A long time ago a company called St. Brides decided to write a boring conventional type of classic adventure game, deciding to do something completely different. After months of careful planning, the adventure began to be created, a game that would be admired for its advanced technology.

Fortunately for us, it was later decided that a final adventure would be very boring. So in its place was The Very Big Cave Adventure, a game that was undoubtedly some of the most fun ever seen, and it was taken over by CRL. From start to finish, this is a classic parody, packed with hideous punning and silly puzzles, gags and sentimental gags. with silly solutions, and a lack of logic that would be expected, providing us with the perfect antidote to take computing seriously. The game is large and divided into two parts, and the events of the second depend on the performance of the first. At the end of the first part, the game must be saved to disk and this will be done with all the material collected.

The game, with scenarios where anything can happen, a bull that is furious and that guards a ravine which is easy to deceive, caves and chambers with secrets, hiding places, objects on various screens that will get us out of more than one jam, Wellington boots, a bomb, a trunk, our intelligence and cunning will make us spend many hours in front of the screen. Items we carry can be examined by typing “EXAMINE”. He understands simple English phrases and answers us with others like “I haven't found the answer”, “Sorry, the computer doesn't understand you” and many more, which can get boring after a while.

The curtain opens at our feet in a familiar setting, outside a small brick building. Any entry attempt is useless and an examination of the door provides the reason, you need to insert a coin into the door slot, inopportune to say the least.

Exploring the south, we found a humid ravine. Nearby is the coin, guarded by a bull, which prevents us from passing, preventing us from taking it. Soon the bull will ask us if we are still there. Say no, until the ravine bull believes us and after recovering from this prank, we will take the coin and use it to enter the building.

Now we find out that in the house there are a lot of items needed in the first or second part of the game. Once the objects that we want to take with us have been chosen, it is time to move on.

Unfortunately, we find that the door is stuck. We will examine the fence that provides an object of value that we will not know what to do with it and by examining it, it causes us to be expelled from the building.

The bull has not yet exhausted the repertoire of jokes, since we will find it again and we will have to use the bomb to pass it.

Now we are free to find the grate and venture into the underground cave. The program will tell us that we are getting to the most exciting part.

Assuming that we have brought the lamp, the exploration will be relatively easy. We'll continue west over familiar terrain, soon coming to a series of stone steps that lead us down, but we'll try to enter through an old crevice first. For the moment we will leave the snake, since it will allow us to discover to the west, a cave and a chamber. The cave contains a key and the chamber contains a table that will increase our financial heritage.

We will return to the snake, and we will discover a new twist to this problem. The solution is in the can, after opening it, we are free to continue exploring. Soon we will find some silver bars and the location of the famous Y2. We will leave undiscovered what can or cannot be done there.

Now is the time to return to the house with our treasures. A rude word provides a quick way to do this, and after you have increased the result. It is time to face the pit which is not possible to jump over it.

The trunk can be used as a bridge to this problem, but we also need light to carry out our movements, nor can we carry any object, since we require very careful movements.

Having reached the other side, we will find a position to reach an object that opens with the key and, having used it, we will find ourselves outside the caves in Gotham City. Batman never had it so good.

We will leave this place to continue discovering. We will try heading east through a huge corridor to find a third class surprise.

From the beginning to the end, this game takes every opportunity to make us enjoy. It is true that this translates into some corny jokes, but in general the humor is such that we want to explore each place to know what will happen, instead of going to solve the game directly.

The documentation leaves a lot to be desired, but for the fun of the game, it can be forgiven. The format of the instructions should have been changed.

It is quite obvious that the documentation that was originally used is for other computers. It could have been remedied with a sticker on the loading instructions to make them suitable for the PCW but it was not enough. When this is combined with reference to games on other computers, many PCW computer users will never have heard of these instructions, leading to confusion. The total effect of the work is a real botch job.

That said, what remains, while not one of the most difficult adventures we've encountered, is certainly one of the most enjoyable to play.

While the latest games incorporated sophisticated parsers and complicated interaction, they lost their most important touch in adventure games, which the player enjoys.

The Very Big Cave Adventure has this ingredient in full measure, and barring the documentation, it must be listed as the best adventure available in this range. It will provide us with great fun, although it is described as a cretinous, idiotic game and the dumbest of computer programs.

In the following images you can check the original packaging.

• Original cover

Here you have the front of the original cover.

• Retouched cover

Its measurements are: Width 18.60 x Height 12.40 cm.

Below is the manual, printed on the back of the faceplate in black and white print. Its dimensions are: Width: 18.60 cm x Height: 12.40 cm.

Original disc supplied with The Very Big Cave Adventure.

Custom labels to print. Over the years due to its use, the labels become damaged and lose their color and quality. Now we try to adapt the closest thing to the extent of our possibilities, the labels so that they can be printed and replaced or for those of you who work with a copy of the program and preserve the original disc. Measurement in 3“ height: 7.00 cm - width: 7.10 cm. The first image corresponds to the original label of the game, the second is the same modified label to be able to replace the broken one.

Help guide

Here is a help guide.

Solution

Here you have the solution of the game.

Part One

W-N-S-WAIT-SAY NO-GET PENNY-N-EXAMINE DOOR-INSERT PENNY-E-GET
WELLIES-WEAR WELLIES-GET KEYS/BOMB/LAMP/BOTTLE/FOOD-EXAMINE SPRING-GET
WATER-S-THROW BOMB AT BULL-S-S-UNLOCK GRATE-D-LIGHT LAMP-W-GET CAGE-W-
DROP LAMP/KEYS/BOTTLE/FOOD-READ WORD-SAY COMMODORE-DROP CAGE-GET LOG-
SAY COMMODORE-UP-DROP LOG-E-GET LAMP-UP-DROP LAMP-GET LOG-W-DROP LOG-
E-GET LAMP-W-DROP LAMP (and so on and so on, yawn, till the log forms
a bridge over the chasm).

E-S-GET CAN-N-D-OPEN CAN-DROP CAN-W-N-GET TABLE-S-W-EXAMINE
SIDEBOARD-OPEN DRAWER-GET RED KEY-E-E-N-GET SILVER BARS-S-GET GAN-UP-
UP-E-EXAMINE/UNLOCK PILLAR (this is the exit to part two but don't use
it yet).

DROP RED KEY-DROP CAN-E-E-SAY COMMODORE-DROP SILVER BARS/TABLE-
SAY COMMODORE-GET FOOD/BOTTLE/KEYS/ROD-UP-GET ZXB1-W-DROP
ROD/ZX81/FOOD-W-D-W-W-W-W-D-S-S-S-ENTER CAR-PUSH BUTTON (and get
yourself driven to Gotham City).

E-S-EXAMINE BUBBLES-GET CANISTER-N-W-N-IN-W-EXAMINE DESK-OPEN
BOX-GET PELLET-E-OUT-S-W-S (as long as the newsboy is still referring
to a jester on the loose) IN-WAIT (till the jester appears) OPEN VALVE
(and you end up in the heart of Gotham City sgain) DROP CANISTER-W-N-
N-EXAMINE WALL-UP-SWITCH ON SEARCHLIGHT-D-S-S-IN-GET NAIL FILE-OUT-S-
E-IN-GET TIARA-OUT-N (then wait till That Man returns and takes you
back to the Bat Cavern).

N-N-W-WAIT-WAIT (etc till the troll starts to eat cornflakes,
then wait some more till he drops the packet) DROP KEYS-GET PACKET-
EXAMINE PACKET-DROP PELLET-WATER PELLET (which destroys the troll, the
art critic and the sophisticated parser) LOOK-GET GOBLET-E-UP-E-E-E-E-
UP-E-E-E-SAY COMMODORE-DROP TIARA/NAIL FILE/GOBLET/PAINTINGS-SAY
COMMODORE-U-W-W-D-W-W-W-W-D-W-GET KEYS-E-S-S-GET UTILITY BELT-N-N-UP-
E-E-E-E-E to enter the Space Invaders game. There's no way round this
apart from continually going right end left and firing until you beat
the aliens.

EXAMINE CHARACTERS-OPEN AIRLOCK-GET MOON GRYSTAL-W-UP-E-E-E-SAY
COMMODORE-DROP MOON CRYSTAL-SAY COMMODORE-UP-W-DROP PACHET-GET
ROD/FOOD-D-D and Part One should now be complete so SAVE GAME with
your total money raised so far £131,000 and a little loose change.

Part Two

The objects required from Part One are the rod, bottle, food and
utility belt. At the start just go west and examine and touch
everything in sight until Trixie takes over.

At the restart EXAMINE CURTAINS at least twice, then EXAMINE
PANELS and EXAMINE CURTAINS again till you discover a small table.
Examine this three times to find a golden key, white glove and a
decanter. WEAR GLOVE and DIAL FILE (on the utility belt) to obtain the
file whlch enables you to FILE CHAIN and take the table. Get the key
and open the little door revealed by examining the curtains. Get the
decanter and drink the liquid in order to change your size. Before
going north make sure you've got everything you'll need, as in a few
moves time it'll be impossible to return. Now go north till you can go
no further, getting or examining every rabbit in sight, till Trixie
appears again.

At the second restart you are at last in Part Two proper. In the
Mattress Room the exits are randomly chosen if you try to go north,
south, up or down, but east and west are OK. However, keep trying
north, south up, down till you arrive at the Large Low Room. From
here go north to the Dead End Room. In here you can SAY MUD to return
to the Wellie House, or SAY BRAN to get to the small chamber that
leads to the Dark Room.

In the French Cheese Room you should EXAMINE WALL and GET PIECE
(of broken plate). This can then be used to open the gate in the room
with all the broken crockery on the floor, and when you have opened
the gate you can drop the plate and go east to examine the gravel in
the building site to find the diamond.

The East Pit contains water and the West Pit contains a plant.
WATER PLANT twice then DIAL PARAQUAT to kill it and CLIMB PLANT to the
Giant Room. Here you get the record which you'll need to destroy the
hairy figure on the bridge, and also find the path that leads to the
Oaken Door.

To open this door you need to DIAL SLEUGEHAMMER which provides
you with a dehydrated sledgehammer, then WATER SLEDGEHAMMER, SMASH
DOOR (twice), go north and get the golden eggs.

At the chasm GIVE RECORD to the hairy figure, go one location
south and type FEE FIE then return to the chasm and WAVE ROD.

To stop the rumbling noises in the Vast Chamber DIAL BICARBONATE
and as a reward you will be given a snuff box.

In the alcove you will need to DROP ALL in order to enter the
tunnel that leads to the small chamber. In the chamber GET EMERALD and
SAY BRAN to be taken to the Dead End, which is the only way to get the
emerald out. Now get everything from the alcove, go back to the Dead
End, drop everything bar the lamp and SAY BRAN to go back to the small
chamber. Go north-east while still carrying the lamp, but to get the
platinum brick out of the small chamber go west through the tunnel
whlle carrying only the brick. If you SAY BRAN the brick will not be
transported with you.

In the Large Room you need the jemmy to open the clam, the jemmy
belng found in the caves on the other side of the chasm. JEMMY CLAM
then go down to find the pirate and his chest. Kiii the pirate by
giving him the food.

To kill the wombat in the Barren Room you should drop the
pirate's chest and then OPEN CHEST for the ferret to appear and chase
off the wombat, allowing you to get the gold chain.

Ignore the warning about the Ming Vase as if you drop it on the
cushion you will lose it.

To get the dresser to the Dead End, use the same boring procedure
that moved the log in Part One. Do not stain the dresser with the klt
at the Dead End, as you'll then be unable to pick it up, but wait
instead until you've dropped it at the Wellie House and stain it then.

Game

The disc images, obtained from the original version of The Very Big Cave Adventure, have been recorded and verified.

• The Very Big Cave Adventure (Compressed .DSK file in ZIP format)

Divers

Below you can download The Very Big Cave Adventure game manual and solution.

• The Very Big Cave Adventure Manual (PDF file)
• Solución The Very Big Cave Adventure Solution (PDF file)
• The Very Big Cave Adventure Extras (PDF file)

• Play The Very Big Cave Adventure Part 1 online
• Play The Very Big Cave Adventure Part 2 online