The Picky Horror Show

Controls:

⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️ Move with arrow keys
⭕️ [Z or C] Action: interact with objects
❎ [X or V] Attract others' attention
⬆️+⭕️ Place a piece while facing the flashing box (De-medusa)
[P or Enter] Pause Menu and options...

Gameplay:

Collect all the green flashing components to rebuild the De-Medusa device and bring your petrified partner back to life so you can leave the castle in time before the Time Warp!
A couple of crazed characters will try to kill you (specifically RiffRaff and Eddie) others will simply undress you, run away and drop your clothes (blue icon) somewhere. While in this... 'vulnerable' state you can't do much (collect pieces, keys, push buttons, open doors) well a couple things maybe... but you better find those clothes to proceed with your adventure.

Eddie and Deep Freeze:
Keep an eye on the "Deep Freeze" temperature level, when it reaches 0° Eddie will start driving around his motorbike like a fury, his speed increases with temperature so it's wise to start heading to the cold room (upstairs, all the way to the left at the Lab) and be there when it reaches zero. At that moment you can push the active buttons in sequence to restore the temperature.

De-Medusa:
you're reconstructing the de-medusa on the stage of the theatre hall. To place a piece, keep moving UP and hit the Action button at the same time.

Escape:
as soon as you complete the De-Medusa the castle's front door is unlocked. The countdown is still going though, make sure your partner is following you (actually as soon as you walk through the front door you'll save everyone in the room, except for the crazed ones (RiffRaff and Eddie). Dr. Scott will join by himself, unless he can't move his wheelchair.

There are several actions and events that I won't spoil, if you know the show or have watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show it should be easy. In the characters selection screen push up/down to check the Stats.

Have fun!

Music:

The game currently features a few tunes I've rearranged with the Pico-8 music tracker, the original music is of course from Richard O'Brien's "The Rocky Horror Show", specifically:

• Time Warp (in-game background music)
• Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me (when you're stripped of your clothes and become "vulnerable")
• Hot Patootie (when Deep Freeze temperature reaches 0° and Eddie rides around)
• Rocky climbs the RKO tower theme (game over / failed to escape)
• Science Fiction/Double Feature Reprise (just a few seconds as title screen starts)
• There's a light / Over at the Frankenstein Place (just a very short loop, during the intro and castle screen)

Remake:

The game is some sort of remake (with more features, playing characters, fixes, stats and events) of the 1985 "The Rocky Horror Show" by CRL Group (example C64 Longplay here to have an idea). If you've played the original game you might appreciate that a few annoying details have been fixed: climbing ladders doesn't require that one pixel precision and you don't get stuck; you don't softlock while exiting the elevator with RiffRaff standing there (this ruined several of my attempts on the C64); you don't get stuck inside the armours next to the bedroom doors (if Magenta arrives you get another softlock); losing your clothes doesn't necessarily jeopardize your attempt since you can easily tell the direction they took.

Thanks to:

thisismypassword for creating Shrinko8 making the cart fit exactly in 100% compressed characters 👀
bikibird for the label tool Depict
luchak for the tool Waveform Designer
Freds72, Phil for precious feedback on game difficulty... (your name here)
you for playing the game!