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B.C.’s Quest for Tires

Last updated: January 23, 2026

Overview

B.C.’s Quest for Tires is a 1983 side-scrolling action game based on Johnny Hart’s popular newspaper comic strip B.C., published by Sierra On-Line and developed by Sydney Development Corp.1 The game places players in control of Thor, a caveman riding a prehistoric stone unicycle, who must rescue his girlfriend “Cute Chick” from a hungry dinosaur.2 The game’s title is a playful parody of the 1981 prehistoric drama film Quest for Fire.3

The game holds a distinctive place in video game history as an early precursor to the “endless runner” genre, being released twenty-six years before Canabalt popularized the format.2 Despite featuring characters from the B.C. comic strip, players neither control the title character B.C. himself nor actually search for tires during gameplay.4 The game achieved significant commercial success, reportedly selling over a million copies.3

Contemporary reviewers praised the game’s animation and faithful recreation of Hart’s comic strip aesthetic, with ANTIC Magazine noting that “Quest for Tires looks very much like an animated Sunday comics page.”5 The game was released across numerous platforms throughout 1983-1985, becoming one of Sierra On-Line’s most widely ported titles of the era.1

Story Summary

The game opens with Cute Chick in distress—she has been kidnapped by a dinosaur and only Thor can save her.2 As the manual dramatically proclaims: “Help! Help! It’s Cute Chick, and she’s in trouble. The dinosaur is holding her captive. If Thor doesn’t get to her in time, the dinosaur may even eat her!”6 This simple rescue premise drives all of the game’s action.

Thor must traverse the prehistoric landscape on his trusty stone wheel, a primitive unicycle, racing against time to reach his girlfriend.2 The journey takes him through multiple hazardous environments including rocky terrain, dense forests, raging rivers, treacherous lava pits, dangerous cliffs, and dark caves.7 Along the way, he encounters various obstacles and characters from the B.C. comic strip, including the notorious Fat Broad who taunts him with “Jump, sucker!” as he approaches.8

Thor must also contend with club-wielding Neanderthals (referred to as Grog) and dodge stones thrown at him throughout his journey.9 As described in the game documentation, “Mentally retarded Neanderthals armed with clubs need to get outwitted and hits by stones were far from rare in these days. In short, the Stone Age biker has not an easy time.”9 If Thor is fortunate, the dinosaur will be out wreaking havoc on the countryside when he arrives, as he is “pretty brave, but not really a match for him.”10

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

B.C.’s Quest for Tires employs a simple joystick-based control scheme, with players using a joystick in port 2 on most home computer versions.11 The game supports one or two players taking turns.11 Thor automatically scrolls forward at a constant speed, and players must time their inputs to navigate obstacles successfully.

The primary controls allow Thor to jump over obstacles or duck under them.2 However, the ducking mechanic has a quirk—when you duck, the character bounces up and down, so players must avoid ducking too soon.2 The PC version notably requires a joystick to play properly, as keyboard controls were never implemented, making the game effectively unplayable without one.12

Structure and Progression

The game follows a linear structure where Thor must navigate through several distinct obstacle types on his way to rescue Cute Chick. Contemporary reviews described it as “that get-from-point-A-to-point-B kind of game.”13 Softline magazine characterized it as “not so much a computer game as it is an interactive cartoon. This cartoon has its limits, but it does provide some challenge.”13

The obstacles Thor encounters include:

  • Rocky Terrain: Rocks and boulders that must be jumped over
  • Trees and Forests: Low-hanging branches requiring ducking
  • Rivers: Water hazards requiring precise jumping
  • Lava Pits: Dangerous gaps to leap across
  • Cliffs: Elevated terrain requiring careful timing
  • Fat Broad: A recurring character who shouts taunts at Thor2

Rather than traditional levels of increasing difficulty, the game offers new obstacles to overcome on the path to rescue.14 The gameplay requires far more timing than strategy.14 The game is notably short, with reviewers noting that “the average person being able to complete it in ten minutes, providing they don’t lose a life.”15

Puzzles and Mechanics

The gameplay closely resembles Irem’s Moon Patrol arcade game from the previous year, featuring side-scrolling action with jumping and obstacle avoidance.1 The game creates a pseudo-3D effect by varying the scrolling rates of the foreground and background elements, a technique noted by reviewers as creating effective depth.5

The core mechanic involves precise timing of jumps and ducks to avoid hazards. As Computer Gaming World noted, “QFT requires far more timing than strategy.”14 The collision detection was criticized by some reviewers as inconsistent, with one stating “the controls and collision detection are inconsistent.”4

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

The game received mixed to positive reviews upon release, with particular praise for its graphics and animation quality.

Electronic Fun awarded the game 3 out of 4 stars in February 1984, praising that “the graphics have been lovingly” recreated from the source material.16 Electronic Games (May 1984) was enthusiastic about the conversion, stating: “Programmer Chuck Benton has translated all of the comic strip’s considerable charm to the electronic game screen using graphics that will certainly please all Hart fans in the audience.”16

ANTIC Magazine (March 1984) offered a nuanced assessment from reviewer Harvey Bernstein, praising “the animation is first-rate” while criticizing the gameplay: “It seems as though the programmers put so much effort into recreating the look of B.C. that they forgot about game play.” He concluded: “I can recommend BC’s Quest for Tires for its animation” but “I think most gamers will enjoy the game for a day or two, then relegate it to the shelf.”5

Compute! magazine praised the game for its “excellent graphics” that “approach cartoon standards.”3 Zzap!64 gave the Commodore 64 version 57% in May 1985, with reviewers Gary Penn, Julian Rignall, and Bob Wade offering mixed opinions.17 Computer & Video Games awarded 6 out of 10 in January 1986.17

Computer Gaming World reviewer David Stone observed: “QFT requires far more timing than strategy and, rather than levels of play, it offers new obstacles to overcome on the way to the rescue. Still, it is fun to play.”14

The German Rombachs C64-Spieleführer rated the game 8 out of 10 in September 1984.11

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospectives have been more critical while acknowledging the game’s historical significance. The FRGCB blog recognized it as “the first ‘runner’-type platforming game, currently a more popular genre of gaming than it ever was before with the likes of Canabalt and Temple Run.”12

User communities have maintained generally positive scores. Lemon64 users rate it 7.35 out of 10 based on 72 votes.17 One reviewer noted: “The graphics are lovely, especially when you consider their age. They’re colourful, with big sprites and a nice parallax effect for good measure… it’s a snapshot from an age when the computer industry was still in its infancy.”18

The Data Driven Gamer blog offered a more critical retrospective, stating the game is “best described as an early runner platformer” but criticizing that “the controls and collision detection are inconsistent, the graphics are ugly.”4 A HOTUD review concluded: “Fun for a while, but gets repetitive quite quickly as there’s not enough gameplay variation or types of obstacles to hold anyone’s interest for long. Too bad the witticisms of the comic strip are all but lost in this computer license.”19

The C64-Wiki community notes: “Spartan comical graphics with a bumpy scrolling and only a minimum of sound do not prevent that you can have some fun with this game.”11

Aggregate Scores:

  • MobyGames: 7.3 Moby Score, 73% critics average (12 reviews), 3.7/5 players (64 ratings)1
  • Atarimania: 8.4/10 (196 votes)16
  • Lemon64: 7.35/10 (72 votes)17
  • C64-Wiki: 7.57/10 (51 votes)11
  • World of Spectrum: 7.56/10 (27 votes)12
  • IMDB: 5.3/10 (17 ratings)20
  • MyAbandonware: 4.37/5 (19 votes)19

Development

Origins

B.C.’s Quest for Tires was developed by Sydney Development Corp., a “relatively obscure Canadian developer, not even having their own Wikipedia page.”4 The company was based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.20 Sierra On-Line secured the license to create a video game based on Johnny Hart’s popular B.C. comic strip, which had been appearing daily in US newspapers since 1958.11

The game’s concept drew inspiration from the side-scrolling action of Irem’s Moon Patrol arcade game from 1982, adapting that gameplay style to the prehistoric comic strip setting.1 The title itself was a clever pun on the 1981 French film Quest for Fire, a serious prehistoric drama—transforming it into a comedic play on words for a game about wheeled transportation.3

Production

Development was split between multiple programmers working on different platform versions. Rick Banks and MaryLou O’Rourke of Sydney Development programmed the Apple II, ColecoVision, and IBM PC versions.12 The ColecoVision was likely the original target platform for development.4

Chuck Benton, who had previously designed and programmed the notorious Softporn Adventure for On-Line Systems (which later spawned the Leisure Suit Larry series), handled the Atari 8-bit and Commodore 64 conversions.17 In an interview with The New Yorker, Benton revealed the unusual circumstances of his involvement: he was converting ColecoVision titles to Commodore 64 and essentially created his version as “a knock-off based on playing the original game.”21

Benton completed his version in just eight weeks.21 Remarkably, he went beyond his contracted duties: “I caught up with their programmers and so began designing the second half of the game myself, even though it wasn’t part of the contract.”21 Sierra was so impressed with his design work that they had their in-house designers copy his builds for other versions.21

Mike Davies converted the ZX Spectrum version for Software Projects Ltd.22 N.R. Dick of Interphase Technologies handled the MSX conversion for Toshiba-EMI Ltd.12

Development Credits:3111217

  • Designers: Rick Banks, Michael Bate
  • Programmer (Apple II, ColecoVision, IBM PC): Rick Banks, MaryLou O’Rourke
  • Programmer (Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64): Charles “Chuck” Benton
  • Programmer (ZX Spectrum): Mike Davies
  • Programmer (MSX): N.R. Dick (Interphase Technologies)
  • Production Company: Sydney Development Corp.
  • Writers: Chuck Benton, Johnny Hart (original characters)

Technical Achievements

The game’s most praised technical achievement was its faithful recreation of Johnny Hart’s comic strip art style. ANTIC Magazine specifically noted that the “programmers put so much effort into recreating the look of B.C.” and created a “3-D effect by varying scrolling rates of foreground and background.”5 This parallax scrolling technique was impressive for its time and helped create depth in the side-scrolling action.

User comments from Lemon64 praised that “BC’s graphics is OUTSTANDING for its age, very faithful to the comic strips.”17 The animation quality stood out particularly, with ANTIC declaring “the animation is first-rate.”5

Notably, B.C.’s Quest for Tires was the only Sierra On-Line game ever converted to the ZX Spectrum platform, despite Sierra releasing at least fifteen games for the similar-specification Commodore 64.1 The MSX version included speech capabilities, making it unique among the ports.16

Technical Specifications

ColecoVision Version:7

  • ROM Size: 16 KB
  • Media: Cartridge
  • Model Number: QTL-902/OTL-902

Atari 8-bit Version:5

  • Memory: 40K required
  • Media: 40K disk or Cartridge

Commodore 64 Version:17

  • Media: Tape (£9.95 GBP), Disk, or Cartridge
  • Control: Joystick (Port 2)
  • Players: 1 or 2

ZX Spectrum Version:22

  • Machine: 48K required
  • Controls: Cursor, Interface 2 (right), Kempston joystick
  • Protection: Padlock Protection
  • Price: £7.95

PC Version:1

  • Display: CGA graphics
  • Control: Joystick required (keyboard not supported)

Technical Issues

Several platform-specific issues were documented:

The Commodore 64 cartridge version had a notable bug where “switching off and back on again, about one time in three it would load an absurdly easy version of the game with a very basic repeating pattern on each level.”17

The PC version requires a joystick to play and “becomes unplayable” without one, as keyboard controls were never implemented.12 Users reported that “BC is always jumping” when attempting to configure joystick settings incorrectly.19

The PAL Atari version experiences scrolling issues when running in emulation.12

Cut Content

No specific cut content has been documented in available sources.

Version History

VersionDatePlatformNotes
1.0October 1983Atari 8-bitInitial release1
1.01983ColecoVisionConsole release2
1.01984Commodore 64Home computer release17
1.01984IBM PCCGA graphics version1
1.01984Apple IIHome computer release1
1.01984ZX SpectrumUK release by Software Projects22
1.01985MSXJapanese release by Toshiba-EMI23
Homebrew2015IntellivisionCollectorVision modern port24

Alternate Releases:

  • Aackosoft Tape version (Atari): Loads as one 16K block16
  • Magic Disk 64 re-release: Issue 10/199211
  • Dutch release titled “Oerman” (meaning “caveman”)17
  • Italian release titled “Gugù l’uomo preistorico”11

Easter Eggs and Trivia

  • The Fat Broad character shouts “JUMP SUCKER!” at Thor as he approaches her, one of the game’s few text displays.8
  • A cheat code exists for the 16K cartridge version on Atari: “change one byte at data offset number $2F59 from #01 to become #00” for unlimited lives.16
  • The game was featured in James & Mike Mondays: ColecoVision Games (Part 1) in 2018.20
  • Chuck Benton, the programmer of the Atari and C64 versions, previously created Softporn Adventure, which inspired the Leisure Suit Larry series.17
  • One user suggested the game “inspired the fantastic Wonderboy!”16
  • Japanese title translates as “Quest (Ancient Love Story)” (クエスト (太古の恋物語)).19

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

B.C.’s Quest for Tires achieved significant commercial success for its era. According to Wikipedia, the game sold “a million copies.”3 Developer Chuck Benton specifically recalled that the Commodore 64 version sold “over fifty thousand copies.”21 The game’s commercial performance was strong enough to warrant a sequel the following year.

In retrospect, Benton reflected on the game’s success with some wistfulness: “It makes me shake my head. I’ve always wondered how life might have gone if I stayed in the game business.”21 Despite the game’s commercial success, The New Yorker noted that “its unique auto-runner design wasn’t copied” at the time.21

The game’s commercial performance was strong enough to warrant a sequel the following year.

Collections

The game was re-released as part of Magic Disk 64 compilation in issue 10/1992.11 The game has been preserved on numerous abandonware and archive sites including MyAbandonware and the Internet Archive.192

Fan Projects

CollectorVision Games developed a modern Intellivision port of B.C.’s Quest for Tires, announced in development as of April 6, 2014 and released in 2015.24 This homebrew version was designed by Rick Banks and Michael Bate, with programming credited anonymously.24

Speedrunning

The game maintains a small speedrunning community. The current world record for the any% category on Commodore 64 is 2 minutes 29 seconds 081 milliseconds, set by player “ivanpaduano.”25 The speedrun leaderboard tracks 9 runs by 5 players using the CCS64 emulator.25

  • Game Manual: Included with original releases, describing gameplay mechanics and controls7
  • Box Insert: Contains plot summary and character descriptions6

Critical Perspective

B.C.’s Quest for Tires occupies a fascinating position in video game history as an unrecognized pioneer of the endless runner genre. While the game’s simple “get-from-point-A-to-point-B” gameplay and brief completion time limited its lasting appeal, its core mechanic—automatic forward movement with player-controlled jumping—presaged mobile gaming phenomena like Canabalt and Temple Run by nearly three decades.12

The game represents an early example of successful comic strip licensing in video games, predating the sophisticated adaptations that would become common in later decades. Its faithful recreation of Johnny Hart’s art style demonstrated that licensed games could honor their source material rather than simply exploiting a brand name. However, as contemporary critics noted, the developers’ focus on visual fidelity may have come at the expense of gameplay depth.5

The game also exemplifies the rapid multi-platform development practices of the early 1980s, with different programmers creating distinct versions for various home computers and consoles. Chuck Benton’s story of designing “the second half of the game myself, even though it wasn’t part of the contract” reveals the informal, entrepreneurial nature of game development in this era.21 That Sierra was impressed enough to have in-house designers copy his work speaks to both the quality of his contribution and the collaborative chaos of early game publishing.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • Not currently available on major digital storefronts

Download / Preservation

Manuals & Extras

Series Continuity

B.C.’s Quest for Tires was followed by a sequel, B.C. II: Grog’s Revenge, released in 1984 by Coleco.26 The sequel shifted focus to a different character and gameplay style while maintaining the prehistoric comic strip setting. The original game’s success made a sequel a natural commercial decision.

The B.C. comic strip license was unique among Sierra On-Line’s catalog, as the company was primarily known for adventure games rather than action titles. This licensed game represented an attempt to diversify into the arcade-style action market that dominated early 1980s home gaming.

References

Footnotes

  1. MobyGames – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – platform releases, ratings, technical specifications, developer credits ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  2. Internet Archive – ColecoVision Version – release date, gameplay description, historical significance as early runner ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  3. Wikipedia – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – sales figures, awards, designer credits, title origin, contemporary reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. Data Driven Gamer – B.C.’s Quest for Tires Review – Sydney Development background, gameplay criticism, platform development history ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. ANTIC Magazine Vol. 2 No. 12 (March 1984) – Harvey Bernstein review, technical requirements, animation praise ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  6. ColecoVision Box Art Archive – game description, copyright information, box documentation ↩ ↩2

  7. CVAddict – ColecoVision Database – ROM specifications, gameplay description, manual availability ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  8. Lemon64 – Game Details – “JUMP SUCKER” in-game text, trivia, magazine reviews ↩ ↩2

  9. C64-Wiki – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – Rombachs review quote, gameplay description ↩ ↩2

  10. ZX Spectrum Games Archive – plot description, dinosaur encounter ↩

  11. C64-Wiki – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – user ratings, technical specs, alternate titles, Magic Disk release ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  12. FRGCB Blog – B.C.’s Quest for Tires Comparison – platform comparison, programmer credits, genre significance, technical issues ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  13. Softline Magazine (November-December 1983) – Matt Yuen review quotes via Wikipedia ↩ ↩2

  14. Computer Gaming World (October 1984) – David Stone review via Wikipedia ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  15. MobyGames – Player Review by Katakis – completion time assessment ↩

  16. Atarimania – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – user ratings, Electronic Fun review, Electronic Games review, cheat codes ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  17. Lemon64 – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – Zzap!64 review, C&VG review, user comments, Chuck Benton trivia, cartridge bug ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12

  18. Lemon64 – User Review by Roger Frames – retrospective assessment, graphics praise ↩

  19. MyAbandonware – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – user rating, HOTUD review, technical issues, alternate names ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  20. IMDB – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – user rating, filming location, directors, connections ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  21. The New Yorker – Don’t Stop: The Game That Conquered Smartphones – Chuck Benton interview, development timeline, sales figures ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  22. World of Spectrum – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – ZX Spectrum specifications, protection scheme, Mike Davies credit ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  23. Games Database – MSX Version – MSX release date, Toshiba-EMI publisher ↩

  24. CollectorVision Games – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – Intellivision homebrew release, designer credits ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  25. Speedrun.com – B.C.’s Quest for Tires – speedrun records, community statistics ↩ ↩2

  26. Internet Archive – B.C.’s Quest for Tires II: Grog’s Revenge Manual – sequel confirmation, Coleco publisher ↩

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