Reviving the Scarab of Ra

April 9, 2014 6:54 PM

Rick Holzgrafe's Scarab of Ra is one of those early Macintosh shareware games that nostalgic players really really wish would be updated for OSX. Would you settle for a javascript version? The key commands and interface are a bit different, but the monkey will still steal your lantern and you can still earn academic credit by banking the gold you find, exploring the mazes, and collecting treasure. Just like real life.

Two years ago Holzgrafe discovered a facebook group dedicated to reviving the game he wrote, talks candidly about his reactions, and even gives it a stamp of approval. The creator of the new javascripted version is David Pettifor, who has been providing notes on the development on the Revive Scarab of Ra Facebook page.

If you are still using Macintosh OS 6 through 8, you can download the original version here.

posted by julen (22 comments total)

Thank you for this! This game was a favorite as a kid; I remember my dad brought home a floppy disk from work one evening with several shareware games, including this one. As a kid, I don't think I ever had the patience to play it to completion, but I enjoyed the seemingly neverending levels of the pyramid and the spooky vibe of never knowing if a mummy or that crazy monkey was going to be around the corner.

I don't think I ever sent in the 10 bucks for the game; I wonder if I could send Rick Holzgrafe some money now as back payment...
posted by kingoftonga86 at 6:58 PM on April 9, 2014 [1 favorite]

Oh, wow. I played a lot of shareware back in the day and I'd totally forgotten about this one. I may have to try it again now that I actually know what a "roguelike" is.
posted by valrus at 6:59 PM on April 9, 2014

How do I pick up the key?
posted by sourwookie at 7:14 PM on April 9, 2014

Nevermind.

In the age before in-game tutorials...
posted by sourwookie at 7:17 PM on April 9, 2014

Oh holy crap. Scarab of Ra. I still get an involuntary eye-twitch when I think about that goddamn lioness.

Bring back Crystal Quest, and you've earned yourself some makeouts.
posted by Myca at 7:32 PM on April 9, 2014 [2 favorites]

It runs perfectly on Mini vMac. Here's a zipped disk image for your emulation enjoyment.

(Myca, CQ runs just fine on Mini vMac, too.)
posted by scruss at 7:50 PM on April 9, 2014

Crystal Quest
posted by unliteral at 7:51 PM on April 9, 2014

oh shit
posted by xbonesgt at 8:38 PM on April 9, 2014

scruss: "It runs perfectly on Mini vMac."

Sheepshaver too.
posted by Pinback at 8:55 PM on April 9, 2014 [1 favorite]

That Crystal Quest is an impostor.
posted by caphector at 9:06 PM on April 9, 2014 [2 favorites]

I had no idea there was a Gameboy version of Crystal Quest. But yeah, seconded, Crystal Quest without the mouse is no Crystal Quest.

Man I used to play that so much, I couldn't lose. I'd have to deliberately crash like thirty ships if I wanted the game to end.

I bet I'd be terrible at it today.
posted by rifflesby at 11:20 PM on April 9, 2014

OH HOLY SHIT YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PERSON

I HAVE LONGED FOR THIS DAY

Time to go fetch some artifacts, yell at monkeys and die horribly!
posted by rewil at 11:36 PM on April 9, 2014 [3 favorites]

I've never played Scarab of Ra, but I'll make some time for it when I can.

I now have the sudden urge to play Beyond Dark Castle.
posted by Sticherbeast at 3:04 AM on April 10, 2014

Ooh, now bring back Wizardry!

Scarab freaked me out. I don't deal well with jump scares, and I could never get myself to realize that playing a game that involved ancient evil popping just standing there as you round the blind corner might not have been the best thing to do before going to bed. Not sleep, just bed, because mummies.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:41 AM on April 10, 2014

Still hoping for a modernized Pathways Into Darkness.
posted by Halloween Jack at 4:59 AM on April 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

But when will we get a modernized Puppet Motel???
posted by ThatFuzzyBastard at 8:45 AM on April 10, 2014

The Scarab of .Ra.
 
posted by Herodios at 8:54 AM on April 10, 2014

Ah, wiki to the rescue: There was a sequel to the Temple of Apshai called "Curse of Ra", which is what I had in mind when reading this.
posted by k5.user at 9:12 AM on April 10, 2014

omg, Scarab of Ra. I spent so many hours playing this in the late 80s...
posted by suelac at 9:27 AM on April 11, 2014

There is actually a Pathways to Darkness app on the OSX App Store. Seems like it might suit your needs, ThatFuzzyBastard.
posted by RyanAdams at 4:39 PM on April 14, 2014

I know this is late, but I'm a man of my word.

Unilateral, scruss - you guys have earned makeouts.

They can be collected in person in the SF Bay Area, but please PM me before showing up at my door.
posted by Myca at 12:40 PM on April 15, 2014

You, my friend, are now on the list.
posted by unliteral at 4:07 PM on April 15, 2014