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King’s Quest Series

Last updated: January 12, 2026

Overview

The King’s Quest series stands as one of the most influential franchises in video game history, pioneering the graphic adventure genre and establishing Sierra On-Line as the preeminent adventure game developer of the 1980s and 1990s.1 Created by Roberta Williams in 1984, the series introduced players to the fairy tale kingdom of Daventry and its royal family across eight mainline entries, one VGA remake, and a 2015 episodic reboot.2

The original King’s Quest was revolutionary for its time—the first adventure game to feature animated characters moving through a graphical world, developed as a showcase for IBM’s PCjr computer.3 This technical innovation, combined with Roberta Williams’ gift for fairy tale storytelling, created a template that would define adventure gaming for over a decade.

Series Timeline

YearTitleEngineProtagonist
1984King’s Quest: Quest for the CrownAGIKing Graham
1985King’s Quest II: Romancing the ThroneAGIKing Graham
1986King’s Quest III: To Heir Is HumanAGIGwydion/Alexander
1988King’s Quest IV: The Perils of RosellaAGI/SCIPrincess Rosella
1990King’s Quest I SCI RemakeSCIKing Graham
1990King’s Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go YonderSCI1King Graham
1992King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone TomorrowSCI1.1Prince Alexander
1994King’s Quest VII: The Princeless BrideSCI32Rosella & Valanice
1998King’s Quest: Mask of EternityCustom 3DConnor
2015King’s Quest (Reboot)UnityKing Graham

Themes and Setting

The Kingdom of Daventry

Daventry serves as the central setting for the series, a fairy tale kingdom where magic is real and classic folklore comes to life. The world draws heavily from European fairy tales, Greek mythology, and classic literature, creating a tapestry of familiar stories woven into original adventures.

Key locations across the series include:

  • Daventry - The home kingdom, threatened in various games
  • Kolyma - Setting of KQ2, home of Count Dracula
  • Llewdor - The land of the wizard Manannan in KQ3
  • Tamir - A fairy-haunted land in KQ4
  • Serenia - Desert and forest realms in KQ5
  • The Land of the Green Isles - An archipelago in KQ6
  • Eldritch - A troll-infested realm in KQ7
  • The Realm of the Sun - Connor’s quest in KQ8

The Royal Family

The series follows multiple generations of Daventry’s royal family:

  • King Graham - The protagonist of KQ1, KQ2, KQ5, and the 2015 reboot. Started as Sir Graham, a knight who won the crown.
  • Queen Valanice - Graham’s wife, rescued in KQ2, playable in KQ7
  • Prince Alexander - Twin son, kidnapped as a baby, protagonist of KQ3 and KQ6
  • Princess Rosella - Twin daughter, protagonist of KQ4 and co-protagonist of KQ7
  • Connor - An unrelated knight protagonist in KQ8

Technical Evolution

The King’s Quest series showcased Sierra’s technological advancement across three generations of game engines:

AGI Era (1984-1988)

The Adventure Game Interpreter powered KQ1-KQ4, featuring:

  • 160x200 resolution with 16 colors
  • Text parser interface (“look tree”, “get sword”)
  • Animated sprites over static backgrounds
  • Real-time movement with arrow keys

SCI Era (1990-1994)

The Sierra Creative Interpreter brought major improvements:

  • 320x200 resolution with 256 colors
  • Point-and-click interface (KQ5 onward)
  • Digital sound and voice acting
  • Hand-painted backgrounds

3D Era (1998-2015)

  • KQ8 introduced real-time 3D graphics and action-RPG combat
  • The 2015 reboot used Unity for a cinematic, episodic approach

Critical Reception

King’s Quest consistently received strong reviews throughout its run:

GameNotable Reception
KQ1Pioneering title, established Sierra’s reputation
KQ4First major game with female protagonist4
KQ5Best-selling Sierra game of its era5
KQ6Often considered the series’ peak, praised for writing6
KQ7Divisive Disney-style animation
KQ8Controversial 3D action shift
KQ 2015Well-received return to adventure roots

Legacy

Industry Impact

  • Established the graphic adventure genre7
  • Pioneered animated characters in adventure games3
  • Demonstrated viable female protagonists (KQ4, 1988)4
  • Influenced countless adventure games and developers

Fan Community

The series maintains an active fan community decades after the original games:

  • AGDI created acclaimed fan remakes of KQ1-38
  • The Silver Lining - Fan sequel that became semi-official9
  • King’s Quest Omnipedia - Comprehensive fan wiki
  • Active speedrunning and preservation communities

Merchandise and Adaptations

  • Novelizations of several games
  • Hint books and strategy guides
  • The 2015 reboot introduced the series to new audiences

Playing Today

Digital Availability

  • GOG.com - KQ1-7 collection, KQ8 standalone
  • Steam - KQ 2015 complete collection
  • ScummVM - Supports all AGI and SCI entries

Fan Remakes

  • King’s Quest I VGA (AGDI, 2001)
  • King’s Quest II: Romancing the Stones (AGDI, 2002)
  • King’s Quest III Redux (AGDI, 2011)

See Also

References

Footnotes

  1. MobyGames - King’s Quest Series – Series database and credits ↩

  2. Wikipedia - King’s Quest – Series overview and history ↩

  3. The Digital Antiquarian - King’s Quest – IBM PCjr development history ↩ ↩2

  4. MobyGames - King’s Quest IV – First major female protagonist claim ↩ ↩2

  5. Wikipedia - King’s Quest V – Commercial success and sales data ↩

  6. Adventure Gamers - King’s Quest VI Review – Critical acclaim and series peak assessment ↩

  7. Ars Technica - History of Graphic Adventures – Genre pioneering analysis ↩

  8. AGD Interactive – Official AGDI remake information ↩

  9. Phoenix Online Studios - The Silver Lining – Fan sequel project history ↩

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