Castle of Dr BrainCastle of Dr Brain

Game Details:  Fantasy, 1991

Links:  Moby Games, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  11/5/2004

Suggested Listening:  Wild Hearts Meet (Ash 25)

Castle of Dr Brain is the first in a series of games by Sierra On-Line. In this game, set in the eponymous castle, you must solve a series of puzzles set by Dr Brain to proceed through the game. The next game in the series is The Island of Dr Brain.

Entry

Memory Puzzle Plaque

To get into the castle, press the doorbell. Now you need to follow the pattern indicated by the flashing parts of the doorway and surrounds. The number of tones to repeat depends on the difficulty level (6 for novice, 8 for standard and 10 for expert) and the harder difficulties include more possible objects (the lamps and the flamingos).

First Floor

You need to solve 3 separate puzzles here before using the words you are given and the codes indicated in your manual to get through the keypad into the next area.

Math Marvel

Create sums as follows to get the first code word:

Novice Standard Expert
11 + 22 = 33
90 - 80 = 10
42 x 2 = 84
60 / 20 = 3
12 + 23 = 35
99 - 33 = 66
22 x 4 = 88
56 / 8 = 7
44 + 21 = 65
30 - 18 = 12
8 x 11 = 88
75 / 5 = 15

Magic Square

Make sure all the rows, columns and diagonals add up to the same numbers, and you will get a second code word. Here are some that work:

Novice Standard Expert
06 07 02
01 05 09
08 03 04
16 02 03 13
05 11 10 08
09 07 06 12
04 14 15 01
07 27 29 01
17 13 11 23
09 21 19 15
31 03 05 25

Sliding Tiles

There is no simple way to learn how to do this - you need to start at the top and work down, getting one row finished at a time. Complete the puzzle to get a third code word.

Clock Room Countdown

To stop the countdown, press the large grey buttons in this order (numbered top to bottom): 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 1. The timer will stop and you will have access to the next puzzle.

Acme Time Clock

On the novice level, flip the 15 when the 25 runs out, then open when the 15 is finished. On the harder levels, flip the 15 when it is done, then again when it runs out a second time. Flip it a third time when the 35 is finished, then when it runs out again, click open.

Punch Clock

Use the key to open the panel in the punch clock, and set the time to 4:48, then use the card. Set it to 11:00 for the second card, then 1:45 for the third and final card.

Elevator Mazes

You will come across 3 of these mazes throughout the game. The easiest way to solve any maze is to follow the right-hand wall (left is just as easy, but we'll use right here). Always go right when you can, and take any up or down passages you find. You will reach the exit eventually. You can also draw out the map as you go if you want to.

Second Floor

Circuit Breaker

Starting in the lower left corner, insert the battery, switch, resistor, coil and capacitor in that order to complete the circuit.

Binary Conversion Computer

You need to change zeros to ones in each row to create the binary representation of the decimal number indicated. The digits represent 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 respectively. For example to make 13, you would make the display show 1011000 (1 + 4 + 8 = 13). The harder the difficulty level, the higher the numbers you have to make up.

Robot Maze

Simply click the red symbols to change them from allowing the robot to continue in a straight line, to making it turn right. Collect all of the A symbols (answer cards) on the way through the maze, going over the + symbols to activate/deactivate the swirling traps. The harder difficulty levels simply increase the speed of the robot through the maze.

Robot Programming

It is easiest to use Iron Face, because he will follow your instructions correctly. Select each of the arms as appropriate to collect each of the items in the maze. Here are the programs you need to write:

Magnetic Arm Dart-Gun Arm Fork-Shaped Arm
  1. Begin
  2. Move left
  3. Move forward
  4. Move forward
  5. Move forward
  6. Move right
  7. Move forward
  8. Move left
  9. Turn on
  10. Move right
  11. Move right
  12. Move forward
  13. Turn off
  14. End
  1. Begin
  2. Move left
  3. Move forward
  4. Move forward
  5. Move forward
  6. Move right
  7. Move right
  8. Move right
  9. Turn on
  10. Move left
  11. Move left
  12. Move forward
  13. Move right
  14. Move forward
  15. Turn off
  16. End
  1. Begin
  2. Move right
  3. Move forward
  4. Move left
  5. Turn on
  6. Move right
  7. Move backward
  8. Move left
  9. Move left
  10. Move forward
  11. Move forward
  12. Move forward
  13. Move right
  14. Move forward
  15. Move right
  16. Move forward
  17. Turn off
  18. End

You will encounter another elevator maze at this point.

Third Floor

Word Search

Simply highlight all of the words from the Ultra Top Secret Decoder Grid in your manual (they are not hard to find, just look vertically horizontally and diagonally, backward and forward and they are all there. The number you need to find depends on your difficulty level.

Acrostics Puzzle

The aim is to spell out "Parlor Games" from top to bottom, so insert the games in this order: Spades, Hearts, Cribbage, Blackjack, Poker, Bridge, Backgammon, Tictictoe, Dominos, Checkers, Chess.

Tangram

Just put the pieces in and spin them around to display the word "Enter" - look carefully at the pieces to spot parts of the word in pink and red lettering.

Jigsaw Puzzle

The easiest way is to start out putting all the edge pieces in place (if a piece that comes out of the chest is not an edge piece, just put it back or else your screen will get too cluttered). Also note that if pieces are almost in the right place, they will snap into place and a sound will be heard - don't move the piece again. Go through the door once the puzzle is completed.

Hangman

Just a simple game of hangman - remember that the most common letters are E, T, A, O, I, N and S. The most common words used include: doctor, dentist, train, honest, rental, password, complete, newspaper, resistance, antelope, entrance, session, pattern, brains, western, magazine and editorial. Save the hangman three times to get three codes to enter with the keypad, then get the things from the drawer.

Dr Brain's Safe

This is a trial-and-error exercise. You have unlimited goes at this game of "Mastermind", so just start by trying three of a single symbol, then three of the next, etc. to work out how many of each symbol needs to be present. Then start trying combinations until you succeed. You will get a red key from the safe.

Cipher Monitor

Click on letters to swap them, trying to decode the secret message. Read the hints in the book that is available and it should be fairly straight forward. The messages are:

Novice Standard Expert
Your mind is the key to every door. When you set your mind free, no lock can hold you, no bars restrain you. Free from every earthen tide, past stars and planets you must ride, until you reach the farther side. The elevators of the mind only operate for those who keep their minds open to new possibilities.

The final elevator maze happens right now.

The Basement

Star Map

On the Novice setting you can see in the images the patterns of stars to look for. On the other settings, you will have to use a bit of trial-and-error. In order from left to right, are Perseus, Ursa Major, Cancer and Orion.

Card Matching

Just match each alien race with its appropriate home planet:

  • Webbed Amphitons - Oceania
  • Mechroids - Metallica
  • Geoids - Magma 4
  • Giras - Veldta
  • Strigers - Stroud
  • Moleri - Holucidar
  • Mastons - Graviton

Planet Naming

Look at the cosmic scroll from the Hangman safe to get a clue to the planet order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Click on the name of a planet then the actual spinning object on the planetary map.

The Office

Job Skills Board

Match each of the skills with one of your award plaques as follows:

  • Programming - Robot
  • Language - Anagrams
  • Pattern Recognition - Jigsaw puzzle
  • Mathematics - Equation
  • Follow Instructions - Circuit board
  • Logic and Deduction - "Mastermind" safe
  • Memory - colored boxes
  • Timeliness - Hourglass
  • Cosmic Consciousness - Stars

Bookcase

Start off by opening the draw with the red key, and you will get a decoder ring. Use this ring on the code sheet from the "Mastermind" safe and you will get instructions on how to move the books. Do this to complete the game.