The Witching Hour
When autumn winds send a shiver down your spine and the witching hour draws near, there's no better entertainment than a good computer game. "The Witching Hour" is an absorbing contest of strategy based on Alquerque, a board game played in ancient Egypt and still popular in Spain today. Type in and save The Witching Hour, referring to the listing for your computer. Since every version is similar, read the general game rules below, then check the specific notes for your computer before running the program. The Witching Hour pits broomstick-straddling witches against ethereal ghosts and is played on a board of 25 squares with 12 pieces to a side. After choosing sides, you attempt to take your opponent's players by jumping over them. You can move vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. However, certain diagonal moves are illegal (the lines between squares show where you can go) and only one square is vacant when the game begins. Jumping an opposing player's piece removes that piece from the board. If no capture is possible, you may move any piece to an adjacent empty square. You may not pass up a capture-if it's possible to jump an opponent, you must always do so-and if the first capture puts you in position to make another, you must jump again (except in the Apple version). The computer won't let you make illegal moves. Play ends when all the pieces from one side have been removed from the board. You can play against a friend or measure your skills against the computer (the IBM and TI versions also let you watch the computer play itself). Like other contests of strategy, The Witching Hour is simple to learn, but a challenge to master, and can be played at many different levels. Hint: It's sometimes smart to sacrifice a player to draw the opponent into a dangerous position.
ESRB Rating: Not Rated
Genre(s): Action
