Monuments of Mars
Encyclopedia
Monuments of Mars is a third-person
puzzle
platform
video game developed
by Scenario Software and published
by Apogee Software
. The game consists of four 20-level
episodes, the first episode being shareware
, the rest being commercial software. It is based on the FAST (Fluid Animation Software Technology) CGA
game engine
from Arctic Adventure
and Pharaoh's Tomb
, developed by Todd Replogle
, and later published by Apogee.
The game was discontinued, and was released as freeware
on March 20, 2009.
who must navigate through twenty levels on the planet Mars
to finish the game. Most levels require the player to enter a door to advance to the next level, but earlier levels have the player simply move to the opposite side of the screen. The player has the capability to jump and shoot with a gun. This is useful to operate switch
es which open doors or turn off obstacles. A unique point to this game is that the player has no limit of lives
. A player may restart a level as many times as necessary. If a player can collect the letters in the word "MARS" scattered throughout the level in order, a large bonus is added to the player's score.
Virtual camera system
A virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in videogames where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; more generally, they are used in 3D virtual worlds when a third person view...
puzzle
Computer puzzle game
Puzzle video games are a genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles to be solved can test many problem solving skills including logic, strategy, pattern recognition, sequence solving, and word completion....
platform
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
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Scenario Software and published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Apogee Software
Apogee Software
Apogee Software, LLC is a video game publisher based in Garland, Texas, established in 2008 as a spin-off of 3D Realms .- History :The original Apogee Software was established in 1987 as Apogee Software Ltd. In 1994, Apogee established its 3D Realms brand for publishing 3D video games distributed...
. The game consists of four 20-level
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...
episodes, the first episode being 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...
, the rest being commercial software. It is based on the FAST (Fluid Animation Software Technology) CGA
Color Graphics Adapter
The Color Graphics Adapter , originally also called the Color/Graphics Adapter or IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter, introduced in 1981, was IBM's first color graphics card, and the first color computer display standard for the IBM PC....
game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
from Arctic Adventure
Arctic Adventure (computer game)
Arctic Adventure is a platform game written for MS-DOS, published by Apogee Software. It is the sequel to Pharaoh's Tomb. The protagonist, Nevada Smith, is an archaeologist searching for a Viking treasure in the Arctic.-Gameplay:...
and Pharaoh's Tomb
Pharaoh's Tomb
Pharaoh's Tomb is a DOS platform game created by George Broussard and published by Apogee Software. The protagonist, Nevada Smith, is an archaeologist and adventurer who is exploring an Egyptian pyramid....
, developed by Todd Replogle
Todd Replogle
Todd Jason Replogle is a video game programmer, best known as the co-creator of the Duke Nukem series. Replogle graduated from Soquel High School in Soquel, California as a member of the class of 1986....
, and later published by Apogee.
The game was discontinued, and was released as freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
on March 20, 2009.
Gameplay
In the game, the player controls an astronautAstronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
who must navigate through twenty levels on the planet Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
to finish the game. Most levels require the player to enter a door to advance to the next level, but earlier levels have the player simply move to the opposite side of the screen. The player has the capability to jump and shoot with a gun. This is useful to operate switch
Switch
In electronics, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another....
es which open doors or turn off obstacles. A unique point to this game is that the player has no limit of lives
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
. A player may restart a level as many times as necessary. If a player can collect the letters in the word "MARS" scattered throughout the level in order, a large bonus is added to the player's score.
External links
- [ftp://ftp.3drealms.com/freeware/marsfree.zip Download the full freeware game]
- S&F Prod. - The Monuments of Mars! Includes maps of all levels