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Episode 603: King's Quest (Patreon)

Published:
2024-04-01 07:00:07
Imported:
2026-06
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In the 18 years we've been putting out this little podcast, we've never produced a single episode wholly devoted to classic Sierra games. Well, that sin against listenerkind ends TODAY as we peer back 40 years in the past to discuss the monumentally important adventure game, King's Quest. Originally intended as a means to sell a platform that died shortly after its release, this interactive fairy tale unexpectedly went on to define Sierra and spawn many more Quests over the next decade-plus. On this episode, join Bob Mackey, patron Daniel Glass, and Sierra speedrunning correspondent (and Adventure Game Fan Fair affiliate) OneShortEye as the crew gathers to discuss the series that made this California developer synonymous with adventure—and frustration!

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Comments

Andrew O.

Nomination for episode art of the year here. Unbearably good. A real hoot.

Chris (not Benoit)

I’ve been waiting for a KQ episode! Like Dan, my family also got a new computer with a CD ROM that had KQ6 on it. I played that game a lot, but this was before I knew strategy guides existed, so I spent hours and hours trying to figure out puzzles. I still enjoy it and recently watched a long play and the voice acting really triggered nostalgia for the game. After that, we got KQ5 and I remember trying to map the desert. I don’t think we ever finished it and we had the floppy version, so I never had to hear judgemental Cedric scolding me.

Uhhh...Greg

Does anyone else here watch Mostly Walking on YouTube? They've done some great dissection/walkthroughs of Sierra and LucasArts point-and-clicks.

Patrick McClafferty

King's Quest 5 was one of the first PC games I got when my family got a a computer in 1993 (it was part of a bundle of other software my dad bought). Being a dumb 8 year old I didn't get very far. Had better success with 6 a few years later playing with a friend (though don't think we ever got the best ending).

Craig

Fantastic episode. Would love to hear more Sierra focused episodes.

littleterr0r

Ah, how I've waited for this.

littleterr0r

As I've said before, I was a Sierra kid as much as I was a Nintendo kid, so I have many fond memories of these games.

littleterr0r

Side note: The Digital Antiquarian DOES rule.

Jason J

I was the weird kid who had a Master System and I picked KQ1 from Toys R Us for my parents to purchase. I loved it and somehow beat it without help at age 10. I skipped 2-5 but in high school a teacher gave me his copy of KQ6 on CD and I was blown away by the voiced cast, music and mish-mash of legends and fairy tales on the Land of the Green Isles. In both games death was around every corner, but seeing what danger lurked on each new screen added to the tension and sense of mystery. It's fitting that you eventually confront Death himself in one of the most memorable and emotional moments in adventure gaming.

John Simon

Little surprised that Bob didn’t know what an IBM PC jr was but I’ve learned that retro gaming and retro computing aren’t always the same thing, especially when you look at games that weren’t released on consoles or on PC. In other news a first run ziplock baggie copy of Mystery House went for $14k on eBay today https://www.ebay.com/itm/176306040636

Andrew Howie

Check out the most recent episode of A Life Well Wasted for a truly insane story about KQ4.

J.P. McD.

An important point about Sierra vs. LucasArts discourse is that it’s generally comparing post-1990 LucasArts with pre-1990 Sierra. King’s Quest VI, Leisure Suit Larry 6-7, Freddy Pharkas, the Gabriel Knights etc. would make it a far different conversation than just talking specifically about KQ5, primitive adventure games from 1986, and the cat hair mustache puzzle, which are all anyone is talking about when they bag on Sierra (this episode admirably stayed away from all of that though!)

J.P. McD.

The big problem with Ron Gilbert’s “Why Adventure Games Suck” article is that he’s focusing specifically on puzzle design, when adventure games are often much more than that, as was discussed on the Grim Fandango episode, and here with KQ5. The puzzles may suck in both, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good games.

BlueWeaselBreath

I ran out of time to mention during the episode that there was a second fan remake of King’s Quest III, by Infamous Adventures. It’s also very well done, although a bit more fangame-y in its production values than the AGD remake. If you just want to play a breezy VGA remake of KQ3 and don’t want to get into all the fan lore added by the AGD KQ2 remake, I recommend the Infamous Adventures KQ3.

Wood Duck [Legacy Edition]

I am *shocked* but also slightly impressed that the phrase "moon logic" wasn't uttered once during this episode!

Guybrush

I came to this series in the 2010s and have played through KQ6. This podcast did a great job covering the importance, strengths, and weaknesses of these games. My vote for worst puzzle is the KQ4 whale tongue . As a Lucas Arts kid, I expected not to enjoy Kings Quest, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I hope other adventure game fans who never approached the series can move past their preconceived ideas to give these games a try. Just keep UHS on call and save save save! They literally do not make games like this anymore. Modern adventure games, that I still play and often enjoy, have a hard time capturing this nostalgic feel.