8th January 1985
Horse-Drawn Games
Founded and Owned by Irene Stevenson
Based in Scottsdale, Vermont, USA
Horse-Drawn Games, known for interactive fiction computer games, released their new console in North America today. The Gamewagon was originally slated for a holiday 1984 release, but technical issues delayed its production. The Gamewagon is available in 3 different variants; A, B, and C, priced at $350, $250, and $175, respectively. Four games have been released along with the Gamewagon, but it is also compatible with Horse-Drawn’s older interactive fiction titles.
Gamewagon: Play
Included with all Gamewagons, but not available for individual sale. Gamewagon: Play is a collection of 8 simple games. All included titles feature 2d 8-bit graphics and monaural sound. The individual games do not support save files, but Gamewagon: Play keeps a file of the player’s scores. Half of the games include a 2-player mode for players with a second controller.
-
Turbo Tennis, a tennis game for one or two players.
-
Kart Dash, a kart racing game for one or two players.
-
Super Trivia Time, a trivia game for one or two players.
-
Gamewagon Hoops, a basketball game for one or two players.
-
I Can Decorate, an interior design game for one player.
-
Gamewagon Antfarm, an ant farm simulator for one player.
-
Gamewagon Fishtank, an aquarium simulator for one player.
-
Gamewagon Skeeball, a skee ball game for one player.
Astrid’s Pony Tales
Astrid’s Pony Tales bears a passing resemblance to some of Horse-Drawn’s earlier work, but is set in a new universe separate from Happy Valley. Astrid’s Pony Tales features 2d 8-bit graphics, monaural sound, simple cutscenes, and save game support. The game is set within a framing device of an old mare named Astrid telling a bedtime story to her grandchildren.
The player controls four characters. The name, gender, character class, and color scheme can be chosen for each character. There are six different character classes; destrier, charger, berserker, witch, oracle, and mystic. Due to space limitations, the class titles are truncated to dstrir, chrger, and brsrkr. Witch, oracle, and mystic are unaltered. The default characters are Roslyn (destrier), Juliet (charger), Astrea (oracle), and Yuria (witch).
While primarily a one-player game, it is possible for a second player to control some characters during battle. Each character can be set for player 1 or player 2 in the config menu. Player 1 has full control outside of battle. Developer Irene Stevenson estimates 15-20 hours of gameplay for typical players.
Astrid’s Pony Tales comes with an instructional manual, a story booklet starring the default protagonists, a double-sided poster (world map on one side, default protagonists on the other), and a page of stickers depicting significant characters and enemies. Astrid’s Pony Tales retails for $50, but a free copy is included with the Gamewagon-A and Gamewagon-B.
If the Gamewagon is connected to a printer, the player will be able to print stat sheets for each character, dungeon maps, and coloring pages.
After a thousand years of peace, a long-lost island rises in the middle of the ocean. With its return comes chaos. Wicked things swarm the world and spread despair across the land. Four brave ponies must band together to defeat the evil power and seal the island away once more.
Higurashi
Higurashi is a side-scrolling action game in which the player controls a ninja warrior. It features 2d 8-bit graphics, monaural sound, and save game support. The player-character can duck, jump, slash with a sword, or throw a knife. The objective is to defeat a rival ninja clan. A second player can join, but enemies are more numerous and bosses are tougher in 2-player mode. The protagonist is Haru. The player 2 character, Kaito, only exists within 2-player mode and is not referred to in the storyline.
Horse-Drawn Games states that Higurashi is not a game for children, and markets it to mature players. However, the Electronic Game Rating Association (EGRA) has appraised Higurashi and approves it for all audiences.
Higurashi includes an instructional manual, a poster, and an art book. It retails for $45.
The ruthless Inago ninja clan have all but exterminated their rivals. Lead Haru, the last of the Higurashi ninjas, on a quest of revenge against the wicked ninjas who slew his clan.
Voidrunner
Voidrunner is a top-down shoot-em-up in which the player pilots a small space ship. It features 2d 8-bit graphics, monaural sound, and save game support. The player can equip their ship with both a primary weapon and a secondary weapon. Primary weapons include fast-firing machine guns or slow-firing cannons, with two weapons in each category, and an auto-cannon that combines the characteristics of both. Available secondary weapons are homing missiles, micro missiles, rockets, and a laser cannon. Primary weapons have unlimited ammunition, but secondary weapons must be replenished with pickups.
Beating the game unlocks a different ship for the player to use. This ship not only looks different, but also moves slightly faster, enabling the player to more effectively dodge enemies. The bonus ship uses all the same weapons as the default ship. A second player may join, and uses the same type of ship as player 1, but in a different color scheme.
Voidrunner includes and instructional manual, a poster, and an art book. It retails for $45.
The void is rife with danger, but highly profitable for traders courageous enough to brave it. That’s where you come in. You’re a voidrunner, a veteran mercenary in the employ of a major trading corporation. Clear out the space pirates, and guarantee safe passage for the cargo ships!