Dark Castle

Moby ID: 110
Macintosh Specs
Buy on DOS
$74.95 used on eBay
Buy on Genesis
$47.81 used on eBay
Note: We may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made via eBay or Amazon links (prices updated 3/23 8:17 PM )
See Also

Description official descriptions

The Black Knight has brought misery to the land, and the end way to end this is to enter his haunted house to slay him. You are the brave adventurer taking on this quest through 14 increasingly-tough zones.

The bulk of the game is side-viewed, involving single screens to pass through, which incorporate ropes, cages and trapdoor. There are enemies walking, flying and hovering through this, and many of them respawn. Unusually your weapon to take them on (rocks) can be thrown through 360 degrees, which aims to make the gameplay more realistic and methodical. The screens were linked by hub screens, which the player passes through simply by clicking on a door.

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Macintosh version)

5 People

Programming
Design
Graphics
Real Sound by
Voice Characterizations by
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 theme composed by (uncredited)

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 47% (based on 32 ratings)

Players

Average score: 2.9 out of 5 (based on 47 ratings with 5 reviews)

Not scary, but not cute either. Just horrible.

The Good
For an early Sega Genesis game, the graphics are okay and so is the sound. The AI isn't that bad either, though it has one flaw.

The Bad
Almost everything in this game is bad. As I said above, the AI has one flaw: some of the enemies might take some time to realize you are close to them. But, that's not all. The controls are bad, the main character is a coward in this port of the game that makes goofy sounds and there is only ONE song that plays during the game. Wait, why do I call it a song when it's just one part of "Toccata and Fugue" that loops? Also, the aiming system used to throw rocks at enemies should have been removed from this version. It doesn't work well on a Sega Genesis. Also, if you jump from a high place, the character might stop moving in mid-air for a second or two, and then keep falling, until he collides with the floor and dies. I forgot to mention that, in the game there is a cute-looking dragon. Isn't this game supposed to be scary? Oh well.

The Bottom Line
The only thing that makes this game scary is the fact that it sucks. The Macintosh port is the real deal.

Genesis · by Mango Man (3) · 2011

Feeble attempt to recreate the original

The Good
I loved the Mac version of this game, so was excited to try it out when it came out for my platform of choice, the Amiga. While I was a little put-off by the cover art--it looked rushed and lacking--I was eager to give it a try.

The graphics, while in color--a feature the Mac lacked--were lower-resolution than the Mac version, but the developers used the Amiga's wide range of colors to minimize this shortcoming. The other artwork and digitized sound were carefully ported and--in some cases--completely remastered.

The Bad
The artwork and sound were about the only good things about this port of the game. The gameplay was uninspired and frustrating. My friends and I mastered the Mac version's controls and knew all the tricks needed to pass each level. This version seemed to completely ignore the Mac version's carefully tuned control system. Instead of being able to master Duncan's arm position for one level as on the Mac, the Amiga version's controls seemed random. The player couldn't be assured of a "hit" as he could on the Mac version: it was more or less up to chance. So passing a level relied on frustrating repetition instead of skill, which got old quickly.

I was so disappointed with this port that I quickly gave up on it, despite the $30 or $40 I shelled out for it. I was never able to finish the Mac version due to the lack of access to a Mac for extended periods of time. I was never able to finish this version because it was unbearable to play.

If you want to play the game, play the original Mac version in glorious monochrome graphics. This version has more eye candy, but is ultimately a frustrating experience.

The Bottom Line
A feeble attempt to re-create a classic, ground-breaking game on the Mac. It was clear the developers fell well short of the mark. Instead they created a game for the dustbin of history.

Amiga · by Frecklefoot (188) · 2009

Infuriating! And yet I keep coming back for more.

The Good
Dark Castle is a platform game that relies more on timing and careful planning than quick reflexes and shooting things. It's clever--a thinking man's platformer.

One thing that contributes to this is a completely 360 degree firing direction. When you throw a rock, you can rotate your arm to any angle. This takes time to learn effectively, but after about half an hour, it really helps knock out some enemies threatening to get you.

I don't usually talk about ports, since games should really be evaluated amongst their peers on the same platform, but I feel I really must talk about it: It must have been a herculean effort to port this game to the PC. The entire game was first created on the classic Macintosh, which is a 512x384 1-bit (black and white) screen, while the PC at that time used a 320x200 2-bit (4 colors) screen. All of the playfields and sprites needed to be redrawn and the game logic rewritten to fit the smaller resolution of CGA. But even with those obstacles, the PC port really shines. The game physics feel identical to the Mac, and the solutions to each screen remain the same. In fact, some screens are improved, as they use some color which the Mac didn't have at that time. They even managed to include the same digitized sound.

The Bad
The digitized speech went the opposite direction from the graphics, from 8-bit sound to 1-bit sound through the PC speaker. It is very distorted, but audible.

Some of the areas you need to get through are extremely difficult and frustrating. For example, you can spend 5 minutes getting to a jump that must be timed properly, then missing the jump, then having to do it all over again.

The Bottom Line
Dark Castle is clever and funny. You owe it to yourself to try it out.

DOS · by Trixter (8952) · 1999

[ View all 5 player reviews ]

Trivia

Christmas

When the PC clock/calendar reads 25 Dec, a Christmas tree appears in the great hall of the castle.

Sound

The game featured digital sounds with the PC Speaker. However, the PC version sounded way inferior to the Mac version.

T-shirts

There was a Dark Castle and Beyond Dark Castle t-shirt and sweatshirt offer that came with the game.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • November 1996 (15th anniversary issue) – #136 in the “150 Best Games of All Time” list

Information also contributed by Chris Mikesell

Analytics

MobyPro Early Access

Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!

Related Games

Beyond Dark Castle
Released 1988 on Macintosh, Amiga, Commodore 64
Color Dark Castle
Released 1994 on Macintosh
Return to Dark Castle
Released 2008 on Macintosh
Party Hard: Dark Castle
Released 2016 on Linux, Windows, Macintosh
Lord of the Dark Castle
Released 2015 on Macintosh, Windows, Linux
Castle Explorer: The Dark Below
Released 2017 on Windows
Castle
Released 1993 on Commodore 64
Castle
Released 2016 on Windows, Macintosh
Castle
Released 2015 on Windows

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 110
  • [ Please login / register to view all identifiers ]

Contribute

Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.

Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Olivier Masse.

Genesis added by Sciere. Macintosh added by Kabushi. Commodore 64, Atari ST, Amiga added by Martin Smith. CD-i added by Timo W.. Apple IIgs added by Scaryfun.

Additional contributors: Martin Smith, Patrick Bregger.

Game added May 8, 1999. Last modified January 1, 2024.