While I have to admit that some of the longer passwords where annoying (especially if combined with clunky entering mechanisms), I prefered them to the save functions because of three things:

1.) You could trade them with your friends, meaning it was possible to "transfer" the "savegames".

2.) You could try to hack them. At least if they stored some kind of extra information besides the current level.

3.) You could have an unlimited supply of passwords, while most battery games used to have a maximum of three slots... and many of my games saw an early demise because someone overwrote my savegames.

And yes emulators are a real godsend considering saving. Especially for lengthy games like this one.

Well, I don't consider the password a save system, even if it's useful. I know that Gameboy had a lot of memory problems, and I think all the save systems they used had to keep the data alive with the help of a small battery, but still I always found passwords to be a nuisance.

Luckily emulators can save your current status.

I totally agree on this one: You seldom have a clue where to go, what to do and what that object you just picked is, or where it goes. Just picked up a pendulum? Well now you just have to remember in which of the about 100 rooms there was a clock...

Alltough it is tolerable and at least at the beginning the exploration is rather exciting. I really recommend drawing a map.



Actually there is a password-system, as far a as I can remember. And yes it helps a lot (for it is a rather lengthy game).

Feel free to share anything about Dr Franken (1992) here!