A classic
1984 title from
Ultimate, (aka
Ultimate Play the Game, although everybody called them 'Ultimate'), 'Knight Lore' was a ground-breaking
isometric 3D platform game. It was released initially for the
Sinclair Spectrum and cost the princely sum of
£9.99.
Whilst 'Ant Attack' had introduced isometric 3D to the masses, Knight Lore was funkier and more attractive, with large sprites which moved around smoothly. The gameplay involved finding a series of objects and dropping them into a cauldron in order to break an evil spell, one which periodically transforms the hero ('Sabre Man' from Sabre Wulf) into a werewolf. The objects were dotted over a large map divided up into 134 square rooms, in which were set obstacles and monsters which generally killed Sabre Man.
Supposedly, Ultimate had finished the game before their previous release, Sabre Wulf, but held it back so as not to upstage the other game.
Ultimate followed Knight Lore with the almost-identical, sci-fi Alien 8, and it spawned a whole series of imitators, including 'Sweevo's World', 'Batman' and 'Head over Heels'. Ultimate themselves went into decline afterwards, as their subsequent games were essentially Knight Lore with bells on ('Gunfright' had scrolling, whilst 'Bubbler' had ramps).