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REPTON THRU TIME

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette And DFS E00 Disc

Game Type : Arcade; Overhead Maze Game

Authors : Tim Tyler & Matthew Atkinson

Standalone Release(s) : 1987: REPTON THRU TIME, Superior/Acornsoft, £6.95

1990: REPTON THRU TIME, Superior/Blue Ribbon, £2.99

Compilation Release(s) : 1990: PLAY IT AGAIM SAM 10, Superior/Acornsoft, £9.95

Stated compatibility : Electron

Actual compatibility : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128

Supplier : SUPERIOR/ACORNSOFT

Disc compatibility : CDFS E00, DFS E00

Instructions

REPTON THRU TIME has a total of 40 screens. These are provided as five cassette files with eight game screens in each:

File 1: PREHIST

File 2: EGYPT

File 3: VICTORI

File 4: NOW

File 5: FUTURE

The PREHIST file is loaded automatically when the game is first loaded.

The PREHIST, EGYPT, VICTORI, NOW and FUTURE are on the cassette. To load any of these files, simply select the "L" option on the main game screen, and enter the appropriate filename.

Objective Of The Game

In order to succeed in travelling through time with Repton, you must complete each of the 40 screens without using any passwords. Each new set of characters is based upon the original REPTON 3 characters.

The new character sets are also shown. For the PREHISTORIC screens, you will notice that the rock and the diamond have been replaced with a boulder and green berries respectively. Therefore, on the PREHISTORIC screens, Repton pushes the boulders (as if they were rocks) and collects the green berries (as if they were diamonds).

Similarly, the monster and the spirit have been replaced with a dinosaur and a pterodactyl respectively. So Repton is chased by dinosaurs (instead of monsters) and pterodactyls (instead of spirits).

To avoid confusion, the following game instructions refer exclusively to the original REPTON 3 characters.

To complete the game, you must carefully determine your routes through each screen in turn, with the aim of defusing the time-bomb by passing over it. However, before the time-bomb can be defused, you must first:-

(a) collect all the diamonds (including those concealed in safes or cages),

(b) collect the golden crown, and

Each screen has a time-limit and, if you do not complete the screen within this time-limit, the time-bomb will explode and you will lose a life. Repton can, however, travel backwards in time because whenever a time-capsule is collected, the time-bomb's clock is reset.

Each screen comprises a series of puzzles. Many of these are interlinked and you may have to solve a number of small puzzles to enable you to tackle a large one. The puzzles may, in some cases, seem impossible - but we assure you that REPTON THRU TIME can be completed.

Rocks will fall if unsupported and should one land on you it will kill you. You must also avoid the monsters, spirits, skulls and fungis - contact with these is fatal.

When an egg falls, it cracks upon landing and a monster hatches out. The monsters are killed by pushing or dropping rocks onto them.

There may be up to eight spirits on each screen. They always follow the walls to their left until they reach a cage. When a spirit enters a cage, it changes into a diamond. A spirit may become dazed if you drop a rock onto it or collect all the diamonds immediately surrounding it. This is to be avoided as the spirit will then move endlessly in a small circle.

Watch out for the poisonous fungus which grows incessantly sealing your fate. Trap it in by surrounding it with rocks if you can, or you may never live to collect the golden crown.

Your route may be blocked by a safe. If so, you must locate a key which will open all of the safes on the screen revealing a diamond within.

Each screen may have a maximum of four transporters. They cause you to be rematerialised at some other location on the screen, but each transporter can be used once only.

Game Controls

Z - Left, X - Right, * - Up, ? - Down, M - View Map (Screens A-E only)

<ESCAPE> - Kill Yourself (Useful if you become trapped), <SHIFT>-R - Restart Game

P - Enter Password, L - Load Data File, S/Q - Sound On/Off

K - Select Keyboard Control, J - Select Joystick Control (Plus 1 Interface)

F - Select Joystick Control (First Byte Interface)

Scoring

5 points ............. for collecting a diamond

20 points ............... for killing a monster

50 points .............. for collecting a crown

The REPTON 3 Series Editor

Full instructions for the editor package supplied with this game are detailed under REPTON 3.

Instructions' Source : PLAY IT AGAIN SAM 10 (Superior/Acornsoft) Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User) - "Repton Takes His Time"

Our little green friend is back again in a new set of forty screens. REPTON THRU TIME covers various periods of history ranging from prehistoric and Egyptian, through Victorian, the present day and into the future. All the screens are REPTON 3 standard and will load into any version - but you get the game and screen designer as usual so if you haven't any of the earlier versions you don't need to worry.

You start up with the prehistory screen set where Repton is wearing an animal skin and searching for the ultimate invention - the wheel. On his way he eats the green berries and avoids the red ones; the dinosaurs need crushing by the unaltered boulders. Spirits have become pterodactyls and seek out their caves before turning into berries.

The first screen was nice and easy, reminding you gently of all the usual Repton tricks - but don't make any mistakes because you can only get out of the start area once before it becomes blocked. Repton moves next into the Egyptian period with very brightly designed characters.

The first screen has an original start with two wicker baskets at either side of Repton falling and opening to reveal serpents. It certainly grabs your attention.

The spirits are now mummies seeking out their tombs. The rest of the screens are occupied by pyramids, scorpions and scrolls which you need to collect.

The next set of screens cover the Victorian era. The character designs are less clear with Repton in a frock coat and most of the supporting blocks being gaslights.

There's a little social comment since the creeping fungus is represented by smoking factories. But again there's a nice easy run at first with a good stiff gradient as the screens progress.

There's another tricky start in the present day screen set. The usual Repton key is represented by the Excess card of which there are two next to where you start. There are no diamonds (cans of coke) available and no boulders (suitcases) to shift); all you can do is collect the cards - and take a really good look at the map before you do.

The monster has become a traffic warden and ale houses are the safes, spirits are represented by flying newspapers, which don't seem to quite fit with the rest of the screen concept.

The final set of screens is called Future and they are really hard. Empty spaces and earth are now stars, whereas skulls and fungus are black holes. Time capsules look like teleports and are called timewarps.

The first screen would be easy if the characters were anywhere near normal - but as it was it took me ages to finish.

Pushing around the robots was easy enough, but you can't tell at a glance how they are being supported. Out of crashed spaceships come the BEMs - bug-eyed monsters - spirits are a different type of alien which convert Tie fighters into crystals, and if you grab a laser gun Daleks get challenged too.

This Repton group of screens is reputed to be the last that's going to be produced. I wonder...

Sound ........................... 7

Graphics ........................ 8

Playability ..................... 9

Value for money ................. 8

Overall ......................... 8

"Electron User Golden Game"

Steve Turnbull, ELECTRON USER 5.10