I have to admit that before I came across this ad, I had never heard of "Gypsum Caves" or the company that made it, AdVENTURES. This game was apparently released for both the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64 (at least according to the ad) but this was a couple of years before my first experience with my neighbor's Commodore 64 and at least three years before I had my own. Somehow I doubt I missed much with this game.
From the ad:
Gypsum Caves is the new computer challenge from AdVENTURES. More than just another 2 minute shoot-'em-up, Gypsum Caves requires timing, common sense, and conc3entration. One game may last hours or even days...
Oddly, I can find almost no information on the Internet about this game. I found one eBay auction that included a cassette for the VIC-20 version along with the manual and and another site with info about a ROM for the VIC-20. I also found one reference to the Commodore 64 version (in addition to ad itself) which was simply a brief entry in a database. This leads me to wonder if there was a Commodore 64 version ever actually released. If so, it seems to be exceedingly rare.
I also found this game listed in a list of VIC-20 games. There were some other AdVENTURES games listed as well including Ak-Ak Man, Home Budget / Finance, Mail File, and My ABC's. I've never heard of any of them but then while I had a Commodore 64, I never had a VIC-20. Clearly this game was developed by a single person and they are even credited in the ad (Brian Wagner). This seems like a game that was probably sold via mail order only though the ad looks professional and there is a 1-800 number to call. In any case, given the lack of info out there (I have yet to find a screen shot), it must not have sold well and I'm left to wonder if a Commodore 64 version was ever sold at all.
The ad above is from the November 1983 issue of Family Computing.
So has anyone ever seen this game?
Check out some of my other recent retrogaming and retrocomputing posts!
Nintendo Power (February 1993)
@darth-azrael/nintendo-power-february-1993-9e2692fb25018
The Official Sega Saturn Magazine (October 1998)
@darth-azrael/the-official-sega-saturn-magazine
Commodore: The MicroComputer Magazine (June 1983)
@darth-azrael/commodore-the-microcomputer-magazine-june
RUN Special Issue 4 (1988)
@darth-azrael/run-special-issue-4-1988