RETROVIEW: M.U.L.E. (C-64)
If you’re of a “certain age”, and were a heavy duty Commodore 64 user, how much nostalgia does Roy Glover’s theme bring? Yes, M.U.L.E. was out for the Atari computers, the Nintendo consoles, and so forth, but this was the “real version”, the only version that truly counted, back from when Electronic Arts meant Electronic Artists.
If you don’t remember, M.U.L.E. was a game in which you claimed property, bought and sold such necessities as food and energy on the open market, and screwed your friends to the wall. Even though you could play single player, playing against the AI wasn’t any fun because you couldn’t see the face of your opponents when you had cornered the market on food and sold it for exorbitant amounts. Heck, if there was online multiplayer, it still wouldn’t be as fun – you need the people in the same room cursing at you.
There have been few attempts to remake M.U.L.E. (like Space H.O.R.S.E.), but none have ever come close to the magic of M.U.L.E. at its best – and probably no game ever will. M.U.L.E. came at just the right time and at the right technology. If M.U.L.E. was re-released with updated graphics and sound, it would probably flop – in part because it requires planning and cunning, which few gamers expect or desire.
What are your memories of M.U.L.E.? Let us know if you played it – or ever caught the Wampus. I never did.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:19 am
RIP Dan/Dani Bunten. The video game industry could use someone like you today…and less of someone like Cliffy B.
I was never actually a huge fan of MULE. I preferred Mail Order Monsters myself…
December 4th, 2008 at 5:04 am
I had a killer monster in Mail Order Monsters. I defeated all comers.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Yeah, that was great game. EA should remake that game as a XBLA title. That would rock.
I miss my ol’ C64. Good times…waiting for games to load…,8,1…how hot and damn loud that disk drive was…ah, to be 14 again!
December 18th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I loved Mule. We played at my friend’s house all the time. I was very good at catching the Wampus.
We also loved the crap out of Mail Order Monsters. What a great game.
Finally we wasted many summers on Summer Games and Winter Games.
Commodore games ruled!
January 11th, 2009 at 5:39 am
I caught the “wampus”many times but not always because the clock ran out of time.
We played 4 players (human) and still caught the “wampus”. (c-64)
January 11th, 2009 at 8:36 am
I never did.