Difference between revisions of "Dark Castle"

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Dark Castle

System(s): Sega Mega Drive

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: Artech Studios

Original system(s): Macintosh

Developer(s) of original games: Silicon Beach Software

Sound driver: pre-GEMS

Genre: Action

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
US	1991-10-16^[1]		703401
EU	1991-11		E177SMXI
UK	1991-10-16^[2]^[3]	£34.9934.99^[4]	E177SMXI
AU	199x
BR	199x

Non-Sega versions
Amiga Apple IIGS Atari ST CD-i Commodore 64 IBM PC Macintosh

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Dark Castle is Sega Mega Drive action platform game developed by Artek Digital Productions and published by Electronic Arts. A port of the classic 1986 Silicon Beach Software game Dark Castle, it was released in 1991 to overwhelmingly negative reception.

While the original home computer versions of Dark Castle controlled the player character with precise mouse control, the home versions instead rotate his arm with a button press, resulting in an exhausting and terribly-imprecise control scheme which renders the game nearly unplayable. Due to this, the game has developed a modern reputation as one of the single-worst titles developed for the Mega Drive - something which has since become strongly associated with the game's modern identity.

Plot

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Prince Duncan traverses a treacherous castle to defeat the dreaded Black Knight.

Gameplay

Prince Duncan can run, jump and duck, interact with parts of the scenery and throw a limited number of rocks. Elixirs can be found to protect from animal bites, and acquiring a bag of rocks with replenish his projectiles. Duncan can also equip a magic shield, and upgrade his projectiles to powerful fireballs.

The game is infamous for its weak protagonist. Prince Duncan frequently trips on the scenery, grows dizzy after short falls, and dies in a single hit. To compound things even more, while the original game was designed to aim Duncan’s arm with a computer mouse, the home versions instead rotate his arm with a button. This exhausting control scheme is the primary reason for the poor reception of the Sega Mega Drive port.

Rooms

	Great Hall

	Trouble 1

	Trouble 2

	Trouble 3

	Fireball 1

	Fireball 2

	Fireball 3

	Fireball 4

	Black Knight 1

	Black Knight 2

	Black Knight 3

	Shield 1

	Shield 2

	Shield 3

	Shield 4

History

The original Macintosh release is considered a classic for that platform; its high-resolution graphics and realistic sound effects were considered groundbreaking, and the game was a critical and commercial success. With this success came the desire for ports to home video game systems. However, the original release was specifically designed to be played with a mouse; something few console ports would take advantage of.

Legacy

Most non-computer versions of Dark Castle were critically panned on release, with the Mega Drive port being no exception. Having originally been designed for high resolution monochrome graphics and mouse controls, the game now runs with a smaller screen resolution and utilizes slower, D-pad controls. When the Angry Video Game Nerd reviewed the game for his 2012 Halloween special, he said it was "the worst Sega Genesis game I have ever played".

Production credits

Producer: Keith Francart
Product Manager: David Bamberger
Programming, Music, and Sounds: Artek Digital Productions
Documentation Layout: Jennie Maruyama
Quality Assurance: Jonathan Skolnick

Source:

US manual^[5]

Magazine articles

Main article: Dark Castle/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

66

^[6]

Console XS (UK)

PAL

52

^[7]

Cool Gamer (RU)

10

^[8]

Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)

13

^[9]

Gamers (DE)

7

^[10]

Games-X (UK)

30

^[11]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

41

^[12]

Joystick (FR)

55

^[13]

Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)

PAL

38

^[14]

Mega (UK)

44

^[15]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

55

^[16]

Mean Machines (UK)

23

^[17]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

23

^[18]

Player One (FR)

19

^[19]

Sega Power (UK)

69

^[4]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

49

^[20]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

52

^[21]

Supergame (BR)

87

^[22]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

38

^[23]

Video Games (DE)

25

^[24]

	40
Based on 20 reviews

Dark Castle

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Dark Castle/Technical information.

References

↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/WQTliK_b27o/m/24qlxLOrrSYJ
↑ Games-X, "10th-16th October 1991" (UK; 1991-10-10), page 6
↑ Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-10-14), page 19
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Sega Power, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-05), page 49
↑ File:DarkCastle MD US manual.pdf, page 6
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 55
↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 128
↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 59
↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 36
↑ Gamers, "Februar/März 1992" (DE; 1992-xx-xx), page 48
↑ Games-X, "10th-16th October 1991" (UK; 1991-10-10), page 33
↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-10-1x), page 52
↑ Joystick, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 150
↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 91
↑ Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 62
↑ Mega Force, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-11-19), page 70
↑ Mean Machines, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-28), page 176
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138
↑ Player One, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 78
↑ Sega Pro, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-21), page 69
↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
↑ Supergame, "Novembro 1992" (BR; 1992-11-xx), page 45
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 48
↑ Video Games, "4/91" (DE; 1991-12-06), page 31

Dark Castle
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Maps \| Hidden content \| Magazine articles \| Reception \| Region coding \| Technical information \| Bootlegs No results

[https:.2F.2Fgroups.google.com.2Fg.2Frec.games.video.2Fc.2FWQTliK_b27o.2Fm.2F24qlxLOrrSYJ-1] ttps://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/WQTliK_b27o/m/24qlxLOrrSYJ

[:File:GamesX_UK_25.pdf_p6-2] Games-X, "10th-16th October 1991" (UK; 1991-10-10), page 6

[3] Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-10-14), page 19

[:File:SegaPower_UK_26.pdf_p49-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Sega Power, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-05), page 49

[:File:DarkCastle_MD_US_manual.pdf_p6-5] File:DarkCastle MD US manual.pdf, page 6

[6] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 55

[:File:Console_XS_UK_01.pdf_p128-7] Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 128

[8] Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 59

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p36-9] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 36

[:File:Gamers_DE_1992-01.pdf_p48-10] Gamers, "Februar/März 1992" (DE; 1992-xx-xx), page 48

[:File:GamesX_UK_25.pdf_p33-11] Games-X, "10th-16th October 1991" (UK; 1991-10-10), page 33

[:File:Joypad_FR_002.pdf_p52-12] Joypad, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-10-1x), page 52

[:File:Joystick_FR_021.pdf_p150-13] Joystick, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-1x-xx), page 150

[:File:MDAG_UK_05.pdf_p91-14] Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 91

[:File:Mega_UK_19.pdf_p62-15] Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 62

[:File:MegaForce_FR_03.pdf_p70-16] Mega Force, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-11-19), page 70

[:File:MeanMachines_UK_15.pdf_p176-17] Mean Machines, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-28), page 176

[:File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p138-18] Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_014.pdf_p78-19] Player One, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 78

[:File:SegaPro_UK_02.pdf_p69-20] Sega Pro, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-21), page 69

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p64-21] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64

[:File:Supergame_BR_16.pdf_p45-22] Supergame, "Novembro 1992" (BR; 1992-11-xx), page 45

[23] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 48

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1991-04.pdf_p31-24] Video Games, "4/91" (DE; 1991-12-06), page 31

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@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 | bobscreen=DarkCastle title.png
 | publisher=[[Electronic Arts]]
-| developer=[[Silicon Beach Software]] {{MD}} [[Three-Sixty Pacific]]
+| developer=[[Artech Studios]]
+| originaldevelopers=[[wikipedia:Silicon Beach Software|Silicon Beach Software]]
 | system=[[Sega Mega Drive]]
-| romsize=512kB
+| originalsystem=[[Macintosh]]
-| sounddriver=
+| sounddriver=pre-[[GEMS]]
 | peripherals=
 | players=1
 | genre=Action
-| releases={{releases
+| releases={{releasesMD
-| md_date_eu=1991
+| md_date_us=1991-10-16{{ref|https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/WQTliK_b27o/m/24qlxLOrrSYJ}}
+| md_code_us=703401
+| md_date_eu=1991-11
 | md_code_eu=E177SMXI
-| md_rrp_uk=34.99
+| md_date_uk=1991-10-16{{magref|gamesx|25|6}}{{magref|ctw|358|19}}
-| md_date_us=1991
+| md_code_uk=E177SMXI
-| md_code_us=703401
+| md_rrp_uk=34.99{{magref|segapower|26|49}}
+| md_date_br=199x
+| md_code_br=
+| md_date_au=199x
+}}
+| otherformats={{NonSega|Amiga|APPLE2GS|CDI|ST|C64|IBMPC|Mac}}
+}}
+{{stub}}'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is [[Sega Mega Drive]] action platform game developed by [[Artek Digital Productions]] and published by [[Electronic Arts]]. A port of the classic 1986 [[wikipedia:Silicon Beach Software|Silicon Beach Software]] game ''[[wikipedia:Dark Castle|Dark Castle]]'', it was released in 1991 to overwhelmingly negative reception.
+While the original home computer versions of ''Dark Castle'' controlled the player character with precise mouse control, the home versions instead rotate his arm with a button press, resulting in an exhausting and terribly-imprecise control scheme which renders the game nearly unplayable. Due to this, the game has developed a modern reputation as one of the single-worst titles developed for the Mega Drive - something which has since become strongly associated with the game's modern identity.
+==Plot==
+{{expand}}
+Prince Duncan traverses a treacherous castle to defeat the dreaded Black Knight.
+==Gameplay==
+Prince Duncan can run, jump and duck, interact with parts of the scenery and throw a limited number of rocks. Elixirs can be found to protect from animal bites, and acquiring a bag of rocks with replenish his projectiles. Duncan can also equip a magic shield, and upgrade his projectiles to powerful fireballs.
+The game is infamous for its weak protagonist. Prince Duncan frequently trips on the scenery, grows dizzy after short falls, and dies in a single hit. To compound things even more, while the original game was designed to aim Duncan’s arm with a computer mouse, the home versions instead rotate his arm with a button. This exhausting control scheme is the primary reason for the poor reception of the [[Sega Mega Drive]] port.
+===Rooms===
+{{InfoTable|imagewidths=200
+|{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=DarkCastle MD GreatHall.png
+| title=Great Hall
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=DarkCastle MD Trouble1.png
+| title=Trouble 1
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Trouble 2
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Trouble 3
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=DarkCastle MD Fireball1.png
+| title=Fireball 1
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Fireball 2
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Fireball 3
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Fireball 4
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=DarkCastle MD BlackKnight1.png
+| title=Black Knight 1
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Black Knight 2
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Black Knight 3
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=DarkCastle MD Shield1.png
+| title=Shield 1
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Shield 2
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Shield 3
+| desc=
+}}
+{{InfoRow
+| screenshot=Notavailable.svg
+| title=Shield 4
+| desc=
 }}
 }}
-{{stub}}'''''Dark Castle''''' is an action game originally developed by [[Silicon Beach Software]] for Apple Macintosh computers in 1986. It was subsequently ported to other home computers in 1987 and eventually to the [[Sega Mega Drive]] in 1991. Many of the ports, including the Mega Drive version were handled by [[Three-Sixty Pacific]].
-''Dark Castle'' is a platform game, in which players traverse through a castle to defeat the "black knight", killing enemies along the way and collecting keys. Despite the addition of colour, the Mega Drive version is often criticsed for its controls and poor production quality. Conversely the Macintosh version is often considered to be a classic among Mac fans, gaining sequels such as ''Beyond Dark Castle'' and remakes such as ''Color Dark Castle''.
+==History==
-==Physical Scans==
+The original [[Macintosh]] release is considered a classic for that platform; its high-resolution graphics and realistic sound effects were considered groundbreaking, and the game was a critical and commercial success. With this success came the desire for ports to home video game systems. However, the original release was specifically designed to be played with a mouse; something few console ports would take advantage of.
-{{ratings
-| icon=MD
+===Legacy===
-| gamesx=30
+Most non-computer versions of ''Dark Castle'' were critically panned on release, with the [[Mega Drive]] port being no exception. Having originally been designed for high resolution monochrome graphics and mouse controls, the game now runs with a smaller screen resolution and utilizes slower, D-pad controls. When the Angry Video Game Nerd reviewed the game for his 2012 Halloween special, he said it was "the worst Sega Genesis game I have ever played".
-| gamesx_source={{num|25}}
+==Production credits==
+{{creditstable|
+*'''Producer:''' Keith Francart
+*'''Product Manager:''' David Bamberger
+*'''Programming, Music, and Sounds:''' [[Artek Digital Productions]]
+*'''Documentation Layout:''' Jennie Maruyama
+*'''Quality Assurance:''' Jonathan Skolnick
+| source=US manual
+| pdf=DarkCastle MD US manual.pdf
+| pdfpage=6
+| console=MD
 }}
+==Magazine articles==
+{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
+==Physical scans==
+{{ratings|MD}}
 {{Scanbox
 | console=Mega Drive
 | region=US
-| front=DarkCastle MD US Box.jpg
+| cover=DarkCastle MD US Box.jpg
-| cart=
+| cart=DarkCastle MD US Cart.jpg
+| manual=DarkCastle MD US manual.pdf
 }}{{Scanbox
 | console=Mega Drive
 | region=EU
-| front=DarkCastle MD EU Box.jpg
+| cover=DarkCastle MD EU Box.jpg
+| cart=DarkCastle MD US Cart.jpg
+| manual=Dark Castle MD EU Manual.jpg
+}}{{Scanbox
+| console=Mega Drive
+| region=AU
+| cover=
 | cart=
 }}{{Scanbox
 | console=Mega Drive
 | region=BR
-| front=Darkcastle md br cover.jpg
+| cover=Darkcastle md br cover.jpg
+| cart=DarkCastle MD BR Cart.jpg
 }}
+==Technical information==
+{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Technical information}}
+==References==
+<references/>
+{{DarkCastleOmni}}