Release Date: Early 1987 (Designed and programmed by Peter Ward under Action Software; published by Datasoft in the US and U.S. Gold in Europe).
Overview
Black Magic is a side-scrolling, multi-directional action-adventure platformer with light RPG elements. Unlike many 1980s titles ported from the Commodore 64 to the Apple II, Black Magic was originally written specifically for the Apple II before receiving other computer conversions.
Plot: Set in the fantasy realm of Maracall, the benevolent king has been blinded and overthrown by the evil warlock Zahgrim, who turned the king’s eyes into magical sight-stones. You play a lone hero tasked with traversing the kingdom to retrieve the sight-stones and banish Zahgrim to the underworld.
Gameplay & Exploration: Players explore a massive, seamless scrolling landscape comprising forests, caverns, castles, and dungeons. Along the way, you fight creatures with a bow and arrow while managing a limited supply of arrows and food.
Magic & Progression: As you defeat monsters and collect food, you accumulate experience points that increase your wizard rank. Higher ranks unlock a spell wheel of utility and combat magic, such as freezing monsters, casting defensive shields, vanishing, and firing flaming arrows.
Puzzle Elements: Progression requires finding color-coded keys, locating hidden passages, and figuring out which spells bypass specific environmental hazards.