Castles of Dr. Creep

Name: Castles of Dr. Creep
Programmer(s): Ed Hobbs
Publisher: Brøderbund Software
Year: 1983

Description:

The Castles of Dr. Creep is a puzzle platform game released in 1984 for the Commodore 64 and later ported to the Apple II. Created by Ed Hobbs and published by Brøderbund Software, the game became known for its challenging gameplay and cooperative two-player mode.

In this game, you play as a brave adventurer exploring thirteen different castles owned by the evil Dr. Creep. Your goal is simple: escape each castle alive by collecting keys, avoiding traps, and solving puzzles. Each castle contains multiple rooms filled with dangers like mummies, Frankenstein monsters, ray guns, and deadly lightning machines.

The gameplay requires careful thinking and quick reflexes. Players must figure out the correct order to hit switches, when to use doors, and how to time their movements around hazards. The game uses a side-view perspective where you can see the entire room at once. This helps you plan your moves before acting. The Apple II version uses the keyboard for controls, with simple commands for moving left, right, jumping, and climbing ladders.

What makes The Castles of Dr. Creep special is its two-player cooperative mode. Two friends can work together to solve puzzles that would be impossible alone. One player might need to hold down a switch while the other crosses a dangerous area. This teamwork element was rare in games from 1984.

The Apple II version faced some technical limits compared to the Commodore 64 original. The graphics used fewer colors and the sound effects were simpler. However, the core gameplay remained intact. The game fit on a single floppy disk and ran smoothly on Apple II computers with at least 64K of memory.

Each castle has its own theme and name, like "Baskerville," "Callisto," and "Tannenbaum." The difficulty increases as you progress, with later castles requiring perfect timing and memorization of complex sequences. Some rooms have alternate solutions, encouraging players to experiment and find the best path.

The Castles of Dr. Creep influenced later puzzle platform games by showing how to blend action with problem-solving. Its focus on cooperation over competition was ahead of its time. While it never received a true sequel, the game maintains a dedicated fan base who still create new castle designs using level editors.

Today, The Castles of Dr. Creep represents the creativity of early computer gaming. It proved that games could be both challenging and fair, requiring brains over button mashing. For Apple II owners in the 1980s, it provided hours of entertainment and remains a classic example of smart game design.