Domark’s Friday the 13th: The Computer Game
We have talked about this game previously at fridaythe13thfilms.com, but I thought I would take the opportunity to reintroduce this relic of gaming systems past. FRIDAY THE 13TH: The Computer Game was released by Domark Ltd in 1985 to be played on the Commodore 64. The one thing about this game that you notice right away is that we are not dealing in game cartridges or CD’s, we are looking at the use of floppy disc. Yes, there are some out there that have never even seen or used a floppy disc. But is was not that long ago that this was the type of media used for computers across the globe.
In this game, Jason is hiding in the forest, waiting to avenge his mother’s death, when a party of teenagers visit the eerie Crystal Lake holiday camp close where Jason lurks. The name of the game is that you must warn everyone that the mad murderer is on the rampage and lead them all to safety, without, of course, losing your head! The game would come with an instruction booklet and foaming blood capsules.
For an interesting story about a certain controversy surrounding this game, check out a story Dusk wrote in March of ‘09. It is a bit comical in today’s standards!
I think i actually played this gamne on some emulator. I just remember all the screens looked kinda the same and getting lost and not knowing what to do. But fun none the less cuz it was F13!
Does anyone know where I can score a copy of this? There’s nothing on ebay except the NES game which I was playing yesterday. I got Jason worn halfway down before my last counselor got halved!
I just saw this on there recently. I wonder if the auction already ended?
I remember that game, My brother had it. It was kind of lame, but it was way better than the NES game.
Hey I’ve played way worse games than the Friday game.
My thought, why don’t they make a game today for “Friday the 13th” in the form of World of Warcraft, the non-linear exploration aspect of it. Instead of it being a fighting game, you can visit the different locals from the movies, with the killer in the woods, but not knowing when he might appear (or even at all). To have it exploration I think would please the fans would would probably get a kick out of personally going through the different places.
This game was crap! Apparently somebody at Domark thought it would be a great idea to make Jason a shapeshifter??????WTF
Like the NES game it was virtually impossible to beat Jason who reveals himself wearing a black tuxedo! I’m serious.
Virually impossible to beat? It was rather easy. Get a werapon (the axe works best IMO) and start hitting everyone who crosses your path. When you see your vixtim “shapeshifting” while getting hit: continue hitting (stoipi it if it´s a noprmal person).
Sure, the game never ends (when you beat Jason with one person you get to pla another character, when you have played all charatcers you start again).
Okay, there were some F13:locations: A barn,, woods, the camp (you could see the archer range). But no lake. And the Jason as a crossdresser-stuff was really weird. Okay, it was the C64, so you can´t expect much. But Jason is just a guy dressed in black with black hair. The music was kinda good. Even though the gamplay and the game itslf was weird it was kinda addictive.
I had a copy of the game that Germaniac describes. Enjoyed it a lot more than the NES game. There were times when I would say F it, pretend I was Jason, and kill all of the counselors myself!
awesome. fond memories of Commodore 64 but didn’t have this game. Screenshots anyone?
oh HELL YEAH. I found some reviews on YouTube. All the music is J.S. Bach. I want my Commodore 64!
You keep saying “disc”, they are disks. In tech speak, disk means magnetic media (floppies and hard drives), disc refers to CDs and DVDs.
Easiest way to keep the straight, discs are round. Disks are not.
Oh, and I´ve recently bought an old actual C-64 again for old times sake. But only with the legendary cassette unit to it, no floppy disc drive. Aaaaaargh…
WOW, I had the UK Version of the Domark game. It was for the Amstrad 64K PC and was on cassette, that took forever to load due to the ultra cool (at the time) linear drawing of “The Final Chapter” screen. The game was really great (at the time – again) and I downloaded a simulator version for the PC a few years back, but it keep freezing, so I only played it once. I was puzzled by the shape shifting aspect of the game, nearly as much as the that plot-line in “Jason Goes To Hell”. The UK Cassette Version has a really cool painting on the cover similar to the Warner Home Video 1987 UK Rental Video of Part 1 except it has smoke from the cabin’s chimney rising to a hockey mask. I lost my original tape years back, but re-bought it again on ebay uk last year. I could upload it, but I’m not certain how to do it, so if anyones interested then post a responce and I’ll give it a shot.