Tunnel Trap. (computer game)
by Danny English

TUNNEL TRAP

In the days of knights and castles, disputes could be settled by a sword fight, a joust, or a good game of Tunnel Trap. The first two activities have pretty much faded into obscurity, but you can still enjoy this game for the 64.

Challenge a friend to a heated battle inside a 32-screen maze of tunnels. Destroy your opponents by slingshot or by strategically set traps. Tunnel Trap features a realtime split screen and responsive controls.

Getting Started

Tunnel Trap is written entirely in machine language. To enter it, use MLX, our machine language entry program. See "Typing Aids" elsewhere in this section. When MLX prompts, respond with the following values.

Starting addresses: 0801 Ending address: 1990

Be sure to save a copy of the program before exiting MLX.

The Challenge

When you're ready to play, connect two joysticks to the computer. Although Tunnel Trap is written in machine language, it loads and runs like a BASIC program. When the title appears, you have the option of turning trap sensors on or off. Pressing f1 will enable trap sensors, and pressing f3 will disable them. They will be explained later in the article. Pressing the space bar begins the game.

The Split Screen

Playing Tunnel Trap can be a bit confusing at first. The top screen belongs to player 1, and the bottom to player 2. Each player is controlled by joystick, and each player has a status line.

The two views represent windows on different sections of a large maze. The two players begin their search for each other at opposite ends of the maze. Players control their knights with joysticks. Pressing the fire button launches slingslots. The shot fires in the last direction that the player moved. When the players enter the same screen, an image of each player appears in each window. The best way to avoid confusion is to look only at your own window.

The Deadly Traps

Besides being able to shoot at each other, each player begins the game with 25 traps. Player 1 can dig a trap anywhere in the tunnel by pressing f1; player 2 presses f7. Your enemy cannot see the traps you set, and you cannot see his. You cannot fall into your own traps. On the title screen, you have the option to enable trap sensors. These are state-of-the-art warning devices. When they're activated, a green light at the far right of the screen flashes a warning when you're near an enemy trap. The sensor won't pinpoint the trap's exact location, but it does warn you to take caution.

How to Win

On the left side of each player's status bar is a green stamina indicator. Each time a player is hit with a slingshot or falls into a trap, he loses one stamina point. When all points are gone, the other player wins that round. The game continues until someone wins three rounds. The victorious knight will be crowned champion of the day. To return to the title screen at any time, press the Commodore key in the lower left corner of the keyboard.