| The Magic Candle | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Mindcraft |
| Publisher(s) | Mindcraft |
| Platform(s) | Apple II, Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, NES |
| Release date(s) | 1989 |
| Genre(s) | RPG |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The Magic Candle is a role-playing video game designed by Ali Atabek and developed and published by Mindcraft in 1989.[1]
Contents |
In the game, players must assemble a group of six adventurers and journey across the kingdom of Deruvia to keep the demon Dreax imprisoned in the eponymous magic candle, which has begun to melt. The game's world includes several towns and cities, two castles, and several dungeons and towers. Unlike many video games, one wins not by defeating a final enemy, but by collecting the necessary items and learning the necessary chants in order to preserve the magic candle. Players begin with one adventurer, a human hero called Lukas. Additional adventurers can be found in the game's two castles. Much of The Magic Candle's fun derives from discovering exactly what is needed to preserve the eponymous candle.
There are five races available in this game[2]:
There are nine Professions available in this game[2]:
The Magic Candle is known to have several traits that increase the realism of the game and of the world of Deruvia[2]:
The Magic Candle was successful enough to have sequels: The Magic Candle II: The Four and Forty (1991), and The Magic Candle III (1992). The Keys to Maramon (1990) was an action-title spinoff. Bloodstone: An Epic Dwarven Tale, released in 1993, is a prequel to The Magic Candle.
The series also spawned two spin-offs: Siege (1992) and its sequel Ambush at Sorinor (1993) are tactical strategy games, both taking place in the world of The Magic Candle.
The game was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon #148 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.[3] Scorpia of Computer Gaming World gave the game a very positive review, noting that killed monsters tend to stay dead, a welcome change from the "endless wave" of other CRPGs. Criticisms included the relatively slow combat and the inability to quickly find people or shops in town.[4] The magazine later recognized it as "Role-Playing Game of the Year", describing it as "extensive, well-written, and balanced.".[5]