Retro Let's Play: Chip's Challenge (1989)

Retro Let's Play: Chip's Challenge (1989) - July 2021.

To find out what this is and why we're doing it, click here.

What is it?



Chips Challenge is a simple and addictive puzzle game that anyone can just pick up and play, it slowly gets more and more devious and challenging with simple to understand elements and a one more go nature.

Versions.

While to me this game is synonymous with the Lynx the quality of the game was hard to ignore and several years after versions were made for many other platforms.

The Atari ST, Amiga, C64, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC also have versions along with of course Windows and MS-DOS. It was also famously available in the fourth Microsoft Entertainment Pack which opened it up to a huge audience. This version also has a MIDI soundtrack, which will be fun for those who have a MIDI setup.

Atari Lynx



Atari ST/Amiga (they look identical)



C64



ZX Spectrum



Amstrad CPC



Windows (Steam)



Windows 3.1 (entertainment pack version).



MS-DOS



History (from Wikipedia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip's_Challenge

How to play.

I'm excited to hear about people's recollections of the game and what you played it on, I suspect most will be familiar with the later MS version.

This could not be easier today and you can probably start playing immediately if you are sitting at a PC with the first part of a collection of sorts available on Steam for free with subsequent packs and a level editor available for a very reasonable price along with some kind of 3D version.

Also of note is that the game uses a password system as many games did back then due to limited save features, the passwords are only four characters so of course there are many lists out there for you to try and experience any level you choose.

The other way is the DOS version in a browser.

https://classicreload.com/chips-challenge.html

This fan site is chock full of info as well, very very cool.

https://bitbusters.club/

For those who love his dulcet tones, LGR also did a fabulous video on the Microsoft version a while back.



oh and here's a nice vid on Chip's Challenge 2



while Framerater did a nice little doco covering the game.

 

Wow, the ignorance of me. I thought this was just a Windows game!

I recall grabbing the Steam version a while back and having issues getting it running. No biggie as I can just fire up the original. But now I'm curious to check out some other versions; this could be a very fun little number on the GP2X.

 

just trying out the Steam version, prefs have the old school graphics and you can change controls to arrow keys from WASD

pretty good version, great music and sounds.

There's also a big fan site, nice

https://bitbusters.club/

 

Heaps of memories for me with this one via the Windows 3.1 version, typically if it wasn't uninstalled from a school machine or machine in my dad's office if I hung out there with him on a weekend, and I found myself bored and in need of some fun. Had no idea that this was on Lynx, so I'm keen to compare and contrast (a Lynx core dropped for MiSTer last month, so I'll try that out and see what it's like).

This style of game is based on the classic Sokoban, originally released in 1981:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokoban

If people are looking for this, or any other classic Windows 3.0 / 3.1 / 3.11 games, check out eXoWin3x, but the same author as eXoDOS:
https://www.retro-exo.com/win3x.html

 

I've never heard of this one. I'll look for the DOS version and give it a spin, or the lynx version looks tasty too.

 

look no further

https://classicreload.com/chips-challenge.html

 

The Lynx is my partner's main contribution to the retro corner - she doesn't have Chip's Challenge for it, so I used this as an opportunity to order a BennVenn El Cheapo flash cart "for her"

 

worth noting (even though i am totally guilty of having 3 flash carts) that Lynx games are available quite cheaply complete and new in box from Gamesmen, not sure where they all come from but they are there and they are cheap.

 

While I wait for the Lynx ROMs pack to download...



[edit] Woo got midi working with soundfonts!

 

My theory is that their NOS came from the leftovers of the World 4 Kids franchise shutdown, but who knows. I just had a look in my collection and found this, still shrink wrapped. Really cool game, certainly one of the better titles for Lynx.

​

 

I can feel the game patronising me already:

 

OMG, I had to do registry fiddling to get this going, which itself is retro for me: https://wiki.winehq.org/MIDI#Selecting_the_Output_-_the_MIDI_mapper

 

Mine "just worked". Ran Fluidsynth via pulse, and WINE picked it up straight away without any tweaking.

I'm using Kitrinx's latest SC55 soundfonts, and they sound amazing. Occasionally jumping back and forth to an OPL3 soundfont I picked up somewhere for a bit of a switch up.

[edit]

OK, after a tricky level for this slow working brain, this dirty trick really sucked.

 

Bummer

 

sooo much time lost to the Windows 3.1 version back in the day.
not gonna get suckered in again. no I'm not. no no no.

 

Ohhh....But it runs under Wine....

Us Linux users aren't excluded.

Here's Elvis' post in case you missed it:

 

To be fair, it runs under DOSBox+Win3.1X as well.

And eXoWin3x makes that SUPER easy:
https://www.retro-exo.com/win3x.html

Just be warned, that pack is HUGE. If you're going to download it, consider adding it in a paused state, and selecting only the bits you need (all the launcher stuff, and just the individual games you want).

 

I loved this game on the Amiga-- Chips challenge and mean arenas i used to play while working out. I would complete a level, do 50 push-ups and then play another level, 40 push ups etc... I will play it again and start doing push-ups again- most likely 3 push-ups nowadays!

 

Same, although for me it was the PortableApps version "Tile World"
https://portableapps.com/apps/games/tile_world_portable
Might be handy for those that want a time-sink while at uni or work and can't install .exe's.


And I do recall playing YASC, but I don't think it was this version..
https://sourceforge.net/projects/sokobanyasc/

 

I've given the DOS & Lynx versions a run. Woah, scrolling! The Windows version is where my nostalgia is (and it's got those crispy graphics), but the motion was never pleasant.

MT-32 support in the DOS version is fun. Not a hall of fame entry in the world of MT-32 scores, but I do like its SFX implementation. Interestingly, the compositions seem to bear no resemblance to the ones in the Lynx version.

I used Handy for the Lynx version. I have no idea of the accuracy of the emulation here. But it would seem to be the most smooth playing version of the bunch, and has a most chippy and cool soundtrack. I've now decided that this is definitely a handheld + d-pad title.