Akalabeth
From Editable Codex
Akalabeth is the unofficial "Ultima 0", created by Richard Garriott in 1979 and released commercially in 1980 for the Apple II. Akalabeth was actually a free-time project and Garriott only got the idea to sell it after it was finished. Later, the California Pacific Computer Company brought the rights from him, and published it.
The game is incredibly primitive when compared to today's standards. The gameplay consists of slaying monsters and buying equipment, and the game has only black and white graphics and no sound. (A PC remake of the game features midi music and a limited amount of color.)
[edit] Story
The series was later retconned so that Mondain attacks Sosaria for the first time in this game, but the player's efforts deflect his attack, making him frustrated and finally leading to the events of Ultima I.
[edit] Trivia
- California Pacific sold thousands of copies of the game. This was a good deal for Garriott, who received $5 for each game sold.
- Akalabeth was Garriott's 28th game, but only the first one sold commercially.
- In the Ultima Collection, a PC version is included, complete with some MIDI music and some color added to the graphics.
- Because it is set in Sosaria prior to Ultima I, Akalabeth has often been referred to as "Ultima 0" by fans. The PC remake included this name on the title screen, making it an official alternate name for the game.
