Shadowgate Classic
Game by Kemco
Reviewed by Blue Magus (Anthony Testa)
blumagus@hotmail.com
Size: 8 Megabits (1 Megabyte.)
Save: battery - one slot
Released: 1999
Works with: every Gameboy system

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Opening Snide Remarks: Shadowgate is a game I first played on the NES
years ago, part of a series of from-PC ports also including Deja Vu and
Uninvited.  Shadowgate is one of my favorite NES games, and in this
review, I'm going to compare the original to its Gameboy Color port.

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Gameplay Descripion: Nintendo Power magazine came up with the best
description I have heard so far for the game: a "graphic text adventure."
An oxymoron, truthfully, but I can picture Zork made into a graphical game
just like this.  You point and click to select actions, items, and objects.
For example, to USE the OLD SOCKS on a NEW AGE RETRO HIPPY, you must click
on, in order, USE, OLD SOCKS, and the hippy in the room's picture.  In the
original, the picture, inventory/spells, commands, and movements were all on
the same screen. With the lower resolution, you must scroll the screen up and
down to get to the options you wish to use.

Liked: Works as good as its NES counterpart.

Hated: Scrolling the screen can be annoying after doing it repeatedly.

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Graphics Description: The user interface looked better in the original, and
more in flavor, but the GBC one is adequate, simplified for the pocket-sized
screen.  The images of each room are not only as good as those of the NES
version, they're better!  There are notable improvements graphic-wise, from
the first room you enter (The stones in the wall in the opening "room" look
nicely textured, as well as the door).

Liked: Improvements on already great graphical windows.

Hated: They're all static.

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Sound/Music Description: Some of the greatest music to come out of the NES.
Note I said NES.  The music's still there on the GBC, but the quality isn't
as good.  Still, it's fun to hear some of my favorite NES music come out of a
pocket-sized system.

Liked: Loved the original music.

Hated: This isn't the original music.

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Play Control/Game Design: Move your cursor with the control pad, press a
button to do stuff.  It works for the game's purposes, but it can get old and
you may click on something you didn't mean to.

Liked: It works.

Hated: Trying to click on something and "missing," especially in a
life-or-death situation.

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Improve: Hit detection, UI (User Interface).

RIYL: Deja Vu 2 for the GBC, in development as of my typing this.  And the
NES games Deja Vu and Uninvited, not to mention the upcoming Shadowgate: the
Four Trials for the Nintendo 64.

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Final Words: "Five to find, three are one.  One gives access, the bladed sun.
The silver orb, to banish below.  The staff of ages, to vanquish the foe.
Joining two, the golden blade.  The last to invoke, the platinum horn."

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Score
Gameplay: ****
Graphics: ****
Sound/Music: ***
Play Control/Game Design: ***
Personal Opinion: ****
Total: 18 out of 25

Final Score: 72%

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Currently Known Codes: None.