Alien Garden

Alien Garden is a non-game for the Atari 8-bit family published by Epyx in 1982[2] by Bernie DeKoven and programmed by virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier. Designed with an emphasis on the need for experimentation, Alien Garden was described by its creators as an art game,[3] and ranks among the earliest art games.[4] Its release predates Lanier's Moondust by a year.[5]

Alien Garden
Publisher(s)Epyx
Designer(s)Bernie DeKoven[1]
Programmer(s)Jaron Lanier
Platform(s)Atari 8-bit
Release1982
Genre(s)Non-game
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Gameplay consists of a side-scrolling world covered in 24 different kinds of crystalline flowers resembling gypsum flowers. The player controls an embryonic animal as it grows, survives and reproduces through 20 generations. Difficulty is introduced through the lack of instructions in the game. As such, the player must employ trial and error techniques to determine which flowers are edible, which flowers shrink or grow when stung, and which flowers are fatal or explosive when touched.[6] The player may use either the organism's tail, stinger, or wings to bump or otherwise make contact with them. To maintain the challenge, the behavior of the flowers changes every time the game is played. To increase the challenge, the score is repeated all along the left and right sides of the scrolling screen. As the score increases, the animal avatar is forced to travel more and more closely to the sometimes deadly crystal flowers.

Reception

Electronic Fun with Computers & Games praised the game for its "graphically stunning" visuals as well as the experimentation and strategy required.[7] Computer Gaming World, however, harshly criticized the graphics, and felt that the lack of color was "particularly disappointing".[8]

References
  1. here’s Bernie — DeepFUN
  2. "Epyx". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  3. Thomsen, Michael (8 February 2010). "The Art Of Gaming". Edge. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012.
  4. Pratt, Charles J. (8 February 2010). "The Art History... Of Games? Games As Art May Be A Lost Cause". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019.
  5. Pease, Emma (14 May 1997). "Post Symbolic Systems". CSLI Calendar of Public Events. Stanford Center for the Study of Language and Information. 12 (28). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
  6. Alien Garden Owners Manual. AtariAge entry. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  7. Wiswell, Phil (May 1983). "Alien Garden". Electronic Fun with Computers & Games. Vol. 1 no. 7. p. 66.
  8. Doum, Allen (March–April 1983). "The Atari Arena". Computer Gaming World. Vol. 3 no. 2. pp. 20, 22.
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