The Nightmare cover art

The Nightmare

You have eight hours to escape the haunted castle that your subconscious created in your mind and keeps you prisoner.

31 December 1982

The Nightmare is an adventure developed by Liberty Software, released 31 December 1982 on Atari 8-bit.

Verified Sources: IGDB

What The Nightmare is

The Nightmare is an adventure game developed by Liberty Software and released in 1982. It was published by Epyx. It is available on Atari 8-bit only.

The premise, in the publisher's words

You're not sure if your mysterious surroundings are real, or merely an apparition, but you're trapped within a dark castle - the abode of the depths of your subconscious. The heavy iron door behind you is sealed and there is only one means of escape. You must retrieve your mind's eye, located within the tunnel of death, and return with it to the iron door. Then, and only then, may you return to reality. You'll hear piercing screams from within the castle walls and the sound of footsteps - not always your own. The Nightmare takes you from the depths of the dungeon, up flights of stonecold steps, into three other vast castle floors, all riddled with mysterious chambers, fearsome creatures and…
Description from the publisher · source

How it plays

It is played from a bird view / isometric perspective. Its themes are fantasy and horror. It is a single-player game with no multiplayer component.

What it launched against

The Nightmare launched on 31 December 1982, within three weeks of Trashman, King Kong, Evolution and Xevious.

Released around the same time: Trashman, King Kong, Evolution, Xevious.

Official trailer

Gameplay Video thumbnail

Sourced from the publisher’s YouTube channel.

Screenshots

All media

Quick answers

The Nightmare — frequently asked questions

When did The Nightmare come out?
The Nightmare was released on 31 December 1982 for Atari 8-bit.

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