Gauntlet

From Sega Retro

For the Sega Mega Drive game, see Gauntlet IV.

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Gauntlet SMS title screen.png

Gauntlet
System(s): Sega Master System
Publisher: U.S. Gold
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
EU
25006-50
Sega Master System
AU
Sega Master System
BR
023130

Gauntlet is a 1985 arcade game developed by Atari Games. A port to the Sega Master System developed by Tiertex Design Studios and published by U.S. Gold was released in 1990 in Europe only. The arcade game allowed up to four players, but like many home conversions the Sega Master System version only allows up to two players.

Tengen announced a Sega Mega Drive version for release in 1992, going so far as to create prototypes its own four-player adapters, set to be included with the game[2]. Instead they jumped to Gauntlet IV, making it compatible with both Sega's Team Player and Electronic Arts' 4 Way Play accessories.

Gameplay

Gauntlet combines arcade-style gameplay with the theme and dungeon-crawling action of pen and paper role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. The players fight their way through many floors of an enormous dungeon, both cooperating to kill enemies and competing to collect gold and upgrades.

Players can choose from among four characters (Thor the Warrior, Thyra the Valkyrie, Merlin the Wizard or Questor the Elf). Each has their own unique visual appearance and various strengths and weaknesses (for example, Merlin excels at magic but his hand-to-hand attacks are weak).

History

Legacy

The game's huge success in the arcades led to a large number of home ports and various sequels, but the series didn't return to Sega systems until the Sega Mega Drive-exclusive Gauntlet IV in 1993; unlike the first game, Gauntlet IV was released in the US and Japan as well as Europe.

Magazine articles

Main article: Gauntlet/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in Sega Power (UK) #13: "December 1990" (1990-11-01)
also published in:
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Print advert in Consoles + (FR) #1: "Septembre 1991" (1991-09-04)
also published in:
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Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #119: "October 1991" (1991-09-15)
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Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #121: "December 1991" (1991-11-15)
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Print advert in Gamers (DE) #1992-01: "Februar/März 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
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K IT 25.pdf¦page#2¦IT print advert in K (IT) #25: "Febbraio 1991" (199x-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
86 №37, p87[1]
96 №2, p14/15
90 №4, p97[7]
92 №110, p120/121[8]
60 №0, p17
88 №1, p86[9]
79 №15, p107[10]
80 №2/37
92 №1, p58-60[11]
78 №8, p39[12]
64 №3, p39[13]
87 №12, p12/13
80 №23, p56
83 №3, p19[14]
80 Sega Pro
77 №17, p88
Sega Master System
82
Based on
16 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ACE (UK)
86
[1]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
52
[15]
Buzz! Computers (UK)
87
[16]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
96
[17]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
90
[7]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
90
[18]
Console XS (UK) PAL
80
[19]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
92
[8]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
92
[20]
Game Mania (UK)
90
[21]
Games-X (UK)
60
[22]
Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL
88
[23]
Joystick (FR) PAL
79
[10]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[24]
Mean Machines (UK)
92
[11]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
90
[25]
Player One (FR)
78
[12]
Power Play (DE)
63
[26]
Raze (UK) PAL
64
[13]
S: The Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
87
[27]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[28]
Sega Pro (UK)
83
[14]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
80
[29]
User (GR) PAL
88
[30]
Video Games (DE)
66
[31]
Zero (UK)
77
[32]
Sega Master System
81
Based on
26 reviews

Gauntlet

Master System, EU
Gauntlet-SMS-EU cover.jpg
Cover
Gauntlet SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart
GauntletSMSEUManual.pdf
Manual
Master System, AU

Master System, BR
Gauntlet SMS BR Box Back.jpgNospine.pngGauntlet SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
Gauntlet SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:ACE UK 37.pdf, page 87 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:ACE UK 37.pdf_p87" defined multiple times with different content
  2. File:MDAG UK 03.pdf, page 6
  3. Computer & Video Games, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-16), page 119
  4. Sega Power, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-06), page 52
  5. Raze, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-11-29), page 23
  6. Joystick, "Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 137
  7. 7.0 7.1 File:CGtC UK 04.pdf, page 97 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CGtC UK 04.pdf_p97" defined multiple times with different content
  8. 8.0 8.1 File:CVG UK 110.pdf, page 120 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 110.pdf_p120" defined multiple times with different content
  9. File:HobbyConsolas ES 001.pdf, page 78
  10. 10.0 10.1 File:Joystick FR 015.pdf, page 107 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 015.pdf_p107" defined multiple times with different content
  11. 11.0 11.1 File:MeanMachines UK 01.pdf, page 58 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 01.pdf_p58" defined multiple times with different content
  12. 12.0 12.1 File:PlayerOne FR 008.pdf, page 35 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 008.pdf_p35" defined multiple times with different content
  13. 13.0 13.1 File:Raze UK 03.pdf, page 39 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Raze UK 03.pdf_p39" defined multiple times with different content
  14. 14.0 14.1 File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf, page 19 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf_p19" defined multiple times with different content
  15. Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1990" (DE; 1990-10-26), page 132
  16. Buzz! Computers (UK) (+0:00)
  17. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume Two" (UK; 1990-04-xx), page 14
  18. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 56
  19. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 140
  20. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 136
  21. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
  22. Games-X, "Sneak Preview March 1991" (UK; 1991-0x-xx), page 17
  23. Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1991" (ES; 1991-xx-xx), page 86
  24. Micromanía (segunda época), "Junio 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 57
  25. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 133
  26. Power Play, "2/91" (DE; 1991-01-18), page 152
  27. S: The Sega Magazine, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-04), page 12
  28. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 56
  29. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
  30. User, "Noémvrios 1991" (GR; 1991-1x-xx), page 90
  31. Video Games, "1/91" (DE; 1991-03-27), page 74
  32. Zero, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-0x-xx), page 88