program Exchang ...

floppy disk A floppy disk or floppy diskette (casually referred to as a floppy, a diskette, or a disk) is a type of disk storage composed of a thin and flexible disk of a magnetic storage medium in a square or nearly square plastic enclosure lined with a ...

as well as ADFS 3.5" disk for the Acorn Electron Plus 3 and Master Compact. It was included on the ''Play It Again Sam 5'' compilation in 1988 and also re-released in 1990 as part of the Superior/

Blue Ribbon Blue ribbons are typically a symbol of high quality. The association comes from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners and, prior to that from Order of the Holy Spirit#Cordon Bleu, Cord ...

budget range.

Reception

''Elixir'' was not as widely praised as other Superior releases. When reviewing the ''PIAS 5'' compilation, ''

Electron User ''Electron User'' was a magazine targeted at owners of the Acorn Electron microcomputer. It was published by Database Publications of Stockport, starting in October 1983 and ending after 82 issues in July 1990. Initially it was included as a 1 ...

'' found the game lacking compared to the "superb" '' Imogen'' (also on the compilation), saying "''Elixir'' is an arcade adventure that originates from the opposite end of the quality spectrum"."Continuing Compilations"
Carol Barlow, Electron User #6.5, February 1989 ''

Acorn User ''Acorn User'' magazine was founded by Acorn Computers in 1982, contract-published by Addison-Wesley, to coincide with the launch of the BBC Micro. It covered the range of Acorn home computers, the BBC Micro and Atom at first and later the Elect ...

'' said that "the logical puzzles are well thought out... and give players something to get their teeth into".''Play It Again Sam 4'' inlay, Superior Software, 1988

References

1987 video games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron-only games Blue Ribbon (software house) games Single-player video games Superior Software games Video games developed in the United Kingdom {{platform-videogame-stub