A sandstorm has uncovered the Great Pyramid of Ra. The player, a lowly archaeology student, decides to learn its secrets and tell of its wonders. After securing food and a lantern on short notice, the player enters the pyramid with hopes of finding additional equipment abandoned by earlier expeditions.
Gameplay is that of a simplified roguelike game. Each new game is randomized, and the player can only save by quitting. Death is frequent and quick, forcing players to make the most of their skills and careful use of all items they come across. Many items have several uses that the player must either discover through experimentation or use of an in-game hint system.
In order to complete the game, one must gather three major treasures: the Crown, Staff, and Scarab of Ra. Once this task is accomplished, an exit is revealed, yet players can choose to continue playing if they wish to risk death and increase their scores. Once a player picks up the Scarab, mummy-like Guardians immediately began their hunt, delivering an electrifying shock upon contact.
Source: Wikipedia, "Scarab of Ra", available under the CC-BY-SA License.