<!--
	Title: (WHAT'S IN STORE: SOFTWARE REVIEWS) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
	Author: James Delson
	Source: Family Computing, v3(6)
	Date: June 1985
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: Reviewed on Apple II series. Also for Macintosh,
Atari, C 64, IBM PC/PCjr, TI-99/4A.<br>
MANUFACTURER: Infocom<br>
PRICE: $39 (Apple, IBM, TI): $34 (Atari, C 64)<br>
CRITIC'S SUGGESTED AGE: 14+

First came Douglas Adams' brilliant, satirical, science-fiction radio program,
*The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*. Then came a best-selling
book, more books, a TV series, and a soon-to-be-released movie. Now,
there's a computer game based on the original story.

Who else but Infocom designer Steve Meretzky (author of the comic
science adventure Planetfall) could create this difficult but rewarding
text adventure? As the only surviving earthling, you wander through
the galaxy in search of truth and the meaning of life (or whatever passes
for it amidst the stars). By discovering how to teleport from a planet to
a starship, or obtain a "Babel fish" from a vending machine (allow at
least two hours for that), you'll slowly grow to be a bona fide hitchhiker,
worthy of survival in the galaxy.

This is a funny game. But, like all Infocom adventures, it often is frustrating.
There are many steps to follow and so many puzzles to solve
that you should count on at least 100 hours of game time to finish it.
Still, if you're willing to tough it out, this is one of the best examples of
interactive fiction around. (*See
[interview with Adams](/library/family-computing-douglas-adams-interview)
in this issue.*)
