''Super Cauldron'' is a single-player side scrolling

platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action game, action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform game ...

released by

Titus Software Titus Interactive SA,Contact
. Titus Interactiv ...

. Originally released in 1992 on

MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few oper ...

machines, ports for the Atari ST,

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore International, Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and sign ...

, and

Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for ''Colour Personal Computer'') is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the S ...

were all released in 1993 after commerical success.

Gameplay

''Super Cauldron'' has you play as a young

witch Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have u ...

, Zmira, on a quest to find ingredients to put into a Super Cauldron to cast a Super Spell to defeat an evil sorcerer, Marl. As you explore a side-scrolling map filled with puzzles, platforming obstacles, and enemies. Players use weapons (throwing rocks) and are aided by

powerups In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...

to defeat said enemies and aid in solving puzzles. For example, upon acquiring a broomstick powerup, the player can fly on a broom for a limited time. The player must face off against enemies on ground (trolls) and in air (flying bats and birds). The game consists of 3 levels (or 'worlds'), of increasing difficulty level. A

boss battle In video games, a boss is a significant computer-controlled opponent. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the player has faced up to tha ...

is present at the end of 3rd level. An arcade-style score system allows players to attempt to get the highest score possible, making replayability an important piece of gameplay. In addition, a light catchy tune compliments the whimsical, pixelated graphics.

Development

Development for ''Super Cauldron'' began in 1990 by the French software publisher

Titus Software Titus Interactive SA,Contact
. Titus Interactiv ...

. The game took two years to complete, leading to its release in 1992. A small development team of 14 members was assembled. It was rumored that

Bogosort In computer science, bogosort (also known as permutation sort, stupid sort, slowsort or bozosort) is a sorting algorithm based on the generate and test paradigm. The function successively generates permutations of its input until it finds one t ...

was used in an initial build of the game. After release, no further development was performed on the game.

Reception

Reviews were greatly mixed between magazine reviews of the game upon its release: * In the July 1993 issue of ''

CU Amiga ''Commodore User'', known to the readers as the abbreviated ''CU'', was one of the oldest British Commodore magazines. With a publishing history spanning over 15 years, it mixed content with technical and video game features. Incorporating ''V ...

'' reviewer John Mather gave it a 27%, calling a new version of the game as dull and tedious.July 1993 issue of CU Amiga, page 62. *''

Amiga Format ''Amiga Format'' was a British computer magazine for Amiga computers, published by Future plc. The magazine lasted 136 issues from 1989 to 2000. The magazine was formed when, in the wake of selling '' ACE'' to EMAP, Future split the dual-format ...

'' gave it a 70% rating. *''

Amiga Action ''Amiga Action'' was a monthly magazine about Amiga video games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Europress (later IDG Media) and ran for 89 full issues, from October 1989 to December 1996. After its closure, it was merged into sister ...

'' gave it 63% rating. *''

Amiga Computing ''Amiga Computing'' was a monthly computer magazine of a serious nature, published by Europress and IDG in both the UK and USA. A total of 117 issues came out. The games section was called Gamer, although later ''Amiga Action ''Amiga Action' ...

'' gave it an 80% rating. *''

Amiga Power ''Amiga Power'' (''AP'') was a monthly magazine about Amiga video games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Future plc, and ran for 65 issues, from May 1991 to September 1996. Philosophy ''Amiga Power'' had several principles which comp ...

'' gave it a 26% rating. *''

The One Amiga ''The One'' was a video game magazine in the United Kingdom which covered 16-bit home gaming during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was first published by EMAP in October 1988 and initially covered computer games aimed at the Atari ST, Ami ...

'' gave it a 59% rating. the first time it reviewed it, and then a 71% rating in an issue the next year. *''

Amstrad Action ''Amstrad Action'' was a monthly magazine, published in the United Kingdom, which catered to owners of home computers from the Amstrad CPC range and later the GX4000 console. It was the first magazine published by Chris Anderson's Future Publi ...

'' gave it a 96% rating.Amstrad Action issue 93 (Jun 1993).

References

External links

''Super Cauldron''
at

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Amiga games 1992 video games Amstrad CPC games Atari ST games DOS games Fantasy video games Side-scrolling platformers Video games developed in France Video games featuring female protagonists Video games about witchcraft {{videogame-stub