The Commodore 64 version of Cinemaware‘s Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon is the version to play in my opinion – the earlier Amiga version of this excellent fantasy adventure game is uncharacteristically poor in terms of presentation.

Sinbad is a disk only release and succeeds in bringing the swashbuckling adventures of Baghdad’s favourite sailor, complete with monsters, magic, platforming sections, and sword fighting.

At the core of the game is an open-ended world map which you can travel around, exploring places and talking to people. Random action sequences intersperse the story, bringing various challenges. There’s sword fighting; ship sailing (avoiding rocks), side-scrolling platform running and jumping and rope climbing, and even a Cyclops boss battle!

Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon is classic Cinemaware. Graphically, the Commodore 64 version is top quality (unlike the Amiga original). Gameplay wise it’s excellent too. It is an intriguing love letter to Ray Harryhausen films, and of adventure stories in general, and it works extremely well.

More: Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon on Wikipedia