King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

There are some video games that, when played as a child, will capture your imagination and hold it forever. The adventures of Prince Alexander of Daventry in the Land of the Green Isles is exactly one of those games.

For a basic game summary, the King's Quest VI storyline sees King Graham take a back seat in adventuring to son Alexander, who, in his longing for a young maiden seen in the magic mirror, sets off on a quest to find the young lady. Alexander's travels take him to a chain of exotic, yet politically turmoiled, islands from which the search for fair Cassima takes many exciting twists.

In terms of controls, this game takes the same form as KQ5, that being point and click. Think of it as "Myst Lite" from a third-person perspective. As Alexander, you basically go around solving "simple" (or not so simple!) logic puzzles, except (unlike Myst) the puzzles are based not on mechanical devices but on crazy cartoon characters and exotic locals. You'll find yourself, in this game alone, meeting a bookworm, participating in an honest to goodness fairytale, scaling a cliff, and entering the underworld, among other places.

What makes this game the best of the entire KQ series, though, is the cleaning out of bugs and great storyline. From the very beginning, you (the player) are drawn into Alexander's moreso than any King Graham adventure. The voice acting is superb, the characters are all interesting, and the plot unfolds in a way that keeps you involved yet challenged to find "the next thing". Also, no more "Heap Space" error, or missing something in the very beginning that cuts you down in the end. By and large, this game won't let you move on to the next adventure until you have all the required supplies/experience. It isn't perfect, but it isn't nearly as infuriating as its predecessors could be in that area.

Overall, the simple fact is that King's Quest 6 remains one of the most purely entertaining video games I have ever played. I have probably played the game through at least 4-5 times all the way through (introducing various family/friends to Alexander and his magic map!) and it never gets old. The perfect blend of drama, action, adventure, puzzling, and just pure wholesome fun!

This game is one of the treasures of my childhood. I grew up playing KQ4-7, (They're how I got so good at spelling! What other 5-year-olds could spell "Go Under Bridge"?) and this one is my favorite. It is hilarious, creative, and contains a wonderful fantasy world. The puzzles are tests of lateral-thinking, and the landscape is rife with puns. The characters are memorable, and the storyline is engaging. My favorite part was the Dangling Participle, found on the Isle of the Beast. I also loved to play the labyrinth over and over again, and would imagine myself stalking and being stalked by the minotaur. What more could anyone want?

I have played a lot of kings quest games and this is the only one i liked. It has challenging puzzles and good graphics. It is hard but worth it. It is not as good as the Quest for Glory games or the leisure suit larry games, which are also made by Sierra. However it is well worth getting.

I love the King's Quest series. It is the greatest adventure game series ever made. Probably the most popular in the series is KQ6, which features the voice of Robbie Benson as Prince Alexander(aka Gwydion from KQ3). The plot is very reminiscent of KQ2--seeing the Girl in the Tower in the magic mirror, the pawn shop, the genies, etc.--but it is still an excellent game in itself. There are many different ways to beat the game, and you can play it several times without it getting old.

Yes, I think this was probably the best King's Quest ever. It's certainly my favorite. I've played them all, but none were quite like KQ6. For one thing, Alexander is probably the most compelling character a game could have. Of all the quests, his is the most compelling, exciting, and even touching.

Aside from that, the interface is convenient, the gameplay is smooth, and the puzzles are challenging, but they're possible. And for once, not having to be constantly on the lookout for enemies to hack apart is kind of a relief. So go play King's Quest, you'll be better for it.