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This article is from the Computer games and MUDs with a Tolkien theme FAQ, by Fredrik Ekman ekman@lysator.liu.se with numerous contributions by others.

02 Commercial, licensed p2 (Tolkien theme games)

Crack of Doom Software Adventure
Produced by: Beam Software
Distributor: Addison-Wesley
No: ISBN 0-201-51778-7 (Macintosh), ISBN 0-201-51779-5 (Apple II), ISBN
0-201-51780-9 (MS-DOS), ISBN 0-201-51781-7 (Commodore 64)
Author: Philip Mitchell, Norton Truter, John Haward, et al.
Year: 1989
System: MS-DOS, Macintosh, Commodore 64, Apple II
Type: Illustrated text adventure
Covers: Book Six of "The Return of the King"
Comment: The last part of the trilogy in this incarnation. Unlike The
Fellowship of the Ring Software Adventure and Shadows of Mordor,
this game does not allow playing multiple characters. The player is
restricted to the character of Sam. The game comes with an offer to
send for a paperback edition of "The Two Towers" for only p&p.

War in Middle Earth
Produced by: Maelstrom Games Ltd. (ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC) and
Synergistic Software (Amiga)
Distributor: Melbourne House
Author: Mike Singleton (ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC), Ron Harris, Alan B.
Clark, et al. (Amiga)
Year: 1988
System: ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, MS-DOS, Apple IIGS,
Amiga, Atari ST
Type: Strategy
Language: English and Spanish (at least ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC
versions were released in both languages)
Covers: "The Lord of the Rings"
Comment: Strange mix of RPG and strategy. Quite good but too simple.
The graphics are OK on the Amiga, even if they certainly do not
capture MY picture of Middle Earth. Early versions seem to have
been extremely bug-infested. A new VGA version for MS-DOS has
been released.

Middle-Earth Play-By-Mail
Distributor: Game Systems Inc. <gmsystminc@aol.com> (USA), GAD Games
(UK until 1995) and Allsorts PBM Games <100425.1444@CompuServe.com>
(UK from 1995)
Year: Started 1990
Type: Play by mail (strategy)
Comment: This differs from the rest of the games in this list since the
players do not actually sit by the computer when playing. Instead,
each player fills in a form which is sent to the Game Master (above
noted as Distributor) once every two to three weeks. These forms
are then processed by a central computer and the result is sent
back to the player. In each game, 10 nations of the Free Peoples
battle 10 nations of the Dark Servants, while 5 Neutral nations
ponder when to choose sides. The time is about 1500 years before
Tolkien's trilogy, although GSI has also started a scenario which
plays in the time of the War of the Ring. There are rumours about
an Australian Game Master.

Riders of Rohan
Produced by: Beam Software and Papirus Design Group
Distributor: Konamy Co., Mirrorsoft and Entertainment Group
Author: Hank Howie, Phil Redmond, et al.
Year: 1990
System: MS-DOS
Type: Strategy game with action elements
Covers: The beginning of "The Two Towers"
Comment: A game about the war between the Rohirrim and Saruman. In
addition to controlling the movement of the good forces, the player
may, among other things, shoot orcs with bow and fight enemy
leaders with sword. Said to be good but simple.

 

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