''Survivors'' (also known as ''The Survivors'') is a

puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, Sequence, sequence solving, Spatial ability, spatial recognition, ...

published by Atlantis Software in 1986 for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

. It was ported to the

MSX MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Corpo ...

Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

Commodore 16 The Commodore 16 is a home computer made by Commodore International with a 6502-compatible 7501 or 8501 CPU, released in 1984 and intended to be an entry-level computer to replace the VIC-20. A cost-reduced version, the Commodore 116, was ...

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 ...

(all in 1987) and the

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 ZX Spec ...

(1988). It is based on the "rocks and diamonds" mechanics of ''

Boulder Dash Boulder Dash may refer to: * ''Boulder Dash'' (video game), a 1984 video game * Boulder Dash (roller coaster), a wooden roller coaster See also * Balderdash (disambiguation) {{Disambig ...

''.

Gameplay

The game is set in 2087 in a 'hibernation dome' which has been damaged in a nuclear war. It holds 1000 survivors (who are in stasis) but cannot be accessed by humans because of fallen

earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

and

boulder In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...

s. The player must control three droids to gain access to, and teleport out, the survivors. The dome is also populated by guardian droids that had been left to maintain life support functions but have been damaged by the nuclear fallout and become hostile. The survivors must all be evacuated before the time limit runs out and the radiation becomes too strong. The game uses the 'rocks and diamonds' mechanics as popularised in the game ''Boulder Dash'' whereby the player can dig through earth and push boulders but where boulders will fall from above if area below them is cleared. With the emphasis more on the puzzle element, ''Survivors'' is closer to ''

Repton Repton is a village and civil parish in the South Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, located on the edge of the River Trent floodplain, about north of Swadlincote. The population taken at the 2001 census was 2,707, increasing to 2 ...

''. The main twist with this game is that each droid can only perform one of the functions usually carried out by the player in similar games. The player must switch between droids depending on what they need to do. Droid 1 can tunnel through earth, Droid 2 can teleport survivors home (this game's equivalent of collecting diamonds) and Droid 3 can push boulders. This means that if any droid is trapped or destroyed then the game cannot be completed. The droids lose energy if a boulder falls on top of them or if they touch one of the faulty guardian droids. The guardian droids can be destroyed by dropping boulders on them or trapped behind boulders.

Reception

The game was first released for the ZX Spectrum, where it received mixed reviews. Complaints included 'jerky movement' and dull graphics and sound but praise was given for playability and value for money. '' Crash'' awarded an overall score of 70%, ''

Your Sinclair ''Your Sinclair'', originally ''Your Spectrum'' or ''YS'', is a discontinued British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was commercially published between 1984 and 1993. History The magazine was la ...

'' gave it 6/10 and '' C&VG'' only gave marks between 4/10 and 5/10 (without awarding an overall score). The game was then ported to a number of other formats where it received generally more positive reviews. ''

Zzap!64 ''Zzap!64'' is a computer games magazine covering games for computers manufactured by Commodore International, especially the Commodore 64 (C64). It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact. The magazi ...

'' gave the C64 version a score of 79%, concluding that the game was "taxing both mentally and dexterously and Boulderdash fans suffering from withdrawal symptoms should enjoy Survivors quite a lot". ''

The Micro User ''The Micro User'' (titled ''BBC Micro User'' in the first three issues) was a British specialist magazine catering to users of the BBC Microcomputer series, Acorn Electron, Acorn Archimedes and, to a limited extent, the Cambridge Z88. It had a ...

'' was even more complimentary, commenting that it "could well knock Repton off its perch", and ''

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 ...

'' awarded it the 'Golden Game' title with an overall score of 9/10 (including 10/10 for both playability and value for money).

References

External links

* * {{lemon64 game, id=2576
''Survivors''
at ''Plus/4 World'' 1986 video games Amstrad CPC games Atari 8-bit computer games Atlantis Software games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games Commodore 16 and Plus/4 games Commodore 64 games MSX games Rocks-and-diamonds games Single-player video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games