Smugglers Cove

Smugglers Cove Developer John Keneally Company Publisher Camel Micros Musician Release 1985 Platform(s) CPC, ZX Spectrum Genre Adventure (text) OS Game Modes Single player Controls Media Language Information

Smugglers Cove is a text adventure with a sea-faring theme. It was originally released in 1983 by Quicksilva for the ZX Spectrum. The Amstrad CPC version was released in 1985. It was initially only available by mail order from its author, John Keneally, but it was released later in 1985 by CRL.

The year is 1753. Two miles off the North Cornish coast, huge waves pound the latest victim of the notorious Doombar. the Cutter captained by the ruthless pirate Black Beard. For many years he had terrorised and plundered the commercial shipping operating out of Bristol, but at last the sea itself had dealt out a just retribution.

As top agent for the Royal Duchy, you are of course well aware of the rumours of a hidden hoard of Black Beard's treasure and the terrible tales of those who have tried to find it. It is said that most are never heard of again, and that those that do return, do so dreadfully deteriorated in both mind and body. Until now you have discounted such rumours as nonsense, but the morning after the wreck you find the cutter's log washed up at Daymer Cove. It indicates clearly that the entrance to the cave system was used extensively by smugglers some years ago. Thinking that this might be the location of the fables treasure, you climb through the hole high in the cliffs which is the only known entrance. As you enter, you slip and fall twenty feet to the cave floor There is now no way you can get back to the entrance, so you decide to search for the treasure and another way out.

The Ship's log also contains some words in it, which may be of use on your journey. These are: 'LOOK', 'INV', 'N', 'E', 'S', 'W, 'U', 'D', 'TAKE', THROW, 'HIT'. 'SCORE'. 'SAVE'. 'LOAD'. The main object of the adventure is of course, to escape back to the surface with the treasure. but you only score maximum points by using the best route GOOD LUCK!

Solution

(Start in a large dimly lit cave), LOOK, GET TORCH, LIGHT TORCH, E (by river), GET MUNCHIES (monster munchies), FLOAT MUNCHIES (they are swept away down the hole), E (waterfall), GET HAMMER, W, W, S (deep trench), SEARCH GRAVEL (find a barrel), SMASH BARREL WITH HAMMER (inside are a rope and spiked shoes), GET ROPE, GET SHOES, N, E, E (waterfall), THROW ROPE (it catches on a projection and now hangs from the ledge), WEAR SHOES (needed to prevent slipping when climbing the rope), CLIMB ROPE (ledge), GET LADDER (it falls to the floor), D, DROP SHOES, GET LADDER, W, W, S (deep trench), DROP LADDER (spans trench), S (pothole – ignore the hungry cat for now), D (bottom of trench where a message is scrawled on the wall), READ MESSAGE (hints).

N (shore of underground lake where you find the monster munchies and lifebelt), GET KEY (a monster rises from the lake but the munchies distract him), S, E (doors), SMASH PADLOCK WITH HAMMER (it breaks and door opens), N (small room), GET SPADE, S, E, E (altar), PULL CANDLE (altar slides back revealing a tunnel), E (dead end with a trapdoor above), PUSH TRAPDOOR, U, N, E (oak door), UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY, OPEN DOOR, E (large palatial room), DROP KEY, GET ACID, W, W, S, W (to where the corridor has collapsed), DIG BARRIER USING SPADE, W (by elevator), PULL LEVER (hear a distant rumbling – this moves the slabs), GET FISH, E, E, N, N, W, W (back to dimly lit cave), S.

S (pothole where the hungry cat is), S (the cat follows you so long as you are carrying the fish), S, E (the cat keeps the rats at bay), N (small room), DROP SPADE, DROP HAMMER, GET CARROTS, GET SWORD, S, W, N, DROP SWORD, S, E, N (back to small room), GET CLOAK, S, W, N, DROP FISH (no longer need the cat), GET SWORD, N (pothole), D, E (doors), E (to where the stone slab is), PUSH SLAB, LOOK, N (top of stairs where you meet an angry pirate), HIT PIRATE WITH SWORD (he’s dead), N (garden), THROW ACID (corrodes the statue), GET RING, DROP SWORD, GET CASKET, N (large palatial room), WEAR RING, WEAR CLOAK, ENTER PENTACLE (feels strange), RUB RING (a flash of blue light from the mirror lights up the picture which shimmers and fades away... there is now an open door where the picture was), LOOK MIRROR (reflects the opening), FACE MIRROR, RUB RING, LOOK (ensure the donkey is with you), W, W, S, W, W (by elevator which is worked by a rope attached to a harness), HARNESS DONKEY, ENTER ELEVATOR, THROW CARROTS (donkey chases the carrots and hauls you to the surface).

• CDT file
• Instructions in plain text format

Note that the game only works correctly on CPC464 machines. On all other CPC machines, the game will crash after it has loaded.

• Smugglers Cove at CPC-Power
• Smugglers Cove at The Amstrad CPC Games Resource
• World of Spectrum: Link to World of Spectrum