Ballyhoo is an interactive fiction game designed by Jeff O’Neill and published by Infocom in 1985. The circus-themed game was released for ten systems, including MS-DOS, Atari ST, and Commodore 64. Ballyhoo was labeled as “Standard” difficulty. It is Infocom’s nineteenth game.
Plot
The player’s character is bedazzled by the spectacle of the circus and the mystery of the performer’s life. After attending a show of Tomas Munrab’s “The Travelling Circus That Time Forgot”, the player loiters near the tents instead of rushing through the exit. Maybe some clowns will practice a new act, or perhaps at least one of the trapeze artists will trip…
Instead, the player overhears a strange conversation. The circus’ owner has hired a drunken, inept detective to find his daughter Chelsea, who has been kidnapped. Munrab is convinced that it was an outside job; surely his loyal employees would never betray him like this!
As the player begins to investigate the abduction, it soon becomes clear that the circus workers don’t appreciate the intrusion. Their reactions range from indifference to hostility to attempted murder. In order to unravel the mystery, the player engages in a series of actions straight out of a circus fan’s dream: dressing up as a clown, walking the high wire, and taming lions.
Release
Ballyhoo included the following physical items in the package:
- An “Official Souvenir Program” from The Traveling Circus That Time Forgot describing each of the featured acts and listing common circus slang
- A ticket to the circus
- A toy balloon imprinted with the circus’ name and logo (blue was the most common color, although a few orange or black ones were also shipped)
- A trade card for “Dr. Nostrum’s Extract”, a fictitious patent medicine hailed as a “wondrous curative” containing 19% alcohol
Reception
Compute!’s Gazette in 1986 called Ballyhoo “richly evocative, often exasperating, and very clever”. The magazine approved of the splendid feelies and “surprisingly flexible” parser. Noting its difficulty, Antic concluded that it “supplies enough escapist entertainment to make it seem as if you have [run away to the circus]”.
Legacy
The Lost Treasures of Infocom bundled 20 Infocom releases, including Ballyhoo. This package as shipped lacked some information necessary to complete the game; the final page of the souvenir program was omitted. This page was an ad for a classical music radio station; at one point in the game, the player must tune a radio to the frequency listed in the ad (AM 1170) in order to proceed.
References
External links
- Infocom-if.org entry
- Infocom Bugs List entry
- Ballyhoo in the Interactive Fiction Database
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Ballyhoo has made quite a name for itself in the gaming world, captivating us with its distinctive atmosphere and compelling gameplay dynamics. Thanks to Infocom's meticulous craftsmanship and Infocom's strong presentation, the high production quality is evident in every moment of the game. Masterfully blending Interactive fiction mechanics with modern standards, the game's fluid gameplay makes hours fly by unnoticed. All in all, the Gamer24h team stands firmly behind our rating. This is a unique journey you won't want to miss.