Dark Castle

Dark Castle is a computer game released for the Macintosh in 1986, by Silicon Beach Software. It is a platform game where a young hero named Duncan tries to make his way to the evil Black Knight, dodging objects as well as solving occasional puzzles. The game is notable for its use of sampled sounds to great effect.

Movement within Dark Castle is typical for most platformers. Duncan can run, jump and duck, and can throw a limited supply of rocks at his enemies. More rocks can be found in little bags along the way, as well as bottles of an elixir that provides a one-time antidote to bites of the numerous rats and bats found around the castle.

To defeat the Black Knight, Duncan will need a magic shield and the power to hurl fireballs, both of which can fortunately be found within the Dark Castle. The game begins in the Great Hall, where the player can choose from four doors. The large center door leads to the Black Knight when his time has come. One other is marked with the shield and the remaining two mysteriously alternate between the fireball course and a more troubling path. The game can be played at three different skill levels, the hardest Advanced level containing more enemies and a few extra surprises.