Going on a Bear Hunt

There’s a game Beth had for the Atari 2600 called Crystal Castles, and I looked it up recently. Like many such games, it was originally an arcade cabinet, with the isometric graphics being a major part of its appeal.

The 2600 version obviously didn’t have the graphical capability, so the port loses a lot for that reason. That said, it does do a decent job at showing depth with limited resources, with stairs and elevators still appearing. It does look more cramped that way, though.

You play as Bentley Bear, who doesn’t drive a luxury car (at least not in the game itself), but is trying to collect as many gems (which look like minus signs on the 2600) as possible. Why, I’m not sure.

The story for the 2600 says he was just asleep in a tree and dreaming of poached salmon, and then wakes up in a witch’s castle. I understand Bentley’s name was originally supposed to be Braveheart, but some Native American groups complained. I guess the makers of the later Mel Gibson movie didn’t care.

The character does make a brief appearance in Wreck-It Ralph.

The arcade controls consisted of a trackball and a jump button. Some of the enemies are also trying to collect gems, and it doesn’t really hurt to let them do so. But you get increasingly more points for each jewel you collect in a level, and there’s a bonus for taking the last one, so that gives some motivation to get as many as possible.

The Gem Eaters, which are sort of like vertical caterpillars, can be killed if you run into them while they’re eating, but not at any other time. One hit will make Bertram lose a life. And it’s possible to stun crystal balls and trees by jumping over them, but the only way you can get rid of most enemies for good is to get the magic hat, which makes you invincible for five seconds. Other opponents are ghosts and skeletons, and the last castle of every level features Berthilda the Witch, the main villain of the game. She flies around on her broomstick, and the 2600 manual says that furry mammals are her favorite snack. There are also bees that show up to protect the honey pot, or sometimes just to bug you if you take too long. Each level starts with a bit of Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz. When you complete a level, it plays a bit of the march from the Nutcracker Suite, and the 1812 Overture plays when you beat the final castle. That Nutcracker music is also used in Devil World. I can’t help but associate it with Christmas. The arcade game did have an ending screen after you finish all ten levels, but there isn’t much to it. Bentley reappeared in a few educational games.

And 2013 saw the release of a fan-made sequel called Crystal Quest, this time a sidescroller, but still with Berthilda as the villain.

I’ve heard some music by the band Crystal Castles, and it’s obviously very much inspired by the sounds of old video games. From what I’ve seen online, however, it was actually named after the Crystal Castle from She-Ra.

The game was released two years before that show started, but there probably wasn’t any direct influence. I suspect it’s a name that has shown up independently in different places. Or maybe it was after the Crystal Palace in London. Anyway, the band broke up a few years ago because one of the members sexually harassed another, or at least that’s what it says on the Internet. Way to sully the memory of Bentley Bear, or possibly Adora!