Difference between revisions of "King's Quest"

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[[Image:King's Quest - DOS (Later) - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|The re-release box art.]]
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{{Video Game
 +
| Title            = King's Quest
 +
| Image           = King's Quest - AMI - USA.jpg
 +
| ImageDescription = Amiga - USA - Re-release.
 +
| Developer        = {{VideoGameDeveloper|Sierra On-Line}}
 +
| Publisher        = {{VideoGamePublisher|Sierra On-Line}}
 +
| PublishedYear    = 1984
 +
| PublishedMonth  = 05
 +
| PublishedDay    = 10
 +
| Platforms        = {{Platform|Amiga}}, {{Platform|Apple II}}, {{Platform|Apple IIgs}}, {{Platform|Atari ST}}, {{Platform|DOS}}, {{Platform|Macintosh Classic}}, {{Platform|Master System}}, {{Platform|PC Booter}}, {{Platform|PCjr}}
 +
| Genres          = {{VideoGameGenre|Adventure video game|Adventure}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Graphic adventure|Graphic adventure}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Passive puzzle video game|Passive puzzle}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Puzzle video game|Puzzle}}
 +
| Themes          = {{MediaTheme|Adventure}}, {{MediaTheme|Cartoon}}, {{MediaTheme|Fantasy}}
 +
| Series          = ''[[King's Quest (universe)|King's Quest]]''
 +
| Distributions    = {{VideoGameDistribution|Commercial}}
 +
}}
  
'''''King's Quest''''' is an adventure game by [[Sierra Online]], originally released in 1984 for the [[PCjr]], and later ported to several other platforms. It is the first game in the [[King's Quest (Universe)|King's Quest series]] and the first game to utilize Sierra's [[Adventure Game Interpreter]] engine. It is a pioneer of the PC graphical adventure genre that remained hugely popular for another decade in the industry and spawned many rivals, most of whom made better games than Sierra. After a [[King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne|sequel]] was released, Sierra re-released King's Quest in 1987 with the title ''King's Quest I: Quest For the Crown'' with new box art and a slightly improved program.  
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'''''King's Quest''''' is a [[graphic adventure]] [[puzzle video game]] developed and published by [[Sierra On-Line]], for the [[PCjr]] on 1984-05-10, and later ported to several other platforms. It is the first in the [[King's Quest (universe)|''King's Quest'' series]] and the first game to utilize Sierra's [[Adventure Game Interpreter]] engine. It is a pioneer of the PC graphical adventure genre, a genre that remained hugely popular for another decade in the industry and spawned many rivals, most of whom made better games than Sierra. After a [[King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne|sequel]] was released, Sierra re-released King's Quest in 1987 with the title ''King's Quest I: Quest For the Crown'' with new box art and a slightly improved program.  
  
==Status==
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==Personal==
I own a digital release of the game through Steam. I have beaten it, though not with a full score.
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{{VideoGameStatus
 +
| Own      = Yes. MS-DOS port on Steam.
 +
| CantOwn  =
 +
| Won      = Yes, without a full score.
 +
| CantWin  =
 +
| Finished = Around 2000.
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
I first played ''King's Quest'' after it was re-released in the ''[[King's Quest: Collection Series]]'' in 1997. Having already played ''King's Quest VI'', I remember being very unimpressed by the low-quality graphics and sound. Over the span of a couple years, I worked at the game long enough to beat it.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
* '''Overall:''' 3/10
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{{Video Game Review|3|3|3|2|3|DOS (SCI Remake)}}
* '''Best Version:''' Remake using the SCI engine.
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 +
{{Spoilers}}
  
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
Line 17: Line 40:
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
 
* There are far too many ways to die!
 
* There are far too many ways to die!
* By using fairy tales as a basis for several of the puzzles, the answers were often very obvious.
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* By using fairy tales as a basis for several of the puzzles, the answers were often too obvious.
 
* Some of the monsters aren't really puzzles they just get in the way, like the wolf, troll, and thieving gnome.
 
* Some of the monsters aren't really puzzles they just get in the way, like the wolf, troll, and thieving gnome.
 
* The jump, duck, and swim buttons are annoying, and I'm glad they got rid of them in the sequels.
 
* The jump, duck, and swim buttons are annoying, and I'm glad they got rid of them in the sequels.
 
* The wrap-around world layout is dumb. It basically means the world is a tiny torus floating in space.
 
* The wrap-around world layout is dumb. It basically means the world is a tiny torus floating in space.
 
* Although it was acceptable for the day, the graphics are not very professionally drawn. There is even the occasional uncolored pixel that was overlooked.
 
* Although it was acceptable for the day, the graphics are not very professionally drawn. There is even the occasional uncolored pixel that was overlooked.
* For some reason, the programmers added a way to drop items. Dropped items cannot be picked back up again, and therefore causes you to get stuck. They wisely removed the ability in later versions of the game.
+
* There are a couple of ways to put the game in an [[unwinnable state]], most of which are caused by the gnome, but I've always just reloaded if he every robbed me. Another way that's built right into the game is with the ability to drop items. Dropped items cannot be picked back up again, so they usually make the game unwinnable. They wisely removed this ability in later versions of the game.
* There are a couple of ways to make the game [[unwinnable]], most of which are caused by the gnome, but I've always just reloaded if he every robbed me.
 
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
* Too many of the puzzles are really just walking hazards. That's not adventure, that's keyboard dexterity. And, since you're given unlimited saves, the only purpose they serve is to slow the game down.
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* Too many of the puzzles are just walking hazards. That's not adventure, that's keyboard dexterity. And, since you can [[save scumming|save anywhere]], the only purpose they serve is to slow the game down.
  
 
==Media==
 
==Media==
 
===Box Art===
 
===Box Art===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
King's Quest - PCJR - USA.jpg|This is the original box art for the PCjr release. The castle in the background is pretty cool, but the knight appears to be seriously misshapen. This also paints the game as an action fighter, which it clearly is not.
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King's Quest - PCJR - USA.jpg|PCjr - USA. This is the original box art. The castle in the background is pretty cool, but the knight appears to be seriously misshapen. This also paints the game as an action fighter, which it clearly is not.
King's Quest - A2 - USA.jpg|This box art was used in the first couple ports to the Apple II, Atari ST, and IBM PC. It's an interesting picture of the game's three treasure, but doesn't really convey anything else about the game.
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King's Quest - A2 - USA.jpg|First reprint - USA. This box art was used in the initial releases on the Apple II, Atari ST, and IBM PC. It's an interesting picture of the game's three treasure, but doesn't really convey anything else about the game.
King's Quest - DOS - USA.jpg|This art was used on the later releases for the Atari ST, and IBM PC, and for the Amiga. It showcases the three treasures, though Graham looks a bit weird.
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King's Quest - DOS - USA.jpg|Second reprint - USA. This art was used on the later releases for the Atari ST, and IBM PC, and for the Amiga. It showcases the three treasures, though Graham looks a bit weird.
King's Quest - DOS (Later) - USA.jpg|This was the final box art used for home computers. It replaces the ugly yellow-brown background with a more pleasing tan color.
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King's Quest - AMI - USA.jpg|Final reprint - USA. This was the final box art used for home computers. It replaces the ugly yellow-brown background with a more pleasing tan color.
King's Quest - SMS - USA.jpg|The Sega Master System saw a much later release, and this box art is probably my favorite. It too has the three treasures, but also some of the villains you face, and Graham, though wearing goofy Robinhood-esque clothes, is fitting of the part.
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King's Quest - SMS - USA.jpg|Master System - USDA. This box art has the three treasures, but also some of the villains you face, and Graham, though wearing goofy Robinhood-esque clothes, is fitting of the part and my favorite cover.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Documentation===
 
===Documentation===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
King's Quest - PCJR - Manual.pdf|US PCjr manual.
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King's Quest - PCJR - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - PCjr.
King's Quest - Manual (Later).pdf|US DOS manual.
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King's Quest - DOS - USA - Manual - Reprint.pdf|Manual - Home computers - USA - Reprint.
King's Quest - DOS - Europe - Manual.pdf|European DOS manual.
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King's Quest - Kixx - Europe - Manual.pdf|Manual - Kixx - Europe.
 +
King's Quest - SMS - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - Master System.
 +
King's Quest - PCJR - USA - Keyboard Overlay.jpg|Keyboard overlay - PCjr.
 +
King's Quest - AMI - USA - Reference Card.pdf|Reference card - Amiga - USA.
 +
King's Quest - DOS - USA - Hint Book.pdf|Hint book.
 +
Official Book of King's Quest, The - Paperback - USA - 1st Edition.jpg|''[[The Official Book of King's Quest]]''
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
Line 54: Line 81:
 
King's Quest - DOS - Map - Leprechaun Cave.png|Map of the leprechaun cave.
 
King's Quest - DOS - Map - Leprechaun Cave.png|Map of the leprechaun cave.
 
King's Quest - SMS - Map.png|The map of the Master System version.
 
King's Quest - SMS - Map.png|The map of the Master System version.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
===Screenshots===
 +
<gallery>
 +
King's Quest - DOS - Screenshot - Castle Right.png|The starting location.
 +
King's Quest - DOS - Screenshot - Gnome.png|The infamous gnome puzzle.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
===Videos===
 
===Videos===
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0TLhR51uGY youtube.com/watch?v=r0TLhR51uGY] - Longplay, DOS.
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{{YouTube|x0SZpSu9exs|Review - PushingUpRoses.}}
 +
{{YouTube|RSTJyR4Hzb4|Review - Hungry Goria.}}
 +
{{YouTube|r0TLhR51uGY|Longplay, DOS.}}
 +
 
 +
==Play Online==
 +
{{PlayOnline|https://classicreload.com/apple2-kings-quest.html|Apple II}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/mastersystem-games/king-s-quest-quest-for-the-crown-usa.html|Master System}}, {{PlayOnline|https://classicreload.com/dosx-kings-quest.html|MS-DOS}}
 +
 
 +
==Representation==
 +
{{Representation
 +
| Media                      = Video games
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Fail
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = There are a couple women, but they're ancillary characters.
 +
| BechdelTestStatus          = Fail
 +
| BechdelTestNotes            = The women never talk to each other.
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Fail
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = Everyone is white.
 +
| QueerCharacterStatus        = Fail
 +
| QueerCharacterNotes        = There are no queer characters.
 +
}}
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/kings-quest mobygames.com/game/kings-quest] - MobyGames.
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{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/kings-quest}}
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest_I en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest_I] - Wikipedia.
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest_I}}
* [http://gamerwalkthroughs.com/kings-quest-1/ gamerwalkthroughs.com/kings-quest-1/] - Gamer Walk-throughs.
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{{Link|SegaRetro|https://segaretro.org/King%27s_Quest:_Quest_for_the_Crown}}
* [https://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/565065-kings-quest-quest-for-the-crown gamefaqs.com/pc/565065-kings-quest-quest-for-the-crown] - GameFAQs.
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{{Link|StrategyWiki|https://strategywiki.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest:_Quest_for_the_Crown}}
* [http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/King%27s_Quest:_Quest_For_the_Crown_(DOS) vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/King%27s_Quest:_Quest_For_the_Crown_(DOS)] - Soundtrack.
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{{Link|GameFAQs|https://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/565065-kings-quest-quest-for-the-crown}}
 +
{{Link|VGMPF|2=http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/King%27s_Quest:_Quest_For_the_Crown_(DOS)}}
 +
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/King%27s_Quest:_Quest_for_the_Crown}}
  
  
[[Category: Games]]
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[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Adventure, Strategy, Action]]
[[Category: Video Games]]
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[[Category: Game Mechanic - Unwinnable State]]
[[Category: Amiga Games]]
 
[[Category: Apple II Games]]
 
[[Category: Apple IIgs Games]]
 
[[Category: Atari ST Games]]
 
[[Category: DOS Games]]
 
[[Category: Macintosh Games]]
 
[[Category: Master System Games]]
 
[[Category: PC Booter Games]]
 
[[Category: PCjr Games]]
 
[[Category: Adventure]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
[[Category: Fantasy]]
 
 
[[Category: Monochrome Graphics]]
 
[[Category: Monochrome Graphics]]
 
[[Category: 2-bit Color Graphics]]
 
[[Category: 2-bit Color Graphics]]
 
[[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]]
 
[[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]]

Latest revision as of 16:21, 7 March 2024

King's Quest

King's Quest - AMI - USA.jpg

Amiga - USA - Re-release.

Developer Sierra On-Line
Publisher Sierra On-Line
Published 1984-05-10
Platforms Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIgs, Atari ST, DOS, Macintosh Classic, Master System, PC Booter, PCjr
Genres Adventure, Graphic adventure, Passive puzzle, Puzzle
Themes Adventure, Cartoon, Fantasy
Series King's Quest
Distribution Commercial

King's Quest is a graphic adventure puzzle video game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, for the PCjr on 1984-05-10, and later ported to several other platforms. It is the first in the King's Quest series and the first game to utilize Sierra's Adventure Game Interpreter engine. It is a pioneer of the PC graphical adventure genre, a genre that remained hugely popular for another decade in the industry and spawned many rivals, most of whom made better games than Sierra. After a sequel was released, Sierra re-released King's Quest in 1987 with the title King's Quest I: Quest For the Crown with new box art and a slightly improved program.

Personal

Own?Yes. MS-DOS port on Steam.
Won?Yes, without a full score.
FinishedAround 2000.

I first played King's Quest after it was re-released in the King's Quest: Collection Series in 1997. Having already played King's Quest VI, I remember being very unimpressed by the low-quality graphics and sound. Over the span of a couple years, I worked at the game long enough to beat it.

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
3 3 3 2 3

Best Version: DOS (SCI Remake)

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The game has a fair amount of charm, incorporating various fairy tales.
  • Though very dated now, the game is a pioneer in the PC-based adventure game. Hundreds of games have used this game's concept of a single screen as a room and walking off-screen into the next room.
  • The AGI engine was well-made and served to make about another dozen Sierra games.

Bad

  • There are far too many ways to die!
  • By using fairy tales as a basis for several of the puzzles, the answers were often too obvious.
  • Some of the monsters aren't really puzzles they just get in the way, like the wolf, troll, and thieving gnome.
  • The jump, duck, and swim buttons are annoying, and I'm glad they got rid of them in the sequels.
  • The wrap-around world layout is dumb. It basically means the world is a tiny torus floating in space.
  • Although it was acceptable for the day, the graphics are not very professionally drawn. There is even the occasional uncolored pixel that was overlooked.
  • There are a couple of ways to put the game in an unwinnable state, most of which are caused by the gnome, but I've always just reloaded if he every robbed me. Another way that's built right into the game is with the ability to drop items. Dropped items cannot be picked back up again, so they usually make the game unwinnable. They wisely removed this ability in later versions of the game.

Ugly

  • Too many of the puzzles are just walking hazards. That's not adventure, that's keyboard dexterity. And, since you can save anywhere, the only purpose they serve is to slow the game down.

Media

Box Art

Documentation

Maps

Screenshots

Videos

Review - PushingUpRoses.
Review - Hungry Goria.
Longplay, DOS.

Play Online

Apple II, Master System, MS-DOS

Representation

Strong female character?FailThere are a couple women, but they're ancillary characters.
Bechdel test?FailThe women never talk to each other.
Strong person of color character?FailEveryone is white.
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-SegaRetro.png  Link-StrategyWiki.png  Link-GameFAQs.png  Link-VGMPF.png  Link-TCRF.png