How to play Wizard of Wor online
The manual says the one-player game uses the right controller, which is the emulator’s Player 2 joystick. If the arrow keys do not move your Worrior, use the Player 2 keys instead.
- Yellow Worrior (right controller): T/F/G/H to move, A to fire
- Blue Worrior (left controller, two-player game): arrow keys to move, Space to fire
- Enter the dungeon: push up on your joystick
- Start a new game: F12 (the console’s Reset switch)
- One or two players: F11 (the console’s Select switch)
- Difficulty: F4 and F9 set the difficulty switches (B is the beginner level, A gives “extra sneaky” monsters)
- Save and load your progress: Ctrl + 0–9 saves to a slot, Alt + 0–9 loads it
Gameplay
Each dungeon is a single-screen maze. Your Worrior waits in a small box in the bottom corner and walks in when you push up. The laser only fires in the direction you are facing, and you cannot fire again until your last shot hits a monster or a wall. Clear every monster and a new, faster dungeon takes its place. You start with three Worriors and earn one extra at 10,000 points. The game ends when your last Worrior is destroyed.
The monsters, called Worlings, come in three kinds. Six blue Burwors start each dungeon. Yellow Garwors are invisible most of the time and only flicker into view now and then. Red Thorwors are fast and tricky. From the second dungeon on, the winged Worluk appears once the last Worling dies, and after it escapes or is shot, the Wizard of Wor may show up, teleporting around the maze and throwing lightning bolts.
Two tools help you. The radar scanner below the maze shows every creature except your own Worrior, including the invisible ones. The escape doors on the left and right sides beam you across to the opposite side, but they open and close every three seconds, and the monsters use them too.
| Target | Points |
|---|---|
| Burwor (blue) | 100 |
| Garwor (yellow) | 200 |
| Thorwor (red) | 500 |
| Worluk | 1,000, plus double points in the next dungeon |
| Wizard of Wor | 2,500 |
| Opponent’s Worrior (two-player game) | 1,000 |
Tips
- Enter quickly. If you wait about 20 seconds, your Worrior is pushed into the maze automatically, possibly at a bad moment. Go in while the corridor near your box is empty.
- Watch the radar, not just the maze. Invisible Garwors show up on the scanner, so check it before turning a corner.
- Shoot the Worluk. The double score in the next dungeon is worth far more than its own 1,000 points.
- One shot, two kills. Sometimes two Worlings travel together looking like one. A single hit destroys both.
History
The arcade original was designed by Tom McHugh and Dave Nutting for Midway. CBS released the 2600 version in the same month as Gorf, another Midway game that Roklan converted. AtariAge credits the 2600 programming to Joe Hellesen and Joe Wagner. According to the manual, every game opens with the “National Anthem of Wor”, and anyone who survives the Wizard earns the title of Worlord.
Similar games to play next
- Gorf – another Midway arcade game converted for the 2600 by Roklan and CBS
- Berzerk – shoot robots in a maze while Evil Otto chases you
- Dark Cavern – a maze shooter against robots, spiders and blobs, with limited ammunition
- Dark Chambers – a dungeon shooter for one or two players
- Venture – explore rooms full of monsters and treasure