classicgames.org - Arctic Adventure

Arctic Adventure is the sequel to Pharaoh's Tomb. You again take the role of Nevada Smith, intrepid archeological thief, who braves the icy waters of Norway to steal from long-dead Vikings. The metaphors have changed slightly: you now carry a pistol instead of spears and use pickaxes to hack your way through blocks of ice instead of using keys to go through doors. The game is now non-linear, so you can wander around a map to pick and choose among levels to try, but best of all, the arrow keys are now valid choices for movement.

Arctic Adventure beats its predecessor in the key field of realism. For instance, the Vikings were well known for implanting yeti and motion sensitive guns in their caves. Also, busting out of levels requires you to know the scientific fact that one pickax annihilates one block of ice, so you must carefully choose your route. The physics are great: collisions are determined by the perfectly rectangular tile boundaries.

Overall, AA is even better than Pharaoh's Tomb and deserves a spot in any 286.

Posted by Kevin on 2000-07-02

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