Arcade / Arcade - Miscellaneous · 1983

Drelbs

Published by Synapse Software · Developed by [n/a]

atarimania.com — atari-400-800-xl-xe-games-drelbs-1737

Information

Genre: Arcade - Miscellaneous
Language: Machine Language
Controls: Joystick
Players: 1
Programmer(s): Jones, Kelly
Graphic Artist(s): Jones, Kelly
Sound: Jones, Kelly
Cover Artist(s): [unknown]
Year: 1983
Publisher: Synapse Software
Developer: [n/a]
Country: USA
License: Commercial
Medium: Tape, Disk, Cartridge
Rarity: 8 (Tape), 8 (Disk), 0 (Cartridge)
Serial: ?

Votes / Statistics

Rating: 7.7/10 · Votes: 67 · Downloads: 2,698 · Hits: 16,386

Additional Comments

Load with OS-B.

A cartridge version - also mentioned in the manual - was announced but never released.

Missing original disk image!

Screenshots (7)

Cover Art (3)

Instructions (6)

Ads (1)

Why let some good times slip through your fingers? · 1983

Book / Magazine Reviews (1)

Electronic Fun · March, 1984 · Rating: 3 / 4

Start with a grid of flip gates à la Lady Bug, add a couple of things to chase each other around inside, throw in a challenge round bonus screen and voilà! Instant computer game. So how from these simple roots did we get a scenario about creatures called Drelbs, who are imprisoned in the time of unicorns and sorcerers by other creatures called Trollaboars and generally harassed by Gorgolytes (sometimes called Gargolytes) and Screwhead Tanks? You can't tell the players apart without a scorecard and none is provided, so just wing it.

Drelbs is an interesting game with many potentials for strategy. You've got to flip your flip grid to make complete squares while avoiding your enemies. Complete enough squares and you've freed a bunch of Drelbs and can go to the next screen to rescue them. But there are other ways to get to Drelbsville. Kissing the beautiful Princess is my favorite. (Don't bother to ask who she is. If you complete the game you get to discover her secret.) The Princess turns into a Gorgolyte (cf. Gargolyte) as soon as you look at her with a twinkle in your eye, though, and kissing a Gorgolyte is a fate equivalent to death.

There are two basic strategies - offensive and defensive. The offensive mode of play involves not only being rude but also chasing the Trollaboar around and trying to catch him inside a square. The defensive mode calls for a lot of running away from the Trollaboar. Both seem to work just as effectively because so much of the game seems to be random. Sometimes you'll get lots of opportunities to transport yourself into Drelbsville. Other times you'll close off every square and still not get a Drelbish window, the preferred mode of Drelbish dimension travel.

The graphics are excellent and once you get the hang of it, Drelbs is a challenging game. A little less luck would have made for a little more interest, though.

If you're not directly next to the Princess when she appears, forget it. You'll only get a mouthful of Gorgoltye.

Comments (7)

Allan — 23 Nov 2022
PDF manual: https://archive.org/details/repton-iron-on-sirius/Repton_Sirius/
Paul Westphal — 11 Jan 2014
That pink bad guy reminds me of the MCP in Tron.
Paul Lay — 15 May 2011
I've just released a Flash version of DRELBS at http://www.playsoft.co.uk if anyone is interested in playing. Have tried to make it a little easier...
jcat — 26 Apr 2011
Absolutely one of the greatest most unique releases on the Atari. The rating deserves much higher, and this gem needs a screen shot. Do no miss this - you'll see what I'm talking about. Synapse at its best!
Don Milton — 24 Jan 2011
This was one of my favorite games! It was unique, challenging, frustrating, addictive, and a great game. I have never seen anything like it. And Synapse Software was IT! My other favorite was Slime! How about a remake, maybe in 3D?
Muffy St. Bernard — 2 May 2007
Ditto! Synapse was great because they weren't afraid to try crazy new ideas. Drelbs was very hard, but rewarding to play.
Jim Kuchera — 13 Dec 2006
Synapse Software, in my humble opinion, was the premier game developer in the early 80's, alongside Sierra Online and DataQuest. This game is wonderful because though difficult, it's very possible to step from level to level in a multidimensional universe. The sound effects are very unusual, and I never tired of this game---much like the fantastic game, Crossfire, which caused the destruction of many Atari joysticks. You can't fail to be entertained with any Synapse title.