Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

n/a

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

System(s): Sega Master System

Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Developer: Origin Systems

Sega R&D 2

Distributor:

Tec Toy (BR)

Peripherals supported: FM Sound Unit

Genre: Adventure Role-Playing^[1]

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
EU	1990-12^[2]		9501
DE	199x		9501
FR	199x		9501
UK	1990-11^[3]	£39.9939.99^[4]^[5]	9501
BR	1991-09^[6]

Non-Sega versions

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Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, known as Última IV in Brazil, is an entry in the Ultima series of RPGs created by Richard Garriot at Origin Systems. It was originally released in 1985 for the Apple II computer, before being brought to the Sega Master System five years later in 1990 (the only Ultima game to be released on a Sega platform).

Ultima IV is the first in the "Age of Enlightenment" trilogy, and though references Ultima III: Exodus and prior games, knowledge of previous adventures is not strictly necessary to understand Ultima IV.

A North American release was planned and advertised^[7], but did not materialise. The same is true for a Japanese release.^[8]^[9]

Gameplay

Ultima IV is unusual as unlike other games in the series, there is not a defined end boss, or overarching villain in which the player needs to defeat. Instead, the player goes on a spiritual quest as "The Avatar" under instructions of Lord British (a.k.a. Garriot) to promote his eight virtues; honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, spirituality and humility, becoming a better person in the process and inspiring the people of Britannia.

History

Legacy

Despite the game being created by an American company, the Master System version of Ultima IV was only released in Europe (in English, French and German variations) and Brazil (although a US version was advertised to arrive in the summer of 1990 at a price of $49.95^[10]). The direct sequel, Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny was released in 1988 and skipped Sega platforms, however at one stage the spin-off Ultima Underworld (which takes place after Ultima VI: The False Prophet) was set to arrive on the Sega Mega-CD.

Versions

The Master System version is very much like the Apple II original, however features updated graphics, music and gives its dungeons are played from top-down perspective (as opposed to the pseudo-3D first person view seen in the original). The NES version, released a year prior, makes more significant changes in terms of art design to appease a Japanese audience - the Master System version is hence seen as the more accurate of the two.

Production credits

Artist: Yasushi Yamaguchi

Source:

Developer mentions^[8]

Magazine articles

Main article: Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in (UK) #13: "December 1990" (1990-11-01)
also published in:

(UK) #109: "December 1990" (1990-11-16)^[11]
(UK) #39: "December 1990" (1990-11-xx)^[12]
(UK) #14: "January 1991" (1990-12-06)^[13]
(UK) #110: "January 1991" (1990-12-15)^[14]

Print advert in (UK) #107: "October 1990" (1990-09-16)
also published in:

(UK) #108: "November 1990" (1990-10-16)^[15]
(UK) #38: "November 1990" (1990-10-xx)^[16]

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(RU)

40

^[17]

(RU)

50

^[18]

(UK)

93

^[4]

(DE)

83

^[19]

(UK)

89

^[20]

(UK)

PAL

89

^[21]

(UK)

PAL

92

^[22]

(UK)

86

^[23]

(US)

NTSC-U

70

^[24]

(UK)

89

^[25]

(FR)

87

^[26]

(UK)

89

^[27]

(FR)

90

^[28]

(DE)

86

^[29]

(UK)

PAL

92

^[30]

(UK)

PAL

100

^[31]

(UK)

94

^[32]

(UK)

95

^[33]

(UK)

PAL

92

^[34]

(FR)

85

^[35]

	85
Based on 20 reviews

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Master System, UK
Cover
Cart Manual The Book of Mystic Wisdom The History of Britannia Map (front) Map (back)

Master System, FR
Cover
Cart

Master System, DE
Cover
Cart

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

✔

CRC32	b52d60c8
MD5	c54c1a2559cec189f53e794177d002af
SHA-1	a90e21e5961bcf2e10b715a009c04e7c2017a3b1

512kB

Cartridge (EU)

8kB backup

?

CRC32	de9f8517
MD5	d92b72c87179b718c8b1506b347c2e36
SHA-1	bb1ae06b62a9f7d3259c51eee4cfded781eb5d30

512kB

EPROM cartridge

Page

References

NEC Retro has more information related to Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Maps \| Hidden content \| Magazine articles \| Reception Prototypes: Prototype

[:File:UltimaIV_SMS_EU_Box.jpg_p-1] File:UltimaIV SMS EU Box.jpg

[:File:ACE_UK_40.pdf_p165-2] ACE, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-xx), page 165

[:File:BristolEveningPost_UK_1990-11-29_Page_67.jpg_p-3] File:BristolEveningPost UK 1990-11-29 Page 67.jpg

[:File:ACE_UK_35.pdf_p61-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ACE, "August 1990" (UK; 1990-07-xx), page 61

[:File:CVG_UK_107.pdf_p117-5] Computer & Video Games, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-16), page 117

[:File:Supergame_BR_03.pdf_p29-6] Supergame, "Setembro 1991" (BR; 1991-09-xx), page 29

[:File:SMSII_US_Catalog.pdf_p2-7] File:SMSII US Catalog.pdf, page 2

[https:.2F.2Farchive.ph.2F6J1Yc-8] 8.0 ^8.1 @judy_totoya on Twitter (archive.today)

[https:.2F.2Farchive.ph.2Fvsobk-9] @Mazin__ on Twitter (archive.today)

[:File:VG.26CE_US_18.pdf_p52-10] VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "July 1990" (US; 1990-0x-xx), page 52

[:File:CVG_UK_109.pdf_p168-11] Computer & Video Games, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-16), page 168

[:File:ACE_UK_39.pdf_p102-12] ACE, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 102

[:File:SegaPower_UK_14.pdf_p2-13] Sega Power, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-06), page 2

[:File:CVG_UK_110.pdf_p98-14] Computer & Video Games, "January 1991" (UK; 1990-12-15), page 98

[:File:CVG_UK_108.pdf_p58-15] Computer & Video Games, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-16), page 58

[:File:ACE_UK_38.pdf_p92-16] ACE, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-xx), page 92

[17] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 244

[18] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 323

[:File:ASM_DE_1990-09.pdf_p64-19] Aktueller Software Markt, "August/September 1990" (DE; 1990-07-27), page 64

[:File:CGtC_UK_04.pdf_p109-20] Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 109

[:File:TheCompleteGuideToSega_UK.pdf_p62-21] The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 62

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p146-22] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 146

[:File:CVG_UK_105.pdf_p88-23] Computer & Video Games, "August 1990" (UK; 1990-07-16), page 88

[:File:EGM_US_008.pdf_p18-24] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 18

[:File:GameMania_UK_05.pdf_p81-25] Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81

[:File:Joystick_FR_010.pdf_p107-26] Joystick, "Novembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 107

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p136-27] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 136

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_004.pdf_p32-28] Player One, "Décembre 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 32

[:File:PowerPlay_DE_1990-08.pdf_p126-29] Power Play, "8/90" (DE; 1990-07-13), page 126

[:File:StheSegaMagazine_UK_09.pdf_p8-30] S: The Sega Magazine, "August 1990" (UK; 1990-07-05), page 8

[:File:SegaPower_UK_23.pdf_p60-31] Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 60

[:File:SegaPower_UK_25.pdf_p47-32] Sega Power, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-10-30), page 47

[:File:SegaPro_UK_06.pdf_p30-33] Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 30

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p72-34] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72

[:File:Tilt_FR_097.pdf_p52-35] Tilt, "Décembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 52

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Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

History

Legacy

Versions

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

References