Square · 1984 · Adventure
The Death Trap
ザ・デストラップ
An early chapter in Square’s adventure-game history. Our PC-8801 localization research starts here.
Status updated
BEHIND THE TITLE SCREEN
A spy story from Square’s early days.
A 1984 command-driven adventure from Square. Its spy story sends the player into hostile territory to rescue a kidnapped scientist. [1] [2]
The preservation catalog records both Japanese and English command input. Accepting English commands is different from providing an English translation of the story. [1]
Catalogs record the Japanese title as ザ・デストラップ; the contemporary advertisement uses デス・トラップ. Release dating varies: the advertisement announces September 20, while the preservation catalog lists October 1984 and MAME November. Only the agreed year is displayed. [1] [3] [4]
![[4]](https://akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/img/ah/docs/1574/319/html/1.jpg.html){kind=link}
Project EGG included PC-8801 and PC-9801 editions in its 2013 Classic PC-Game Collection. These are distinct editions; a future PC-8801 patch will not imply support for PC-9801 or the collection’s Windows packaging. [2]
A contemporary advertisement names PC-8801 and PC-8801mkII and a three-disk, 5-inch set. It credits Square for planning/production and ASCII for release. The early package scan describes 2D disks and requires two floppy drives. [4] [5]
![[5]](https://www.gamepres.org/pc88/library/1984/death06.gif){kind=link}
Original edition documented from contemporary advertising and packaging. Catalog publisher labels and dates differ from the advertisement. This historical identification does not establish which disk revision a future patch will support; checksums and tested setup belong to release verification.
- Original year
- 1984
- Platform of interest
- PC-8801
- Genre
- Adventure
- Work
- English localization
NEW WORDS. SAME MAGIC.
The localization quest.
Research draft. Translation coverage and gameplay compatibility have not been established for a public release.
What we’re aiming for
Natural English that preserves the original game’s tone, characters and cultural identity. Saved wording, technical insertion and in-game testing are separate stages.
No completion percentage or gameplay-compatibility claim is being made. The website’s research status does not summarize private development progress.
STILL ON THE WORKBENCH
The quest starts here.
No download available yet.
We’re researching this adventure. No public English patch is available yet.
We’ll publish exact source requirements, patch format, tested setups and known issues alongside a release. No release date is set.
Get to know the patching process →FROM THE WORKBENCH
Project notes.
Looking back before moving forward
Historical sources and the official rerelease listing have been reviewed. No official English edition or complete/partial fan patch was verified in this search. That is an incomplete research result, not a claim that none exists or that this project would be first.
A first look at the project
Research-baseline website draft with an original title screen supplied for local design review. This is not a translation-progress or playability announcement.
THE PEOPLE & THE PAPER TRAIL
Credits where they belong.
Original game
- Planning / production (contemporary advertisement)
- Square [4]
- Release / publisher (contemporary advertisement)
- ASCII [4]
Additional original staff credits are still being researched.
Patch Quest project
- Website & platform maintenance
- BrentW
Platform or website maintenance is not a claim of original-game authorship or translation review.
Read the sources
- Game Preservation Society: October 1984 PC-88 library (Japanese; reviewed 2026-10-18)
- Project EGG: official Classic PC-Game Collection listing (reviewed 2026-10-18)
- MAME maintainers: PC-8801 floppy software catalog (reviewed 2026-10-18)
- Original Square/ASCII advertisement, reproduced by AKIBA PC Hotline (reviewed 2026-10-18)
- Original early package back, Game Preservation Society scan (reviewed 2026-10-18)
Original title screen supplied by the maintainer; public website use approved. Original game artwork is not Patch Quest artwork.