This port has no right to be as much fun as it is. The controls are jerky, with Bentley Bear "teleporting" one step at a time through the castle. The graphics actually aren't bad, but the lack of smooth animation makes everything look worse than it is. Sound isn't absolutely terrible either, but it does feel like a step back compared to the magic Atari created in other Apple II ports like Mario Bros. and Dig Dug. Overall, the game appears passable, but not really the best way to spend time hunting for gems. When the game actually starts, however, Apple II Crystal Castles shows a surprising amount of playability. The controls, jerky as they are, are responsive and consistent, impressive for an Apple II game full of diagonals. The cast of enemies may not look like much, but they retain all their strengths, quirks and weaknesses. The castles have been faithfully (if not perfectly) reproduced. Most importantly, slow-downs aren't an issue, no matter how many characters appear on screen.
Crystal Castles was a victim of the video game crash of 1983 and 1984, and the Apple II port was never officially released. Perhaps the game would have received some additional fine-tuning had it not been cancelled. As is, though, this version is not bad at all, and certainly better than its first impression would suggest.
Grade: B.