Let's look for treasure!
For a fascinatingly simple take on the first person genre, this little gem is well worth digging out. It's a far cry from later efforts such as Castle Master or Doom but if hardcore violence and blasting aren't your bag, then this might just be of interest. Treasure Hunt takes the maze-like structure of classics such as Pacman but throws them into three dimensions while removing pretty much all elements of danger from the concept. Players are thus left to explore the maze at will, seeking out the hidden treasures and racking up the points and imaginary riches. The mazes are generated randomly each time you play, so there's no way you can memorise their layouts and which adds hugely to the game's challenge level, thus providing keen maze explorers with literally hours of entertainment. There isn't a lot else to the game to be honest and while many players are going to find its overt lack of danger and thrills to be somewhat pedestrian, there is no denying that Treasure Hunt's change of pace is strangely satisfying. All action blasters are all very well and good but sometimes you want something a little more leisurely and that's where Treasure Hunt comes in. The visuals are of course straightforward and lacking in much detail but you have to remember that this was released in 1982 so the sheer fact that it's in 3D at all is pretty remarkable, so you have to give some credit for the game's bold approach in a time when everyone else was doing 2D. If you are a gaming historian or just curious about how things began, then this might not be the most exciting excursion into the past, but it is quite fascinating.
