Wolfenstein 3D, a first-person shooter video game, was developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software and FormGen. It was initially released on May 5, 1992, for DOS. The game drew inspiration from the 1981 Muse Software title, Castle Wolfenstein, and stands as the third entry in the Wolfenstein series. In Wolfenstein 3D, players take on the role of Allied spy William "B.J." Blazkowicz during World War II. The objective is to escape from the Nazi German prison known as Castle Wolfenstein and undertake critical missions against the Nazis. To advance, players navigate through different levels either by finding elevators or defeating final bosses. The journey involves combating Nazi soldiers, dogs, and other adversaries using an array of weapons such as a knife and various guns.
This game marked id Software's second major independent release, following the Commander Keen series. The development process began when programmer John Carmack experimented with a 3D game engine, leading to prototypes like Hovertank 3D and Catacomb 3-D. Eventually, the decision was made to shift from the family-friendly Commander Keen concept to a more intense theme. John Romero proposed the idea of reimagining Castle Wolfenstein as a fast-paced action game. The resultant game was crafted by Romero and designer Tom Hall, utilizing Carmack's engine to create a swift and violent experience, setting it apart from other games of that era. The game featured artwork by Adrian Carmack and sound effects/music by Bobby Prince. It was released in episodes under the shareware model, where the first episode was free, aiming to encourage players to purchase the remaining content. An additional episode, Spear of Destiny, was later released as a standalone retail title through FormGen.
Wolfenstein 3D achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, earning its place as one of the most remarkable video games ever developed. The game received numerous awards and sold over 250,000 copies by the end of 1995. It is often referred to as the "grandfather of 3D shooters," as it played a pivotal role in popularizing the first-person shooter genre. The game set standards for fast-paced action and technical innovation, while also highlighting the viability of the shareware publishing model at the time. Although id Software didn't return to the series, they licensed the engine to several other titles before releasing the source code for free in 1995. Subsequent games in the Wolfenstein series have been created by other companies since 2001.
Wolfenstein 3D employed rudimentary 3D graphics and offered a first-person shooter experience. The game comprised levels, each structured as a flat plane divided into rooms and areas by a grid-based system of walls and doors, all of uniform height (64x64 pixels). These levels were designed with a Nazi bunker and building theme. To complete a level, players had to traverse the area and reach an elevator. The levels, around ten in the original episodes, were grouped into named episodes, with the final level culminating in a challenging boss battle. While progressing, players battled Nazi guards, soldiers, dogs, and other adversaries while managing health and ammunition resources. Weapons and ammo could be found in levels or collected from defeated enemies, including a knife, pistol, submachine gun, and rapid-fire chain gun. Keys were also available to unlock doors. Although the levels were presented in a 3D perspective, enemies and objects were displayed as 2D sprites from various fixed angles, often called 2.5D graphics.
The player's health started at 100%, decreasing when hit by enemies. A player would lose a life and restart a level with a knife, pistol, and eight bullets if their health hit zero. At the beginning of each episode, players had four lives, with the opportunity to gain more through extra-life tokens or earning sufficient points. Points were earned by killing enemies or collecting scattered treasures. Additional points could be gained by clearing all enemies, collecting all treasure, discovering secret areas, or completing levels under a specified time. Completion ratio and speed were displayed at the end of each level. Hidden rooms containing treasures, health refills, or ammunition could be uncovered by triggering specific wall tiles that slid back when activated. In the original version, players could save their progress at any point, though certain ports only allowed saving between levels.
