Do you remember what this game was called?

[Themanwhocan]

Hi, I'm looking for an adventure game I used to play on the BBC Micro at school in England back in the 80s and would really appreciate any help you can give.

It involved travelling around a map just like you do in the Land of Mystery in Granny's Garden and there are two things I vividly remember about it.

One is that the main villain was a grey coyote/wolf that would pop up on the screen for a jumpscare. The other is that one of the locations on the map was an office and when you visited there you could see an elevator in the background. I'm less sure of the office thing but fairly certain.

It would have been released sometime between 1983 to 1991 on BBC Micro, most likely no later than 1989 and not long after Granny's Garden.

It would mean a lot to me to find this game so please help if you can

[SteveF]

One is that the main villain was a grey coyote/wolf that would pop up on the screen for a jumpscare.

Was it Flowers of Crystal? I had a copy of this at home when I was not that young (but still a kid) and the wolf jumpscare put me off playing it. (I had a green screen monitor so I don't remember what colour the wolf was...)

(And no, I never played "Five Nights at Freddy's". )

[Themanwhocan]

Possibly, I'll look into it and see. The screenshots look sort of familiar but I need to see the Coyote thing to be sure.

[SteveF]

I'm starting to doubt myself. I absolutely agree there was a BBC micro game with a wolf/coyote jumpscare, almost certainly in teletext graphics. I still think it might be Flowers of Crystal, but I'm not so confident. I think it was an educational title that could have been used in schools, like Granny's Garden and Flowers of Crystal.

This post by Lum has some videos. The first part has what looks like a jumpscare of a kind of ghost/monster thing, which would probably have put the wind up young SteveF (and old SteveF too, for that matter ) but it is definitely not the wolf that I remember. Part 2 doesn't seem to have the wolf in either. (I skimmed through these videos so it's just possible I've missed something.) It's also possible Lum is playing so well that she doesn't *get* the wolf, even if it exists.

[Themanwhocan]

I will see if I can play Flowers of Crystal because I can only find a video of part 2 online.

It certainly was an educational title and I remember playing it around the same time as Daredevil Dennis (which it took me years to find the title of!).

The graphics were just like Flowers of Crystal and the office I'm remembering may have been the city shown on that map. There was definitely a grey wolf-like thing that popped up because it really shook me. It's definitely not the face seen in the Flowers of Crystal part 2 video.

I remember moving back from the screen when the wolf thing appeared and my heart went faster. It's a clear memory of my childhood. Nowadays the wolf would probably have to wear a high-vis vest and there'd be a warning that a jumpscare is coming up.

I'm sure it was in an office or some sort of building and that's what scared me the most: it was somewhere you didn't expect to see a wolf.

I'll have a look at that game and see. I do have another game I remember the name of and can't find it anywhere but I want to solve this one first.

[Themanwhocan]

I will see if I can play Flowers of Crystal because I can only find a video of part 2 online.

It certainly was an educational title and I remember playing it around the same time as Daredevil Dennis (which it took me years to find the title of!).

The graphics were just like Flowers of Crystal and the office I'm remembering may have been the city shown on that map. There was definitely a grey wolf-like thing that popped up because it really shook me. It's definitely not the face seen in the Flowers of Crystal part 2 video.

I remember moving back from the screen when the wolf thing appeared and my heart went faster. It's a clear memory of my childhood. Nowadays the wolf would probably have to wear a high-vis vest and there'd be a warning that a jumpscare is coming up.

I'm sure it was in an office or some sort of building and that's what scared me the most: it was somewhere you didn't expect to see a wolf.

I'll have a look at that game and see. I do have another game I remember the name of and can't find it anywhere but I want to solve this one first.

Later today...I played Flowers of Crystal and it certainly isn't that game.

I think the wolf/coyote character was in it from the start and you knew he was coming after you. Flowers of Crystal is good but it's not right as Roy Walker would say.

[SteveF]

Curses! I hope someone else here can shed some light on this...

[iamaran]

I think it may be Dragon World by 4Mation.

http://www.bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=3577

Page 10 of the manual:
"There are two dangers in the Town of Treasures. At certain locations the coyote is lurking and, unless he is offered chocdrops, will, after his
third appearance, return the treasure hunter to the beginning of the program".

[SteveF]

Nice find! I think you could be right: you can see the coyote in this YouTube video - start at about 9:53 for the jumpscare.

I'd be lying if I said it looked exactly how I personally remember, but I think that's probably what scared the crap out of me as a kid all the same. (My memory has it being yellow, but as I was playing on a green screen monitor that has to be something I imagined...)

(Incidentally, I did look at the other 4Mation titles on bbcmicro.co.uk to see if it was one of theirs, so I saw Dragon World, but the name of the game didn't ring any bells at all.)

[Themanwhocan]

I think you've got it!

I had a quick look at that video and that's certainly what I remember. One of the locations in the game is some flats which I may have perceived as an office, possibly showing I predicted the future and that people's offices would be in their homes.

I will play the game later and see if it rings any bells. I don't remember the title of the game but I'm pleased it mentions a coyote in the manual because that's what stuck with me over the years

[Themanwhocan]

I'm sure that's it but I can't find it anywhere. I found one ROM and it freezes as soon as it loads, other sites that offer online play of it come up with error messages.

I found it on a site by 4mation but it was £27 and I don't have a BBC Micro. Surely there is a way to play it on a modern PC?

I could watch the YouTube video but I really want to play it myself.

Thanks very much, you have helped fill in a piece of my life

[tnash]

4mation are still enforcing copyright. Maybe if we ask them nicely they could make it available at a small charge? Granny's garden and Flowers of Crystal are available on their website.

[Themanwhocan]

I asked them nicely and they didn't reply.

I offered to pay but it seems like they're not interested so I'll have to find a ROM.