1986 · Activision · Controls

Labyrinth

This minisite awaits a maintainer’s check. A model this site has not proven yet worked on it (claude-sonnet-5-5), so a maintainer will measure its listing on one it has (how the check works).

Two word wheels give the commands and joystick port 1 moves the character. This page explains both, and the area guides show how the inputs affect play.

01 · Command wheels

Typing chooses a word from the wheel

The two wheels hold actions and objects. Typing narrows the active wheel’s choice; Space changes wheels, and Return executes the command. A letter that matches nothing is discarded. ($5F2C, $612C, $61F7)1

A mistyped letter disappears

Typing G selects give. Adding Z matches nothing, so the game drops that letter and keeps G. Adding O then selects go. Delete clears the whole prefix while leaving the selected word in place. A rejected letter also flashes the border red ($612C); the length of the flash has not been measured. ($5F2C, $612C, $61F7)

Accepted prefix
Selected word

Sources and checks

A recorded sequence from the opening’s action wheel, checked in VICE and against the original routines at $5F2C, $612C, and $61F7. This replay preserves that saved state’s choices. A separate simulator check exercises 112 accepted prefixes across 23 available entries, with upper- and lowercase input.

02 · Movement

Walking and approaching

The graphical adventure uses joystick port 1. Left and right move along a wall; up approaches a doorway and down retreats. The movement map decides how close the character can get.4 ($4171)

Try the gate’s approach boundary → · Explore the corridor openings →

03 · Control reference

Every input and how far it is confirmed

The disk guide describes these controls.1 The last column distinguishes the commands observed here from those still documented only.

InputActionEvidence
F1, F3, F5Choose game slot 1, 2, or 3 on the title menu.The empty-slot menu was reached; F1 was used to start.
LettersSelect a matching wheel entry.Observed and compared with the original prefix routines.
SpaceChange the active wheel.Used throughout the checked command routes.
DeleteClear the typed prefix.Observed; the selected word remains in place.
ReturnCarry out the chosen command.Used in the text opening and graphical rooms.
Joystick port 1Move in graphical rooms.Gate, corridor, and local door approaches checked.
Cursor keysHorizontal keys change wheels; vertical keys scroll choices.Documented; this input path remains untested.
FireExecute commands after the movie starts.Described in the manual; command execution by fire has not been tested separately.
Shift + left arrowRestart.Documented; the restart path remains untested.

Explore the text adventure →