In Dark Tower the players are noble adventurers in a medieval fantasy world. They must travel through the four kingdoms, collecting followers and gold and searching for keys to the ominous Dark Tower. Along the way they may investigate mysterious ruins and tombs for gold and treasure, stop at sanctuaries for healing and rest, visit bazaars to purchase food and hire scouts and face goblin hordes and even dragons.
When they have found all three keys, they and their forces must journey to the tower, break the code needed to enter and defeat the forces within. The first player to do so wins the game.
By the early 1980s computer chips were becoming more common and several game manufacturers were experimenting with including "electronic" components in their games. Probably the most successful of these was Dark Tower.
As the players moved their tokens (representing their adventurer and followers) about the board they pressed buttons on the Tower to indicate their moves. The Tower would display images indicating what they found in their journeys and, when they encountered opponents, would resolve the conflict. The players had to make a good number of logistical choices while playing; "should I hire a scout to keep from getting lost or should I buy more food?" "Do I have enough troops to assault the tower or should I go to the stronghold for more?"
Once the player reached the tower they had to guess the order in which to use the three keys they had collected. If they guessed wrong they had to wait until the next turn and try again. (Guess wrong too many times and they would run out of food and their followers would desert them.) Once they had the order for the keys the Tower would run a final battle between the player's troops and the defenders of the Tower.
This is one of the few of the electronic games produced where the electronics actually contributes to the game instead of being a simple gimmick. The tower could be rotated so that only the player who's turn it is can see it which keeps each player's moves secret. The fact that it is electronic means that the game can be played solitaire but it is much more fun with the full number of opponents. A really fun game.
8 comments on Dark Tower:
yes so tis game looks bad ass... i love me some bad ass games... yea so i def want my parents to buy this for me... oh damn they died. yea well my mom loves to bake pies. so yea how much this be hoe.
Absolutely fabulous game! Way ahead of its time. Too bad a used copy is impossible to find under $200.
I got this for Christmas the first year it was out. I asked for it as a joke. Was I surprised!
My sister bought this game the Christmas it came out for her nerd boyfriend. I think she paid $80.00 for it. Man, it turned out to be a blast to play! When they started to heavily discount them to get them off the market I bought one too. I still have it, still wrapped in cellophane no less. It sat for over 20 years at my mothers house in storage only to be rediscovered when she sold the house. I wonder what it is worth to a collector?
on boardgamegeek there is a link to a site where you can play dark tower, its very easy. you can only play solitaire against the tower, not against other people, but its still good times. hope this was helpful.
Hey Dana, You can get about 300 for it I bet.. maybe 400 if you auction it!
my fam use to always play this game, and we still have it. it gets dusted off and played at christmas from time to time.
'More than a game, it's an experience'..
That was the slogan of one of the most astonishing and involving boardgames ever created.
I remember the first times I watched the brief but atmospheric and intense tv advert played by Orson Welles (nonetheless) and how it drove me crazy (I was 11 or 12). Just released, its price was really high and definitely unaffordable..but on summer of 2 years later, I came across the showcase of my town toy shop and..yes..Dark Tower stood there, at a much lower price!
As a result of a mad pressing on my relatives, I succeded in convincing them to buy it only a few days after. Every expectation was fulfilled..man, what a fun! The battles with brigands, the dragon, the sword, the curse of wizards, the keys final puzzle..Every game was different from the previous one, too ahead fot those times.. Had been playing with some friends for years. Currently I owe the game, still working and in good conditions.
Really a franchise of my 80's.