30 replies to this topic

[Mister VCS]

In this medieval fantasy game, player takes control of a brave knight as he sets out on a quest of treasure hunting and survival. The quest takes the knight into three different realms of danger, each with its own challenges, and an ever changing maze of which they must navigate through.

Game Information

Game Name: Thunder Castle

Released by: INTV, 1986

Twin Galaxies High Score: 35,200 by Ryan Gavigan

Settings: 1 Player

Game Leaderboard (FINAL)

• ghsqb 54,800 (10pts)
  
• IntvDude 40,000 (9pts) Tied
  
• cmart604 40,000 (9pts) Tied
  
• cparsley 24,700 (6pts)
  
• thegoldenband 24,500 (4pts)
  
• JacobZu7zu7 20,100 (2pts)
  
• crade 14,000 (1pt)
  
• ed1475 13,100 (1pt)
  
• roadrunner 4,800 (1pt)

Current Leaderboard (After 1 game)

cparsley 10(1)
thegoldenband 10(1)
JacobZu7zu7 10(1)
patbb 9
rgw825 8
Chuck D. Head 6
ed1475 4
roadrunner 2
cmart604 1

Edited by cparsley, Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:06 PM.

[IntellivisionDude]

My first attempt. Actually my second.

I love this game. But sometimes it's so easy to get trapped. Besides just killing the enemies and using the items to help you, it is a good idea to pick up items even if you don't want to use them because most of them give you points. All except the candle stick and comb i'm pretty sure.




And for a refresher course.

The Grail = Energizes the knight (probably the most useful item)
The Crown = Freezes guardians/enemies for a few seconds (it has come in handy when you get energized and they are close by)
The Necklace = Speeds up knight for a few seconds (also very useful for offense and defense, can get you out of trouble)
The Lantern = Doubles knights energy (i assume it makes you energized longer, haven't really noticed and i rarely use it)
The Key = Let's knight move through gate or wall (also very useful on offense and defense, don't know how many times i get trapped and wish i had a key)
The Ring = Moves knight to a random location in maze (what a crappy item, hasn't helped me yet, last time i used it, it transported me 2 inches away)
Coins = Adds 500 points to score (grab these every time if possible)
Candlestick = Grants you and extra life (hell ya)
Comb = Cuts your score in half (try your hardest never to grab this )

[IntellivisionDude]

Much better 18,300




One good strategy is, when you have a grail, lure the enemy to the spot where he respawns and use the grail there. If you are quick and lucky enough, after you kill him the next enemy will respawn on top of you while you are still energized and boom double kill. But this didn't seem to work after level 3. Things get faster and you don't stay energized as long.

[IntellivisionDude]

Wow, i think this may be my final attempt. I just had the game of my life. My hand is sore too. lol
I flipped the 3 boards twice. On your 3rd time through it is insanely fast, you only stay energized for 5 seconds. And on the dragon level you only get 1 bird that flies 100 mph. I got past them but got the wizards got me.

Another tip is, on your first time through, if you feel comfortable enough in your skill, spam the items a few times. Especially on the wizard level when your down to just one wizard. It's not too hard to keep giving him the run around while you are picking up gold and other items. Actually sometimes it takes that long just to set up the kill sometimes.


40,000 even, i believe that would break the record. Too bad i didn't record it.

[cparsley]

Damn, game 1 golden killed it out of the box, and now you on game 2... Of course I meant Congratulations, but is this thE ENd

[cmart604]

Dude, that's a huge score! Congrats! I'm looking forward to yet another participant point on this one.

[Ross PK]

Awsome game. I don't think I can even get 5,000 though.

[ghsqb]

I made it in too late for Venture, though I had a pretty good score.
Here's my first effort at Thunder Castle.

[IntellivisionDude]

Awesome job ghsqb. If i may ask. How many times did you flip the 3 levels? Thanks

Edited by IntellivisionDude, Tue Apr 26, 2011 5:12 PM.

[ghsqb]

IIRC correctly, that's the 4th time on board 1.
My thing is that I'm usually pretty conservative on boards 2 & 3.
I always only work on 1 wizard or 1 devil at a time, and I never let them run around red if I can help it.
I kill green and while they are yellow, I wait for a chalice, then camp their spawn point, the activate when the yellow one is on me.
In that way I kill the yellow and red in 1 shot.

Level 3 on that strategy doesn't work since your energy doesn't last long enough.

From lvl 3 on I wait for a crown, then I kill yellow and try to kill red using the crown once I'm energized.

While waiting for the chalice or crown, I pick up whatever I can, but try to stay away from the item spawn points themselves so a comb doesn't spawn on top of me.

For the game with the score posted, I didn't get nailed by a single comb, and actually died once rather than take the comb.

That's the extent of my strategy, can't think of anything else that I consciously do other than those things.

[cparsley]

First attempt for Thunder Castle (haven't played this one as a kid)

14,400 (nice set of differing powerup tunes for each level)

[cmart604]

ghsqb, on Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:44 PM, said:

I made it in too late for Venture, though I had a pretty good score.
Here's my first effort at Thunder Castle.

That's just sick!! I love getting my ass kicked week in week out!

[cparsley]

Damn emulation 24,700 2 lives left and the game crashed

[ed1475]

13100

[roadrunner]

4,800

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[JacobZu7zu7]

9,400

First ever emulator score here! No more missing games I down't own (yet)...

Now to deal with a tougher controller then any intellivision pad.

It's hard to turn corners fast, especially with those wizards.
I gotta figure out how to play this too lol.

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[JacobZu7zu7]

Magic Objects and Tips from DP Library...

THUNDER CASTLE

MAGIC OBJECTS
Magic objects appear at various times, in various locations
throughout each maze, remaining for several seconds before
disappearing again.

To pick up a magic object, move your knight on top of it. To use the
object picked up, press any side action button.

An object's power can be used only once each time it is picked up. An
object remains in your knight's possession until it is used or replaced
by a different object. (A knight can carry only one object at a time.)

€ Grail: Energizes knight
€ Crown: Freezes guardian(s) for a few seconds
€ Necklace: Speeds knight up for few seconds
€ Lantern: Doubles knight's energy
€ Key: Lets knight move through gate or wall
€ Ring: Moves knight to random location in maze

The above objects also add points to your score. The first object
picked up within a maze adds 100 points. The second adds 200
points. All subsequent objects within that maze add 300 points.

Some objects can be picked up without replacing the object already
in possession.

€ Coins: Add 500 points to score
€ Candlestick: Grants an extra life
€ Comb: Cuts your score in half

GAME LIVES
Each knight starts with four lives, and loses one life if touched by an
evil guardian while not energized.

Additional lives can be earned by picking up a magic candlestick, and
by reaching scores of 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000
points. Game ends for you when all of your knight's lives are lost.

The number of lives left, in addition to present life, appears in the
upper right corner of the screen, next to your game score.

SCORING

Slay a guardian:
€ Green: 300 points
€ Gold: 400 points
€ Red: 500 points

Pick up magic object (except coins, candlestick and comb):
€ 1st object in maze: 100 points
€ 2nd object in maze: 200 points
€ All other objects in maze: 300 points
€ Coins: 500 points

Remember: If you pick up the comb, your score is cut in half!

Extra lives awarded when score reaches 5,000, 10,000, 20,000,
50,000 and 100,000 points.

WINNING TIPS

1. Lure an evil guardian as close as possible to your knight before
touching a magic creature. Your knight will be energized for only a
few seconds and meanwhile, the guardian is running away from you!

2. Try to anticipate gates, to trap an evil guardian in a dead end.
Corners also slow guardians down.

3. Pick up the most useful magic objects. Although all objects give
points, some are more useful than others. Exceptions: Always pick up
coins and candlesticks. The extra points and lives don't affect other
magic powers.


from the ...Library of Intellivision manuals, including the whole text for Thunder Castle here ---------> My link

[gavvv]

if I have time before the deadline i might pull out the inty and try to defend my 'honor'

gavv
ryan g.

[JacobZu7zu7]

Thunder Castle,
This game is pretty awesome... and better then I expected. I like the strategy element and the fact the gameplay is not a pac-man maze "speed up", like I thought it would be. It also has 3 different stages. I thought there'd only be 1 with the dragon.

Great background effects and music.

[JacobZu7zu7]

13,000

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[thegoldenband]

First attempt, at 10800 points. In the past I've gotten somewhere around 22000, so I'm hoping to improve.

[thegoldenband]

20,700. That second round of devils is tough!

[thegoldenband]

24,500, which is a personal best for me. Killed off one of the devils in the second cycle, but then got caught in a stupid trap between the remaining two. (Sigh.)

[JacobZu7zu7]

GETTING BETTER AT THIS,

I have technique now!

20,100

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[cmart604]

Huh. Took me three games but check this out. Turns out maybe I don't suck at this one as much as I thought, I just hadn't played it that much. 40000!!! Tied intvdude for second!

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