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Space Quest Series

Last updated: January 12, 2026

Overview

The Space Quest series is Sierra On-Line’s beloved science fiction comedy adventure franchise, created by Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy—collectively known as the “Two Guys from Andromeda.”1 Spanning seven games from 1986 to 1995, the series follows the misadventures of Roger Wilco, a hapless janitor who repeatedly stumbles into saving the galaxy despite his best efforts to avoid responsibility.2

Distinguished by its satirical humor, pop culture parodies, and willingness to kill players in creative and often hilarious ways, Space Quest carved out a unique niche in the adventure game landscape.3 Where King’s Quest embraced fairy tale sincerity, Space Quest gleefully mocked science fiction tropes while crafting genuinely engaging adventures.

Series Timeline

YearTitleEngineNotes
1986Space Quest: The Sarien EncounterAGISeries debut
1987Space Quest II: Vohaul’s RevengeAGIIntroduces Sludge Vohaul
1989Space Quest III: The Pirates of PestulonSCI0Meta-humor, rescues Two Guys
1991Space Quest I VGASCI1VGA remake of original
1991Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time RippersSCI1Time travel storyline
1993Space Quest V: The Next MutationSCI1.1Star Trek parody
1995Space Quest VI: Roger Wilco in the Spinal FrontierSCI32Final official entry

The Two Guys from Andromeda

Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy created Space Quest while working at Sierra, developing the series’ distinctive voice through collaborative writing and design.4 Their comedic sensibilities complemented each other—Crowe focused on art and visual gags while Murphy handled programming and wordplay.

The duo maintained creative control through Space Quest III, where they literally inserted themselves into the game as captive programmers Roger must rescue from the evil ScumSoft corporation (a parody of software publishers).5 After SQ3, the Two Guys worked separately:

  • Space Quest IV - Both credited, but developed with tension
  • Space Quest V - Mark Crowe solo (Murphy busy with other projects)
  • Space Quest VI - Josh Mandel stepped in to co-design with Murphy

Themes and Humor

Parody and Satire

Space Quest ruthlessly parodies science fiction franchises and pop culture:

  • Star Wars - The Sarien storyline echoes Death Star tropes
  • Star Trek - SQ5 is an extended Next Generation parody
  • Alien - Face huggers and xenomorph references throughout
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey - HAL parodies and monolith jokes
  • Terminator - Time travel mechanics in SQ4

Self-Referential Humor

The series pioneered meta-humor in games:

  • SQ3’s rescue of the Two Guys from ScumSoft
  • SQ4’s time travel to “Space Quest XII: Vohaul’s Revenge II”
  • Constant fourth-wall breaking narrator commentary
  • In-game references to Sierra and other Sierra games

Death as Comedy

Space Quest is infamous for creative player deaths:

  • Eaten by Orat monsters
  • Dissolved in acid
  • Sucked into space
  • Crushed, vaporized, and otherwise eliminated
  • Each death accompanied by sarcastic narrator commentary

Roger Wilco

The series’ protagonist is the antithesis of the traditional hero:

  • Profession: Janitor (Second Class, later promoted)
  • Skills: Mop operation, hiding in closets, surviving by accident
  • Personality: Lazy, cowardly, but ultimately good-hearted
  • Nemesis: Sludge Vohaul, an evil scientist with a personal vendetta

Roger’s everyman quality made him relatable—he succeeds not through skill or bravery but through persistence and dumb luck, resonating with players who saw themselves in his reluctant heroism.

Technical Evolution

AGI Era (1986-1987)

  • Text parser interface
  • 16-color graphics
  • PC speaker sound
  • SQ1 and SQ2

SCI Era (1989-1995)

  • Point-and-click interface (SQ4 onward)
  • 256-color VGA graphics
  • Sound card support and voice acting
  • SQ3 through SQ6

Critical Reception

GameNotable Reception
SQ1Praised for humor, established formula
SQ2Expanded scope, memorable villain
SQ3Peak of AGI-era Sierra comedy
SQ4Innovative time travel, voice acting debut
SQ5Strong Star Trek parody, fan favorite
SQ6Mixed reception, seen as weaker finale

Cancelled Projects

Space Quest VII

Development began in the mid-1990s but was cancelled when Sierra shifted focus away from adventure games.6 Multiple concepts were explored, including a prequel and direct sequel.

SpaceVenture

Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy reunited for a Kickstarter-funded spiritual successor, though development faced significant delays.7

Legacy

Fan Community

  • SpaceQuest.net - Premier fan site with extensive resources8
  • Virtual Broomcloset - Fan fiction and community
  • Active speedrunning scene
  • Fan games including “Space Quest: Incinerations” and “Vohaul Strikes Back”9

Cultural Impact

  • Demonstrated viable comedy in adventure games
  • Influenced later sci-fi comedies in gaming
  • Roger Wilco became an iconic Sierra mascot
  • “Two Guys from Andromeda” branding became legendary

Playing Today

Digital Availability

  • GOG.com - Space Quest 1-6 collection
  • Steam - Available through various collections
  • ScummVM - Full support for all entries

Fan Remakes

  • Space Quest I VGA by Sierra (1991) - Official remake
  • Space Quest II VGA (Infamous Adventures) - Fan remake

See Also

References

Footnotes

  1. MobyGames - Space Quest Series – Series credits and “Two Guys from Andromeda” branding ↩

  2. Wikipedia - Space Quest – Series overview and Roger Wilco character ↩

  3. SpaceQuest.net - Death List – Documentation of creative player deaths ↩

  4. The Digital Antiquarian - Space Quest – Two Guys collaboration history ↩

  5. MobyGames - Space Quest III – ScumSoft meta-narrative documentation ↩

  6. SpaceQuest.net - Space Quest 7 – Cancelled sequel history ↩

  7. Kickstarter - SpaceVenture – Spiritual successor campaign ↩

  8. SpaceQuest.net – Premier fan community site ↩

  9. Space Quest: Incinerations – Fan game project ↩

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