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 703401 EU 1991-11 E177SMXI UK 1991-10-16 £34.9934.99 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

Magazine articles

Main article: Dark Castle/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 66 Console XS (UK) PAL 52 Cool Gamer (RU) 10 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 13 Gamers (DE) 7 Games-X (UK) 30 Joypad (FR) PAL 41 Joystick (FR) 55 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 38 Mega (UK) 44 Mega Force (FR) PAL 55 Mean Machines (UK) 23 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 23 Player One (FR) 19 Sega Power (UK) 69 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 49 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 52 Supergame (BR) 87 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 38 Video Games (DE) 25

	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.