Game

Mind Castle is a 1984 text adventure by MCE where you’re exploring an abandoned mansion, which is said to contain treasures. As you enter, you are accosted by some kind of spirit that challenges you to a game. Solve his puzzles, and you can reach the top of the mansion and gain the treasure.

Along the way, you’ll explore the rooms in typical text adventure fashion, typing east, west, etc. Every room you enter has a new puzzle, usually based on that room you’re in, and you can ask for that room’s puzzle. Your host then gives you a puzzle, and it’s usually logic puzzles. And its USUALLY logic puzzles that are trying to troll you.

Game

Here’s an example. This puzzle says a Zebra is on its way to the river, and sees a bunch of other animals. How many animals in all were going to the river? Well, one. There’s a LOT of puzzles like that. Over all, the puzzles are trolly, but not bad. There were a few that stumped me, but not for too long. This IS a kid’s game, after all. There’s also nothing here that’ll make you scratch your head for hours. In terms of Text Adventures, this is one of the easiest. There’s no like, over arching puzzles, everything is held to each room, and you just need to solve all the puzzles to climb the stairs to the next floor.

While this game won’t sit with me forever, for what it is, it’s quite enjoyable. I also love the ugly Apple II art, as I always do. Look at that fucking Giraffe.