The Fool's Errand
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Cliff Johnson |
| Products | Puzzle video game |
| Owner | Cliff Johnson |
| Website | www |
The Fool's Errand is a puzzle video game released in 1987, created by Cliff Johnson and distributed by Miles Computing. This title blends narrative elements, visual puzzles, and a mysterious treasure map as it follows the Fool's adventure in the Tarot-themed realm. A follow-up game, The Fool and His Money, launched on October 25, 2012.
Plot
The story revolves around The Fool tarot card, portrayed as a silhouette of a young man wearing a feathered hat and carrying a knapsack. The Fool is given a scrambled map by The Sun, guiding him to seek out the "Lost 14 Treasures of the World." His journey takes him through four kingdoms, each symbolizing one of the minor arcana suits, where he meets various tarot figures who offer clues or assign tasks. Acting as the main adversary is The High Priestess. All characters and backgrounds appear as black silhouettes throughout.
Gameplay
Structured like a five-part storybook, the game’s chapters unlock in a non-linear fashion upon solving puzzles. Many chapter titles correspond to tarot cards from either the Major Arcana or Minor Arcana. The puzzles, referred to as enchantments, often yield outcomes that logically advance the plot; for instance, solving an acrostic puzzle might reveal the phrase "No Ship," which then unlocks a chapter about a watchman reporting no ship sightings. Visual puzzles also provide narrative hints or assist with other challenges.
The opening chapter, The Sun, features The Sun's Map, a jigsaw puzzle composed of pieces representing each unlocked chapter. Each piece bears a symbol and forms part of a continuous path reflecting the story’s progression. Completing this map activates interactive components that aid in solving the final puzzle: The Book Of Thoth, found within the chapter The High Priestess. This ultimate puzzle requires reviewing the entire storyline as continuous text to uncover concealed phrases.
Development
Cliff Johnson, originally a filmmaker, drew inspiration from mystery films such as Sleuth and The Last of Sheila, which featured intricate puzzle elements. He envisioned hosting "mystery" dinner parties where participants would gather clues to unravel secrets.
Johnson was also influenced by Kit Williams’ 1979 book Masquerade, which challenged readers in its final chapter to solve clues leading to hidden treasure; the book sold over two million copies. Although Johnson was not personally captivated by it, he appreciated its concept.
In 1984, Johnson crafted a similar puzzle-based narrative as a Christmas present for friends—an early prototype of what eventually became The Fool's Errand. After acquiring a Macintosh computer in 1985, he taught himself programming with the goal of creating a game that could be completed within an afternoon. His programming style was informed by his animation experience, assembling elements much like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
To fund development, Johnson secured a $50,000 loan and endured significant stress during production. By 1986, he had created over 30 separate data-driven programs, which he later combined into one cohesive application using ZBasic.
Release
The Fool's Errand debuted in 1987 under Miles Publishing. Although initial sales were modest, favorable critiques soon increased its popularity. Distribution was later assumed by Electronic Arts, and the game was adapted for various platforms. It also became widely circulated through unauthorized file-sharing networks.
Originally created using Microsoft BASIC and ZBasic for the Apple Macintosh, the game was subsequently ported to MS-DOS, Commodore Amiga, and Atari ST. These versions introduced color graphics but at a reduced resolution of 320×200, compared to the original's 512×342 display. In 2002, the title was released as shareware on Johnson’s website Fools-errand.com and is currently available free of charge. Johnson advises PC users to run the Macintosh edition via an emulator for optimal experience. The original non-Macintosh releases employed a symbol-based code wheel as copy protection; this mechanism is disabled in the free version, allowing any input to pass the verification prompt.
Reception
The Fool's Errand faced slow sales initially but gained momentum after receiving an enthusiastic review in the July 1988 issue of MacUser. This acclaim prompted Miles Computing to extend the game’s reach to additional platforms. By late 1989, it had achieved sales of 100,000 copies. MacUser awarded it a perfect score of five mice, lauding its innovative gameplay and grand narrative scope. In December 1989, it was recognized as one of the top 27 Macintosh games.
Macworld praised the title as a stimulating assortment of varied puzzles that demand creativity, emphasizing its distinctive presentation and impressive animation sequences in both introduction and conclusion. Regarding Johnson’s subsequent work, At the Carnival, Macworld described The Fool's Errand as a genre-defying experience.
Reviewing from an intellectual challenge perspective, Computer Gaming World commended the game, with critic Scorpia calling it "one of the best games I've ever played." STart also highlighted its mentally demanding nature.
The PC edition earned a Golden Scroll from The Games Machine, which gave it a 93% rating and praised it as "fresh, original and addictive." Game Player's PC Strategy Guide noted its excellent graphics, consistent difficulty level, and well-crafted puzzles free from obscure gimmicks. Conversely, .info rated the Amiga version three stars due to subpar graphics and sound quality despite acknowledging its solid design. Amiga Format scored it 70%, recognizing puzzle variety and clever hardware utilization despite some audiovisual limitations.
Retrospective reviews
In 2004, Inside Mac Games ranked The Fool's Errand among the 20 most influential Macintosh titles, commending its "intriguing and visually-rich" design alongside an "original and compelling" narrative steeped in mysticism and folklore. By 2007, Game Set Watch hailed it as "one of the greatest puzzle games in personal-computing history." A 2012 interview with Johnson featured in Wired described it as "the greatest puzzle game of all time." In 2018, PC Gamer included it in a weekly feature on top free PC games, highlighting its "whimsical fantasy" elements coupled with challenging puzzles.
GamesTM featured The Fool's Errand in its "Greatest Retro Game Ever" series, calling it "obscenely addictive" and broadly acclaimed. A 2013 article in Retro Gamer examining puzzle game development credited it as a strategic fantasy title with a well-constructed story that influenced later franchises such as the Professor Layton series.
Awards
In 1987, The Fool's Errand earned a place in the Macworld Game Hall of Fame, receiving the distinction of Best Brain-Teasing Game. It was also highlighted by GAMES Magazine as one of the top computer games in 1988, appreciated for its combination of straightforward and challenging puzzles that provided enjoyable problem-solving experiences.
The title was honored as Best Computer Strategy Game of 1988 by VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, which applauded its innovative anthology approach to word puzzles and games. Additionally, the editors of Game Player's PC Strategy Guide awarded it the 1990 "Best PC Puzzle Game" accolade, recognizing its intricate storytelling and outstanding visual design.
External links
- Official site, containing author details and download options
- Archived original website
- The Fool's Errand at Hardcore Gaming 101 (October 2016 archive)
- Hints and Answers provided by Balmoral Software