The world of arcade games has often drawn inspiration from various cultures and historical periods, with Ancient Egypt being a recurring theme. From maze-like tombs filled with treasures and monsters to light-gun adventures set in pyramids, Egyptian motifs have captivated gamers for decades. In this article, we will delve into the history of one such game, Tutankham, explore the discovery of ancient Mancala game boards in Kenya, and uncover the story behind the creation of Datasoft, a company with a unique connection to the world of arcade games.
Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut.
Tutankham: A Pioneer in Maze-Shooter Action-Adventure
Tutankham is a 1982 arcade video game developed and released by Konami and released by Stern in North America. Named after the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, the game combines a maze shoot 'em up with light puzzle-solving elements. It debuted at the European ATE and IMA amusement shows in January 1982 before releasing worldwide in Summer 1982.
In this game, players control an explorer who is grave robbing Tutankhamun's tomb. Players will search for valuable treasure (a map, an urn, a chest of gold & jewels and most importantly the golden death mask of King Tut) and fight off the various creatures that guard the tomb to ultimately find the way through the catacombs. Armed with a laser weapon that only fires horizontally, the player loots the maze-like Egyptian tomb of Tutankhamun while finding keys to locked chambers and fighting off creatures. Taking on the role of an explorer grave robbing the maze-like tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, the player is chased by asps, vultures, parrots, bats, dragons, and curses, all of which kill the explorer on contact.
It was the first maze-shooter action-adventure, predating games such as Gauntlet and Time Bandit. The developer of Time Bandit cited Tutankham as its inspiration.
Tutankham [Arcade Longplay] (1982) Stern Electronics
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Gameplay Mechanics
Players must guide the explorer through a series of progressively more difficult mazes across four different stages. The explorer may move in four directions, but can only fire in two directions, left and right, making the player helpless in vertical shafts. There are also "warp zones" located in random parts of each maze that allow the explorer to be teleported from one area of the maze to another. There are several different creatures that constantly materialize from “spawning areas” within the maze and attack including asps, vultures, parrots, bats, dragons and curses. Those creatures can be destroyed to score between 20, and 60 points with either bullets or a "flash bomb”. The explorer has a single “flash bomb” per life and stage that destroys all enemies on the screen.
On each stage, the explorer must pick up keys in order to unlock the door to the room where each of the treasures are kept, allowing progress to the next stage. Along the way the explorer may grab optional treasures (Rings, Crowns, etc.) for bonus points. The player can only carry one key at a time, so the game requires backtracking through an area in order to acquire a second key. When a timer reaches zero the explorer can no longer shoot. The hero dies upon touching any enemy. Bonus points are awarded based on the amount of extra time left over when a level is completed.
Tutankham was ported to home systems by Parker Brothers, who advertised the game extensively in North America, where it released in June 1983. It was ported to the Atari 2600, ColecoVision, Intellivision, VIC-20, PV-1000, and PC-6001. In May 2024, Hamster released Tutankham as part of the Arcade Archives series for the Nintendo Switch.
Reception and Legacy
The game received positive reviews from critics. Computer and Video Games magazine reviewed the arcade game in March 1982, following its debut at European amusement shows, giving it generally positive coverage. Computer and Video Games later praised the arcade game in November 1983, calling it the first game that effectively combined the elements of an adventure game with "frenetic" shoot 'em up gameplay.
Retro Gamer magazine reviewed the ColecoVision port in 2014. According to Hardcore Gaming 101, Konami's King's Valley (1985) is considered a spiritual successor to Tutankham in Japan. Both games also have similarities to the 1985 arcade hit Gauntlet by Atari Games.
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Ancient Games: The Discovery of Mancala Boards in Kenya
While arcade games offer a virtual escape to ancient worlds, the discovery of ancient Mancala game boards in Kenya provides a tangible connection to the leisure activities of past civilizations. Veronica Waweru, an archaeologist from Yale University, has unearthed an “arcade” of rock-cut Mancala game boards in Kenya’s highlands.
Mancala, derived from the Arabic word “Naqala,” meaning “to move,” is a turn-based strategy game where the goal is to capture more gaming pieces than the opponent. Its roots trace back to early civilizations, with examples found in Aksumite settlements in Eastern Africa from the 8th century CE, as well as in Ancient Egypt and the Roman Period. The earliest known Mancala board dates back to approximately 5870 ± 240 BCE at the Neolithic site of ʿAin Ghazal in Jordan, according to the Savannah African Art Museum.
Veronica Waweru’s discovery emerged following a tip about tourists removing prehistoric hand axes from a private wildlife conservancy. Investigating further, she encountered an “arcade” of ancient Mancala game boards carved directly into a rock ledge. The site, located along the equator in Kenya’s central highlands, also features 19 burial cairns built by herding communities that inhabited the region 5,000 years ago. The age of the game boards, carved into 400-million-year-old rock, poses a challenge for accurate dating.
Waweru’s hypothesis suggests a connection between the Mancala boards and the burial cairns. The presence of knife-sharpening marks around the game boards implies engagement in feasting and butchery activities by the ancient inhabitants. This discovery suggests that leisure activities like playing Mancala were integral to the social fabric.
Ancient Mancala game boards.
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Datasoft: From Computer Chips to Arcade Games
The story of Datasoft, a company that primarily focused on arcade games in the early 1980s, is intertwined with the world of computer chips and a potential connection to criminal activities. Founded in 1980, Datasoft's initial funding may have been linked to the illicit trade of computer chips. Jack Jackson, involved in "remarketed" devices, arranged for the theft of 32-bit Eprom chips from Intel, which were then sold for profit. Terry Koosed, later involved with Datasoft, was also implicated in this chain of events.
Despite its murky origins, Datasoft focused mainly on arcade games, with a mixture of Tandy CoCo, Atari 400/800, and TRS-80 games. Two high sellers were Popcorn! Bjork, one of the authors on Sands of Egypt, claimed that it was “the most costly” project Datasoft had done up to then, and took five months of work, between himself (direction) Ralph Burris (special effects) and James Garon (story). Arcade games also sell better because of impulse buying, the graphics, clever sounds and eye-catching title screens.
The First "Easter Egg" in History
The idea of hiding secret messages or features within video games, known as "Easter eggs," has become a common practice in the gaming industry. However, the concept of hiding messages within art dates back much further. Art in Ancient Egypt typically served religious or state purposes, and artists often worked in anonymity. Even so, one of these ancient artists decided to credit himself.
Senenmut was born a commoner, but in a literate family, which would put him in the upper 5% of the population. He entered the service of Queen Hatshepsut, of the 18th Dynasty, most likely when she was still the wife of Pharaoh Thutmose II. After the king’s death, Hatshepsut became regent while Thutmose III was still too young to rule the country. Senenmut obviously gained importance during this time: he was the steward of Hatshepsut and the tutor of her daughter Neferure, a highly-regarded position. He worked as administrator of Hatshepsut’s building projects and was also an astronomer and architect. Eventually, Senenmut would hold more than 80 titles, which included “Only friend of the Pharaoh”.
As an architect, Senenmut’s most remarkable project was Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari (in ancient Thebes, modern Luxor), on the West bank of the Nile close to the Valley of the Kings. The temple, also known as “Djeser-Djeseru” (“Holy of Holies”), is one of Ancient Egypt’s most beautiful buildings, designed in several different levels linked by ascending ramps, located against the cliff’s face. The curious thing is that, going against the practice of all prior (and later) Egyptian artists and craftsmen, Senenmut decided to sign his magnum opus.
We will never know why Senenmut decided to do this, but we can imagine that, given how remarkable a building the mortuary temple is, anyone would feel inclined to get recognition for it.
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