BBC updates Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy text adventure

BBC has released an updated edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy text adventure game.

The launch commemorates the 30th anniversary of the original title, which of course is based off the beloved science fiction series by Douglas Adams. The BBC states the 1984 release sold more than 350,000 copies when it first launched, and actually received a 20th annivesary update in 2004 as well.

"The game was spotted languishing on these pages, quietly ticking over with up to 70 visitors on a good day," BBC wrote on the game’s about page.

"The time seemed right for a spit and polish and to re-house it on a shiny new server just before the old ones were switched off for good. An already cantankerous game with a penchant for killing people in a variety of amusing ways, the game has not become more friendly while sulking unloved and unnoticed."

While the new version includes the original content written by Adams and players still type in word commands to navigate the title, it has been updated with HTML – and will also send tweets on its own based on players’ actions in-game.

"We then decided that rather than having a simple functionality where the user could tweet, we would allow the game itself to tweet, based on the actions of users in the game. This was when the games’ personality started to shine through. This may or may not prove to have been a good idea."

The game is available to play for free on BBC’s website.