http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zojoi/shadowgate

While their Sherlock Holmes kickstarter sadly did not go so well (the games still got released though), Zojoi is once again at it, this time with a kickstarter for their upcoming Shadowgate remake.

Hopefully they will make remakes of their other MacVenture games as well, though for now it is just Shadowgate.

Shadowgate...it sounds so familiar.... I can't place my finger on it though....

Shadowgate from ICOM Simulations was originally released on the Apple Macintosh back in 1987.  It was the 3rd in the "MacVenture" series of adventure games which were the first adventure games to ever use a point and click interface (other adventure games released before them used a text parser and keyboard interface).

But you probably best know it from the NES port.

Shadowgate and the other MacVenture games were ported to almost every personal computing platform under the sun at the time: C64, Atari ST, Amiga, DOS PC, etc.  However, Japanese game publishing and developing company, Kemco, was interested in making a Famicom/NES port of Shadowgate and the other MacVenture games.  

It's quite likely the NES version is the one you remember, so here's some gameplay footage to see if that jogs your memory:

I've played a PC game similar to Shadowgate, more combat based though...can't remember the name. This NES version looks interesting, definitely would have been too complex for my young mind at the time though. Did some digging and found that i was thinking of Shadowgate 64, the original's sequel I think. I remember that one. I was still young at the time and it utterly confused me for a couple of years but with time i caught on to the functions of an adventure game (I think this was one of my first) and managed to finish it.

Ahh!  Shadowgate 64!

There's some rather interesting stories around the creation of that game.  I'll see if I can dig them up for you sometime.  

Cool! Shadowgate for the NES was among my very earliest adventure games, it'll be a nostalgic treat to replay it after all these years.

Originally Posted By Support (26 OCT 2012 3:42pm)

I've played a PC game similar to Shadowgate, more combat based though...can't remember the name. This NES version looks interesting, definitely would have been too complex for my young mind at the time though. Did some digging and found that i was thinking of Shadowgate 64, the original's sequel I think. I remember that one. I was still young at the time and it utterly confused me for a couple of years but with time i caught on to the functions of an adventure game (I think this was one of my first) and managed to finish it.

Are you thinking of the game Waxworks? http://www.mobygames.com/game/waxworks

I used to play the Shadowgate 8-bit NES game a lot when I came home from school. I remember when we first got it, I was too young to understand how to play, but in 2 years it became one of my favorite NES games as a kid and I must have beaten it 20 times.

So backing this one. Shadowgate on NES was one of my best childhood gaming memories, aside from all the times I died and saw that skeleton.

Man, I would love to hear all of fond Shadowgate stories.  I recall at least one story about a father and son who spent quality time together trying to beat the game.

It's pretty heartwarming

I posted this on the GOG forum, where I noticed that you posted as well, but I'll post it here as well (again

It was actually due to Shadowgate that I learnt how to read at an early age. I could not read when I got the game (used my own saved allowance to get it), but it just got so awkward to ask my parents to read what it said on screen all the time that I in the end learnt how to read myself.

Originally Posted By Fnord (28 OCT 2012 4:35am)

I posted this on the GOG forum, where I noticed that you posted as well, but I'll post it here as well (again

I've already told people here about it):

It was actually due to Shadowgate that I learnt how to read at an early age. I could not read when I got the game (used my own saved allowance to get it), but it just got so awkward to ask my parents to read what it said on screen all the time that I in the end learnt how to read myself.

That is awesome!  I so want to share that on our Facebook page!  

And oh yeah, I've been quite active on GOG

I'm pretty positive Dave and Karl are continuing talks with them, and I hope we can get some good news we can publicly announce in the near future.

Originally Posted By OtakuMan30 (28 OCT 2012 9:28pm)

Originally Posted By Fnord (28 OCT 2012 4:35am)

I posted this on the GOG forum, where I noticed that you posted as well, but I'll post it here as well (again

I've already told people here about it):

It was actually due to Shadowgate that I learnt how to read at an early age. I could not read when I got the game (used my own saved allowance to get it), but it just got so awkward to ask my parents to read what it said on screen all the time that I in the end learnt how to read myself.

 

That is awesome!  I so want to share that on our Facebook page!  

 

And oh yeah, I've been quite active on GOG

 We'd love it if GOG would agree to host new AND old versions of the ICOM games.  If they did, we could make DRM-Free versions of the original Deja Vu, Uninvited, Shadowgate, Deja Vu II, Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective Vol. 1-3, and Dracula Unleashed up for sale there.  that would help get us funds to work on the new games while providing old school goodness to existing fans.  GOG's been hesitant because they aren't certain if there's a really strong demand or not, but with any luck, this campaign will convince them.

 

I'm pretty positive Dave and Karl are continuing talks with them, and I hope we can get some good news we can publicly announce in the near future.

You are free to post it if you want to.

And i really hope you get the chance to sell the old games on GOG. I would love to have the chance to play Uninvited & Deja Vu 2 (I don't think those were even released here, at least the NES version of Uninvited was not)

Thanks!  Also, we just made an announcement that cause me by surprise!

Take a look at this:

According to Dave, there was an entire puzzle/quest/item that was cut  from the original release of Shadowgate due to size constraints: The Black Axe.

I never knew such a thing existed until today, and Dave says he'd like to put this artifact that's been on the cutting room floor for 25 years back into the game.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zojoi/shadowgate/posts/338043

What he's asking for in order to ensure this makes it into the new version is for our Facebook page to get 1,000 Likes; something I'm all for since I'm the person that runs that page!

https://www.facebook.com/zojoigame

However, on KickStarter and even on other forums, I hear a lot of people who are expressing disappointment and some irritation to the whole idea of asking for "Likes" on a Facebook page.

This has me very confused, and I'm trying to understand why something like this is such a problem since 1,000 Likes doesn't seem like that big of a deal.  Yet lots of people are refusing it, and are expressing frustration with the idea.

Problem for me is that I can't understand why.  Any ideas?

Good news!  

So the Black Axe is in!

Meanwhile, another update today for Halloween!  Check it out:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zojoi/shadowgate/posts/338440

The new update announced that the $30 tier has been enhanced so that it will not only include digital copies of the soundtrack and artbook, but also include a digital copy of the cloth map that's included in the box with the physical copy, and a set of desktop calendar wallpapers in a variety of resolutions, and with or without the actual "Calendar" part in them.

Hope everyone here has a Happy Halloween!  

That is so cool! one of my favorite games on the NES actually.

I made a remake myself on that game, but i never finished it, i can upload it if you guys want to test it.

Originally Posted By velorond (19 NOV 2012 4:52am)

That is so cool! one of my favorite games on the NES actually.

 

I made a remake myself on that game, but i never finished it, i can upload it if you guys want to test it.

I would enjoy seeing that!

Also, 6 days left, and they have almost reached their goal. I hope the usual near-end rush will happen to Shadowgate's kickstarter as well. 

Originally Posted By velorond (19 NOV 2012 4:52am)

That is so cool! one of my favorite games on the NES actually.

 

I made a remake myself on that game, but i never finished it, i can upload it if you guys want to test it.

Sounds neat.  What'd you make it with?  Is it a stand alone executable or like played in a web browser?

Also, on Facebook, Zojoi has a post going around and are asking everyone to "Like" and "Share" it in order to help increase exposure and get the word out.  I think it's working too!  I've seen a spike in pledges appear on KickTraq!

http://www.facebook.com/zojoigame/posts/440340962692538

Shared, though I sadly fear that my facebook friends are not the kind of people who play a lot of adventure games (though I might be wrong about some of them). 

I made it some years ago in "Adventure Game Studio". 

I have uploaded a .rar file with the game in, just extract the folder to your PC and run the game. 

It´s not much, but it was fun to make it.

http://depositfiles.com/files/ws0ei0sbc

Originally Posted By velorond (21 NOV 2012 10:34am)

I made it some years ago in "Adventure Game Studio". 

I have uploaded a .rar file with the game in, just extract the folder to your PC and run the game. 

It´s not much, but it was fun to make it.

 

http://depositfiles.com/files/ws0ei0sbc

Downloading it right now!

And the kickstarter succeeded, Shadowgate will live again!

They hit the $130,000 Stretch-Funding goal!  If they can hit $140,000 by the end of the campaign at Midnight EST tonight, then they'll expand the game even more!

I really hope they can make it!  I want to see the biggest game possible!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zojoi/shadowgate