Beyond Dark Castle

Beyond Dark Castle is a computer game, released for the Macintosh in 1987 by Silicon Beach Software. It was designed by Mark Pierce and programmed by Jonathan Gay. It is the sequel to Dark Castle, with more levels, monsters and items, as well as a larger game map and longer levels. A second sequel, Return to Dark Castle, was released in 2008.

Features

Movement in Beyond Dark Castle is similar to Dark Castle. A helicopter backpack has been added and Duncan can now collect and drop bombs. These can be used to destroy snakes, rats, and even walls. There is now a health meter that needs to be replenished, multiple keys can be collected, and the levels now scroll (horizontally and vertically). Games can also be saved and loaded (using a unique "computer room"), and there is also a practice mode.

While in Dark Castle the Black Knight's chambers could be entered at any time, Beyond Dark Castle requires Duncan to collect five orbs which are scattered around the new, much larger castle. As before, the Fireball and Shield must also be acquired before the assault on the Black Knight himself.

Story

The game starts off with the end of Dark Castle, where Prince Duncan toppled the Black Knight's throne. In the original version, after toppling the throne, the Black Knight stands up shaking his fist, and a gargoyle drops Duncan in Trouble 3. In the newer version by Delta Tao Software, Color Dark Castle, after defeating the Black Knight on advanced, the Black Knight's throne falls down, off the bottom of the screen, and Duncan does a victory dance as it fades out.

When starting a new game in Beyond Dark Castle, the player sees Duncan approaching a fireplace and mantle. Duncan attempts to remove a nearby torch from the wall, only to have the whole wall turn around like a trapdoor. Duncan finds himself in a large anteroom, where there are five pedestals. Over the course of the game, the player collects five orbs to fill these pedestals, opening a gate that leads to the final duel with the Black Knight.

On normal and intermediate difficulties, when the Black Knight is defeated, he falls back into his chair, and Duncan makes his way over to the fireplace by the throne, and is taken back to the main menu, where he does a victory dance. After the score is shown, Duncan goes back though the wall and ends up back in the anteroom.

On Advanced, the Black Knight fall back into his chair, then turns into a little swirling ball of energy and flies up the place where his drinks were coming from. Duncan then goes to the fireplace and pulls on the torch, and is taken back to the main menu. This time, after doing his victory dance, the Energy ball that the Black Knight turned into comes from the top of the screen, and turns Duncan into the Black Knight. The Black Knight then pulls the torch and the wall turns around, showing a "The End" on the other side.

Levels

This game had 15 levels, like the first game, which came out of the 5 doors in the Great Hall.

• Ye Roof: Computer Room, Clock Tower, Swamp, Forrest.
• West Tower: West Tower Wall, West Labyrinth, West Tower Top.
• East Tower: Black Knight's Brewery, East Labyrinth, East Tower Top.
• Underground: Basement, Catacombs, Dungeon.
• Main Hall: Ante Room, Black Knight's Showdown & The Final Battle.

Reception

Computer Gaming World said that Beyond Dark Castle was superior to its predecessor, approving of the new save and practice options.^[1]

Trivia

• The Christmas easter egg from Dark Castle is present, though in a different form. To access it, a new game needs to be started with the computer's date set to December 25.

Remakes

• A version was released for the Apple IIGS.
• A version for the C64 and the Amiga was also released by Activision.
• A colorized Mac version was planned by Delta Tao Software but dropped.
• A version of Dark Castle was made for cellphones, which borrows some level designs from this game.
• Return to Dark Castle, the sequel, contains all the levels from Beyond Dark Castle, as well as many new ones.

References

1. ↑ Roberts, Alan (July 1988). "Beyond Dark Castle". Computer Gaming World. p. 34.  |accessdate= requires |url= (help)

External links

• Video review of Beyond Dark Castle in the Computer Chronicles
• Dark Castle links, including the official forum (where players can chat with Zack Black and Zack Morris of Z Sculpt, the developers of Return to Dark Castle).
• Dark Castle and Beyond Dark Castle on emulator for PC