1993 · Alpha Helix · Shooter · Vertically scrolling shooter

The Last Eichhof

The Last Eichhof is a vertically scrolling shooter released in 1993 for DOS. In this game, the player controls a beer bottle and destroys bottles, beer glasses, cans, and other beer-related items. The game's name refers to a small independent Swiss brewery "Brauerei Eichhof".

Released: 1993
Platforms: MS-DOS Windows
Genres: Shooter Vertically scrolling shooter
Developers: Alpha Helix
Publishers: Alpha Helix
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Side view
Themes: Action Comedy
Country: Switzerland

About

The Last Eichhof is a freeware and open-source vertically scrolling shooter released for MS-DOS in 1993 by independent Swiss developer Alpha Helix. The game is similar to Xenon 2, but the player controls a beer bottle and destroys bottles belonging to rival beer companies.

Keywords

parody
freeware
public domain

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The object of the game is for the player to shoot cork projectiles out of the beer bottle/s and destroy as many enemies to gain as many litres of brew as possible (the game's score is tallied in terms of litres, instead of the usual points). Not only does the amount of brew collected boost the player's score, but it also provides money needed to buy supplies from the pub. In most of the levels, waves of mugs, bottles and tankards will attack the player followed by minibosses (usually crates and rival beer logos) and occasionally big bosses. In one of the levels, the player is faced by hostile champagne bottles, Daiquiris, tequilas, martinis, Jack Daniel's, and Bourbon; most of the enemies have an alcohol theme.

In another level, the enemies are items associated with hangovers such as alarm clocks, coffee pots, toilets, Alka-Seltzer and Aspirin. However, there are a few enemies in the game which do not have any alcohol-related themes like the Windows logo, the MacIntosh Apple logo, Pac-Man, and a toaster screensaver.

Development

In the 1990s, some students of the ETH Zürich formed a game development group called "Alpha Helix" and developed "The last Eichhof" as comment against the concentration of the Swiss beer market which led to the decline of smaller and independent breweries like "Eichhof". The Last Eichhof's code and levels were created by Daniel "Tritone" Schoch, graphics and fonts were credited to "Tweety". Additional programming and music was provided by "Zynax". Much of the music in "The Last Eichhof" comes from the songs "Schnaps Bonus" and "Bring me Edelweiss" by the pop band Edelweiss.

The instrumental from the Pink Floyd song, "Money" plays during this stage where you can sell beer bottles. Many sound effects were samples taken from the TV sitcom Parker Lewis Can't Lose. The source code was later released under a "Do what ever you want with this code"-license, a Public domain like license, similar to the WTFPL.

Reception

The Abandonware webpage Home of the Underdogs awarded the game the title "TopDog" and described it as a "rare freeware gem" and MobyGames considered it as "one of the most "original" games of all time".

In 2002, Czech newspaper IDNES.cz reviewed the game in detail.