Genre: Platform / Action-Adventure
Developer: CBS Electronics
Publisher: CBS Electronics
Year: 1983
Platform: Atari VCS
Mountain King is a platform action-adventure game released in 1983 for the Atari 2600 by CBS Electronics. The player takes the role of an explorer on a quest to recover a Golden Crown from the Temple, located beneath a diamond mine under a mountain.
Gameplay involves navigating through platforms and ladders in the mine, collecting diamonds and treasure chests. Diamonds are scattered and chests are hidden; using a flashlight reveals certain hidden items. Once the player has collected enough diamonds, they must locate the Flame Spirit, then use it to gain access to the Temple Chamber to collect the crown.
After obtaining the crown, the explorer must escape by climbing to the summit of the mountain. During escape, obstacles such as bats (which steal the crown) and other hazards like a giant spider present dangers. A timer limits player progress, and failure to meet conditions leads to game over.
The game uses a scrolling platform layout with simple graphics and sound appropriate to the Atari 2600’s capabilities. The cartridge includes additional RAM (called “RAM Plus”) to support richer gameplay and data handling than many contemporary 2600 titles.
