Developed by: Spinnaker Software
Published by: Philips Interactive Media of America
Original release: 1992
Genre: Adventure
CD-i type: Compact Disc Interactive, base-case standard CD-i disc, no DVC required
Original Price: 120 NLG
Age rating: 12+
Catalogue: 8100014 (Europe), 8140036 (The Netherlands), 310690065-2 (USA)
Releases: Originally released in a grey longbox CD-i case in USA and in a ‘large vertical’ CD-i case in Europe. In 1993/1994 re-released in normal jewelcase (The USA version included a carton slipcase)
Language: Multi language - This game was translated (text and speech) in several languages, but each version was pressed in one language, so if you want to play a specific language, hunt down that specific version
Emulator: Works in CD-i Emulator v0.53b4 or higher, no issues
Description from the developer:
Wonderland awaits you. Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Spades, and all the Wonderland characters are there. This interactive fast-paced adventure game of the classic Alice in Wonderland excites the player with 250 amazing scenarios and 40 eccentric and rich characters. There are mushrooms, cakes and potions, all ready to eat. One will make you as small as a mouse, another as big as a giant! Characters appear to help (or hinder) you gather the clues and acquire the powers needed to escape from Wonderland and return home. Rich digital color and sound add to one of the most inventive, fun CD-i titles yet.
Game Facts:
Spinnaker Software used the same game engine also for Laser Lords on CD-i. Alice in Wonderland is a large game that requires hours to finish. It was a relatively expensive CD-i title. One of the developers behind Alice in Wonderland is Dale DeSharone. He commented on the development process of Alice in Wonderland on CD-i: "We experimented with Clay Animation while at Spinnaker working on the launch titles. When we started the titles in 1987 the first affordable digital video capture cards were becoming available. We did all of the clay animation for Laser Lords and Alice In Wonderland using a video camera fed into a Targa graphics board. We wrote custom software so our clay animators could easily capture still frames and preview previously captured animation. The animation was displayed in a small window in RL7 (Run Length Encoded 7bit CLUT) mode which meant colors were limited to 128. Even though CDI was supposed to have MPEG I support it didn’t arrive in the emulation systems until very, very late in the development process. We couldn’t count on it being present so we didn’t use it in designing the games.
Tips / Cheat Codes
Review
Alice in Wonderland is an adventure games that plays a bit like a linear version of the Sierra Adventure games like Leisure Suit Larry and Space Quest. Mind you, the quality is far away from these cult titles but still, these CD-i games by Spinnaker software show a very ambitious effort to create an adventure title on CD-i. They also developed Laser Lords, that was developed around the same time and actually uses the same engine. Spinnaker had quite some experience in these text adventures that they developed before on MSX and Commodore 64, including Dragonworld and The Wizard of Oz. Alice in Wonderland is again an overlooked games, plays a bit slow but it quite charming.
From the Disc
Most CD-i Games have "Abstract", "Bibliographic" and "Copyright" details on the softwares disc itself, any interesting information in these files can be found below.
Abstract: Alice in Wonderland
This game based on Lewis Carrol's classic story takes you through a bizzar world filled with strange characters. Travel through the looking glass and solve the mystery as you struggle to become queen of wonderland.
Bibliographic:
Alice in WonderlandProgramming: Normand Desmarais, Keith Lehman
Video Production:
Audio Production: William Havlicek
Graphic Design: Rob Dunlavey and Mathew Morgan
Music: William Havlicek and Anthony M. Trippi
Imaging Tools: Medge
Executive Management: Mark Sprague
Production: Dale Desharoon
Copyright: Disk Contents: Alice In Wonderland, CD-I Version
Copyright Notice: Copyright 1991 by American Interactive Media and Spinnaker Software. All rights reserved. No part of this disk may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
