PC-8801 · 1984
The Death Trap
BEHIND THE TITLE SCREEN
History of The Death Trap
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
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)
Title screen supplied by the maintainer; public website use approved. Original game artwork is not Patch Quest artwork.