Through the Looking Glass

Development

The game was initially developed on the Apple Lisa. Suggestions eventually trickled in from all sorts of Apple staff: the Mac's first marketing staff member, Joanna Hoffman, whiled away many hours playing it and complained that it was too easy -- resulting in the default computer skill level being notched up to a level more challenging to her and downright intimidating to home players. Meanwhile, Steve Wozniak suggested that the mouse cursor follow the exaggerated perspective employed by the board and shrink when maneuvered into the "background".

Publishing

The game was nearly published by new upstart EA, whose founder Trip Hawkins had until recently been the Apple Lisa's marketing manager. Apple released it in-house, with detailed medieval wood-cut-style cover artwork concealing a very small Dead Kennedys logo, one of the author's favorite bands.Despite its being a favorite of everyone in the company, Apple held off on marketing this game in order to maintain the initial impression that the Macintosh was a serious business computer, not a disposable piece of gaming electronics.

Title screen

The image seen upon starting the game is adapted from a public domain source, William Caxton's 1474 treatise The Game and Playe of the Chess, viewable here.