Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - the 1987 arcade action game for
Commodore 64 from Mindscape.

Raid the mines of Pankot Palace to rescue enslaved children, collect
gems, and escape the Temple while dodging traps and Mola Ram’s guards.

Core loop
- swing, jump, and climb through mine shafts and bridges
- free children trapped in cages for score and progress
- collect Sankara stones and reach the exit cart
- battle thugs and avoid collapsing platforms or lava

Systems and items
- whip weapon - stuns guards and knocks away bats or snakes
- mine carts - fast escape sequences with track switches
- keys - unlock cages and new areas
- gems - bonus points and extra lives

Level design and feel
Multi-screen mine complexes recreate the arcade’s layered platforms and
branching tracks. The joystick-driven movement is twitchy but precise,
with constant danger from bats, lava pits, and conveyor belts.

Why it is notable
- conversion of Atari’s 1985 arcade game by Paragon for C64
- one of the few movie tie-ins to feature true vertical scrolling
- known for its challenging cart sections and faithful whip combat

Tips
- rescue children before collecting too many gems—time is limited
- hit bats early; they knock you into pits if ignored
- switch tracks quickly in mine cart levels or loops repeat endlessly

At a glance
Year - 1987
Developer - Paragon Programming
Design and programming - John P. Fitzpatrick
Graphics - Paragon team
Music - David Whittaker
Publisher - Mindscape
Genre - Action platformer
Players - 1
Controls - Joystick in port 2