Sierra On-Line Games History: The Golden Age 1988-1993

Sierra produced many memorable games, many of which are incredibly hard to find collector's items. This article covers the formative years of 1988 to 1993, when Sierra's adventure games dominated the market.

(This article is a continuation of the History of Sierra series presented by magisterrex.  To read them in sequence, return to the article index found on the magisterrex.com home page.)

	Gold Rush (1988, Sierra On-Line).  A highly desirable collectible game, by Doug and Ken MacNeill.  Released for the Apple II, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and IBM PC platforms.  Packaged in the classic two-piece gold box with slipcover, and one of the last Sierra games to use the AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter) interface.
	King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella (1988, Sierra On-Line). By Roberta Williams, with music by William Goldstein.  Two versions were produced, the AGI version (low resolution) and the SCI version (high resolution).  Sierra management assumed that because of the increased system requirements, few would purchase the SCI version, but found the opposite to be true.  A lesson learned that gamers were always upgrading their computers, and the AGI version was quickly discontinued.  (Note: the sticker on the AGI version has no mention of a sound card and calls for only 256K memory.)  The SCI version was another Sierra first: the first game to support a stereo sound card!
	Manhunter: New York (1988, Sierra On-Line).  A post-apocalyptic adventure by Dave Murry, Barry Murry and Dee Dee Murry.  Released for the Apple II, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, and IBM PC computing platforms.  Noted for gory visuals and a unique AGI interface that did not use a text parser, but rather a first-person perspective (that performed poorly).
	Police Quest II: The Vengeance (1988, Sierra On-Line) Jim Wall's follow-up police adventure.  Released for the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and IBM PC computer platforms.  This game used the SCI interface, and focused more on forensics to solve puzzles.
	Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking For Love (in Several Wrong Places): Leisure Suit Larry 2 (1988, Sierra On-Line).  Possibly the longest title ever for a Sierra game.  Another Al Lowe masterpiece released on the Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and IBM PC computer platforms.  Not as sexy as the first, as Larry tends to get killed if he tries to pick up random women in the game.
	Silpheed (1988, Sierra On-Line).  A classic arcade shooter imported by Sierra from Japan's Game Arts Company, Ltd. which used real-time 3-D graphics.  Released for the Apple II, Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, and IBM PC computer platforms.
	Hero's Quest (1989, Sierra On-Line).  The first adventure/RPG hybrid Lori Ann Cole.  The title was later changed in 1990 to Quest For Glory: So You Want To Be A Hero to avoid copyright problems with Milton Bradley's Hero Quest board game.  Released for the IBM PC, Commodore Amiga, and IBM PC computing platforms.  An upgraded VGA graphics version was released in 1992.
	The Colonel's Bequest (1989, Sierra On-Line).  A tightly woven mystery by Roberta Williams.  Released for the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and IBM PC computer platforms.  Unusual for its genre in that it has a character driven plot, and the lead character (Laura Bow) needs to discover motivations rather than solve random puzzles.  In fact solving all or any of the game puzzles are not necessary or reaching the ending of the game.
	Manhunter 2: San Francisco (1989, Sierra On-Line).  By Dave Murry, Barry Murry, Dee Dee Murry, and Barbara Ward.  This game used the AGI interface, so looked rather ugly next to Sierra's newer SCI games.  As a result, it sold poorly.
	Codename: Iceman (1989, Sierra On-Line).  An extremely underrated spy thriller by Jim Walls.  Sold in the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and IBM PC format.  Originally designed to be the first part of a series, poor sales ensured that this was the only Johnny Westland (lead character) adventure.
	Conquests of Camelot: The Search For The Grail (1989, Sierra On-Line).  A King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table SCI game by Christy Marx and Peter Ledger.  Sold in the Commodore Amiga and IBM PC format.  Famed for its wealth of historical detail and its religious focus (on both Paganism and Christianity).  The ending is also notable in that everything is not neatly tied together and the heroes do not live happily ever after.
	Leisure Suit Larry 3: Passionate Patti In Pursuit Of The Pulsating Pectorals (1989, Sierra On-Line).  Another classic from Al Lowe, with help from Carlos Escobar.  This game marked a return to a more adult theme for the series, and included an adult verifier program.  It's release was another Sierra first: being able to switch roles to see the action from another point of view.  Released for the Commodore Amiga and  IBM PC computer platforms.
	Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon (1989, Sierra On-Line).  This game by Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy won Best Adventure Game of the Year, and is thought to be the funniest of the series.  It is also one of the first games to support the Sound Blaster sound card.  Released for the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Macintosh, and IBM PC computer platforms.
	Hoyle Official Book of Games, Volume 1 (1989, Sierra On-Line).  Programmed by Warren Schwader and David Slayback.  The first Sierra game to use the Hoyle brand.  It featured six games: Crazy Eights, Cribbage, Gin Rummy, Hearts, Klondike, and Old Maid.  Part of the fun was that you could play against some of Sierra's own characters, such as King Graham, Leisure Suit Larry, Roger Wilco, Officer Sonny Bonds, and Princess Rosella, and more.
	David Wolf, Secret Agent (1989, Dynamix).  Although not originally released as a Sierra On-Line title, the acquisition of Dynamix by Sierra in 1990 led to the marketing of this game by Sierra.  However, it has been voted as one of the worst games of all time due to its movie script-like gameplay.  Released in IBM PC format.
	Hoyle Official Book of Games, Volume 2: Solitaire (1990, Sierra On-Line). Twenty-eight solitaire games, which include: Calculation, Strategy, Eagle Wing, Beleaguered Castle, Klondike, Canfield, Golf, Flower Garden, Scorpion, Spiderette, La Belle Lucie, Fortress, Baker's Dozen, Bristol, Eight Off, Shamrocks, Yukon, Eliminator, Slide, Bowling, Nestor, Aces Up, Gaps, Penguin, Pyramid, Triplets, and Poker Square.  As this is a single-player game, no Sierra characters show up to play.
	King's Quest V: Absence Makes The Heart Go Yonder (1990, Sierra On-Line). By Roberta Williams, and released for the IBM PC, Macintosh, Commodore Amiga, and the NES (by Konomi).  Another Sierra first: the first Sierra game to be released in 256-Color graphics.  This game was the biggest seller of its day; a HUGE money-maker for Sierra.
	King's Quest V: Absence Makes The Heart Go Yonder (1990, Sierra On-Line). The 16-Color version of the game.  Excepting its graphics, everything else is the same.
	Oil's Well (1990, Sierra On-Line).  A remake of the 1983 Thomas K. Mitchell arcade game by William Reider, this time with VGA graphics.
	Sorcerian (1990, Sierra On-Line).  A RPG side-scroller from Japan's Nihon Falcom, Sorcerian is the fifth in the Dragon Slayer series of games.  Released only for the IBM PC platform by Sierra.
	Quest For Glory II: Trial By Fire (1990, Sierra On-Line).  The second RPG/Adventure game hybrid from Lori Ann Cole and Corey Cole.  Released for the Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, and IBM PC computer platforms.
	Police Quest 3: The Kindred (1990, Sierra On-Line).  The final Police Quest game by Jim Walls, featuring music composed by Jan Hammer (of Miami Vice fame).  Released for the IBM PC in 1990 and the Commodore Amiga in 1991.
	Rise of the Dragon (1990, Dynamix, A Sierra Company).  A cyberpunk thriller by Jeff Tunnell.  Released for the Commodore Amiga, Macintosh, and IBM PC.  There were two versions released for the IBM PC, a 16-Color and a 256-Color version.
	Thexder II: Firehawk (1990, Sierra On-Line).  Another classic arcade release from Game Arts, this arcade game was a smash hit in both Japan and the USA.  For IBM PC only!
	Mixed-Up Mother Goose (1990, Sierra On-Line).  A remake of the 1987 original, this time with 256-Color graphics.  Still by Roberta Williams.  Released for the IBM PC and Commodore Amiga.
	A-10 Tank Killer (1990, Dynamix, A Sierra Company).  Originally released by Dynamix when they were an independent company, Sierra repackaged the game and sold it under their Dynamix, A Sierra Company label for the IBM PC and Commodore Amiga computer platforms.
	Red Baron (1990, Dynamix. A Sierra Company).  Damon Slye, Design; Paul Bowman, Lead Programmer.  Released for the IBM PC, Commodore Amiga and Macintosh computer platforms.  A classic WWI aircraft simulator, and one which still stays on many people's Best Games of All Time lists.
	Stellar 7 (1990, Dynamix. A Sierra Company).  An updated version of the 1982 arcade game, released for the IBM PC, Commodore Amiga, and Macintosh computer platforms.
	Zeliard (1990, Sierra On-Line).  Another RPG console-style Game Arts import from Japan.  Still very popular, though never upgraded.  IBM PC only in North America.
	Jones in the Fast Lane (1991, Dynamix).  A highly sought-after simulation of keeping up with the Jones'.

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