Game is controlled by the same keys that are used to playing under MS DOS. For fullscreen press 'Right Alt' + 'Enter'.
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Other platforms:
Unfortunately, this game is currently available only in this version. Be patient :-)
Hocus Pocus is a 1994 side-scrolling platform video game developed by Moonlite Software and published by Apogee Software for MS-DOS. It is a 256 color VGA game featuring 360 degree scrolling and parallaxing backgrounds. A part of this title is distributed under the shareware license. In the game, the player controls Hocus, a young wizard apprentice, sent on a quest by Terexin, leader of the Council of Wizards to prove his worthiness to join this council. To do this, Hocus has to beat 36 levels spread over four episodes (nine levels per episode), filled with over 30 different kinds of monsters, including imps, ghosts, and dragons, and a boss at the end of each episode.
Despite being released around the same time as the film of the same name, the game is not related to it in any way, except for the general concept of hocus pocus itself.
The game begins with most of the story of Hocus Pocus being told to the player. Terexin, a powerful mage, explains that all magic power of the Land of Lattice is entrenched into powerful crystals that resonate if brought together in sets.
Hocus Pocus - DOS version
As leader of the Council of Wizards, Terexin tells Hocus Pocus, the young wizard the player controls, has the quest to obtain such crystals in order to attain more magic powers to become a worthy member of the Council. He promises Hocus that if he manages to become a member, he gets to marry his sweetheart Popopa, who is also Terexin's daughter. Throughout his journey, Hocus encounters strange and sometimes dangerous creatures, like mummies, bats and Eskimos. Terexin, in the form of a hologram, gives the player advice through the game, although the conversations vary from solving a switch puzzle to how long it took him to grow his beard. After defeating Trolodon, the magic areas were now mostly cleared, so they became fairly safe for travel. As for completing his apprenticeship, Hocus Pocus becomes part of the Council of Wizards. At the end of the game, he marries his beloved Popopa, making them Mr. and Mrs. Pocus.
Speculation on the game has arisen that Trolodon was Terexin himself, as the player never gets to see the mage beyond the hologram, and both mages bore the same robes and beard. After Trolodon's defeat, Terexin was spiteful rather than grateful towards Hocus, as he couldn't believe that such a great mage like Trolodon could be defeated by a puny wizard like him who was also a dropout.
The object of the game is to collect all the crystal balls within a level to proceed to the next. Hocus will encounter monsters which he may avoid or kill with his magic lightning bolt spell. Within the levels there are also various items and treasure that Hocus can pick up for points or special abilities. Some levels have silver and gold doors, which can be opened after Hocus pick up the corresponding keys.
Treasure items include rubies, diamonds, goblets and crowns. While Hocus does not have to pick up treasure, the player is awarded bonus points if all treasure is collected. The player also receives bonus points if they complete the level within a set time limit.
Hocus starts with 100% health and this percentage decreases as Hocus takes damage from spikes, lava, monsters or their missiles (4% on 'easy' mode, 12% on 'moderate' mode, 16% on 'hard' mode). If this percentage reaches zero, Hocus dies and restarts the level. If Hocus is damaged he can collect healing potions that restore 10% health. There are fight-enhancing potions that enable rapid fire and powerful laser shots. Other potions allow Hocus to jump higher, and teleport to a set location in the level. Most levels have a secret room that may either be behind a hidden wall, or require a hidden teleport potion to get there. One or more holograms of Terexin can be found in most levels. This hologram sometimes gives Hocus a hint to where the secret room may be found, but at other times it will taunt him instead. When Hocus finds a secret room, he will often be rewarded with large amounts of treasure and items.
More details about this game can be found on
Wikipedia.org.
Find digital download of this game on
GOG
or
Steam.
Game controls:
All DOS games were controlled directly from the PC keyboard. Some newer DOS games also used a mouse or other more advanced game peripherals for control. However, each game was controlled by different keys. You can find a detailed description of how to control this version of Hocus Pocus in the attached game manual. An overview of basic keyboard commands and keyboard shortcuts to control this game is summarized in the following table:
Keys
Action
←→
Walk left or right
↑
Elevator up / Flip the switch / Talk to wizard / Look up
↓
Elevator down / Look down
PgUpPgDn
Scroll up/down
Ctrl
Jump
Alt
Fire
Esc
View playing menu
P
Pause
F1
Help
F10
Quit game
Platform:
This version of Hocus Pocus was designed for personal computers with operating system MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System),
which was operating system developed by Microsoft in 1981. It was the most widely-used operating system in the first half of the 1990s. MS-DOS was supplied
with most of the IBM computers that purchased a license from Microsoft. After 1995, it was pushed out by a graphically more advanced system - Windows and
its development was ceased in 2000. At the
time of its greatest fame, several thousand games designed specifically for computers with this system were created. Today, its development is no longer continue
and for emulation the free DOSBox emulator is most often used. More information about MS-DOS operating system can be found
here.
Available online emulators:
5 different online emulators are available for Hocus Pocus. These emulators differ not only in the technology they use to emulate old games, but also in support of various game controllers, multiplayer mode, mobile phone touchscreen, emulation speed, absence or presence of embedded ads and in many other parameters. For
maximum gaming enjoyment, it's important to choose the right emulator, because on each PC and in different Internet browsers, the individual emulators behave differently. The basic
features of each emulator available for this game Hocus Pocus are summarized in the following table:
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