Best text-based adventure games

[The Why Bird]

I'm trying to help a nine year old boy with his English skills. He is incredibly reluctant to read or write anything, so I thought a good way to get his interest would be using some of the old (or new) text-based games.

I'm ideally looking for those which are shareware or abandonware so I can compile a few on a disk for him. They don't necessarily have to be 100% text based, but ideally he should have to read at least the dialogue, and having to type instructions would be a bonus.

He is extremely good at figuring things out; he is logical and able to analyse how things work, so the games don't necessarily have to be easy.

Any suggestions for something fun?

[Uosdwis R. Dewoh]

Gateway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_(computer_game)) 1 & 2 are both excellent text based adventure games, but a nine year old might have trouble with the harder puzzles. Eric the unready (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_the_unready) by the same makers is also excellent, and one of the funniest games ever.

[Just Some Guy]

Now this is an easy one for you. The Interactive Fiction Archive (http://www.ifarchive.org/). Piles and piles of great stuff, all free. I especially recommend the works of Adam Cadre (http://adamcadre.ac/if.html) since he tends to make simple games that use the medium differently.

You could fit a few thousand of those on a disk.

[Lute Skywatcher]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game_nolan.shtml), online version.

[Hoopy Frood]

Now this is an easy one for you. I especially recommend the works of [url=http://adamcadre.ac/if.html]Adam Cadre (http://www.ifarchive.org/) since he tends to make simple games that use the medium differently.

Photopia.

The one word you'll ever need to know for IF.

It's not even really a "game". The few "puzzles" have obvious solutions.

But it won the competition the year it came out, and rightfully so.

[Shark Sandwich]

I used to lurve the Zork games. When I started playing them I was only a couple of years older then he is now. And these are true text games of the "go east," and "kill troll with sword" variety. Man, those bring back some memories.

Your torch has gone out. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

[Commander Keen]

Photopia.

The one word you'll ever need to know for IF.

It's not even really a "game". The few "puzzles" have obvious solutions.

But it won the competition the year it came out, and rightfully so.

I'm very glad someone else knows and loves Photopia. I think it deserves a thread of its own, to introduce others to it. One of these days...

(although I don't expect a nine year old boy would find it that compelling)

[seodoa]

I used to lurve the Zork games. When I started playing them I was only a couple of years older then he is now. And these are true text games of the "go east," and "kill troll with sword" variety. Man, those bring back some memories.

Your torch has gone out. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

I also loved me some Zork. Return to Zork made me pee myself. Zork with fancy graphics!

As for graphical text adventure games, I loved the Dark Crystal game (Gelfling Adventure is a dumbed-down version of it for younger minds). And Transylvania, which was a fantastically fun graphical text adventure game for the Apple II (and a few other systems, IIRC). "Sabrina dies at dawn!"

[Hoopy Frood]

(although I don't expect a nine year old boy would find it that compelling)

I don't know. Considering the character everything centers around is a teenage girl, I think a nine-year old might be able to relate to some of the concepts. Granted, the game deals with dark subject matter that most 9 year olds haven't directly had to encounter, but judging by the popularity of Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket, I doubt it's something he wouldn't be able to handle. Might make for an interesting discussion of the what transpires after the fact.

But I guess it depends on the kid.

But out of all the Cadre IF games, this one is probably the one that would be most appropriate for youth. Varicella involves sexual abuse and violence; I-0 makes jokes about masturbation and has one branch that can lead to the main character to being raped and killed among other things; and Shrapnel involves alcoholism, child abuse, split personalities, and violent themes. The good thing is none of it is gratuitious. It's all done for a reason and fits with the overall purpose of the games. But I wouldn't recommend them for children. The mature subject matter in Photopia is something that a nine-year-old would likely be aware of since it's an unfortunately more common event than it should be.

Lock and Key might work, since that's an entertaining (if rather difficult) trial and error game. Nothing really violent there.

[Elendil's Heir]

You don't have to look far....

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=496173

[Erasmus Darwin]

One of my all-time favorites is Heroes: http://www.nothings.org/games/if/heroes/

It's the same goal (retrieve the semi-generic mystic artifact) as pursued by 5 very different characters. The setup is always the same, but which character you use greatly affects your perception of the world, the puzzles you face, and the abilities you have.

[HubZilla]

There's an app called "Frotz" where you can put text games on an iPhone or iTouch. Zork, Hitchhikers, all seem to be available free.

[Lynn Bodoni]

You don't have to look far....

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=496173 The OP is trying to get a nine year old to play. We don't allow posters under the age of 13.

[chrisk]

There's an app called "Frotz" where you can put text games on an iPhone or iTouch. Zork, Hitchhikers, all seem to be available free.

:dubious: :D

Frotz is an inform interpreter that has been ported to all kinds of platforms, but I didn't realize until now that somebody had done the iphone port. Out of curiosity, was it allowed into the iphone app store? (I know that they're generally unfriendly to apps that interpret 'foreign code')

[HubZilla]

:dubious: :D

Frotz is an inform interpreter that has been ported to all kinds of platforms, but I didn't realize until now that somebody had done the iphone port. Out of curiosity, was it allowed into the iphone app store? (I know that they're generally unfriendly to apps that interpret 'foreign code')

I found it in the App Store. Took some searching, as it wasn't in any Top 25 lists. I just typed Zork on a lark, and there it was.

[Elendil's Heir]

The OP is trying to get a nine year old to play. We don't allow posters under the age of 13.

Ah, right you are. Thanks.

[HPL]

Gateway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_(computer_game)) 1 & 2 are both excellent text based adventure games, but a nine year old might have trouble with the harder puzzles. Eric the unready (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_the_unready) by the same makers is also excellent, and one of the funniest games ever.

Seconded Gateway. I discovered it years and years ago and it still hold a fond place in my memories.

Eric the Unready is good, but I seem to remember the time pressure being rather harsh.

[chrisk]

I used to lurve the Zork games. When I started playing them I was only a couple of years older then he is now. And these are true text games of the "go east," and "kill troll with sword" variety. Man, those bring back some memories.

Your torch has gone out. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

From the old Infocom archives, the other one besides the original Zork trilogy and HHGG that stands out in my memory is Enchanter. :)

[mswas]

Leather Goddesses of Phobos, without a doubt. I loved that game when I was 9.

[Hoopy Frood]

Leather Goddesses of Phobos, without a doubt. I loved that game when I was 9.

You lied on the question about your age when activating "lewd" mode didn't you? :)

[Lynn Bodoni]

You lied on the question about your age when activating "lewd" mode didn't you? :) I usually entered my correct age when I played that game. I didn't always enter the correct restroom, though. I "liked to go both ways (wink wink nudge nudge)."

I hated the catacombs.

[Hoopy Frood]

I usually entered my correct age when I played that game. I didn't always enter the correct restroom, though. I "liked to go both ways (wink wink nudge nudge)."

I hated the catacombs.

So then you never got to play lewd mode until you were 18, eh?

And the catacombs sucked, I agree. Especially since you actually had to plan out when to "clap, hop, and kweepa" because you didn't have enough turns with the torch to just do them willy nilly. You actually had to plan the entire series of actions out ahead of time.

[Lynn Bodoni]

I was over 18 when I bought the game. So I was able to play tame, suggestive, and lewd right when I opened it.

I am absolutely no good at mazes of any sort, let alone mazes where I have to perform actions at certain times. And Infocom, damn their twisty little hearts filled with passages that all look the same, seemed to always include a maze in their games.

[Hoopy Frood]

I am absolutely no good at mazes of any sort, let alone mazes where I have to perform actions at certain times. And Infocom, damn their twisty little hearts filled with passages that all look the same, seemed to always include a maze in their games.

Yeah, and there was always a twist to them.

The maze in Zork was hard to map while the thief was still around because he'd move anything you dropped. The maze in LGoP had a map included in the packaging, but the annoying actions (which were also put in as a form of copy protection) made it difficult.

And, FTR, I was one of those who lied about his age when going into lewd mode.