ABSTRACT
The year 1985 was a boom year for computer role-playing games (CRPGs), but the years immediately preceding it were quiet. This slowdown could be attributed to the Video Game Crash of 1983–1984, which all but destroyed the console games market. Of the relatively few CRPGs released during the Video Game Crash, perhaps the most interesting are ports of old mainframe mainstays. The graphical mode features a first-person, monochrome 3D wireframe display that is much larger than the type usually seen in PLATO CRPGs. The Wizard's Crown remains one of the most sophisticated tactical CRPGs ever designed: a rich blend of wargaming and fantasy role-playing. While the CRPG elements have been boiled down to their essentials, the player still needs to plan the character's development carefully, particularly in building up the right skills and saving up for the best arms and armor—as well as for herbs and potions for healing and combat boosts.
