Tiger Claw TV&Radio

Hemrawc · Joined: 01 Mar 2009 Posts: 153

Yep, I was at one of my favorite retrogaming stores and I picked up Wizardry for the NES for $13. Was that a decent price?

Do you have any hints you can offer a beginner?

retroman · Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject:

I think thats a pretty decent price, I've seen it sell for $80 cart only here.

As for tips? I can't really say as I havent played it. Sad

Critical Failure · Yahurrr Joined: 25 Feb 2009 Posts: 1042

Good buy bro! Wizardry is one of those carts that is uncommon. I think the cart itself is rare in terms of volume produced, but the demand is low. It runs 15-25 bucks usually.

Here are some tips.

1. Get online, print out maps.

When this game was made, the idea was, you would keep a map on a 20 by 20 grid marking down each step you take. The trouble was, there are teleporter tiles and it gets confusing as cream cheese. Printing maps doesn't ruin the game at all. It just cuts out the hassle. That kind of thing was fun for gamers in 1980. There is a mage spell that give you a location so you dont get lost. In the super Nintendo version, you get to see a map on screen, but in the NES version, you are given coordinates to find your location on a print out map. Also you will need it to make notes on. For example: "This door requires a silver key" ect ect...

2. Print the Spell list.

The way they copy protected the game no the apple II days was making the spell names super weird. Essentially, if you didn't have the manual, you couldn't use spells because on the apple II you had to type in the spell names and you needed the manual to know what they were. The way that effects the NES version is this. Now you have spells with wacky names like "Mahalito" and you will probobly need the spell list to keep them straight.

3. If the party dies, turn the power off.

Wizardy has this thing where if your party dies, the corpses are left in the maze and you need to take another party out to rescue them. If your party gets wiped out in battle, its easier to just hit the reset button. The game autosaves every time you press 'b' to enter camp.

After all that, you have to worry about party creation. This is the method I have stuck with. Remember, only the first three party members can melee attack. Therefore, offensive casters take the back three slots.

1 Fighter
2 Fighter
3 Cleric (Can't use blades, but still a decent fighter. Uses heal spells.)
4 Thief (Needed for checking chests for traps. That's pretty much all they are good for.)
5 Wizard or Mage (Wizards mix offensive and heal spells. They are useless at low levels but later on they help out a lot.)
6 Mage (Offensive spells.)

Wizardry is a great game, and the NES port is the best version of the first installment. It's the best video game version of the classic AD&D game. It requires an imagination when exploring the dungeon, but it's one of my all time favorites. Have fun with it dude!

Hemrawc · Joined: 01 Mar 2009 Posts: 153

WOW! Thank you so much for the tips!

Now, I'm just waiting for you to get online so we can record the interview for the podcast.

Critical Failure · Yahurrr Joined: 25 Feb 2009 Posts: 1042

Sorry I didn't make the podcast. Sad

I really wanted to do it. Do you think we could try again in the near future?

Hemrawc · Joined: 01 Mar 2009 Posts: 153

How does saving work in the Wizardy game?

BTW the guys decided not to put the interview on the upcoming episode. The interview might actually be released as a separate episode by itself!

Thanks again

Critical Failure · Yahurrr Joined: 25 Feb 2009 Posts: 1042

Everytime you enter camp or go to the castle it autosaves.

Hemrawc · Joined: 01 Mar 2009 Posts: 153

Thank you!