History VideoGame / AlleyCat

''Alley Cat'' is a PlatformGame created by the late Bill Williams (based in a concept by John Harris) and released for the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers by Synapse Software in 1983, then released the next year for [[Platform/IBMPersonalComputer [=IBM=] PC]] as well as the Platform/AppleII computers. It was released first as a Booter game, that is, you insert the disk with the game before starting the computer, and the game will boot itself instead of the OS. For the PC version however, the game can also be started from MS-DOS or compatible operating systems by inserting the disk, switching the prompt to the drive, and typing "cat". On the Atari 800 and Apple II versions of the game, the game is a pure booter title.

''Alley Cat'' is a PlatformGame created by the late Bill Williams (based in a concept by John Harris) and released for the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers by Synapse Software in 1983, then released the next year for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer [=IBM=] PC]] as well as the UsefulNotes/AppleII computers. It was released first as a Booter game, that is, you insert the disk with the game before starting the computer, and the game will boot itself instead of the OS. For the PC version however, the game can also be started from MS-DOS or compatible operating systems by inserting the disk, switching the prompt to the drive, and typing "cat". On the Atari 800 and Apple II versions of the game, the game is a pure booter title.

* UpdatedRerelease: A special build of the MS-DOS version was released alongside the UsefulNotes/IBMPCjr, this version takes advantage of the Video Gate Array (aka Tandy Graphics) graphics chipset to produce more colorful graphics, and the [=SN76489=] PSG to produce better quality audio.

* UpdatedRerelease: A special build of the MS-DOS version was released alongside the UsefulNotes/IBMPCjr, this version takes advantage of the Video Gate Array (aka Tandy Graphics) graphics chipset to produce more colorful graphics, and the SN76489 PSG to produce better quality audio.

* DevelopersForesight: Many early MS-DOS games did not bother with precise timing, expecting every processor to be 4.7 [=MHz=] 8088. This made them unplayably fast even on 80286. But not ''Alley Cat''. It used system clock and remained playable on modern machines without extra software (such as Moslo or emulators) until Microsoft abandoned 16-bit subsystem, somewhere between 2007 and 2020.[[note]]64-bit Windows XP, never got widespread, therefore doesn't count. Neither does 32-bit Windows 8, allegedly still alive as of 2021. 64-bit Windows Vista started to appear in 2007, and the end of life of 32-bit Windows 7 is 2020. Thus, it's 2007-2020. Nonetheless, on 64-bit systems, the game runs In UsefulNotes/DosBox with no further configuration required.[[/note]]

* DemonicSpiders: The broomstick, it does not hurt the cat, but it flings him a large distance in a random direction. Usually into something harmful, or through the window so you can't complete the task and have to go to another room.
** The ''actual'' spider in the bookcase levels. Barely qualifies as a [[GoddamnedBats goddamned bat]] initially, as the skill level goes up it becomes ''lightning'' fast and absolutely will bite you (and make you lose a life) if you linger for any time at all.

* GoddamnedBats: the mice running about on the clotheslines. They won't take a life, and you'll eat them if you jump on them, but they'll drop you to the lower line - or out of the screen altogether - if they catch you idling on the line. Their random movement occasionally makes them difficult to intercept, not to mention perfectly capable of creating sequential drops that can drop you from the highest line out of the level in no time at all.

* DevelopersForesight: Many early MS-DOS games did not bother with precise timing, expecting every processor to be 4.7 [=MHz=] 8088. This made them unplayably fast even on 80286. But not ''Alley Cat''. It used system clock and remained playable on modern machines without extra software (such as Moslo or emulators) until Microsoft abandoned 16-bit subsystem, somewhere between 2007 and 2020.[[note]]64-bit Windows XP, never got widespread, therefore doesn't count. Neither does 32-bit Windows 8, allegedly still alive as of 2021. 64-bit Windows Vista started to appear in 2007, and the end of life of 32-bit Windows 7 is 2020. Thus, it's 2007-2020. Nonetheless. On 64-bit systems, the game runs In DOSBox with no further configuration required.[[/note]]

* DevelopersForesight: Many early MS-DOS games did not bother with precise timing, expecting every processor to be 4.7 [=MHz=] 8088. This made them unplayably fast even on 80286. But not ''Alley Cat''. It used system clock and remained playable on modern machines without extra software (such as Moslo or emulators) until Microsoft abandoned 16-bit subsystem, somewhere between 2007 and 2020.[[note]]64-bit Windows XP, never got widespread, therefore doesn't count. Neither does 32-bit Windows 8, allegedly still alive as of 2021. 64-bit Windows Vista started to appear in 2007, and the end of life of 32-bit Windows 7 is 2020. Thus, it's 2007-2020.[[/note]]

''Alley Cat'' is a PlatformGame created by the late Bill Williams (based in a concept by John Harris) and released for the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers by Synapse Software in 1983, then released the next year for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer [=IBM=] PC]] as well as the UsefulNotes/AppleII computers. It was released first as a Booter game, that is, you insert the disk with the game before starting the computer, and the game will boot itself instead of the OS. Alley Cat was somewhat unique in that the game is a hybrid and aside from booting from the disk (the disk contains a licensed copy of PC-DOS), it can also be loaded at command prompt from MS-DOS or other compatible operating systems.

''Alley Cat'' is a PlatformGame created by the late Bill Williams (based in a concept by John Harris) and released for the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers by Synapse Software in 1983, then released the next year for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer [=IBM=] PC]] computers. It was released first as a Booter game, that is, you insert the disk with the game before starting the computer, and the game will boot itself instead of the OS. Alley Cat was somewhat unique in that the game is a hybrid and aside from booting from the disk (the disk contains a licensed copy of PC-DOS), it can also be loaded at command prompt from MS-DOS or other compatible operating systems.

''Alley Cat'' is a PlatformGame created by the late Bill Williams (based in a concept by John Harris) and released for the UsefulNotes/Atari8BitComputers by Synapse Software in 1983, then released the next year for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer [=IBM=] PC]] computers. It was released first as a Booter game, that is, you insert the disk with the game before starting the computer, and the game will boot itself instead of the OS.

* WrittenSoundEffect: All over the place, usually when the cat is hit by an object (BONK!), touched by an Electric Eel (ZAP!), or bitten by a spider (BYTE!). Also, when a cat loses a life in a task room, a screen briefly reads one of those: OUCH! ALAS! PITY!

* DevelopersForesight: Many early MS-DOS games did not bother with precise timing, expecting every processor to be 4.7 [=MHz=] 8088. This made them unplayably fast even on 80286. But not ''Alley Cat''. It used system clock and remained playable on modern machines without extra software (such as Moslo or emulators) until Microsoft dropped support for 16-bit subsystem — either with introduction of 64-bit Windows Vista in 2007 or with the end of life of 32-bit Windows 7 in 2020.[[note]]Well, there had been a 64-bit XP, but it never got widespread, and neither is 32-bit Windows 8, allegedly still alive as of 2021. Thus, it's 2007 or 2020.[[/note]]

* DevelopersForesight: Many early MS-DOS games did not bother with precise timing, expectimg every processor to be 4.7 [=MHz=] 8088. This made them unplayably fast even on 80286. But not ''Alley Cat''. It used system clock and remained playable on modern machines without extra software (such as Moslo or emulators) until Microsoft dropped support for 16-bit subsystem — either with introduction of 64-bit Windows Vista in 2007 or with the end of life of 32-bit Windows 7 in 2020.[[note]]Well, there had been a 64-bit XP, but it never got widespread, and neither is 32-bit Windows 8, allegedly still alive as of 2021. Thus, it's 2007 or 2020.[[/note]]

* SymbolSwearing: What the cat says if he falls out of the heart room.

Many things can harm the cat, from dogs and random objects falling (or thrown?) from the windows, to other creatures such as ElectricEel and Spiders. And a ''very'' annoying broomstick that chases the cat upon it's gone of the apartment or loses a life.