Multistart
Video game concept
13
games
8platforms
The game is split into multiple start-up media, executables, or such that need to be manually started in sequence as you progress through the game. May artificially limit player's ability to start them out of sequence.
Notable people involved: Pablo Ariza, Jose Antonio Martin Tello and Allen H. Blum III
Alternate names: Multiple start-up executables, Multiple start-up media
CPC 1989
C128 1988
DOS 1991-02-01
DOS 1993-08-03
CPC 1990
MSX 1989
ST 1990
MSX 1987
MSX 1989
CPC 1988
SPC 1989
OCS 1990
Artificial limits may occur via:
* Password provided at the end of one sequence that is needed to start the next.
* A game save from the end of the previous sequence.
Not all of these games may include such limitations and may intentionally allow playing them out of sequence (though likely with recommendation to play them in sequence).
For examples:
* C64 game may have multiple cassettes, you start the game with one, and at the end it just says game over and may include information to load the next cassette, but does not work simply by inserting it and hitting play.
* DOS game may be split into multiple executables (.com or .exe files), after finishing one, the game exits to DOS shell itself or back to main menu (from where the player needs to exit the game manually), and to continue playing the player needs to start the next executable manually.
These kinds of games were later succeeded by games that automatically would load the contents of the next media (cassette, CD, etc.) upon such being inserted, or include all episodes, sequences, or such in same executable, or alternatively have wrapper executable that starts the individual episodes. This tag is specifically for those games that precede that automation/monolithism.
This is NOT for later compilations of episodic series that do the same.
* Password provided at the end of one sequence that is needed to start the next.
* A game save from the end of the previous sequence.
Not all of these games may include such limitations and may intentionally allow playing them out of sequence (though likely with recommendation to play them in sequence).
For examples:
* C64 game may have multiple cassettes, you start the game with one, and at the end it just says game over and may include information to load the next cassette, but does not work simply by inserting it and hitting play.
* DOS game may be split into multiple executables (.com or .exe files), after finishing one, the game exits to DOS shell itself or back to main menu (from where the player needs to exit the game manually), and to continue playing the player needs to start the next executable manually.
These kinds of games were later succeeded by games that automatically would load the contents of the next media (cassette, CD, etc.) upon such being inserted, or include all episodes, sequences, or such in same executable, or alternatively have wrapper executable that starts the individual episodes. This tag is specifically for those games that precede that automation/monolithism.
This is NOT for later compilations of episodic series that do the same.
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Games by year
The first Multistart video game was released in 1987.
Dinamic published most of these games.