Rules
Timer starts as soon as Graham takes his first action. Timer stops after transmission between Maingate and inner castle and, of course, as long as you have all 3 quest items in your inventory.
Shortcuts
I will use some shortcuts for this guide to highlight certain actions during the run.
[Parser-Command] = Entering the key words
[#] = Advanced Strat/Tip
[+] = Deathtrap (Game Over)
Controls
King’s Quest is playable via mouse and key-board. You can move Graham by using the cursor keys or by clicking on the correspond-ing arrow keys to move from one location to another. It may depend on your current situation as to which of those controls you use. It is usually recommended that you use the arrow keys if you just want to move from screen to screen. However, if you want to climb up the magic beanstalk using the mouse – well that is your choice. If you press the space bar the parser opens, your last input will be saved for re-use. If you want to clear the parser just press STRG+C or use backspace, but this will cost you valuable seconds in the long run. Sometimes it is smarter not to delete the last command in the parser, as there are certain situations where you can re-use some of those commands.
I will give you an example:
1. Pick up the knife under the rock [Get Knife]
2. Go to the pond and pick up the pebbles [Get Stone]
If you open the parser on the pond, the last command [Get Knife] is still available. Now you can just write [Get Knife Stone], so you just add the word Stone to the previous command and Graham will pick up the pebbles because the keywords
Get and Stone are present.
This is called chain command and can come in handy from time to time.
Dialogues in King’s Quest are automated so you don’t choose your lines as you have no control over what Graham will say. All the dialogues can be skipped by pressing the Enter Key.
Pretty sure you already guessed that – so you can skip every dialogue in the game.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Arrows-Keys Move To (N, E, S, W)
Enter Skip Dialogue
STRG+C
Deletes Parser Input
Space Open Parser
F6 Jump
F4 Crouch
STRG+I Open Inventory
STRG+S Adjust Game speed
Before you start
The timer will only start if Graham starts moving, so with that in mind you have enough time to adjust the game speed.
Press STRG+S and change the current value from “5” to “1” – now you are playing with max speed.
The Magic Mirror
1. From the first screen in front of the castle go to the West.
[#] The more stuff has to be animated by the game engine, the slower the game runs. So before you start moving to the West, wait until the serpents are offscreen/submerged and then start walking.
[+] Watch out you don’t fall in the water, or you will be eaten by the serpents.
2. Cross the bridge to the West.
3. Move behind the large rock and take a look at what is hidden underneath it [Push Rock].
[+] Don’t push the rock while standing in front of it, or you will be crushed to bits.
4. Take the now visible knife [Get Knife].
5. Now go West to the Pond.
6. Walk over to the pebbles and pick one up [Get Stone Knife].
[#] Here you chain command and re-use parts of the previous command to complete this action. So don’t delete the parser, just add Stone to it and press Enter.
7. Go back to the East.
8. Now head North.
9. Move Graham in front of the big tree and climb up [Climb].
10. Watch your step and walk carefully to the bird’s nest.
[+] Surprisingly you won’t die if you fall off the tree, just climb up again.
11. At the bird’s nest you have to steal an egg [Get Egg].
12. Now you fall from the tree on purpose.
13. After recovering from the fall you go North.
14. Next screen you go North again.
15. Get one of the nuts lying on the ground [Get Nut].
16. You immediately open the nut [Open Nut].
[#] The nut can be opened anytime in the game, its just recommended to do it right away – so you won’t forget to.
17. Back to the South.
18. Now you go West.
19. Let’s go to the West again.
20. On this scary screen walk to the South.
21. Finally you find the Well, walk to it and climb into the Pail [Get Into Pail]
[+] If you just jump down the Well you will drown.
[+] Also lowering the Pail and climbing down the rope will result in your death.
22. While sitting in the pail you cut the rope [Cut Rope].
23. You fall into the Water, but before sub-merging you grab the pail [Get Pail].
24. Next stop: Underwater [Dive].
[+] Don’t take too long or you will drown
25. Your next task is to swim to the exit, while navigating through the water you fill your trustworthy pail with water [Fill It].
26. As soon as you breathe fresh air again, you need to get out of the water [Get Out].
27. So, now you enter the lair of the Dragon who is guarding the magic Mirror. To win this fight you have to use your best weapon the Pail [Toss Water].
[+] If you get too close to the Dragon you will, of course, die.
28. After the Dragon has vanished go to the Mirror and take it [Get Mirror].
29. To get out of there go to the West.
30. The exit is in the West, to get there just navigate through the stalagmites – it’s not that hard.
The Magic Chest
1. Outside the Lair you go West.
2. On the next screen you take a clover located in the left handed corner [Get Clover].
3. Now go North.
4. To get past the bridge give your precious nut to the “man” [Give Nut To Man].
5. Then continue North.
6. At the gnome’s house say the magic words [NIKSTLITSELPMUR].
7. If you got it right you will receive a magic bean.
8. Then go back to the South.
9. You need to cross the bridge to the South.
10. On the next screen you plant the bean in the soil [plant bean].11. After the astonishing animation you climb up [Climb].
[#] Climbing the bean can be very tricky. I recommend you make a save file before attempting it, so you can practice this part.
[+] One misclick and you’re in Game Over territory!
11. Up in the sky you go 4 times to the East.
[+] Watch your step, the clouds aren’t made of solid ground!
12. Walk Graham over to the tree and pick up the sling [Get Sling].
13. Next stop is the giant’s cave, so you go North.
14. From here you go West.
15. As soon as you spot the Giant you must brutally murder him with your Sling [Shoot Giant].
[+] Don’t let the giant catch you, as it won’t be fun.
16. Get your hands on the chest of the giant [Get Chest].
17. Now return to the bean, move 3 times to the West.
18. Climb back down the bean [Climb].
[#] You still have to be very careful while climbing down, it’s better to lose a few seconds, instead of the whole run.
[+] Of course you are in constant danger.
The Magic Shield
1. After reaching the ground, without dying, go West.
2. Now it gets serious, be prepared to encounter one of the most diffcult sections of the run – the flight of the eagle!
3. You only have a very short time span to perform the jump, of course you can repeat it but you will never make up the time lost.
[#] Also this is another good spot to save the game – to practice the correct timing. If you have done OK on pace you can still achieve a decent run, so avoid getting angry, and ending up quitting if it isn’t successful on your first try.
4. After a short flight the Eagle will drop you on the ground, then go West.
5. At the river grab the mushroom [Get Mushroom].
6. Then go back East.
7. At the big hole jump/fall into it.
8. In the cave go South.
9. Now you visit the rat guard in the West.
10. To get past the rat you have to give him something valuable [Give Egg To Rat].
[+] If you give him something he doesn’t like, then you are … well … dead.
11. In the next room you get attacked by the gnome knights, luckily you have the clover in your possesion so you are safe to continue to the West.
12. Wait a few seconds and all the gnomes on the screen will disappear.
13. Go to the Shield and take it [Get Shield].
14. You are almost finished, go West.
15. Walk over to the small hole and eat the mushroom [Eat Mushroom].
16. Outside again you go as quick as possible to the castle two moves to the North.
17. Alright, now go 3 times to the East.
18. At the gate open it [Open Gate].
19. Wait for the transition to the next screen and stop the timer.
20. GG! Well done.Last but not least I have to thank ChuckGRody, plank and davidtki who provided most of this guide
More about the game
Speedrun (Youtube)
Speedrun.com Leaderboard
Lemon Amiga
Hall of Light
Wikipedia
Universal Videogame List