Peazjelly
Super Smurf
Member # 3101
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posted 03-23-2025 09:47 PM
Castle Smurfenstein - Playthrough
Castle Smurfenstein
Developed by: Dead Smurf Software
Age Rating : Mature
Release Date: 1983
Platform: Apple II
Castle Smurfenstein
In the summer of 1983, a group of high school friends under the terrifying moniker "Dead Smurf Software" unleashed a quirky gem into the world of gaming: Castle Smurfenstein. This homebrew title wasn't built from scratch but was a clever modification - or "mod" - of the popular Apple II game Castle Wolfenstein, created by Silas Warner and published by Muse Software in 1981. What started as a simple hack turned into a piece of gaming history.
An Unsmurfy Total Conversion
Castle Smurfenstein replaces the original game's Nazi soldiers with blue cartoon Smurfs. The German voices become garbled Smurf-speak, and grenades are swapped for "Smurfberry bombs". The setting shifts from a grim WWII fortress to a whimsical Canadian castle - perhaps a nod to the creators' proximity to Detroit and its Canadian cultural influences. Players control "Smurfbutcher Bob," a character on a mission to escape the Smurf-infested stronghold after failing to wipe out their prehistoric ancestors in an earlier mod, Dino Smurf.
Trivia- First of Its Kind: Often credited as one of the earliest game mods, Castle Smurfenstein pioneered the "total conversion" concept, swapping out graphics, sounds, and story elements of the original game.
- Unfinished Trilogy: It was the second part of a planned trilogy by Dead Smurf Software. The first was Dino Smurf (a mod of Dino Eggs), and a third, Sky Smurf (based on Sky Fox), was started but abandoned when college called the creators away.
- Canadian Quirks: Loot items include Molson beer, a Canadian brand, adding a Canuck flavor to the absurdity.
- Smurfkreig Lore: The game's backstory dubbed the castle the "Canadian headquarters for operation Smurfkreig," a tongue-in-cheek twist on wartime intrigue.
- Legacy Lives On: Its influence echoes in modern modding culture, with some citing it as inspiration for later open-modding games like DOOM.
An Unsmurfy Labor of Love
Created with just a paint program, a sector editor, and Muse Software's "The Voice" for audio tweaks, Castle Smurfenstein was a labor of love by teens Andrew Johnson and Preston Nevins, with help from Rob Romanchuk. Its opening theme - a Smurfified tune ending in screams - set the stage for a murderous anti-Smurf escape. Today, it remains playable via Apple II emulators, and proves that even Smurfs can inspire a revolution in gaming.
Dead Smurf Software released a prequel to Castle Smurfenstein called Dino Smurf.
See the Castle Smurfenstein Gallery section (with an alternate title screen) here.
 Smurf Video Games Guide
The Smurfs Video Games List
 Play a Smurf Game Now!
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__It's PeazJelly Time
Posts: 439 | From: SC | Registered: Feb 2010
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