Advanced Lawnmower Simulator
| Company type | Fictitious company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games (parody) |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Duncan Macdonald (creator of the game) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Advanced Lawnmower Simulator |
Advanced Lawnmower Simulator is a 1988 title for the ZX Spectrum, released as an April Fools' Day prank by Your Sinclair magazine. The gameplay involves using a lawn mower to cut grass in order to earn rewards. The magazine attributed the game to a fictitious developer and publisher named "Gardensoft," published a humorous review, and included the game on a cover-mounted tape. It was officially disclosed as a joke in August 1990. This concept later inspired games with similarly humorous names.
Gameplay
Players select from six different lawnmowers, though only one is operational.[1] By pressing the single "M" key, players cut one square of grass at a time.[2] Successfully mowing lawns results in rewards if the job meets certain standards.[3] Each lawn is exactly the same.[1] After mowing several lawns, the mower eventually "strikes a rock and explodes," which ends the session and restarts the game.[4]
Development and release
Originally created as an April 1988 prank by Your Sinclair, the game was portrayed as a simulation where players act as apprentice gardeners who could improve their equipment and tackle increasingly difficult lawns featuring hidden hazards.[5] The fictitious company "Gardensoft" was introduced as a new publisher specializing in simulation games, with plans for additional titles such as spring-cleaning and dishwashing simulators.[5][6] Marketed as "ACE!" and priced at £14.95, it received a fabricated nine out of ten score along with the magazine’s MEGAGAME award.[5] An in-magazine advertisement promoted it as "The most advanced domestic chore simulation yet to hit the home micro!" available through garden centres.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Developed by Your Sinclair staff writer Duncan Macdonald,[1][3] it was distributed via a cover tape in the subsequent issue.[6][2][1] The prank lampooned Codemasters’ frequent use of “simulator” in their game titles.[7]
The joke was confirmed in August 1990 following reader letters about the game.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name That issue also humorously announced three sequels with ridiculous concepts, ending with the phrase "Utter crap".[4]
Reception
In 2008, Retro Gamer jokingly hailed Advanced Lawnmower Simulator as "THE best game on the Spectrum," praising its gameplay and visuals as "Outstanding" and "Excellent," respectively, and describing it as "a truly special experience."
The title appears on an IGN list entitled "Video Games You Won't Believe Somebody Made" and is included in a Geek.com roundup of the "Weirdest Simulation Games of All Time." Vice referred to the prank as "one of the strangest incidents in mainstream publishing."
Legacy
Advanced Lawnmower Simulator has gained a cult status over time and inspired several remakes. It also influenced other satirical “simulator” games and was ported to both the Amstrad CPC and Amiga systems.
See also
External links
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