The year is 1936, In the United States, a new miracle fabric called nylon is becoming popular, the Great Plains continue to suffer from a severe drought that is turning the region into a Dust Bowl, Alf Landon is running for President, Victor Hess is receiving the Nobel Prize for Physics for discovering cosmic radiation, Gone With the Wind is the best-selling novel, and steak is twenty-five cents a pound. Elsewhere, black track star Jesse Owen is embarrassing Adolph Hitler by winning four gold medals at the Olympic Games in Berlin, Edward the VIII of England is abdicating the throne to marry a commoner, the Spanish Civil War is beginning to heat up, and the Leather Goddesses of Phobos are completing plans to invade the Earth and turn it into their private pleasure world.

Don't let anyone ever tell you that nothing happens in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, because on this day in 1936, you're snatched out of your favorite bar in Upper Sandusky -- kidnapped by minions of the evil Leather Goddesses. You are brought back to Phobos as an experimental subject, as preparations continue to enslave every man and woman on Earth.

If you succeed in escaping the clutches of the Leather Goddesses, you will begin an odyssey the likes of which you have never even imagined (except, perhaps, in certain very enjoyable dreams). With your loyal friend and fellow Earthmate at your side, you will begin a naughty, bawdy, rowdy, rousing and very, very amusing romp across the solar system. Your mission, should you be able to catch your breath long enough to think about it, is to collect the materials you'll need to ultimately defeat the Leather Goddesses of Phobos and save humanity! Are you "up" for the job?

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Unknown Source

LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS

"Hitchhiker's Guide with Sex"

From the "Heat 'n' Eat" cookbook of Steve Meretzky, we bring you the following recipe:

Take a clean floppy disk. Fill it nearly to the brim with loving satire of pulp science fiction. Stir in a generous helping of zany humor and a healthy dash of clever puzzles. Add ribald sex scenes to taste. Toss in just a hint of hints to bring concoction to standard level. Mix well and bake for nine months. Surround by an intriguing package and serve immediately.

That's the recipe for Leather Goddesses of Phobos, Infocom's new interactive fiction comedy. Author Meretzky calls Leather Goddesses of Phobos "an unbeatable combination of space opera, bawdiness, and humor, plus lots of good old-fashioned Infocom puzzles." Infocom Marketing Director Mike Dornbrook, being a scheming marketeer, simply describes Leather Goddesses of Phobos as a "Hitchhiker's Guide with sex."

Leather Goddesses of Phobos is set in the 1930's, the Golden Age of pulpy space opera. You begin the story in a sleazy bar in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, unaware that on a tiny moon of Mars, the evil Leather Goddesses are plotting an invasion of the Earth to turn it into their private pleasure world.

You are subsequently kidnapped by minions of the Leather Goddesses. If you escape from their dungeon on Phobos, you'll be plunged into a bawdy romp through the solar system's most exotic (and erotic) locales. You'll find yourself battling giant carnivorous plants in the jungles of Venus, sword fighting by the light of Saturn's rings, exploring the pleasures of the harem near the Grand Canal on Mars, and avoiding the unspeakable horrors of Cleveland, Ohio.

Leather Goddesses of Phobos gives you the option of playing as either a man or a woman - no minor point, since your choice will affect many of your encounters in the story. And in order to make Leather Goddesses of Phobos suitable for everyone from the prude to the lewd, you can play it in any one of three "naughtiness levels."

What possessed Meretzky, whose last work was A Mind Forever Voyaging, a sober work of speculative fiction, to write a giddy story like Leather Goddesses of Phobos? We sent a reporter to find out:

Reporter: MERETZKY, HELLO. SM: Howdy! Always happy to chat with representatives of the media.

Reporter: MERETZKY, TELL ME ABOUT LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS. SM: Well, I thought of the title more than four years ago, before I was even writing interactive fiction. Everyone loved the title; it appears in the diary in the new Starcross package, and it's the name of the machine in the Festeron arcade in Wishbringer. I finally decided that it was about time we had a game to match the name. But there were other reasons as well....

Reporter: STEVE, WHAT ARE THE OTHER REASONS? SM: I was weaned on pulpy space opera, and I've always had a deep desire to write something in that genre. Another reason: A Mind Forever Voyaging dealt with some politically sensitive topics, and I was hoping that it would stir up a lot of controversy. It didn't. Not a single flaming froth-at-the-mouth letter. So I decided to write something with a little bit of sex in it, because nothing generates controversy like sex. I'm hoping to get the game banned from Seven-Eleven stores. Finally, I get asked all the time, "When are you guys gonna do a graphic adventure?" Well, we won't add pictures to our stories, so this was the only way to create a graphic adventure.

Reporter: ASK MERETZKY ABOUT THE NAUGHTINESS LEVELS. SM: I tried to make them roughly equal to the G, PG, and R ratings used for movies. I doubt that even the "naughtiest" mode will offend anyone, but why not ask some of the folks who've played Leather Goddesses of Phobos?

Greg K. from Rancho Palos Verdes agreed. "I showed it to my mom, and she decided it was 'harmless.'"

"None of the sexual content bothered me...I was hoping for more," said Steve K. from Tulsa. "I wouldn't have much trouble showing the game to my eight-year-old son."

Judith C. from Huntsville, a self-described conservative Bible Belt southerner, said, "The sexual content is dependent upon the player's input...Leather Goddesses of Phobos is only as lewd as the player wants it to be."

However, M'gump-kin X. from the lesser moon of Falwell VII told us, "My shrooks and I were greatly offended. The description of g'wik-acts were unsuitable for thwai'ves or ik-ti'ups to read. By Hoov, if Infocom ever wis's!ms this b'h:o'vich, I'll th-t!'rop my ig'l%ig!-o'o?ls."

"Enough about the story already!" the marketeers bellow from down the hall. "Talk about the awesome packaging!"

The package features some unusual elements which are, as usual, deeply intertwined with the story itself. Upon spreading the covers of the package, you'll be greeted by a '30s-style 3-D comic book entitled "The Adventures of Lane Mastodon (#91)" which displays a typically myopic 1936 vision of 1986, when the Leather Goddesses are once again scheming to conquer humanity. To properly view your 3-D comic, each package comes well-equipped with a huge pair of red-blue 3-D glasses. Sliding deeper into the package, you'll come across a handsome parchment map of the Catacombs, to help you grope your way through the ancient burial chambers that lie under the palace of the Sultan (or Sultaness, if you're playing as a woman).

The packaging climaxes with a new dimension in interactive fiction: a scratch 'n' sniff card. At various points in the story, you'll be ordered to scratch one of the spots on the card and sniff the heady odor that results.

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention one additional feature of Leather Goddesses of Phobos, which is available only in the IBM version: a "boss key." This feature makes it "safe" to play Leather Goddesses of Phobos at work - if your boss should walk in on you, just press CONTROL-B and hit RETURN. Your screen will clear and be replaced by a sample screen from Infocom's database, Cornerstone! Naturally, we're not encouraging anyone to play Leather Goddesses of Phobos at work - but then again, we do it all the time, so why shouldn't you?

Leather Goddesses of Phobos is the fifth work of interactive fiction by Steve Meretzky, who has also authored Planetfall and Sorcerer, and co-wrote The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in collaboration with Douglas Adams. Leather Goddesses of Phobos has been given a difficulty rating of Standard Level. Available September 10, Leather Goddesses of Phobos will run on most personal computers and sells for a suggested retail price of $34.95 on the Atari XL/XE series, the Commodore 64, and the Commodore 128; $39.95 on all other computer systems. So you don't forget, order before midnight tonight.

Source:

From The Status Line, VOL.V No.3 Summer 1986

LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS

How did you, a regular at Joe's Bar in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, end up on a Martian moon? You've been kidnapped by minions of the fiendish Leather Goddesses of Phobos, who plan to enslave every man, woman, and child on Earth! If you succeed in escaping their clutches, you'll begin a naughty, bawdy, and very, very amusing romp across the solar system.

Your mission is to collect the materials you'll need to defeat the Leather Goddesses and save humanity. Written in the hilarious tradition of Woody Allen's "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex," LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS has three "naughtiness" levels to please the prude to the lewd, and male and female playing modes to satisfy both sexes.

"Infocom is the class of the field. Its games are cleverly written, beautifully packaged, and punctuated with a sharp sense of humor."

-Newsweek

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From PASSPORT To The United Products of Infocom 1986

**"LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS is an uproarious role-playing romp that heralds a new breed of computer games."

-Newsweek**

How did you, a regular at Joe's Bar in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, end up on a Martian moon? You've been kidnapped by minions of the fiendish Leather Goddesses of Phobos, who are plotting to turn the Earth into their private pleasure palace! If you succeed in escaping their clutches, you'll begin a naughty, bawdy, and very, very amusing romp across the solar system. Your mission is to collect the materials you'll need to defeat the Leather Goddesses and save humanity from their dastardly plan.

LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS is a hilarious spoof of 1930's pulp science fiction. It has three "naughtiness" levels to please the prude to the lewd, and male and female playing modes to satisfy both sexes. Author Steve Meretzky's zany sense of humor keeps the story moving from one rollicking rendezvous to the next.

Source:

From The Master Storytellers Infocom catalog, 1987

Infocom introduces four new games.

One really smells.

Infocom, the crazy people who brought you "Zork" and "The hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," has a habit of coming up with games that add a new dimension to interactive fiction. And the best keeps getting better. Case in point: "Leather Goddesses of Phobos." It has a scratch n' sniff card and a 3-d comic book to excite all your senses. Once your interest is piqued, you'll embark on a rowdy romp through the solar system. This hilarious spoof of 1930's pulp science fiction has 3 "naughtiness levels," for the prude to the lewd. "Leather Goddesses" is sure to amuse members of either sex.

One's really warped.

Then there's "Trinity." It answers the question of whether a game can be both light-hearted and profound. You journey through a time warp into a mischievous fantasy world where all atomic explosions are mysteriously connected. "Trinity" takes you back to the dawn of the atomic age and puts the course of history in your hands.

One's a real circus.

It has been said that the circus is the only really mysterious thing left in civilization. One thing's for sure, there is plenty of mystery in "Ballyhoo." While trying to locate the circus owner's kidnapped daughter, you are somersaulted into a three-ring world of deception and crime. To solve the crime and save your hide from a permanent spot in the freak show, you'll need to stretch your puzzle-solving skills to the limit.

One's really haunting.

Wrapping up this new quartet is a classic gothic mystery set in a haunted castle on the mist-shrouded seacoast of Cornwall. In "Moonmist" you'll explore the darkest reaches of Tresyllian Castle and get involved with an eccentric cast of characters, including British nobility, while trying to save your best friend from a vengeful ghost. "Moonmist" offers four distinctly different sets of clues, problems, solutions and hidden treasures. So you'll die to replay it again and again.

All four are easy to get.

Simply follow your nose to your local software store today.

Source:

Advertisement in COMPUTE!, October 1986

Thrust into every LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS package: your LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS disk; a thrilling 3-D issue of THE ADVENTURES OF LANE MASTODON; genuine 3-D glasses; a map of the catacombs; and a scratch 'n' sniff card.

And now... the next exciting episode of humanoids in space!

How did you, a regular at Joe's Bar in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, end up on a Martian moon? Can you prevent the hideous space creature from abducting the naked heiress? Why does scratch 'n' sniff #2 smell so familiar? How many uses can you find for a rubber hose? Is it easy to remove a brass bikini? Is it hard to outsmart a robotoid sumo wrestler? Can you stop the Leather Goddesses' fiendish plan to turn all Earthlings into sex slaves?

Learn the answers to these burning questions in LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS, Infocom's racy spoof of 1930's pulp fiction. But first, a word from our sponsor:

Why put up with only one playing mode, when you can have three! That's right, three! So whether your tasks run to Tame, Suggestive, or Lewd, LEATHER GODDESSES OF PHOBOS can satisfy you!

GET INSIDE A STORY! GET ONE FROM INFOCOM.

It's like waking up inside a story!

Load Infocom's interactive fiction into your computer and discover yourself at the center of a world jam-packed with surprising twists, unique characters, and original, logical, often hilarious puzzles.

For the first time, you're more than a passive reader. You can talk to the story, typing in full English sentences. And the story talks right back, communicating entirely in vividly descriptive prose. What's more, you can actually shape the story's course of events through your choice of actions. And you have hundreds of alternatives at every step. In fact, there's so much you can see and do, your adventure can last for weeks and even months.

To find the Infocom interactive story that's right for you, just choose any one marked with the level of difficulty listed below that best matches you current level of interactive skill:

Introductory: Best introduction to interactive fiction, with some built-in hints. Written for everyone from age 9 up.

Standard: This is Infocom's most popular level of interactive fiction, enjoyed by both first-time and experienced players.

Advanced: A greater level of challenge. Recommended for those who've already experienced Infocom's interactive fiction.

Expert:The ultimate challenge in interactive fiction.

Then find out what it's like to get inside a story. Get one from Infocom. Because with Infocom's interactive fiction, there's room for your on every disk.

Source:

Back Cover - DOS/Commodore 64 (US)

LEATHERGODDESSESof PHOBOS

"Leather Goddesses of Phobos is an uproarious role-playing romp that heralds a new breed of computer games." — Newsweek
Since its release in August 1986, Leather Goddesses of Phobos has won numerous accolades and awards. The fastest-selling Infocom title ever, it was the first interactive story with an amusingly risque theme and three "naughtiness" levels—tame, suggestive, and lewd.
Now this interactive fiction classic has joined Infocom's specially-priced Solid Gold line. Solid Gold classics are the "paperback" versions of our best-selling titles, offering the complete game disk and an instruction manual containing everything you need to know to play. Plus, all Solid Gold titles feature on-screen hints!
With Leather Goddesses of Phobos, author Steve Meretzky has created a hilarious spoof of 1930's pulp science fiction. You're kidnapped by minions of the fiendish Leather Goddesses, who are plotting to turn the Earth into their private pleasure palace. If you succeed in escaping their clutches, you'll begin a naughty, bawdy, and very, very amusing romp across the solar system. Your mission is to collect the materials you'll need to defeat the Leather Goddesses and save humanity from their dastardly plan.

ENTER THE WORLD OF THE MASTER STORYTELLERS.

Interactive fiction software from Infocom is unlike anything you've ever experienced. It's a whole new dimension in storytelling.
Think of your favorite story. Now think of the main character in that story. And imagine that YOU have become that character. You are standing in his shoes, in his world. You have people to meet, places to visit, and challenges to face. It's all just as vivid as anything you've ever experienced in real life. The decisions are yours ... and so are the consequences.
In interactive fiction, you communicate with the story through conversational English sentences typed into your computer. The plot unfolds as you decide what to do next, drawing you into a world so involving that it taps your adrenaline as much as your intellect. With hundreds of alternatives at each step, your adventure can last for weeks and even months.
Journey to a place limited only by your imagination—the world of Infocom's interactive fiction.

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Back of Box/Folder (Solid Gold) - Apple II/DOS (US)