History VideoGame / KingsQuestVAbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder

** He tries something similar to cat!Manannan as well, but Manannan cuts him short. "Never mind! Your journey's over!"

* EarTrumpet: Graham encounters an old hermit that uses a conch seashell as one. Without it, the only thing he can hear is the incredibly loud bell he has hanging outside his door.

* EvilSorcerer: Mordack. And the witch. Both use EVIL powers murder or transform Graham, respectively. And the ice queen. The last one, however, can make a HeelFaceTurn.

** Same with the blue monster in Mordack's castle, you get thrown in cell. However, the second time you confront the monster, you have a chance to knock him out.

* MuggleInMageCustody: The princess Cassima is a scullery girl to the evil warlock Mordack who made her his slave when she refused to marry him.

* SceneryPorn: Sierra's first game to support the 256 color VGA mode. The backgrounds were hand-drawn and scanned, and they look gorgeous.

** The inn, especially if this is your first time playing. Looks hospitable and cozy, and it even has a nice dog inside. But it is run by '''EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL''' people that will rub you out when they get a chance.

* ShapeShifterShowdown: The finale, where Graham and Mordack use their magic to transform to various beasts.

** [[spoiler:The official King's Quest companion hints (while it's an official approved book, many things in it are still fanon) that Hagatha rescued Manannan and together are plotting a further revenge.]]

%%* TechDemoGame: The game was one of the first to support the VGA's 256 color mode. The CD-ROM version was also intended to be a showcase for "multimedia" computing, for better or worse.

* DistractedByTheSexy: The bandits in the desert camp are distracted by watching a BellyDancer performance. Subverted in that if you get too close to her tent, a nearby bandit will murder you.

* IAteWhat: Graham has this moment early on, when Crispin explains that what he just gave him to eat was an old piece of magical white snake he had left over from last year.

** Getting rid of the snake. How do you do it? [[spoiler:With a tambourine!]]

The [[https://www.youtube.com/user/ExcaliburBrothers Excalibur Brothers]] made the game into a two part [[TheAbridgedSeries Abridged Series]], viewable [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGmqYg4JP08&list=PLC23105BC9B6CED89&index=1 here]]. The game also inspired a parody video called ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F9EMbkvLBQ Free Apple]]'' by Worthikids.

** Nintendo of America had Konami (who handled the UsefulNotes/{{NES}} port) modify the game by toning down the violence and removing religious themes. For example, compare the narrator's words when Graham drinks water from the oasis in both the PC and NES versions:

* CopyProtection: The early diskettes and the UsefulNotes/{{NES}} adaptation are examples of this, when the player has to refer to the manual in order to have Graham cast a spell. Averted in the CD-ROM adaptation.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: The NES version took out some of the UnwinnableByDesign situations of the original, like being able to trade the wrong items to merchants for the items you need. You don't get only one shot at saving the mouse; if you fail (which is likely with the wretched imported control scheme), just leave the screen and come back to try again. Also the desert is smaller than that of the computer versions. One of the more notable decisions was to make it so you don't need to wander to the corners of Mordack's maze to find Dink; if you play the tambourine anywhere in the maze, he'll hear it and come to you.

* BeardOfEvil: Mordack, the BigBad, sports one, furthering his wickedness.
** The Innkeeper, which complements his EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL look.

* NoNameGiven: The Hermit's name is never revealed. Graham tried to ask him, but the Hermit told him he have more urgent business.

* ChekhovsGunman: Cedric, who is completely useless throughout the entire game, [[spoiler:[[TakingTheBullet sacrifices himself]] to save your life at the end. And by "sacrifice" we mean "accidentally blunder into the path of a spell.]]

* KarmaHoudini: The innkeeper and his goons are obviously a bunch of crooks. There's no way for Graham to turn them in.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: The NES version took out some of the UnwinnableByDesign situations of the original, like being able to trade the wrong items to merchants for the items you need. You don't get only one shot at saving the mouse; if you fail (which is likely with the wretched imported control scheme), just leave the screen and come back to try again. Also the desert is smaller than that of the computer versions. One of the more notable decisions was to make it so you don't need to wander to the corners of Mordack's maze to find Dink; if you play the tambourine anywhere in the maze he'll hear it and come to you.

* GuideDangIt: Plenty, but the chain of events leading up to the final showdown with Mordack is probably the worst. [[spoiler: You need to find your way to his library and look around at the numerous books until you find one in particular that will show you a few spells. That done, you need to figure out to wait in the library until you see Mordack teleport into his bedroom next door for a nap. You steal his wand (which glows, so that's not too bad), then you're supposed to head into his laboratory. There's a piece of equipment up on the second floor you'll have no reasonable way to know what it's for, but if you put Mordack's wand on one side and the worn-out wand you've been carrying for the whole game on the other, you can transfer power from Mordack's wand to yours. That is, ''if'' you can figure out that to turn the machine on, you have to throw a lump of moldy cheese into it. Where do you get moldy cheese? You have to let yourself be caught by Mordack's guard monster and thrown in the dungeon, something you'd understandably try to avoid. Especially if you find out you only have one chance to get out of the dungeon without it being game over, which this uses up. Once you've been thrown in the dungeon, the only indication you'd get to the location of the cheese is a rat that scurries into a mousehole, something you might easily pay no attention to, thinking it's just something the designers threw in for color. Having noticed and figured out you should pick up the cheese, you find out you can't reach it with your bare hands. Hope you noticed that tiny flash on an island a couple hours ago that turned out to be the fish hook you need, that you can't go back and get anymore.]]

The game is notable for several reasons: It was the first game of the series to use a [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] interface, ditching the old TextParser. It also used a brand-new iteration of the SCI engine, allowing for more complex graphics and cut-scenes, and it was Sierra's first "talkie" game. These factors helped make it the first Sierra game to sell over 500,000 copies, and it was the best-selling PC game ''of all time'' from 1990 until 1994, when it was usurped by ''VideoGame/The7thGuest''.

The game is notable for several reasons: It was the first game of the series to use a [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] interface, ditching the old TextParser. It also used a brand-new iteration of the SCI engine, allowing for more complex graphics and cut-scenes, and it was Sierra's first "talkie" game. These factors helped make it the first Sierra game to sell over 500,000 copies, and it was the best-selling PC game ''of all time'' from 1990 until 1994, when it was usurped by ''VideoGame/The7thGuest}}.

The game is notable for several reasons: It was the first game of the series to use a [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] interface, ditching the old TextParser. It also used a brand-new iteration of the SCI engine, allowing for more complex graphics and cut-scenes, and it was Sierra's first "talkie" game. These factors helped make it the first Sierra game to sell over 500,000 copies, and it was the best-selling PC game ''of all time'' from 1990 until 1994, when it was usurped by ''VideoGame/{{The7thGuest}}''.

The game is notable for several reasons: It was the first game of the series to use a [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] interface, ditching the old TextParser. It also used a brand-new iteration of the SCI engine, allowing for more complex graphics and cut-scenes, and it was Sierra's first "talkie" game. These factors helped make it the first Sierra game to sell over 500,000 copies, and it was the best-selling PC game ''of all time'' from 1990 until 1995, when it was usurped by ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}''.

* GuideDangIt: Plenty, but the chain of events leading up to the final showdown with Mordack is probably the worst. [[spoiler: You need to find your way to his library and look around at the numerous books until you find one in particular that will show you a few spells. That done, you need to figure out to wait in the library until you see Mordack teleport into his bedroom next door for a nap. You steal his wand (which glows, so that's not too bad), then you're supposed to head into his laboratory. There's a piece of equipment up on the second floor you'll have no reasonable way to know what it's for, but if you put Mordack's wand on one side and the worn-out magic wand you've been carrying for the whole game on the other, you can transfer power from Mordack's wand to yours. That is, ''if'' you can figure out that to turn the machine on, you have to throw a lump of moldy cheese into it. Where do you get moldy cheese? You have to let yourself be caught by Mordack's guard monster and thrown in the dungeon, something you'd understandably try to avoid. Especially when you find out that escaping from the dungeon means making your way through the annoying maze you went through to get into the castle for a second time. Once you've been thrown in the dungeon, the only indication you'd get to location of the cheese is a rat that scurries into a mousehole, something you might easily pay no attention to, thinking it's just a bit of color the designers threw in. Having noticed and figured out you should pick up the moldy cheese, you find out you can't reach the cheese with your bare hands. Hope you noticed that tiny flash on an island that turned out to be the fish hook you need, that you can't go back and get anymore.]]

* GuideDangIt: Plenty, but the chain of events leading up to the final showdown with Mordack is probably the worst. [[spoiler: You need to find your way to his library and look around at the numerous books until you find one in particular that will show you a few spells. That done, you need to figure out to wait in the library until you see Mordack teleport into his bedroom next door for a nap. You steal his wand (which glows, so that's not too bad), then you're supposed to head into his laboratory. There's a piece of equipment up on the second floor you'll have no reasonable way to know what it's for, but if you put Mordack's wand on one side and the worn-out magic wand you've been carrying for the whole game on the other, you can transfer power from Mordack's wand to yours. That is, ''if'' you can figure out that to turn the machine on, you have to throw a lump of moldy cheese into it. Where do you get moldy cheese? Well, you have to let yourself be caught by Mordack's guard monster and thrown in the dungeon, something you'd understandably try to avoid. Especially when you find out that escaping from the dungeon means making your way through the annoying maze you went through to get into the castle for a second time. Once you've been thrown in the dungeon, the only indication you'd get to location of the cheese is a rat that scurries into a mousehole. Something you might easily pay no attention to, thinking it's just a bit of color the designers threw in. Having noticed and figured out you should pick up the moldy cheese, you find out you can't reach the cheese with your bare hands. Hope you noticed that tiny flash on an island that turned out to be the fish hook you need, that you can't go back and get anymore.]]

* GuideDangIt: Plenty, but the chain of events leading up to the final showdown with Mordack is probably the worst. [[spoiler: You need to find your way to his library and look around at the numerous books until you find one in particular that will show you a few spells. That done, you need to figure out to wait in the library until you see Mordack teleport into his bedroom next door for a nap. You steal his wand (which glows, so that's not too bad), then you're supposed to head into his laboratory. There's a piece of equipment up on the second floor you'll have no reasonable way to know what it's for, but if you put Mordack's wand on one side and the worn-out magic wand you've been carrying for the whole game on the other, you can transfer power from Mordack's wand to yours. That is, ''if'' you can figure out that to turn the machine on, you have to throw a lump of moldy cheese into it. Where do you get moldy cheese? Well, you have to let yourself be caught by Mordack's guard monster and thrown in the dungeon, something you'd understandably try to avoid. Especially when you find out that escaping from the dungeon means making your way through the annoying maze you went through to get into the castle for a second time. Once you've been thrown in the dungeon, the only indication you'd get to where the cheese is a rat that scurries into a mousehole. Something you might easily pay no attention to, thinking it's just a bit of color the designers threw in. Having noticed and figured out you should pick up the moldy cheese, you find out you can't reach the cheese with your bare hands. Hope you noticed that tiny flash on an island that turned out to be the fish hook you need, that you can't go back and get anymore.]]

* {{Cutscene}}: In the original edition, there are unskippable ones all over the place, which makes the prerequisite SaveScumming rather annoying. Later versions allow you to skip most of them.

* LuckBasedMission: Get ready to save every time you enter a new room in Mordack's castle, because there's a random chance that he'll just suddenly teleport in and force choke you to death.

* GuideDangIt: Plenty, but the chain of events leading up to the final showdown with Mordack is probably the worst. [[spoiler: You need to find your way to his library and look around at the numerous book until you find one in particular that will show you a few spells. That done, you need to figure out to wait in the library until you see Mordack teleport into his bedroom next door for a nap. You steal his wand (which glows, so that's not too bad), then you're supposed to head into his laboratory. There's a piece of equipment up on the second floor you'll have no reasonable way to know what it's for, but if you put Mordack's wand on one side and the worn-out magic wand you've been carrying for the whole game on the other, you can transfer power from Mordack's wand to yours. That is, ''if'' you can figure out that to turn the machine on, you have to throw a lump of moldy cheese into it. Where do you get moldy cheese? Well, you have to let yourself be caught by Mordack's guard monster and thrown in the dungeon, something you'd understandably try to avoid. Especially when you find out that escaping from the dungeon means making your way through the annoying maze you went through to get into the castle for a second time. Once you've been thrown in the dungeon, the only indication you'd get to where the cheese is a rat that scurries into a mousehole. Something you might easily pay no attention to, thinking it's just a bit of color the designers threw in. Having noticed and figured out you should pick up the moldy cheese, you find out you can't reach the cheese with your bare hands. Hope you noticed that tiny flash on an island that turned out to be the fish hook you need, that you can't go back and get anymore.]]

* GuideDangIt: Plenty, but the chain of events leading up to the final showdown with Mordack is probably the worst. [[spoiler: You need to find your way to his library and look around at the numerous book until you find one in particular that will show you a few spells. That done, you need to figure out to wait in the library until you see Mordack teleport into his bedroom next door for a nap. You steal his wand (which glows, so that's not too bad), then you're supposed to head into his laboratory. There's a piece of equipment up on the second floor you'll have no reasonable way to know what it's for, but if you put Mordack's wand on one side and the worn-out magic wand you've been carrying for the whole game on the other, you can transfer power from Mordack's wand to yours. That is, ''if'' you can figure out that to turn the machine on, you have to throw a lump of moldy cheese into it. Where do you get moldy cheese? Well, you have to let yourself be caught by Mordack's guard monster and thrown in the dungeon, something you'd understandably try to avoid. Especially when you find out that escaping from the dungeon means making your way through the annoying maze you went through to get into the castle for a second time. Once you've been thrown in the dungeon, the only indication you'd get to where the cheese is a rat that scurries into a mousehole. Something you might easily pay no attention to, thinking it's just a bit of color the designers threw in.]]