Thief (Tokioka Ryohei)

Title – ドロボウくんー (Thief)
System – NEC PC-8001
Author – 時岡良平 (Tokioka Ryohei)
Publication – Program Pochette – ’84 Volume 1
Page Scans – 1 2
Preserved By – Dustin Hubbard (Hubz)
Recommended Emulator – j80

Download ROM

Loading the Game –
– Run your PC-8001 emulator and make sure it is in PC-8001 mode.
– Insert the tape file.
– Type MON and hit enter
– Type L and hit enter

Description & Instructions

This is basically a clone of Taito’s early Lupin III arcade game but has very basic enemy AI. You collect the money signs from the top of the screen then bring them down to the bottom and fill in the circles. There are various characters that wander around horizontally back and forth that will take a life if you touch them. They seem to only go back and forth when you’re nearby in a few spaces making it next to impossible to get past them unless you go up or down a bit and then they’ll resort to moving back and forth in a wider range until you go into their area again.

Controls – [Numpad 2]: Move down [Numpad 4]: Move left [Numpad 6]: Move right [Numpad 8]: Move up [Space-bar]: Warp

Magazine Article Translation from Claude.ai (FYI This may not be 100% accurate!)

Time Hill Soft presents this game! Although you may wonder why the trump marks don’t appear or why it seems difficult, once you try it, it’s fun. This is an action game that challenges your reflexes, so be sure to try it.

The movement is rhythmic and smooth. When using warps, climbing walls, or even getting close to walls, controlling your character requires skill. The important point is that there are many places where you can get closer to “success” by moving in a direction that seems to lead away.

Also, there’s a large mystery key! When you get tired, you can always press the space-bar key to warp.

How to Play

This is a game where you collect 7 dollar signs to reach the goal. There are monsters like spades, hearts, and diamonds randomly appearing on the paths, which won’t let you pass easily. Use warps effectively to advance.

Controls

[2]: Move down [4]: Move left [6]: Move right [8]: Move up SPACE: Warp

Playing Instructions

Using the heart, you move Dorobou (Thief). Collect $ and keep moving to better places, but be careful of the maze-like paths. Diamonds and spades are patrol enemies.

You can only move 2 spaces up and down (1 space horizontal movement). However, you can only move left and right, not up and down, at corners.

Be careful, as there are traps in the paths between floors.

The mystery key is the spacebar key. If you press the spacebar key, it’s helpful, but good or bad things may happen depending on when you use it. Whether to use this key or not depends on your judgment.

Program Explanation

Variable List

HS: High score S: Score M: Lives ME: ACT IX: Position of spade AX: Previous position of spade KX: Position where diamond appears BX: Previous position of diamond A: Direction spade moves D: Direction diamond moves MX, MY: Your position C: Flag checking if you have money K: Counter for collected money B: Bonus W: Warp XO, YO: Previous position XF, YF: Direction when hit (0 when no collision)

Program Structure

190-200: Initial settings 210: Variable settings 220-530: Screen creation 540-780: Main loop 790-820: Next level routine 830-920: Next screen routine 930-980: GAME OVER

Check Points

If you lose lives, the number of warps decreases. If you increase M to 200, lives will increase. If you set W to 210, the number of warps increases. To increase W, warp number increases. If you think it’s difficult, check line 640 from IF to ELSE to understand.

About Dustin Hubbard

Founder and owner of Gaming Alexandria. Obsessed with high quality scans of games for all systems as well as preserving games before they are lost.

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