Rerunning the "Gauntlet"

Last week, I wrote my second letter to a videogame publication regarding "Gauntlet". On this occasion, I emailed pointing out an error in an article. The previous (paper!) correspondence was in answer to a request for readers to discuss their all-time top games.

I've never loved an arcade machine as much as I did the "Gauntlet I & II" cabinets. None of the sequels have come close, IMO, but I've usually given them a go out of loyalty. Anyway, I thought it'd be fun to share some "Gauntlet" memories here on DGN...

* Crowding around the "Gauntlet II" cab at Sideshow Alley after school sports arvos; knowing there were buses to catch, desperate to delve deeper into the dungeon.

* Successfully copying a mate's Commodore 64 disk originals. Sorry, Gremlin Graphics/US Gold. I recollect we used a cartridge on the main prog and a slow copier for the levels.

* Being frankly amazed when my friend BP made an adapter for his Amiga's parallel port so we could plug in two extra joysticks and tackle "Gauntlet II" in true 4P mode.

* Hating the Nerd character's inclusion in "Gauntlet: The Third Encounter" on the Lynx. (Talk about self-loathing.) I bet I hilariously referred to it as "The Turd Encounter".

* My absolute mission to beat "Gauntlet Legends" at Timezone Randwick, spurred on by the attendant telling me it wasn't feasible. Thank the gods for disposable income.

* I owned the sequel, "Dark Legacy", on GameCube. After donating my GC collection to a local hospital, I momentarily panicked I'd left a char saved with a rude name.^

* Trying a couple of subsequent titles with PG and failing to be wowed. If only we'd discovered the stonkingly good "Gauntlet IV" on the Mega Drive back in the day...


^ Needn't have worried. Later saw a news report about Christmas donations to that hospital which showed shelves full of old consoles. Who knows if mine was ever touched.