Stairway to Hell

Stairway to Hell is a game featuring 15 screens, each representing a different cavern on the journey to the Earth's core. The goal of the game is to collect treasure in each of these caverns. Players can practice on all screens except the last one, using the left and right cursor keys. The controls include a suicide button, which may initially confuse some players.

Despite its apparent straightforwardness, the game offers a rich gaming experience, featuring diverse and imaginative settings. These include an old mine, a surreal factory with massive pistons, snowy landscapes, steamy jungles with exotic plants, and an underwater scene reminiscent of Dante's Inferno. Each screen is graphically well-executed and accompanied by creative sound effects. Players face unique challenges and obstacles on each screen, requiring thoughtful problem-solving and manual dexterity. Various types of enemies can cause the player's character to explode dramatically upon contact, resulting in a loss of life.

One noted limitation is the inability to save the game's progress, meaning all screens must be completed in succession, which can be inconvenient. Stairway to Hell is described as appealing more to puzzle enthusiasts than those seeking an action-packed shoot-'em-up experience.