Pharaoh's Tomb is a DOS

DOS

DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...

 platform game created by George Broussard

George Broussard

George Broussard is a game producer and designer known in the PC game community as one of the creators of the Duke Nukem series ....

 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...

. The protagonist, Nevada Smith, is an archaeologist and adventurer who is exploring an Egyptian pyramid.

The game features CGA graphics based on the FAST (Fluid Animation Software Technology) engine. Notoriously, objects' positions are determined by their bounding volume

Bounding volume

In computer graphics and computational geometry, a bounding volume for a set of objects is a closed volume that completely contains the union of the objects in the set. Bounding volumes are used to improve the efficiency of geometrical operations by using simple volumes to contain more complex...

s, not their exact positions on screen.

Gameplay

Gameplay is straightforward. In each level, the player navigates and avoids obstacles by jumping or falling, evading or killing enemies, and find keys to exit each level. Nevada Smith has no life bar, and is killed instantly when he touches enemies or traps. Lethal obstacles include pyramid themed traps, such as blocks that fire projectiles when Smith passes in front of them, wall spikes, ceiling spikes and floor spikes. Navigational challenges include moving platforms and elevators. Bonus points are randomly concealed in some bricks, which are awarded when hit from below. The game contains many dead-ends as 'traps' where Smith can become permanently stuck, forcing the player to either quit or reload a saved game. Collecting 100 coins or 5 masks earns the player an extra life.

Release

Pharaoh's Tomb was distributed as 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 game consists of four episodes, with only the first episode distributed as shareware, and the rest available commercially. There are 20 levels in each episode, each level consisting of a single room. The episodes are:

• Raiders of the Lost Tomb
• Pharaoh's Curse
• Temple of Terror
• Nevada's Revenge

The game was discontinued on March 2, 2000, 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.

A sequel, 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:...

, based on the same engine, features Nevada Smith as the protagonist and has similar gameplay.

External links

• [ftp://ftp.3drealms.com/freeware/tombfree.zip Download the full freeware game]