Previous entry: The Lord of the Rings, Vol. III: The Return of the King
Next entry: Mario
Back to the Tolkien games home page

Manic Miner: The Hobbit

Author: Andrew Broad
Year: 2000
System: ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS (not yet released)
Type: Platform game
Covers: The Hobbit
Distribution: Freeware
Availability: Downloadable (see below)
Licensed: No

Certainly one of the most unique games based on Tolkien's books thus far, Manic Miner: The Hobbit is a rewrite of the classic ZX Spectrum game Manic Miner, substituting the original plot with that of The Hobbit, one chapter for each screen of the game.

The game was released simultaneously with its companion game Jet Set Willy: The Lord of the Rings.

The game comes in two versions: one standard version for expert Manic Miner players, and one "lite" version for players who are less experienced.

Stuart Brady has announced plans to convert the game to MS-DOS.

Personal evaluation: If you enjoy platform games, this is a must! Broad's interpretation of the events in the novel is that of an artist. My only problem with the game is that the standard version is too difficult, while the lite version is too easy.

Screen shot

Bilbo on his way to riddle The Ring away from Gollum.

Net resources

See also