Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance

Last updated: January 16, 2026

Overview

Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance is a mini-game compilation released by Sierra On-Line in 1992 for DOS¹. The game features Robin Hood from the acclaimed adventure game Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood, and collects three skill-based mini-games that were originally included in that title². In the summer of 1992, Sierra combined mini arcade sequences, casino games, and board games that were originally included in various adventure and Hoyle games, releasing these mini compilations as budget releases in blister cards under the title “Crazy Nick’s Software Picks”².

The compilation represents Sierra’s effort to do something different after years of making award-winning adventure games³. As part of the overlooked Crazy Nick’s Software Picks series, this release offered players an affordable way to experience popular mini-games without purchasing the full adventure titles³. The game was distributed on a single 3.5” floppy disk as a PC-only release, making it one of five compilation releases in the Crazy Nick’s series².

The title has achieved a modest cult following among Sierra collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts, with user ratings on abandonware sites ranging from 3.67/5 to 5/5 depending on the platform⁴⁵. Though often confused with other Robin Hood-themed games from the era, this budget release remains a curiosity in Sierra’s extensive catalog of the early 1990s¹.

Game Info

Developer: Sierra On-Line, Inc.¹ Designer: Unknown Publisher: Sierra On-Line, Inc.¹ Engine: SCI1.1⁶ Platforms: DOS¹ Release Year: 1992¹ Series: Crazy Nick’s Software Picks⁷ Protagonist: Robin Hood¹ Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

The game places players in the role of Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw of Sherwood Forest¹. Unlike a full narrative adventure, the compilation focuses on standalone skill challenges rather than a continuous storyline. The player is tasked with helping Robin Hood succeed in three distinct mini-games that test different abilities¹.

The setting draws from medieval England and the Robin Hood mythos, featuring locations such as archery ranges, taverns, and mysterious forest encounters⁴. Each mini-game presents a different scenario: competing in archery against targets, facing off against a tavern patron in a battle of wits over a board game, and engaging in physical combat with a mysterious stranger¹.

The games are presented as standalone challenges without an overarching narrative structure, reflecting their origins as diversions within the larger Conquests of the Longbow adventure game⁸. Players can experience these challenges independently, making the compilation suitable for quick gaming sessions focused on skill improvement rather than story progression¹.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The game utilizes Sierra’s Creative Interpreter (SCI) engine, specifically version SCI1.1⁶. The interface employs both point-and-select and direct control methods depending on the mini-game being played¹. Players interact with the games through mouse input, with the interface being similar to other Sierra titles of the era⁹.

The perspective shifts between first-person and diagonal-down views depending on which mini-game is active¹. The visual presentation uses a fixed/flip-screen approach, with each game occupying its own distinct screen¹.

Structure and Progression

The compilation consists of three separate mini-games that can be played independently¹:

• Archery: The player must shoot from a longbow at targets while taking into account wind conditions. This first-person game requires precision and timing to hit targets accurately¹.

• Nine Men’s Morris: A classic board game where the player must defeat a tavern visitor. Nine Men’s Morris is noted as potentially one of the oldest board games in the world². The game features animated cats that produce synthesized meow sounds, adding character to the tavern setting⁸.

• Sticks: A combat game where the player must defeat a black-cloaked stranger in stick fighting. This real-time challenge tests reflexes and combat timing¹.

Puzzles and Mechanics

Each mini-game employs distinct mechanics suited to its gameplay style¹. The Archery game requires players to account for environmental factors like wind when aiming their shots¹. The pacing varies between turn-based gameplay in Nine Men’s Morris and real-time action in the Archery and Sticks games¹.

The Nine Men’s Morris game is a strategic board game challenge requiring players to outmaneuver their opponent by forming “mills” (three pieces in a row) while preventing the computer opponent from doing the same². The Sticks game lacks proper in-game instructions according to some players, with unclear win conditions that can frustrate newcomers⁸.

One reviewer noted that the Archery game appeared to end after a single shot with no apparent way to continue, suggesting either a bug or an unclear interface design⁸.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Contemporary reviews and sales data for this budget release are sparse in available research. As a low-priced compilation sold in blister pack packaging, the game did not receive the same review attention as Sierra’s flagship adventure titles². The game was marketed through Sierra’s InterAction magazine in the Summer 1992 issue on pages 14-15².

Modern Assessment

Modern assessments of the game are mixed, with users on abandonware sites providing varying ratings. One blogger described the experience bluntly: “You’d have to be a fool to play this game”⁸. The same reviewer praised the title music as “very well produced and very appropriate MIDI music,” expressing surprise that Sierra “wasted it on a game collection like this”⁸.

The game’s connection to Conquests of the Longbow is noted by collectors, with speculation that Sierra “simply nicked the minigames wholesale from the complete Robin Hood adventure game”⁸. This extraction of content from larger games was the standard approach for the entire Crazy Nick’s series².

Aggregate Scores:

• MyAbandonware (Version 1): 5/5 (7 votes)⁵
• MyAbandonware (Version 2): 3.67/5 (3 votes)⁴
• MobyGames: Listed but collected by only 5 players¹

Development

Origins

The Crazy Nick’s Software Picks series emerged in the summer of 1992 as Sierra sought to monetize existing mini-game content from their adventure game catalog². After making award-winning adventure games for years, Sierra wanted to do something different, and the Crazy Nick’s series represented an early experiment in budget-priced gaming compilations³.

The Robin Hood compilation specifically drew its content from Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood, a full-length adventure game that had proven popular with Sierra’s audience¹. By extracting the mini-games and packaging them separately, Sierra could offer an affordable alternative for players interested in quick skill-based challenges rather than lengthy adventure gameplay².

Production

The game was developed internally at Sierra On-Line using their established SCI engine technology¹. The release date is documented as June 5, 1992². The budget nature of the release meant streamlined production and packaging, with the game distributed on a single 3.5” floppy disk².

Development Credits:¹

• Director: Bill Davis
• Producers: Tammy Dargan, Tony Caudill
• Software Supervisor: J. Mark Hood
• Lead Programmer: Thaddeus M. Pritchard
• Quality Assurance: Michael Brosius
• Special Thanks: Randy MacNeill

Technical Achievements

The game utilized Sierra’s SCI1.1 interpreter, the same technology powering their more ambitious adventure titles of the era⁶. The MIDI music system provided period-appropriate musical accompaniment, with the title theme noted for its quality production values⁸.

The Nine Men’s Morris game included animated elements such as cats that produced synthesized meow sounds, demonstrating the engine’s capability for character animations even in simple board game contexts⁸.

Technical Specifications

DOS Version:¹⁴

• Resolution: Not specified in available sources
• Audio: MIDI music support⁸
• Media: Single 3.5” floppy disk²
• File Size: Approximately 632 KB⁴

Perspectives:¹⁴

• First-person (Archery)
• Diagonal-down (Board games)
• Fixed/flip-screen display

Cut Content

No specific cut content has been documented for this compilation. The games appear to have been extracted directly from Conquests of the Longbow with minimal modification⁸.

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	June 5, 1992	DOS	Initial release2

Some sources list 1993 as a release date, suggesting possible regional variations or re-releases⁵.

SCI Interpreter Versions:⁶

Game Version	Interpreter	Type	Notes
1.0	SCI1.1	SCI	Initial DOS release

Technical Issues

User comments on abandonware sites have reported issues with incorrect game files being uploaded to preservation archives. One user noted: “Alas! It is ‘Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: King Graham’s Board Game Challenge’. Please, replace the screenshots and the installation package with a proper game”⁵. This confusion between different Crazy Nick’s titles has complicated preservation efforts.

The Archery game has been reported to have potential issues with game flow, appearing to end after one shot without a clear way to continue⁸. The Sticks game lacks proper instructions, leaving win conditions unclear to players⁸.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• Board Game History: Nine Men’s Morris featured in the game “could easily be one of the oldest board games in the world”²
• Tavern Atmosphere: The Nine Men’s Morris game includes animated cats that make synthesized meow sounds, adding period-appropriate ambiance to the tavern setting⁸
• Music Reuse: The title music may have been reused directly from Conquests of the Longbow, with one reviewer noting it seemed too high-quality to have been created specifically for this budget release⁸
• Blister Pack Distribution: The game was sold in budget blister card packaging, a departure from Sierra’s typical box releases²

Voice Cast

This DOS release does not feature voice acting.

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

The Crazy Nick’s Software Picks series represented Sierra’s experiment with budget-priced gaming compilations in the early 1990s². While specific sales figures are not available, the series was described as “overlooked,” suggesting modest commercial performance compared to Sierra’s flagship adventure titles³.

The budget pricing and blister pack distribution made these titles accessible to a broader audience, though they lacked the marketing push of Sierra’s major releases².

Collections

The game was released as part of the Crazy Nick’s Software Picks series, which consisted of five total compilation releases². Other titles in the series included:

• Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Leisure Suit Larry’s Casino¹⁰
• Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Parlor Games with Laura Bow¹¹
• Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: King Graham’s Board Game Challenge⁹

Fan Projects

No significant fan remake or modification projects have been documented for this specific title. The game can be run through ScummVM, which provides compatibility with Sierra’s SCI engine games on modern systems⁶. ScummVM 2.1 and later versions support cloud saves on third-party cloud storage services⁶.

Related Publications

• InterAction Magazine (Summer 1992): Pages 14-15 featured coverage of the Crazy Nick’s series release²

No dedicated hint book or strategy guide appears to have been published for this budget release.

Critical Perspective

Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance occupies an unusual position in Sierra’s gaming legacy. As a budget compilation extracting content from a larger adventure game, it represents an early attempt at game content recycling that would become more common in the industry’s later years².

The game’s modest reception and relative obscurity compared to its source material—Conquests of the Longbow—illustrates the challenges of decontextualizing mini-games from their narrative frameworks⁸. While the individual games (particularly Nine Men’s Morris) have historical significance as digital adaptations of ancient pastimes², the compilation itself serves primarily as a curiosity for Sierra collectors and historians interested in the company’s budget-line experiments of the early 1990s.

Downloads

Download / Preservation

• MyAbandonware - DOS version available⁴

Manuals & Extras

• No standalone manual PDF located in research

Series Continuity

This title is part of the Crazy Nick’s Software Picks budget compilation series, released by Sierra in 1992². The series drew content from various Sierra adventure games, repurposing mini-games and diversions as standalone budget releases². The Robin Hood compilation specifically connects to Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood, from which its mini-games were extracted¹.

The Crazy Nick’s series also includes connections to King’s Quest (through King Graham’s Board Game Challenge), Leisure Suit Larry (through the Casino compilation), and The Colonel’s Bequest/The Dagger of Amon Ra (through Parlor Games with Laura Bow)⁹¹⁰¹¹.

• Previous: 1992 - Crazy Nick’s Software Picks - Leisure Suit Larry’s Casino
• Next: 1992 - Crazy Nick’s Software Picks - Parlor Games with Laura Bow

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance – release date, developer, publisher, credits, gameplay description, technical specs ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷

2. Sierra Chest – Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Robin Hood – release date, development context, series information, Nine Men’s Morris history, publication info ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴

3. [Consolidated Research Data – Katakis Quote] – development context regarding Sierra’s experimentation ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

4. MyAbandonware – Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance (1992) – release date, file size, user ratings, genre tags ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

5. MyAbandonware – Robin Hood’s Game of Skill and Chance (1993) – alternate version listing, user comments, ratings ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

6. PCGamingWiki – Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance – SCI1.1 engine, ScummVM compatibility, genre classification ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

7. PCGamingWiki – Series: Crazy Nick’s Software Picks – series information, developer, publisher ↩

8. Super Adventures in Gaming – Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Robin Hood’s Games of Skill and Chance – gameplay review, music quality, game descriptions, technical issues ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶

9. MobyGames – Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: King Graham’s Board Game Challenge – series context, similar interface, development team ↩ ↩² ↩³

10. MobyGames – Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Leisure Suit Larry’s Casino – series context, release date, developer ↩ ↩²

11. MobyGames – Crazy Nick’s Software Picks: Parlor Games with Laura Bow – series context, SCI engine, developer ↩ ↩²