Repton – The Full Information

Repton the lizard. Created originally by Tim Tyler, Repton has under gone much improvement, but today Repton does not have the place it deserves amongst the big names. Why? Find out later on.

The lizard with attitude began his game life in Tim Tylers game – Repton (suprise, suprise).
The idea of the game is for this little green guy to collect all the diamonds on each level. Along the way he met dangers like falling boulders and chasing monsters. Not all the diamonds on the level are just there for the taking. Oh no, that would be to easy, some are locked in safes that have to be opened by collected the universal key! Repton was basically the BBC Micro Boulderdash. But Repton had an atmosphere which is indescribable. It was on of the greatest puzzle games of all times.

The first game was soon to be followed by … the second game 🙂 – Repton 2. Repton 2 was to Repton 1 what Sonic 2 was to Sonic 1 (SMD not SMS, they’re all the same on SMS). There was double the objects to what there were in Repton. Transporters that transport you around the various levels (unlike Repton all the Levels in Repton 2 were entered by Transporters on the main level), Spirits that follow the left hand walls and enter cages to become diamonds, Skulls that kill you if you walk into them, Puzzle Pieces that are collected in order to complete the game (the final puzzle says “REPTON 2 IS ENDED”, if you’ll believe that, you’ll believe anything!!!!!!!!) and Meteors that fall from the sky (basically an ever lasting supply of Rocks except they disappear when they hit anything). It had no time limit (shame) and had a totally different feel to Repton. It is the one Repton Game I have never completed, is it just me or does it seem just a tad difficult?

The third game – Repton 3. This didn’t really have many new features in it, just growing fungus (basically skulls that grow !?! ;-)) and to complete the level you have to diffuse the time bomb. It was basically a cross between Repton and Repton 2. Repton 3 came with its own level designer and sprite designer. Thus began the long line of Repton games that happened. Altogether there were 4 Repton 3 games (all with different sprite and level sets) :
– Repton 3 original
– The Life of Repton
– Repton Around the World in 40 Screens
– Repton Thru Time

Each one of these included a large amount of levels, never before seen. I managed to get hold of all the games and trust me, the games are damn good (and hard!!!). This game was also released on the Acorn Archimedes with improved graphics + sound (sound, on the Beeb???!!!).

The final BBC repton game, Repton Infinity. Repton Infinity was a totally customizable game. The player could change not only the look of object, but also how they work. The user could play with and create A.I.!!!!!!!!!! Tell that to LARA CROFT! It wasn’t out for very long before the Beeb fell into the vortex of dead computers. So no-body really knew about it. Superior Software (the company that published Repton) instead of bringing out version for the up-to-date computers, pursued the already dying Arc.

The very last Repton game ever created. EGO Repton 4. Huh! A good game OK. But why the Arc? Why no Repton Infinity? Why the regress to a Repton 2 style game? Ah well, all’s well doesn’t always ends well.

Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

B

C

Cage – When a spirit enters this it turns into a diamond.
Crown – One on each level. Must be completed before diffusing Time Bomb.

D

Diamond – All over the levels. Some are in safes some are in cages.

E

Earth – Flay object that spirits and monsters can move through. Repton digs through it however.
Egg – Like a rock, but when it falls and hits, it cracks to reveal a monster.
Ego Repton 4 – Superior Software’s attempt to start the Repton buzz on the Arc.

F

Fungus – Randomly grows. Obstacle. Kills Repton and Monsters. Like a growing Skull.

G

H

I

J

K

Key – Collect this to turn all the safes to diamonds.

L

The Life of Repton – One of the Repton 3 Games. The only one with a real story line and comic strip!

M

Monster – Contained in an Egg. Chases Repton and can be destroyed by dropping a Rock on it or letting Fungus grow on it.

N

O

P

Puzzle Peice – Repton has to collect all of these in order to complete Repton 2.

Q

R

Repton – The Hero! A Humanized Lizard who’s job is to complete various levels.
Repton Infinity – The final game (see above).
“The Repton Shuffle” – This was Repton’s special move in which he let a rock fall one space and then pushed it to the side in mid air! (Click here to view a diagram of how)
Rock – Falls, Kills, need I say more?

S

Safe – When a key is collected, all these turn to diamonds.
Skull – When Repton walks into this, he dies. Does not kill monsters.
Spirit – Follows the left hand wall, until it meets a cage, then it turns into a diamond.
Superior Software – The company that produces Repton.

T

Thru Time – The final episode of Repton 3

Time-Capsule – Resets the Time-Bomb to its starting value.
Time-Bomb – The Repton Time Limit. After meeting the level objectives this is diffused by walking into it.

U

V

W

X

Y

Z