The Lost Treasures of Infocom
| Company type | Video game compilation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Infocom games |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Infocom |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | MS-DOS, Macintosh, Amiga, Apple IIGS, iOS |
| Products | Interactive fiction games anthology |
| Parent | Activision |
The Lost Treasures of Infocom is a 1991 anthology comprising 20 previously published interactive fiction adventures created by Infocom and distributed by Activision for platforms including MS-DOS, Macintosh, Amiga, and Apple IIGS. This collection was subsequently issued on CD-ROM and reintroduced in 2012 for iOS devices.
Gameplay
This compilation contains 20 interactive fiction games, all controlled through a text parser. The lineup includes the Zork I, II, and III trilogy, along with related titles such as Beyond Zork, Zork Zero, Enchanter, Sorcerer, and Spellbreaker. Additional prominent entries are Deadline, The Witness, Suspect, The Lurking Horror, Ballyhoo, Infidel, Moonmist, Starcross, Suspended, Planetfall, Stationfall, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Included with the set are consolidated manuals and maps, alongside all the InvisiClues, which are presented in standard print rather than their original "invisible" ink format. A launch interface facilitates straightforward navigation among the 20 games.
However, the original "feelies"—the physical collectibles that were a hallmark of Infocom releases—were not part of this edition. Instead, the package provided photocopied reproductions or images of these items, such as the sunglasses from Hitchhiker's Guide and the Stellar Patrol ID card featured in Planetfall.
Development
When The Lost Treasures of Infocom was announced, industry commentator Scorpia observed that Activision was experiencing a resurgence akin to a "phoenix rising" from bankruptcy by leveraging its extensive back catalog, notably the profitable Zork series. After restructuring, Activision exploited these assets; CEO Bobby Kotick later stated that even a simple product branded with "Zork" would sell 100,000 units. Following Infocom’s closure in 1989, Activision retained the copyrights to most of its titles.
A significant enhancement included an updated edition of Hitchhiker's Guide, rebuilt with an advanced Z-machine, which incorporated a built-in hint system designed to improve player experience.
Reception
Commercially, The Lost Treasures of Infocom achieved considerable success. Activision’s Peter Doctorow reported in 1992 that sales were "extremely strong." Jeremy Reimer from Ars Technica highlighted that despite its $99 price point, the compilation sold over 100,000 copies and yielded near-pure profit margins, contributing significantly to Activision’s financial recovery.
Brian Walker of Computer Games Strategy Plus recognized it as Activision’s top game release for 1992. The later iOS adaptation garnered favorable reviews from critics at TouchArcade in 2017.
Sequel
Building on the original’s success, Activision released The Lost Treasures of Infocom II in 1992, featuring a new selection of 11 classic Infocom games:
While Leather Goddesses of Phobos was omitted from this set, it remained accessible through a $9.95 mail-order coupon.
Contrary to the first anthology, this edition excluded InvisiClues; instead, it provided a card offering access to a pay-per-minute hint hotline.
The dual-format CD-ROM version for MS-DOS and Apple Macintosh added three additional titles:
Supplementary materials included maps for Shogun and Journey, along with Arthur’s Book of Hours and instruction manuals for these extra games.
See also
- Classic Text Adventure Masterpieces of Infocom, released in 1996