Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - the 1984 interactive fiction for
Commodore 64 from Infocom.

Awaken in Arthur Dent’s house moments before it’s demolished and try to
survive the absurd destruction of Earth in this comedic text adventure
adaptation of Douglas Adams’ sci-fi classic.

Core loop
- explore rooms and interact through typed text commands
- collect peculiar items and solve logic-defying puzzles
- survive each surreal sequence by thinking laterally
- advance the story toward the Heart of Gold spaceship and beyond

Systems and items
- text parser - Infocom’s advanced system handles full sentences
- inventory management - carry limited items; sequence matters
- humor system - objects and descriptions change dynamically
- puzzle timing - some actions must occur before scripted events

Level design and feel
Witty prose and escalating absurdity define the journey from Arthur’s
cottage to deep space. The narrative twists reward exploration and
attention to detail, with puzzles that border on parody of adventure
logic itself.

Why it is notable
- co-written by Douglas Adams and Steve Meretzky
- notorious for its difficult and unconventional puzzles
- one of Infocom’s best-selling and most acclaimed games

Tips
- save often—many puzzles can be made unwinnable by accident
- examine every object multiple times; clues often hide in humor
- remember towel, babel fish, and tea—they’re essential later

At a glance
Year - 1984
Developer - Infocom
Design and writing - Douglas Adams - Steve Meretzky
Publisher - Infocom
Genre - Interactive fiction
Players - 1
Controls - Keyboard