Questprobe featuring The Hulk
Designed by Scott Adams (not the cartoonist!)
Developed by Adventure International
1984
This was the first of the Questprobe games, a series of text adventures featuring Marvel characters.
Screenshots taken from MobyGames
From what I recall, this game has a unique feature where the Hulk can dig in the ground for gems and other point items. I'm not sure if there's any other reason to do so, but it's fun seeing gametic elements like that in early text adventures.
Castle of Terror
Developed by Beam Software
Written by Grahame Willis
Released in 1985 for Commodore 64
Castle of Terror Spoilers!
From Wikipedia: "The game received notoriety amongst gamers as being impossible to fully complete, namely due to there being no known way to kill the count or achieve a full score of 290 out of 290. Grahame Willis, author of the game, has since revealed that it is not possible to kill the count and that messages suggesting so were placed in the game intentionally to frustrate players."
I love when game developers intentionally make hostile design decisions like this, knowing full well it will enrage everyone that plays the game.
If you're not sold on the box art alone, perhaps the back of the box blurb and in-game aesthetic will?
Inter-Dimensional Espionage. Inter-Dimensional... because you can "warp" into the body of a living thing in this or any other dimension. Espionage... because there are good guys and bad. And you're a good one... with years under your belt and a multitude of successful missions behind your dark glasses. The payoff? You get a vacation, and the ultimate vacation in this business is to become a goldfish.
Yes, a goldfish. Hey, it's cushy. You swim a little, eat a little, live in a castle. (So what if it's plastic.) Just as you were getting into vacation mode (umbrella drink and all), the tide turns. The most dangerous group of inter-dimensional anarchists surface - the Seven Deadly Fins. This septic septet will stop at nothing to destroy all forms of life as we know it. And wouldn't you know it, you are drafted to stop them!
