Shadowgate: A Dark and Deadly NES Adventure

Originally created by the now-defunct developer, ICOM Simulations, Shadowgate is one of the most iconic adventure games of all time.

This brutally tough point-and-click title was initially released in 1987 for Apple Mac computers, but its legacy was cemented in 1989 when it was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Grim, immersive, and unabashedly challenging, Shadowgate is a fantasy adventure that demands experimentation from the player, and punishment is often severe and swift. However, the unforgiving difficulty leads to true moments of triumph, making success all the sweeter. Even now, nearly 40 years after its launch, Shadowgate is still receiving remasters and ports, but the NES version remains timeless.

The Many Deaths of a King

In Shadowgate, you are a courageous hero and the “last of the line of kings”, who arrives at the dreaded Castle Shadowgate with only the memory of your overall objective. Sent by the wizard Lakmir, you’ve come to confront the vile Warlock Lord, interrupt his dark magic ritual, and save the kingdom for good. Played from a static, first-person perspective, you are set loose at the entrance to Castle Shadowgate, with only your wits and a single lit torch to guide you.

Shadowgate functions like many other point-and-click adventures, where you can interact with your environment through a set list of verbs while solving puzzles and managing conflict. For example, you might “take” a loose sword off the ground, “look” at a massive dragon down the hallway, and decide to “hit” the creature to test your strength. As is common in Shadowgate, you’ll likely be burned to a crisp or dispatched in some other horrible way, but another combination of actions could spell success. 

Castle Shadowgate is brimming with secrets to uncover, evocative moments of dark fantasy, and a palpable feeling of tension. That said, as you engage with the constant loop of experimenting, dying, trying a different path, and dying again, Shadowgate becomes an oddly comfy nightmare. It’s like a sprawling, interactive “Choose Your Own Adventure” book that manages to tackle a vast assortment of awesome scenarios, all contained in a creepy castle that’s begging for brave exploration.

The Legacy of Shadowgate

Over time, Shadowgate has earned a reputation as the best of the “MacVenture” point-and-click ports on NES, outpacing its peers, Deja Vu and Uninvited. Although several sequels have cropped up over the years, such as Beyond Shadowgate and Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers, the original game remains the most popular. 

In 2014, the original developers returned to make a full-blown remake of Shadowgate, which was released on all major gaming platforms, including the Nintendo Switch. There’s even a “demake” of the game currently in development called Shadowgate PD, which is planned for release on the Playdate handheld later this year. However, the NES version is easily the most fondly remembered version of the bunch, with its enhanced inventory system, colorful pixel art, and killer music.

If you’ve never taken a crack at conquering Castle Shadowgate and defeating the Warlock Lord, Shadowgate on NES should serve as an excellent challenge to test your retro gaming mettle.

Contributed by Matt Owen