How to play Tomarc the Barbarian online
- Move, run and jump: arrow keys
- Fire / action: Space bar
- Start a new game: F12 (the console’s Reset switch)
- Save and load your progress: Ctrl + 0–9 saves to a slot, Alt + 0–9 loads it
Gameplay
Tomarc runs and jumps through the caves looking for his magic sword, avoiding rats and other dangers on the way, and then has to reach Senta to free her. Senta cannot move while she is caged, but she is not helpless: she fires magic at the giant bats and other creatures that come after her. You switch between the two screens to choose which character you are controlling, so while you help one, the other is on their own. The sound effects warn you when the character you are not watching gets into trouble, and that is your cue to switch.
History
Xonox was known for its “double-ender” cartridges, which had a game at each end: you turned the cartridge around to play the other one. Tomarc the Barbarian came out on its own and also on a double-ender with Motocross Racer. Collectors rate the single cartridge as very rare and the double-ender as extremely rare. Xonox also published the game for the ColecoVision. The company closed during the video game crash of 1983–84.
