Wizard of Id’s WizType

Last updated: January 23, 2026

Overview

Wizard of Id’s WizType is an educational typing game released in 1984 by Sierra On-Line, developed by Sydney Development Corp.¹ The game is based on the popular Wizard of Id comic strip, which was created by artist Brant Parker and writer Johnny Hart and originally launched in 1964.² WizType was designed to give keyboard novices lessons on how to improve their typing accuracy and speed, combining educational content with entertaining gameplay elements drawn from the beloved comic strip.³

The title was released simultaneously across multiple platforms including DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit systems.¹ At the time of its release, WizType was considered one of the better typing software products available on the market, standing out among the variety of software products designed for teaching typing skills that were popular during the early-to-mid 1980s.⁴ The game was part of a pair of edutainment titles based on the Wizard of Id license, with a companion game called WizMath released only for Commodore 64 and ColecoVision.²

WizType perfectly captured the spirit of its source material while serving an educational purpose. The game featured recognizable characters from the comic strip including the Wizard himself and Bung the Jester, making it an appealing choice for fans of the comic who wanted to improve their typing skills.³ As one reviewer noted, “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.”¹

Game Info

Developer: Sydney Development Corp.¹ Designer: Rick Banks, Michael Bate, Jewell Couch, Ken Williams⁵ Publisher: Sierra On-Line, Inc.¹ Engine: Unknown Platforms: DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit¹ Release Year: 1984¹ Series: Wizard of Id Protagonist: The Wizard Sierra Lineage: Sierra Published

Story Summary

Wizard of Id’s WizType takes place in the whimsical medieval kingdom familiar to readers of the Wizard of Id comic strip.² The game centers around the titular Wizard, a diminutive but powerful magic user who must face supernatural challenges that test the player’s typing abilities.³

In the first section of the game, the Wizard confronts the Evil Spirit, a menacing apparition that dwells within the Wizard’s magical vat.² This spirit challenges the Wizard with words that must be typed quickly and accurately to diminish its power and win each round.³ The stakes are high—failure to spell words properly or taking too long results in the Evil Spirit morphing into a fearsome dragon that breathes fire on the Wizard, singing him to a crisp.²

The second part of the game shifts focus to Bung the Jester, another beloved character from the comic strip.³ In this segment, players must keep pace with Bung as he hops along words on his signature pogo stick.² The player types out pre-written paragraphs, racing against Bung’s bouncing progress across the screen.³

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

WizType uses a straightforward keyboard-based interface appropriate for its educational typing focus.¹ The game requires only a keyboard for input, making it accessible to players learning to type on any of its supported platforms.¹ The interface presents words and paragraphs that players must type accurately and quickly, with visual feedback provided through the animated comic strip characters.³

Structure and Progression

The game is divided into two distinct gameplay sections, each offering a different approach to typing instruction:³

• Evil Spirit Challenge: Players type words presented by the Evil Spirit to diminish its power and prevent it from transforming into a dragon.²
• Bung’s Pogo Stick Race: Players type paragraphs to keep pace with Bung the Jester hopping along on his pogo stick.³

WizType features multiple skill levels designed to match different levels of typing ability.³ The game increases in challenge as players progress through their lessons, providing an adaptive learning experience.³ The software includes several distinct modes to accommodate different learning styles and objectives:⁴

• Practice Mode: For learning and improvement without pressure⁴
• Game Mode: The main entertaining gameplay experience⁴
• Testing Mode: For measuring typing proficiency⁴
• Own Lesson Mode: Allows custom word lists⁴
• Paragraphs Mode: Extended typing exercises⁴

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core mechanic of WizType involves accurate and timely typing of displayed text.³ In the Evil Spirit section, typing accurately and quickly enough causes the Wizard to zap the spirit, gradually diminishing its presence in the vat.⁴ Conversely, typing too slowly or inaccurately allows the spirit to grow stronger until it transforms into a dragon and attacks.⁴

The Bung section requires sustained typing of longer passages, with the player’s typing speed directly controlling their ability to match Bung’s pogo stick progress across the words.² This section emphasizes rhythm and consistency in addition to accuracy.³

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

While specific contemporary review scores from 1984 publications were not located in available research, the game was described at the time as “one of the better such products out there” among the variety of typing software available.⁴ The educational gaming market was highly competitive during this period, and WizType’s use of a popular licensed property helped distinguish it from generic typing tutors.²

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective assessments have been generally favorable, with users appreciating the game’s nostalgic value and its effectiveness as an educational tool for its era.¹

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 3.5 out of 5¹
• MyAbandonware: 3.67/5 (3 votes)⁶

User reviews have highlighted the game’s appeal to fans of the comic strip, with one MobyGames reviewer noting that the title successfully combines education with entertainment in a way that makes learning to type enjoyable.¹

Development

Origins

Wizard of Id’s WizType was developed as part of Sierra On-Line’s push into the educational software market during the early-to-mid 1980s.² The game was designed specifically for the Apple II educational market, which was a significant platform for schools and home learners during this period.² Sierra secured the license for the Wizard of Id comic strip, which had been running successfully since 1964, providing instant name recognition and appealing characters.²

Production

The game was developed by Sydney Development Corp., an external development studio, and published by Sierra On-Line.¹ The DOS version was programmed by Frank Randak.¹ Sierra On-Line provided oversight and publishing support, with Ken Williams listed among the designers.⁵

Development Credits:⁵

• Designer: Rick Banks
• Designer: Michael Bate
• Designer: Jewell Couch
• Designer: Ken Williams
• DOS Programmer: Frank Randak¹

WizType was part of a pair of edutainment titles based on the Wizard of Id license.² Its companion title, WizMath, focused on mathematics education but had more limited platform availability, releasing only for Commodore 64 and ColecoVision.²

Technical Achievements

WizType utilized the graphical capabilities of each platform to bring the Wizard of Id characters to life.³ The game featured animated sequences showing the Evil Spirit transforming into a dragon and Bung bouncing on his pogo stick, impressive visual elements for educational software of the era.² The implementation across four different platforms (DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit) demonstrated the developers’ ability to adapt the educational content and visual presentation to varying hardware capabilities.¹

Technical Specifications

DOS Version:⁶

• Input: Keyboard only¹
• Players: 1 Player¹
• Media: 5.25” Floppy Disk¹
• File Size: 33 KB⁶
• Business Model: Commercial¹

Apple II Version:⁶

• File Size: 37 KB⁶

Atari 8-bit Version:⁶

• File Size: 32 KB⁶

Commodore 64 Version:⁶

• File Size: 33 KB⁶

Internet Archive Preserved Copy:³

• Item Size: 416.6K³

Cut Content

A ColecoVision/ADAM version of WizType was planned but never released.¹ This version would have brought the typing tutor to Coleco’s home computer/console hybrid platform, but development was apparently cancelled before completion.¹ The companion title WizMath did receive a ColecoVision release, making it unclear why WizType was not similarly completed for that platform.²

Version History

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

All versions appear to have been released simultaneously in 1984.¹ The DOS version was released in the United States.⁶

Technical Issues

No specific bugs or technical issues were documented in available research for WizType.¹ As a relatively simple educational title focused on keyboard input, the game likely avoided many of the compatibility issues that plagued more complex software of the era.³

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• The game is based on the Wizard of Id comic strip, which was launched in 1964 by artist Brant Parker and writer Johnny Hart.²
• WizMath, the companion educational game, was only released for Commodore 64 and ColecoVision, unlike WizType which appeared on four platforms.²
• Failure in the Evil Spirit section results in a memorable animation of the spirit morphing into a dragon and “singing the Wizard to a crisp.”²
• A planned ColecoVision/ADAM version was never completed.¹
• The game features Bung the Jester riding his signature pogo stick, a recurring element from the comic strip.²

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

While specific sales figures for WizType are not available in the research, the game was part of Sierra On-Line’s broader strategy to establish presence in the educational software market during the mid-1980s.² The use of the established Wizard of Id license helped differentiate the product in a crowded market of typing tutors.⁴

Collections

No compilations featuring WizType have been documented in available research.¹ The game appears to have remained a standalone release throughout its commercial lifespan.⁶

Fan Projects

WizType has been preserved by the retro computing community, with playable versions available through Internet Archive and abandonware sites.³⁶ The game is classified as abandonware, allowing modern users to experience this piece of educational gaming history.⁶

Related Publications

Documentation for WizType would have included:¹

• Original Manual: Included with retail purchase on 5.25” floppy disk¹

Critical Perspective

Wizard of Id’s WizType represents an interesting intersection of licensed properties and educational software during the home computer boom of the 1980s.² While typing tutors were abundant during this era, WizType stood out by leveraging an established comic strip property to add personality and entertainment value to what could otherwise be a dry learning experience.⁴

The game’s design philosophy—using recognizable characters and dramatic consequences (dragon fire!) to motivate accurate typing—anticipated later developments in educational gaming that would increasingly emphasize engagement alongside instruction.³ Though modest in scope compared to Sierra’s adventure game catalog, WizType demonstrates the company’s willingness to explore different market segments during their formative years.²

The preservation of WizType through abandonware sites and the Internet Archive ensures that this slice of 1980s edutainment history remains accessible to researchers and nostalgic players alike.³⁶

Downloads

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – DOS Version³
• MyAbandonware⁶

Information & Resources

• MobyGames Entry¹
• Sierra Gamers Archive⁵

Series Continuity

Wizard of Id’s WizType was one of two educational titles released by Sierra On-Line based on the Wizard of Id comic strip license.² The companion title, WizMath, focused on mathematics education and was released only for Commodore 64 and ColecoVision.² Both games utilized characters and settings from the long-running comic strip to make educational content more engaging for young learners.³

• Related Title: WizMath (1984, Commodore 64/ColecoVision only)²

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – Wizard of Id’s WizType – developer, publisher, platforms, ratings, technical specs, DOS programmer credit, cut ColecoVision version ↩ ↩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 ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³

2. Apple II Bits – Wizard of Id – comic strip origins, gameplay descriptions, Evil Spirit and dragon mechanics, WizMath companion game, Apple II educational market context ↩ ↩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

3. Internet Archive – Wizard of Id’s WizType (DOS, 1984) – game description, genre classification, typing focus, gameplay sections, item size ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²²

4. Steemit – The Wizard of Id’s WizType – historical context, game modes, quality assessment, gameplay mechanics ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹²

5. Sierra Gamers – Wizard of Id WizType – designer credits (Rick Banks, Michael Bate, Jewell Couch, Ken Williams) ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

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