History VideoGame / UltimaIII

* TimeTravel: In a different way from the previous two games. You are not the one who does it, but rather the "Time Lord" (no, not [[Series/DoctorWho that one)]] gives you instructions on how to use the Cards which are revealed to be [[spoiler:Punch Cards.]]

* WeaksauceWeakness: Villainous example: The [[TurnUndead Undead]] spell instantly kills the undead; and Dispel instantly kills orcs. (Both weaknesses no longer exist in later games, "Turn Undead" merely causes them to flee, and Orcs apparently stabilize.)

* ShoutOut: In the NES version, one of the NPCs in Lord British's castle will ask you if you are a descendant of [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link]].

* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: The whirlpool moves in real-time rather than being turn-based. In the PC version, it also increases to extreme speeds if played on a fast computer (unless emulated), and can destroy pirate ships before the player is aware of them, and therefore prevents players from entering the whirlpool. This isn't strictly unwinnable as there may be a ship that remains unscathed as it approaches the player, but becomes increasingly rare as PCs become faster.

''Ultima III'' is the first ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' that was published by Creator/OriginSystems. First released in 1983, finally quests and dungeons started fitting together better and with more explanation. The game style would later inspire games such as ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' and ''VideoGame/DragonQuest''.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: ''Exodus'' certain sounds scary. Never mind it's just a fancy way of saying "to leave."

* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: The whirlpool moves in real-time rather than being turn-based. In the PC version, it also increases to extreme speeds if played on a fast computer (unless emulated), and can destroy pirate ships before the player is aware of them.

* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: The "Exotic" Weapons and Armor are the only things that work in Exodus's Castle. But even they don't work against Exodus.

* EverythingTryingToKillYou: In Exodus' lair, ''floor panels'' actually attack you, as does the ''[[http://spoonyexperiment.com/2010/07/23/ultima-3-exodus-breaking-news/ grass]]'' outside! In his interview with Spoony, Richard Garriott explains that this was because he had run out of space on the disk by this point, and realized that turning the floor and grass tiles into enemies actually made for a very difficult, strategically demanding battle worthy of the story's endgame.

** You can drum up some quick, easy cash by creating new characters for the party with the express intent of selling all of their equipment. ''[[ButWaitTheresMore But that's not all!]]'' There's a place in a town where you can donate blood (reduction of hit points) and you get payment for it! So before you delete those naked characters you can sell almost all of their blood for cash!

* MoralDissonance: A minor case where you can steal chests from shops, but complaints about this inspired the next game's KarmaMeter.

* SpoonyBard: Who found any reason to play as an alchemist or illusionist? Any?

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Inverted. The original American version uses top-down tile-based sprites with no animation and realistically-proportioned characters, while the Japan-developed NES port of this game and ''VideoGame/UltimaIV'' used super-deformed {{Animesque}} artwork - in fact, this went on to inspire ''VideoGame/DragonQuest''.

* InfantImmortality: Averted in the NES version. Unlike modern video game logic where children can't be battled or have infinite HP, they have reduced HP and pitiful attack power.

* AWinnerIsYou: "Report Thy Victory!"

* SpoonyBard: Who found any reason to play as an alchemist or illusionist? Any? (These classes have dexterity as an advantage.)

* SpoonyBard: Who found any reason to play as an alchemist or illusionist? Any?

* DiscOneNuke: The most powerful weapons and armor in the ''entire game'' are available as soon as you get a ship; and you know [[spoiler: that you have to special command: dig on the tiny islands just off the coast.]] They're free.

* EverythingTryingToKillYou - In Exodus' lair, ''floor panels'' actually attack you, as does the ''[[http://spoonyexperiment.com/2010/07/23/ultima-3-exodus-breaking-news/ grass]]'' outside! In his interview with Spoony, Richard Garriott explains that this was because he had run out of space on the disk by this point, and realized that turning the floor and grass tiles into enemies actually made for a very difficult, strategically demanding battle worthy of the story's endgame.
* FissionMailed: Do ''not'' RageQuit when your boat gets sucked into the whirlpool and you get the GAME OVER text. [[spoiler: You survived and entered a new world.]]

* LevelScaling: In the NES version, the higher your level, the greater the monster variety. Since leveling is not automatic, you could conceivably stay low level and grind on monsters that can be killed by 0 MP spells while looting treasure that can't be trapped.

* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Exodus turns out to be [[spoiler: a computer that Mondain and Minax used to coordinate their power. Later games state that it's a demon/computer hybrid, and that the demon part "was elsewhere" when the Stranger crashed the server.]]

* SchizoTech: Not nearly as oddly mixed as the first two games, but it is revealed that Exodus is [[spoiler: a computer.]]
* SequenceBreaking: Normally, you need the mark of the snake (requires visiting a dungeon) and to learn a password to get past a snake. In the PC version, you can use the teleport spell for a small chance to teleport behind the great snake.

* TimeTravel: In a different way from the previous two games. You are not the one who does it, but rather the "Time Lord" (no, not [[Series/DoctorWho that one)]] gives you instructions on how to use the Cards which are revealed to be [[spoiler: Punch Cards]]
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: You can drum up some quick, easy cash by creating new characters for the party with the express intent of selling all of their equipment. ''[[ButWaitTheresMore But that's not all!]]'' There's a place in a town where you can donate blood (reduction of hit points) and you get payment for it! So before you delete those naked characters you can sell almost all of their blood for cash!

''Ultima III'' is the first ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' that was published by Origin. First released in 1983, finally quests and dungeons started fitting together better and with more explanation. The game style would later inspire games such as ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' and ''VideoGame/DragonQuest''.