Wizard of Id’s WizType

Last updated: January 17, 2026

Overview

Wizard of Id’s WizType is an educational typing game released in 1984 by Sierra On-Line, designed to give keyboard novices lessons on improving their typing accuracy and speed.¹ The game was developed by Sydney Development Corp. and represents one of Sierra’s ventures into the edutainment market during the early to mid-1980s.² Based on the popular comic strip “The Wizard of Id,” created by artist Brant Parker and writer Johnny Hart, WizType combined licensed characters with educational content to create an engaging learning experience.²

The game was released simultaneously for multiple platforms including DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit systems, demonstrating Sierra’s commitment to the educational software market across the major home computer platforms of the era.³⁴⁵ At the time of its release, WizType was considered one of the better typing software products available, competing in a market that offered a variety of software products designed to teach keyboard skills.⁶ The game featured multiple skill levels to accommodate different typing abilities and increased in challenge as players progressed through their lessons.¹

WizType was part of a pair of edutainment titles based on the Wizard of Id license, designed primarily for the Apple II educational market.⁷⁴ Its companion game, WizMath, was released only for the Commodore 64 and ColecoVision, making WizType the more widely distributed of the two titles.⁷⁸ The Wizard of Id comic strip itself had been launched in 1964, giving the license two decades of recognition before being adapted into educational software.⁷

Game Info

Developer: Sydney Development Corp.² Designer: Rick Banks, Michael Bate, Jewell Couch, Ken Williams⁹ Publisher: Sierra On-Line, Inc.² Engine: Unknown Platforms: DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit³ Release Year: 1984¹ Series: Wizard of Id Protagonist: The Wizard Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

The narrative framework of WizType draws directly from the beloved Wizard of Id comic strip, placing players in the role of the diminutive Wizard character who must use his magical typing abilities to defend himself against supernatural threats.⁷ The game’s story is divided into two distinct scenarios, each presenting a different typing challenge wrapped in the comic strip’s medieval fantasy setting.¹

In the primary scenario, the Wizard faces off against the Evil Spirit, a malevolent apparition that dwells within the Wizard’s mystical vat.¹ This spectral antagonist challenges the Wizard to typing duels, presenting words that must be typed quickly and accurately. The fate of the Wizard hangs in the balance with each word, as the Evil Spirit grows in power with every mistake or delay.⁷ Success means diminishing the Spirit’s power and winning the round, while failure has dire consequences for the magical protagonist.¹

The secondary scenario features Bung the Jester, another popular character from the comic strip, who bounces along on a pogo stick across paragraphs of text.¹ In this portion of the game, the player must type out pre-written paragraphs while keeping pace with the acrobatic jester.² The combination of these two scenarios provides variety in the typing challenges while maintaining the whimsical tone of the source material.⁷

The consequences of failure in WizType are dramatically portrayed through the game’s animated sequences. When players type too slowly or make too many errors in the Evil Spirit section, the Spirit transforms into a fearsome dragon and breathes fire upon the hapless Wizard, singeing him to a crisp.¹ This dramatic penalty, while ultimately harmless in educational terms, provided memorable motivation for young typists to improve their skills.⁶

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

WizType is controlled entirely through the keyboard, as befitting a typing tutor program.² The game requires no joystick or mouse input, focusing players’ attention entirely on the keyboard skills they are meant to develop. The interface presents words and text on screen that players must reproduce accurately and quickly to succeed.¹

The game operates in a single-player mode, with keyboard input being the sole method of interaction.² This straightforward control scheme allowed the game to function identically across all supported platforms, from the Apple II to DOS-based PCs.³

Structure and Progression

WizType is divided into two primary gameplay sections, each designed to develop different aspects of typing proficiency:¹

• Evil Spirit Challenge: Players type individual words presented by the Evil Spirit to diminish the apparition’s power and defeat it¹
• Bung’s Pogo Paragraph: Players type complete paragraphs while keeping pace with the bouncing jester²

The game features multiple skill levels to match different levels of typing ability.² As players demonstrate proficiency, the game increases in challenge, presenting more difficult words, longer paragraphs, and stricter timing requirements.¹ This adaptive difficulty system helped ensure that the game remained educational for players of varying skill levels.⁶

In addition to the main gameplay modes, WizType offered several educational features:⁶

• Practice Mode: For learning basic typing without time pressure
• Game Mode: The main competitive typing challenges
• Testing Mode: To assess typing speed and accuracy
• Own Lesson: Players could create custom typing lessons
• Paragraphs: Extended typing practice with longer text passages

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core mechanic of WizType centers on accurate and speedy reproduction of displayed text.² In the Evil Spirit section, success is measured by the player’s ability to quickly type out words before the Spirit gains too much power.¹ The visual feedback shows the Spirit diminishing when words are typed correctly, or growing stronger and eventually transforming into a dragon when errors accumulate.⁶

The Bung the Jester section introduces a different timing mechanic, where the pogo-stick-riding character bounces along the words of a paragraph.¹ Players must keep their typing synchronized with Bung’s progress, creating a rhythm-based element to the typing practice.² Falling too far behind Bung results in failure, encouraging players to maintain a steady typing pace rather than just accuracy.⁷

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

As an educational title from 1984, WizType received limited coverage in mainstream gaming publications of the era. However, retrospective assessments have praised the game’s approach to combining entertainment with education.² The game was recognized as one of the better typing software products available during its release year, standing out in a crowded market of typing tutors.⁶

One contemporary assessment noted that “WizType is the perfect title for children to learn to type efficiently, and any person who enjoyed reading The Wizard of Id as a kid will definitely enjoy this one.”² This evaluation highlighted the game’s dual appeal to both the educational market and fans of the comic strip license.²

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective reviews have generally been favorable toward WizType, appreciating its creative use of a licensed property and its effective educational design.² The game is recognized as a notable example of early edutainment software that attempted to make learning engaging through familiar characters and game-like challenges.⁷

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 3.5 out of 5 (user rating)²[^ref-3]
• MyAbandonware: 3.67 out of 5 (3 votes)³

The game’s preservation status as abandonware has made it accessible to retro gaming enthusiasts and historians interested in the evolution of educational software.³ Its relatively small file size (approximately 33 KB for most versions) has facilitated its preservation across multiple archive sites.³

Development

Origins

WizType emerged from Sierra On-Line’s expansion into the educational software market during the early 1980s.⁷ The company, already established as a leader in adventure games, sought to diversify its catalog with edutainment titles that could appeal to the growing home computer educational market.⁹ The decision to license the Wizard of Id comic strip provided instant name recognition and a cast of beloved characters to build the typing tutor around.²

The comic strip had been entertaining readers since 1964, created by the creative team of artist Brant Parker and writer Johnny Hart.² By 1984, the strip enjoyed widespread syndication and a loyal readership, making it an attractive license for educational software targeting families and children.⁷ Sierra’s approach to combining popular licenses with educational content would become a recurring strategy in their edutainment division.⁹

Production

Development of WizType was handled by Sydney Development Corp., an external development studio contracted by Sierra On-Line.² This arrangement allowed Sierra to expand its software catalog while focusing internal resources on its flagship adventure game titles.⁹ The game was designed for simultaneous release across multiple platforms, requiring adaptation for the unique hardware capabilities of each system.³

The DOS version of the game was programmed by Frank Randak, who handled the technical conversion to IBM PC-compatible systems.² The multi-platform development strategy ensured that WizType would reach the widest possible audience across the major home computer platforms of 1984.¹

Development Credits:⁹

• Designer: Rick Banks
• Designer: Michael Bate
• Designer: Jewell Couch
• Designer: Ken Williams
• DOS Programmer: Frank Randak²

Technical Achievements

WizType represented a competent implementation of typing tutor software for its era, featuring animated graphics depicting the comic strip characters and responsive input handling crucial for accurate typing assessment.¹ The game’s ability to track typing speed and accuracy while providing real-time visual feedback demonstrated solid programming fundamentals.⁶

The multi-platform development was achieved efficiently, with each version maintaining the core gameplay experience while adapting to the specific capabilities of each hardware platform.³ The game’s relatively small footprint (approximately 32-37 KB depending on platform) reflected efficient code and data optimization.³

Technical Specifications

DOS Version:³

• File Size: 33 KB
• Media: 5.25” Floppy Disk²
• Input: Keyboard²
• Players: 1 Player²

Apple II Version:³

• File Size: 37 KB
• Media: 5.25” Floppy Disk

Atari 8-bit Version:³

• File Size: 32 KB
• Media: 5.25” Floppy Disk

Commodore 64 Version:³

• File Size: 33 KB
• Media: 5.25” Floppy Disk

Cut Content

A ColecoVision/ADAM version of WizType was planned but never released.² This would have expanded the game’s reach to console and Adam computer owners, but the project was ultimately cancelled for unknown reasons. The companion title WizMath did receive a ColecoVision release, making the cancellation of WizType for that platform somewhat unusual.⁷

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	1984	DOS	Initial DOS release1
1.0	1984	Apple II	Initial Apple II release7
1.0	1984	Commodore 64	Initial C64 release1
1.0	1984	Atari 8-bit	Initial Atari release1

Technical Issues

No significant technical issues or bugs have been documented in the available sources for WizType. The game’s straightforward design and focused functionality likely contributed to its stability across platforms.³

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• The Wizard of Id comic strip was launched in 1964, giving it two decades of popularity before the game’s release⁷
• WizType was part of a pair of educational titles using the license, alongside WizMath⁷
• The companion game WizMath was released only for Commodore 64 and ColecoVision, making WizType the more widely available title⁷
• Failure in the Evil Spirit mode results in a memorable animation of the Spirit transforming into a dragon and “singing the Wizard to a crisp”⁷
• The game featured a planned ColecoVision/ADAM version that was never released²

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

WizType was released as a commercial product distributed through Sierra On-Line’s standard retail channels.² While specific sales figures are not available, the game’s release across four major platforms indicates Sierra’s confidence in the educational software market.³ The game’s status as a licensed product based on a popular comic strip likely helped it stand out in the crowded typing tutor market of 1984.⁶

Collections

WizType has not been included in any known Sierra compilation releases or collections. The game remains available primarily through abandonware and preservation sites.³⁵¹⁰ Its educational nature and licensed characters may have complicated its inclusion in later anthology releases.¹¹

Fan Projects

No significant fan remake or modification projects have been documented for WizType. The game’s straightforward educational design and limited narrative content have not generated the same level of fan interest as Sierra’s adventure game titles.³

Related Publications

No dedicated hint books or strategy guides were produced for WizType, as the educational nature of the software made such publications unnecessary.⁹ The game would have included standard documentation and instructions with the original retail package.²

Critical Perspective

WizType occupies an interesting position in Sierra On-Line’s history as an example of the company’s diversification beyond adventure games during the early 1980s.⁹¹¹ While Sierra is primarily remembered for pioneering graphical adventure games, titles like WizType demonstrate the company’s broader ambitions in the home computer software market.⁷⁴

The game represents the convergence of several 1980s trends: the educational software boom, the practice of licensing popular media properties for games, and the multi-platform development approach that characterized the fragmented home computer market.⁶⁴ As a typing tutor, WizType competed with numerous similar products, but its use of familiar comic strip characters and game-like challenges helped distinguish it from more utilitarian alternatives.¹[^ref-3]

From a historical perspective, WizType demonstrates how early educational software developers attempted to balance pedagogical goals with entertainment value—a challenge that would define the edutainment genre for decades to come.²⁶ While not revolutionary, the game executed its educational mission competently while providing memorable visual rewards and penalties that likely motivated young typists more effectively than dry skill drills.⁷

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Not currently available on modern digital storefronts

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – DOS Version¹
• MyAbandonware³
• Internet Archive – Atari 8-bit Version⁵
• Internet Archive – C64 Manual¹⁰

Manuals & Extras

• Documentation may be available through Sierra Gamers fan site⁹

Series Continuity

WizType was one of two educational titles released by Sierra using the Wizard of Id license in 1984.⁷ While not a series in the traditional sense, the games shared the same licensed property and educational focus.

• Related Title: WizMath (1984, Commodore 64 and ColecoVision only)⁷

The Wizard of Id games represent Sierra’s foray into licensed educational software, separate from their core adventure game development but reflective of the company’s broader business strategy during this period.⁹

References

Footnotes

1. Internet Archive – Wizard of Id’s WizType DOS – release date, platforms, gameplay description, genre classification ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹

2. MobyGames – Wizard of Id’s WizType – developer credits, technical specifications, user ratings, cancelled ColecoVision version, comic strip creators ↩ ↩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 ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹

3. MyAbandonware – Wizard of Id’s WizType – file sizes, platform versions, user ratings, abandonware status ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸

4. Apple II History – 1984 – Apple II software catalog, educational software context ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

5. Internet Archive – Atari 8-bit Version – Atari version preservation ↩ ↩² ↩³

6. Steemit – The Wizard of Id’s WizType – historical context, game features, gameplay description ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

7. Apple II Bits – Wizard of Id – gameplay details, Evil Spirit and Bung sections, WizMath companion game, comic strip history ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰

8. Wikidata – Wizard of Id’s WizType – structured data, identifiers ↩

9. Sierra Gamers – Wizard of Id WizType – designer credits, educational market context ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

10. Internet Archive – C64 Manual – Commodore 64 documentation ↩ ↩²

11. SierraVault Game List – comprehensive Sierra games catalog ↩ ↩²