Multiverse

Multiverse

Overview & History

Released in 1983 by Onitron for the ColecoVision, Multiverse is a remarkably ambitious sci-fi action-platformer that pushed the console's TMS9918A graphic capabilities to its absolute limits. Set within an unstable quantum matrix, the storyline follows Aric, a temporal cartographer tasked with stabilizing four fractured dimensions before the central continuum collapses into a singularity. Due to the ColecoVision's impending market decline, the cartridge saw an extremely limited regional print run, making original physical copies prized collector's items today. Unlike typical arcade ports of the era, Multiverse offered a sprawling, non-linear exploratory structure reminiscent of later metroidvania titles, tasking players with collecting shifting dimensional shards scattered across alternating gravity zones.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around real-time dimensional shifting. Aric must navigate hazardous environments populated by temporal glitches, anti-matter sentinels, and floating hazard platforms. Players utilize the Chrono-Staff, a versatile weapon featuring two distinct firing modes: a concentrated energy beam to disintegrate standard foes, and a phase-pulse that temporarily freezes enemy projectiles or solidifies unstable quantum blocks into temporary ledges. Health is managed through a depleting chronometer gauge, requiring Aric to collect unstable tachyon nodes to replenish his time-energy before total system expiration. As players progress, they unlock spatial boots that grant double-jump capabilities and a gravity inverter, allowing Aric to walk seamlessly on ceilings across alternate dimension sectors.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move
• Action Keys: Attack / Jump
• Enter: Start / Pause