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Hocus Pocus (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Hocus Pocus is a 1994 side-scrolling platform
video game developed by Moonlite Software and published by Apogee Software
for MS-DOS
. It is a 256 color VGA
game featuring 360 degree scrolling and parallax
ing backgrounds. A part of this title is distributed under the shareware
license. In the game, the player controls Hocus, a young wizard apprentice, sent on a quest by Terexin, leader of the Council of Wizards to prove his worthiness to join this council. To do this, Hocus has to beat 36 levels
spread over four episodes (9 per episode), filled with over 30 different kinds of monster
s, includings imps, ghosts, and dragons, and a boss
at the end of each episode.
Despite being released around the same time as the film of the same name
, the game is not related to it in any way.
Treasure items include rubies, diamonds, goblets and crowns. While Hocus does not have to pick up treasure, the player is awarded bonus points if all treasure is collected. The player also receives bonus points if they complete the level within a set time limit.
Hocus starts with 100% health and this percentage decreases as Hocus takes damage from spikes, lava, monsters or their missiles (4% on "easy" mode, 8% on "moderate" mode, 12% on "hard" mode). If this percentage reaches zero, Hocus dies and restarts the level. If Hocus is damaged he can collect healing potion
s that restore 10% health. There are fight-enhancing potions that enable rapid fire and powerful laser shots. Other potions allow Hocus to jump higher, and teleport
to a set location in the level. Most levels have a secret room that may either be behind a hidden wall, or require a hidden teleport potion to get there. One or more holograms of Terexin can be found in most levels. This hologram sometimes gives Hocus a hint to where the secret room may be found, but at other times it will taunt him instead. When Hocus finds a secret room, he will often be rewarded with large amounts of treasure and items.
Terexin, a powerful mage, explains that all magic power of the Land of Lattice is entrenched into powerful crystals that resonate if brought together in sets. As leader of the Council of Wizards, Terexin tells Hocus Pocus, the young wizard the player controls, has the quest to obtain such crystals in order to attain more magic powers to become a worthy member of the Council. He promises Hocus that if he manages to become a member, he gets to marry his sweetheart Popopa, who is also Terexin's daughter. Throughout his journey, Hocus encounters strange and sometimes dangerous creatures, like mummies, bats and Eskimos. Terexin, in the form of a hologram, gives the player advice through the game, although the conversations vary from solving a switch puzzle to how long it took him to grow his beard. After defeating Trolodon, the magic areas were now mostly cleared, so they became fairly safe for travel. As for completing his apprenticeship, Hocus Pocus becomes part of the Council of Wizards. At the end of the game, he marries his beloved Popopa, making them Mr. and Mrs. Pocus.
Speculation on the game has arisen that Trolodon was Terexin himself, as the player never gets to see the mage beyond the hologram, and both mages bore the same robes and beard. After Trolodon's defeat, Terexin was spiteful rather than grateful towards Hocus, as he couldn't believe that such a great mage like Trolodon could be defeated by a puny wizard like him who was also a dropout.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
video game developed by Moonlite Software and published by Apogee Software
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
for MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
. It is a 256 color VGA
Video Graphics Array
Video Graphics Array refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, but through its widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the 640×480 resolution...
game featuring 360 degree scrolling and parallax
Parallax scrolling
Parallax scrolling is a special scrolling technique in computer graphics, popularized in the 1982 arcade game Moon Patrol. In this pseudo-3D technique, background images move by the camera slower than foreground images, creating an illusion of depth in a 2D video game and adding to the immersion...
ing backgrounds. A part of this title is distributed under the shareware
Shareware
The term shareware is a proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a...
license. In the game, the player controls Hocus, a young wizard apprentice, sent on a quest by Terexin, leader of the Council of Wizards to prove his worthiness to join this council. To do this, Hocus has to beat 36 levels
Level (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
spread over four episodes (9 per episode), filled with over 30 different kinds of monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s, includings imps, ghosts, and dragons, and a boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
at the end of each episode.
Despite being released around the same time as the film of the same name
Hocus Pocus (film)
Hocus Pocus is a 1993 Halloween-themed fantasy/comedy film that was released by Disney and directed by Kenny Ortega. The film tells the story of a Halloween-hating teenager named Max, who inadvertently resurrects three witches, The Sanderson Sisters, from their temporary death and must risk his...
, the game is not related to it in any way.
Gameplay
The object of the game is to collect all the crystal balls within a level to proceed to the next. Hocus will encounter monsters which he may avoid or kill with his magic lightning bolt spell. Within the levels there are also various items and treasure that Hocus can pick up for points or special abilities. Some levels have silver and gold doors, which can be opened after Hocus pick up the corresponding keys.Treasure items include rubies, diamonds, goblets and crowns. While Hocus does not have to pick up treasure, the player is awarded bonus points if all treasure is collected. The player also receives bonus points if they complete the level within a set time limit.
Hocus starts with 100% health and this percentage decreases as Hocus takes damage from spikes, lava, monsters or their missiles (4% on "easy" mode, 8% on "moderate" mode, 12% on "hard" mode). If this percentage reaches zero, Hocus dies and restarts the level. If Hocus is damaged he can collect healing potion
Potion
A potion is a consumable medicine or poison.In mythology and literature, a potion is usually made by a magician, sorcerer, dragon, fairy or witch and has magical properties. It might be used to heal, bewitch or poison people...
s that restore 10% health. There are fight-enhancing potions that enable rapid fire and powerful laser shots. Other potions allow Hocus to jump higher, and teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
to a set location in the level. Most levels have a secret room that may either be behind a hidden wall, or require a hidden teleport potion to get there. One or more holograms of Terexin can be found in most levels. This hologram sometimes gives Hocus a hint to where the secret room may be found, but at other times it will taunt him instead. When Hocus finds a secret room, he will often be rewarded with large amounts of treasure and items.
Boss stages
The final level of each episode contains a boss. There are a total of four bosses in the game. If the Hocus touches one of the bosses, he is immediately killed.- Boss 1. Mad Monks of MellenWah. These seven monks are guarding the castle walls of the ninth level in episode 1.
- Boss 2. Tree Demons. Those ten bosses take a lot of damage.
- Boss 3. Gray Dragons of Higgendom. There are ten of them and their fireballs are deadly.
- Boss 4. Trolodon. He is the evil wizard and retreats each time a quarter of his vitality is depleted.
Story
The game begins with most of the story of Hocus Pocus being told to the player.Terexin, a powerful mage, explains that all magic power of the Land of Lattice is entrenched into powerful crystals that resonate if brought together in sets. As leader of the Council of Wizards, Terexin tells Hocus Pocus, the young wizard the player controls, has the quest to obtain such crystals in order to attain more magic powers to become a worthy member of the Council. He promises Hocus that if he manages to become a member, he gets to marry his sweetheart Popopa, who is also Terexin's daughter. Throughout his journey, Hocus encounters strange and sometimes dangerous creatures, like mummies, bats and Eskimos. Terexin, in the form of a hologram, gives the player advice through the game, although the conversations vary from solving a switch puzzle to how long it took him to grow his beard. After defeating Trolodon, the magic areas were now mostly cleared, so they became fairly safe for travel. As for completing his apprenticeship, Hocus Pocus becomes part of the Council of Wizards. At the end of the game, he marries his beloved Popopa, making them Mr. and Mrs. Pocus.
Speculation on the game has arisen that Trolodon was Terexin himself, as the player never gets to see the mage beyond the hologram, and both mages bore the same robes and beard. After Trolodon's defeat, Terexin was spiteful rather than grateful towards Hocus, as he couldn't believe that such a great mage like Trolodon could be defeated by a puny wizard like him who was also a dropout.