This is the first game in the Gauntlet series. For other games in the series see the Gauntlet category.
| Gauntlet | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Tengen |
| Publisher(s) | Tengen |
| Year released | 1985 |
| System(s) | NES, Arcade |
| Followed by | Gauntlet II |
| Series | Gauntlet |
| Genre(s) | Action |
|---|---|
| Players | 1-2 |
| Modes | Single player, Multiplayer |
The NES conversion of Gauntlet is a significant departure from the arcade original, retaining only the basic game formula and cast of enemies. 100 entirely new levels were constructed for this version of the game, and the quest was given a definite goal: to retrieve a Magic Orb, located in the 100th level, which could only be accessed by collecting portions of a password found inside clue rooms scattered throughout the other 99 levels. The game includes all the items and enemies of the original and adds some of its own ones into the mix. A password system was also added which let the game be saved.
This was one of only three Tengen titles to be released as officially-licensed Nintendo cartridges (the other two being their conversion of Namco's Pac-Man, and R.B.I. Baseball). The game later returned to the arcades as a title on Nintendo's "PlayChoice-10" hardware in 1986. An unlicensed version was later released following Tengen's split from Nintendo in 1991, and despite being functionally identical to the original licensed one, it sported a black cartridge (instead of the grey ones which were used by licensed games) and came in a gold-trimmed box which stated that it was not endorsed by Nintendo.