is a 1982

arcade video game An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-oper ...

developed and released by

Konami , commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...

and released by

Stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. O ...

in North America. Named after the Egyptian

pharaoh Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian language, Egyptian: ''wikt:pr ꜥꜣ, pr ꜥꜣ''; Meroitic language, Meroitic: 𐦲𐦤𐦧, ; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') was the title of the monarch of ancient Egypt from the First Dynasty of Egypt, First Dynasty ( ...

Tutankhamun Tutankhamun or Tutankhamen, (; ), was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled during the late Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Born Tutankhaten, he instituted the restoration of the traditional polytheistic form of an ...

, the game combines a

maze A maze is a path or collection of paths, typically from an entrance to a goal. The word is used to refer both to branching tour puzzles through which the solver must find a route, and to simpler non-branching ("unicursal") patterns that lead ...

shoot 'em up Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs) are a Video game genre, subgenre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain typ ...

with light

puzzle-solving A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to find the sol ...

elements. It debuted at the European ATE and IMA amusement shows in January 1982 before releasing worldwide in Summer 1982. The game was a critical and commercial success and was ported to home systems by

Parker Brothers Parker Brothers (known as Parker outside of North America) was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. More than 1,800 games were published under the Parker Brothers name since 1883. It remained family owne ...

. Armed with a

laser weapon A laser weapon is a type of directed-energy weapon that uses lasers to inflict damage. Whether they will be deployed as practical, high-performance military weapons remains to be seen. One of the major issues with laser weapons is atmospheric ...

that only fires horizontally, the player loots the maze-like Egyptian

tomb of Tutankhamun The tomb of Tutankhamun (reigned ), a pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt, is located in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb, also known by its List of burials in the Valley of the Kings, tomb number KV ...

while finding keys to locked chambers and fighting off creatures. ''Tutankham'' is one of six games in a group photograph published in the January 1983 issue ''

LIFE Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...

'' along with the record holder for each. The ''Tutankham'' champion in the photo is Mark Robichek of

Mountain View, California Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the population was 82,376 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Mountain V ...

Gameplay

Taking on the role of an explorer grave robbing the maze-like

tomb A tomb ( ''tumbos'') or sepulchre () is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called '' immurement'', alth ...

of Egyptian

, the player is chased by asps,

vultures A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

parrots Parrots (Psittaciformes), also known as psittacines (), are birds with a strong curved beak, upright stance, and clawed feet. They are classified in four families that contain roughly 410 species in 101 genus (biology), genera, found mostly in ...

bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...

dragons A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...

, and

curse A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, ...

s, all of which kill the explorer on contact. The explorer wields a laser weapon that only fires left and right—there is no vertical offense—as well as a single screen-clearing "flash bomb" per level or life. Warp zones teleport the player to another location in the level, which enemies cannot use. To progress, the player collects keys to open locked doors throughout each level and well as optional treasures for bonus points. The player can only carry one key at a time, so the game requires backtracking through an area in order to acquire a second key. When a timer reaches zero the explorer can no longer shoot. Passing through the large exit door ends the level, and any remaining time is converted to bonus points. The hero dies upon touching any enemy. A single extra life is given at 30,000 points.

Ports

''Tutankham'' was ported to home systems by

, who advertised the game extensively in North America, where it released in June 1983. It was ported to the

Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...

ColecoVision ColecoVision is a second-generation home video-game console developed by Coleco and launched in North America in August 1982. It was released a year later in Europe by CBS Electronics as the CBS ColecoVision. The console offered a closer expe ...

Intellivision The Intellivision (a portmanteau of intelligent television) is a home video game console released by Mattel Electronics in 1979. It distinguished itself from competitors with more realistic sports and strategic games. By 1981, Mattel Electronic ...

VIC-20 The VIC-20 (known as the VC-20 in Germany and the VIC-1001 in Japan) is an 8-bit entry level home computer that was sold by Commodore International, Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commod ...

, PV-1000, and PC-6001. Versions for the Odyssey²,

TI-99/4A The TI-99/4 and TI-99/4A are home computers released by Texas Instruments (TI) in 1979 and 1981, respectively. Based on TI's own TMS9900 microprocessor originally used in minicomputers, the TI-99/4 was the first 16-bit home computer. The assoc ...

, and

Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...

were in development by Parker Brothers in 1983, but not published. Two tabletop versions of ''Tutankham'' were released: an

LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liquid crystals do not em ...

game in Japan and Europe from

Bandai is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered ...

resembling a cocktail arcade cabinet, and a VFD game from Bandai in Japan and Konami in North America. In May 2024,

Hamster Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera. They have become established as popular small pets. The best-known species of hamster is the golden or Syrian ...

released ''Tutankham'' as part of the

Arcade Archives is a series of emulated arcade games from the late 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s developed and published by Hamster Corporation. A sub-series called focuses on re-releasing Neo Geo titles in their original arcade format, unlike many s ...

series for the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

Reception

The arcade game was a commercial success in 1982. It was popular in North America, where it topped the ''

Play Meter ''Play Meter'' (initially ''Coin Industry Play Meter'') was an American trade magazine focusing on the coin-op amusement arcade industry, including jukebox and arcade game machines. It was founded in December 1974 by publisher and editor Ralph C ...

'' arcade charts in October 1982 and remained in the top ten through January 1983, when it was ranked number eight. The home conversion by Parker Brothers was also successful in North America. The ColecoVision port was number seven on the UK video game sales chart in late 1983. The game received positive reviews from critics. ''

Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a British-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot web ...

'' magazine reviewed the arcade game in March 1982, following its debut at European amusement shows, giving it generally positive coverage. ''Joystik'' magazine also gave it a positive review, calling it a "beauty" in 1982. ''Computer and Video Games'' later praised the arcade game in November 1983, calling it the first game that effectively combined the elements of an adventure game with "frenetic" shoot 'em up gameplay. They gave the

port a positive review, calling it "a superb piece of software" amidst "the plethora of mediocre and poor quality titles being touted for this machine", but they criticized the VIC-20 cartridge's high UK price of . They rated the VIC-20 version (out of 10) 9 for getting started, 9 for graphics, 5 for value, and 9 for playability, for a total score of 32 out of 40. Bill Kunkel and Arnie Katz reviewed the Atari 2600 port in the Arcade Alley column of ''

Video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

'' magazine in 1983, calling it "a superb translation" of the "coin-op oddity—an adventure game" for the 2600. They said "the play-action is fascinating" and invites "frequent replays" while praising the "wonderful blend of puzzle-solving and hand-eye challenge" as well as the "lush colors" and "Arabian-style score marker". They concluded that "''Tutankham'' is video game royalty".

The Video Game Update ''Computer Entertainer'', also known as ''The Video Game Update'', was an American video game newsletter. Based out of Los Angeles, California and edited by Celeste Dolan, it was published monthly between 1982 and 1990. It regularly featured news ...

called the

version of ''Tutankham'' being among the best arcade game ports to the system, specifically highlighing the graphic detail in the tombs and characters. ''

Retro Gamer ''Retro Gamer'' is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering Retrogaming, retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Launched in January 2004 as a quarterly publication, ''Retro Gamer'' ...

'' magazine reviewed the ColecoVision port in 2014. They gave it a positive review, calling it an "arcade adventure" that "remains a hidden gem in Konami's illustrious history".

Legacy

''Tutankham'' is included in '' Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits'' for the

Nintendo DS The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...

(renamed to ''Horror Maze''). According to ''Hardcore Gaming 101'', Konami's '' King's Valley'' (1985) is considered a spiritual successor to ''Tutankham'' in Japan. It keeps the theme of treasuring hunting in Egyptian tombs and has identical end-of-level music.

Clones

* ''Pyramid'' (NEC PC-6601, 1982) * '' Abracadabra!'' (Atari 8-bit, 1983) * ''Key Quest'' (VIC-20, 1983) * ''Cuthbert Enters the Tombs'' (Commodore 16 and 64, 1984) * ''The Touchstone'' (Tandy Color Computer, 1984) * ''Tut's Tomb'' (Tandy Color Computer, 1984) * ''King Tut's Tomb'' (Atari 8-bit, 1985) * ''Lord of the Orb'' (Atari 8-bit, 1985) * ''Quackshot!'' (ZX Spectrum, 1985) * ''DungeonLords'' (Atari 8-bit, 1988)

Influence

'' Time Bandit'' (1983), best known for its 1985

Atari ST Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's Atari 8-bit computers, 8-bit computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available i ...

version, was heavily inspired by ''Tutankham'' and had a working title of ''Pharaoh''. Both games also have similarities to the 1985 arcade hit '' Gauntlet'' by

Atari Games Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade video games, active from 1985 to 1999, then as Midway Games West Inc. until 2003. It was formed when the coin-operated video game division of Atari, Inc. was transferred by its owner Wa ...

. According to ''Time Bandit'' designer Harry Lafnear, both ''Time Bandit'' and ''Gauntlet'' have roots in earlier "maze shoot 'em up" games such as ''Tutankham''. Jack Palevich, designer of ''Gauntlet''s main inspiration, ''

Dandy A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance and personal grooming, refined language and leisurely hobbies. A dandy could be a self-made man both in person and ''persona'', who emulated the aristocratic style of l ...

'' (1983), also mentioned being influenced by "half-forgotten" maze-exploration arcade games which contributed the idea of using keys to unlock doors. In 2008, ''

'' magazine called ''Tutankham'' "an early ''Gauntlet''".

References

External links

*
''Tutankham''
at Arcade History * * {{IAg, atari_2600_tutankham_1983_parker_brothers_dave_engman_dawn_stockbridge_pb5340, platform=Atari 2600 1982 video games Action-adventure games Arcade video games Atari 2600 games Cancelled Atari 8-bit computer games ColecoVision games Cultural depictions of Tutankhamun Intellivision games Konami arcade games Konami games Maze games Multiplayer and single-player video games Multiplayer hotseat games Nintendo DS games Parker Brothers video games Stern video games VIC-20 games Video games developed in Japan Video games set in Egypt