The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ by Pete Austin and James Horsler Episode 1 of The Adrian Mole Diaries Literary, Children's, Slice of life 1985

About the Story

"I learned today that I am to be the subject of a computer game. The object of the game is to make me popular with everyone, which sounds dead brilliant. Apparently they've written an enormous programme containing 200 kilos of text, which Brainbox Henderson says is a lot. Now everyone else can have a go at coping with all the problems that beset me over an entire year of my life. It's an illustrated text game, which means you have artistic pictures to look at while you ponder about what to do next. So have a go, and see what it's like being a budding intellectual and poet who has to cope with my family, friends and the dog. Then you'll know what I have to put up with. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Adrian is a worrier. The problems of existence hit him hard. Spots, bits of him that won't keep still, the cracks in his parents' marriage, all prey heavily on his mind. There are some consolations. A fourteen-year-old feminist, an eighty-nine-year old chain smoker and his spoilt best friend all help to lift the gloomy introspection of Mole's moods. Mole believes he is an intellectual. He is dogged by ill-health as well as by an infuriatingly ever-present pet dog, and by a catalogue of misfortunes familiar to anyone over the age of thirteen.

The aim of the game is to make Adrian as popular as possible with everyone — family, friends, and the dog! At regular points in the game your score will appear on the screen to indicate how well you are doing. (You can aim to make Adrian as unpopular as possible and see how low a score you can achieve!)

If you have already read Sue Townsend's books, you will find some characters you have met before and a number of familiar scenes. But, if you haven't yet read the books, you'll still be able to play the game — and knowing the books won't necessarily give you an advantage: in the game, familiar scenes may well have a new twist.

Game Details