Shadowgate (NES)

Shadowgate is a creepy first-person adventure game with many clever puzzles, and loads and loads of fun ways to kill yourself.

Sub-Page#

Prototype Info

Message Debug#

To do:
There are a lot of unused messages!

Shadowgate_(NES)-msg_debug.png

Use Game Genie codes SINZYXGY + KZNXAZXZ to replace the regular in-game controls with an unused message debug routine.

Up / Down - Changes the lower digit of the message index.
Left / Right Changes the higher digit.
Select, Start, B - Changes the library index to 0, 1 and 2 respectively.
A - Display selected message.

Bugged Messages#

Message ID	Message	Trigger
Cramped Hallway
029	It's a stone wall.	LOOK at odd white stone in the wall.
02A	This stone seems to be set loosely in the mortar.	LOOK at stone wall.

Unused Messages#

Messages from the message debug function are fairly organized into distinct groups, though some strings are out of order/grouping.

Message ID	Message
Entrance
005	You can't take it. It appears to be attached to the wall!
00D	Uh oh! The flame from the torch is dying out!
011	The flame from the torch has died out.
012	"Oh no!" You cry, "My torch has died out! If only I had lit another!"
013	Without light, you stumble in the darkness.
014	The darkness reminds you of the starless skies during the dark ages.
Cramped Hallway
02B	You can hear the sound of wind. You wonder if something could be under the floor.
031	It's too dark to see.
032	It's a removable stone.
Shark Lake
044	It looks like a shark's fin in the lake.
Dragon Room
07E	What secrets would this skull tell you if it could talk?
Arrow Chamber
087	Looking closely, you can see a crack in this stone wall.
08B	Suddenly, you feel quite weightless! You fear that even a small breeze will send you flying!
Chasm
092	The cave is pitch-black.
Wraith Room
096	It's a small hole in the ceiling. (Same message as "0B1:It's a small hole in the ceiling." Among EPOR room messages, unsure which gets used.)
EPOR Room
0A1	It seems that this part of the wall doesn't quite fit.
Lakmir Room
0BB	Cracks and chips adorn this stone wall.
Mirror Room
0C3	The bridge won't hold you. You can't cross unless you lose some weight!
0C6	It's a small hole in the floor. (You would think this would be the hole to EPOR but you just get "059:It is very dark.")
Charnel (Tomb, Coffin) Room
0D2	The slime climbed up your finger when you touched it! You quickly fling it away from you. (Tested with the Silver Gauntlet equipped and did not get this message)
0D5	The coffin is still open.
0D8	The lid is much too heavy to move.
Troll Bridge
110	Threatening you with his spear, the Troll asks for the bridge toll.
112	The Troll becomes both angry and frustrated when he can no longer see you.
113	You can see your hands and feet again. The spell must have worn off.
115	The Troll must have somehow overcome my magic spell.
Courtyard
118	This shield is far too heavy for even a great warrior to lift.
119	It's a crudely-made club some eight feet long.
Shadowgate Hall
12B	The stone is already inside.
Library
134	You can see a room beyond the passage!
146	The flame died out.
Fireplace Room
154	Flames quickly flare up.
15A	This Elven floor covering is identifiable by the fine stitchwork and intricate patterns.
Laboratory
172	Stairs descend into a well-lit tunnel.
Garden
18C	You knock on the tree. It seems like there is a hollow area inside.
193	The torch is already lit.
195	The flames seem supernaturally hot!
Banquet Hall
1A7	It can't be opened any farther.
1A8	It doesn't seem to be closed.
1A9	The surface is marred by the claw marks of some beast.
1AD	The rug is wet and won't burn.
1B1	You must be a little crazy to be talking to such a thing.
Observatory
1D0	The flames form(SIC) this torch are quite mysterious.
1D1	The star map slides down revealing a niche in the wall behind it. You can see a shiny rod.
1D2	The star map slides back to its original position, hiding the niche.
1D3	You move the star map. (The last three messages were replaced with the dynamic messages at 283 and maybe 284)
Passageway (with two arches)
1F7	It's a finely carved doorway.
1F8	It's pitch black over there. You can't see a thing!
Balcony
1FC	The small hole in the center is perfectly round.
Warlock Lord's Cavern
272	You know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that this cavern is the focal point of your destiny.
276	The earth seems to split in two as a darkness begins to appear!
Action Messages (Dynamic variable defaults to ).
285	The is touched.
28B	The string was untied.
297	The shape of is carved in pillar
298	FOOL! You think I don't know the answer to the riddle? The correct answer is . Even if you tried for a hundred years,you never could foll(SIC) me! You're an ignoramus! Ha, ha, ha. Try again when you become more learned.
29E	Suddenly! The room begins to fade! It seems that the Sphinx's magic has taken you to Troll Bridge. (Superseded by 292:Suddenly! The room begins to fade! It seems that the Sphinx's magic has taken you to .)
29F	Suddenly! The room begins to fade! It seems that the Sphinx's magic has taken you to Troll Bridge. (Superseded by 292)
2A0	Suddenly! The room begins to fade! It seems that the Sphinx's magic has taken you to Troll Bridge. (Superseded by 292)
2A1	Suddenly! The room begins to fade! It seems that the Sphinx's magic has taken you to the room with a fireplace. (Superseded by 292)

Unused Music#

Track #13 in the NSF is unused. A theory was that it may have been planned for the excised Goblin Room from the PC versions of Shadowgate; this was confirmed when Zojoi (the developers of the 2014 remake of the game) released a set of ringtones based on the NES soundtrack, and included this song, named "Goblin Room".

(Source: Zophar.net, Flying Omelette)

Regional Differences#

Japan	International

The cursor was changed from an armored glove to a skeleton hand for the international releases. Additionally, the cursor moves much faster in the international versions.

v · t · e The MacVenture series
Mac OS Classic	Deja Vu • Uninvited • Shadowgate
NES	Deja Vu (Prototypes) • Shadowgate (Prototype) • Uninvited
Game Boy Color	Shadowgate Classic • Deja Vu I & II: The Casebooks of Ace Harding
Windows	8-bit Adventure Anthology: Volume 1

v · t · e The Shadowgate series
Mac OS Classic	Shadowgate
NES	Shadowgate (Prototype)
TurboGrafx CD	Beyond Shadowgate
Game Boy Color	Shadowgate Classic
Nintendo 64	Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers
Windows	8-bit Adventure Anthology: Volume 1