So for early SCI1 releases, Sierra sold two separate packages: a 16-color (EGA) version and a 256-color (VGA) version. The EGA art was computer-drawn, but the VGA versions often used motion capture for animations, and scanned paintings for backgrounds.

Both releases were 320x200 res. Around 1992, when VGA became more commonplace, Sierra stopped making the effort of reproducing painted art in 16 colors. Instead, VGA versions of new games shipped with EGA drivers that rendered the 256-color art into a 640x400 16-color format.

The separate EGA releases of VGA games are rare in the US, and almost impossible to find anywhere else. To my knowledge, the games that had separate EGA and VGA packages were:

-King's Quest V
-Space Quest I remake
-Space Quest IV
-Police Quest III
-Leisure Suit Larry I remake
-Leisure Suit Larry V
-Heart of China
-Conquests of the Longbow
-Rise of the Dragon
-EcoQuest I
-Mixed-Up Fairy Tales
-and the non-adventures Castle of Dr. Brain, Jones in the Fast Lane, and Hoyle's Book of Games Vol. 3

Below are screenshots from King's Quest V in EGA and VGA. They serve as a good guideline for how these rare EGA versions looked as compared to the "normal" VGA releases.

Also check out a similar page covering the Space Quest I remake and Space Quest IV in EGA and VGA, as well as one concerning Conquests of the Longbow.

If some of the pictures fail to load, as happens sometimes, just refresh the page until they do.

EGA: the sparkling Sierra logo

VGA disk version.

EGA: title screen

VGA disk version: same thing.

EGA: King Graham's castle, about to be vanished into thin air by a mysterious figure in black

VGA disk version.

EGA: opening credits. Graham is just noticing a patch of flowers by the roadside.

VGA disk version: the flowers aren't visible here, oddly.

EGA: Graham finds his castle missing. How's that for a contradiction in terms?

VGA CD version.

EGA: Graham meets Cedric the owl

VGA CD. Cedric looks a lot more realistic in this shot than he does anywhere else...

EGA: Graham presses Cedric for information about what Mordack did to his castle and family

VGA disk version.

EGA: a close-up of Cedric.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Cedric and Graham, with the aid of fairy dust, fly to Crispin's house in Serenia

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham crash-lands on Crispin's doorstep due to faulty fairy dust

VGA CD.

EGA: the wizard Crispin finds Graham on his porch

VGA CD.

EGA: a close-up shot of Crispin.

VGA. Little-known fact: Crispin was furious when he realized that Albus Dumbledore had copied his "half-moon glasses and beard" look.

EGA: Graham talks with Crispin about Mordack's possible motives

VGA CD. Strange how the fireplace becomes a storage nook in the VGA version.

EGA: Crispin feeds Graham a piece of white snake flesh, to let him communicate with animals

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham in front of Crispin's house.

The icons are: Walk, Travel, Look, Interact, Talk, Selected Item Slot, Inventory, Save/Restore, Quit/Restart, Controls, and Help/About.

VGA disk version.

VGA CD: the two icons for walking have been merged, as have the different game control buttons.

EGA: the path to the main town in Serenia

VGA disk version.

EGA: town exterior

VGA disk version.

EGA: the town's main street, with a "zoom-in" picture of the tailor's shop sign

VGA disk version.

EGA: at the sign of the Prancing Pony cobbler

VGA disk version.

EGA: outside the bakery

VGA CD.

EGA: the bakery's sign

VGA CD.

EGA: inside the bakery, Graham watches as a mother and son purchase a pie, which serves absolutely no story function at all.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Queen Beetrice (oh god, the pun!) rewards Graham for saving her hive from a bear

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: King Antony of the Ants pledges his help to a fellow King.

VGA disk version.

VGA CD. "We're the Ants, led by King Antony... We're coming to help King Graham..."

EGA: Graham pauses for a moment to bother a weeping prince

VGA disk version.

EGA: borderlands of the desert

VGA disk version.

EGA: these rocks block Graham's passage to the north

VGA CD. The CD cursors are much nicer than the disk version ones... too bad the icon bar is a lot uglier.

EGA: crossing the desert

VGA CD.

EGA: Funny, this looks more like a well than an oasis, but Graham'll drink the water just the same.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham walks in the (oddly nonexistent) shadow of some imposing cliffs

VGA disk version.

EGA: the local bandits stash some of their ill-gotten loot in a magically sealed temple

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham near the mighty Desert Temple. This is modeled on a real-life ancient structure in Petra, Jordan, used in filming Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

VGA CD.

EGA: the bandits' camp

VGA CD.

EGA: two desert oases

VGA disk version.

EGA: in front of the massive temple door. The icon selected is Walk, which is quite superfluous since the Travel icon works much better for moving Graham.

VGA disk version.

EGA: inside the secret temple. Hurry up, Graham!

VGA disk version.

EGA: the gypsies' wagon. I always thought gypsies traveled in packs... not in twos.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham enters the gypsy fortune-teller's trailer.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Madame Mushka bids Graham to peer into the... oh, the picture says it already.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham watches in horror as the wizard Mordack threatens his family

VGA disk version.

EGA: Alexander is small enough now to fit in Mordack's fist

VGA disk version. Alex isn't quite telling the truth about his feelings, notice...

EGA: the Weeping Willow.

VGA disk version.

EGA: just outside the Dark Forest

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham presents the witch with a bottled genie

VGA disk version. It's a bit of a nasty puzzle; the best way to figure out the lamp's use is to die yourself from it.

VGA CD.

EGA: the evil witch is sucked into the genie's lamp

VGA disk version.

EGA: Its occupant evicted, the witch's house is now open to Graham

VGA disk version.

EGA: inside the witch's house in the evil forest

VGA disk version.

EGA: A portable spinning wheel, hidden inside a chest by the old hag

VGA disk version.

EGA: a creepy tree in the Dark Forest with a strange door in its trunk

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham finds where the witch hid the Weeping Willow's heart

VGA disk version.

EGA: an elf shows Graham a hidden path in the Dark Forest

VGA disk version.

EGA: following an elf to his cave in the Dark Forest

VGA disk version.

EGA: the tunnel leading into the elves' domain

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham receives a well-crafted pair of shoes from an elf.

VGA disk version. Graham sure has a greedy-looking expression on his face!

EGA: King and elf part on friendly terms

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham tells Cedric about the dangers of the Dark Forest.

VGA disk version. The game's Hint Book says that the KQ5 designers called the Dark Forest the "darkwood."

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham returns the Weeping Willow to her true form

VGA disk version.

EGA: the tailor's shop

VGA disk version

EGA: buying the sled from the toymaker

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: outside the Swarthy Hog Inn

VGA disk version.

EGA: the Inn's sign. As a side note, in the original design for KQ5 the Inn was located among the shops in town.

VGA disk version.

EGA: the basement-cum-jail cell of the Inn. I'm sure Graham's not the first guy to wind up in there...

VGA disk version.

EGA: stealing the leg of lamb from the inn's cupboard

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham leaves the realm of Serenia and travels up into the mountains

VGA disk version.

VGA CD: the color of the narrative text has been changed.

EGA: On the path up the mountain range, Graham stops to look at the items he's carrying

VGA disk version.

VGA CD. The inventory window really shrunk!

EGA: Graham and Cedric on a frozen mountain path

VGA disk version.

EGA: crossing a perilous frozen waterfall

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham has broken his sled speeding to rescue Cedric

VGA disk version.

EGA: Outside a castle sculpted from ice, an eagle droops with hunger.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham is brought before Queen Icebella

VGA disk version. The character of Icebella, a queen of a snowy land who owns a pet wolf, is taken almost directly from the White Witch Jadis in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

EGA: Icebella has caged Cedric

VGA disk version.

EGA: close-up of Icebella

VGA disk version.

EGA: Sir Greywolf escorts Graham to the lair of the Yeti

VGA disk version.

EGA: a cream pie in the face causes the Yeti to stumble and fall to his doom

VGA disk version.

EGA: outside the Yeti's cave, with the control menu active

VGA disk version.

VGA CD: the consolidated control menu. Much more convenient.

EGA: the Yeti's cave without the control menu popup

VGA disk version.

EGA: the interior of the crystal cave

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham, having triumped over the abominable snowman, is escorted back to Icebella's palace by the captain of her wolf guards

VGA disk version.

EGA: a windy, snow-covered cliff path

VGA disk version.

EGA: the roc snatches Graham and brings him back to its nest

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham snatches a locket while stuck in the roc's nest

VGA disk version.

Uh-oh, baby roc is hungry! I sure hope you helped that eagle earlier, Graham...

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham having been saved by the eagle, the little roc's heads fight over the cloak he left behind.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Cedric seems entirely oblivious to the mortal danger Graham just narrowly escaped

VGA disk version. Maybe that's a good thing, though, as he's such a cowardly owl.

VGA CD.

EGA: the sandy beach

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: a deadly boat lies here...deadly, that is, unless Graham can repair it.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham and Cedric sail out on the ocean

VGA disk version.

EGA: Cedric spots a giant island. Hard not to, really, at that size.

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: Harpy Island

VGA CD.

EGA: the Harpies

VGA disk version.

EGA: the Harpies argue while Graham brainstorms for a way out of his predicament.

VGA disk version.

EGA: on Harpy Island, with the Save/Restore menu active

VGA disk version.

EGA: same screen as above, minus the Save/Restore dialog box

VGA disk version, also without the menu.

EGA: the cove on Harpy Island where Graham's boat lies

VGA disk version.

EGA: a rather nice seashell graces Graham's inventory

VGA disk version. For some reason the details on the shell are slightly different.

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham asks the hermit to heal Cedric

VGA disk version.

VGA CD: notice that Graham's upper legs are invisible where part of the "frame" image passes over them.

EGA: the hermit's poultices cure Cedric's Harpy-inflicted wounds

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham asks the old man for help in reaching Mordack's island

VGA disk version.

EGA: the old hermit recruits a mermaid to escort Graham to Mordack's fortress

VGA disk version.

EGA: Mordack's island

VGA disk version.

EGA: the beach below Mordack's castle

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham is about to use a crystal to reflect these guardian statues' beams of death

VGA disk version.

EGA: Mordack's front door, with the Help/About menu active

VGA disk version.

VGA CD: there's no menu, but instead, a cursor: click it on the icon bar to hear descriptions of the icons' function.

EGA: same scene as above, without the Help menu popup

EGA: a strange platform behind Mordack's castle, and an air vent

VGA disk version.

EGA: Mordack's labyrinth. At least the designers were kind enough to put in a compass; activate it by clicking the Look icon on the black space.

VGA disk version.

EGA: "Dink! Dink, dink, dink."

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham in Mordack's pantry. Rather large for such a small household... typical evil overlord style, though.

VGA disk version.

EGA: Mordack's cupboard. How exactly do you find frozen peas in a pre-Industrial Revolution society anyway?

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham and Cassima, in Mordack's kitchen

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham and Cassima, now in a normal game background.

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: Mordack's pipe organ.

VGA disk version.

EGA: the castle dining room

VGA disk version.

EGA: a fish and a bag of frozen peas. Why are there so many food items in this game?

VGA disk version. I imagine Graham smells a bit funny carrying a dead fish around.

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham has been imprisoned in Mordack's dungeon

VGA disk version.

EGA: A moldy piece of cheese is tucked into this mousehole. How convenient that it's exactly what Graham needs to recharge Crispin's wand!

VGA disk version.

EGA: Cassima rescues Graham from his predicament

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: The blue guardian beast lies out cold, felled by frozen peas

VGA disk version.

EGA: Mordack's foyer. You just aren't a true evil overlord until you have an emblem of a snake on your wall.

VGA disk version.

EGA: a hallway on the upper floor of Mordack's castle.

VGA disk version. Mordack sure can build an imposing corridor, can't he?

EGA: Manannan the cat is trapped in a cloth bag, unable to summon his brother

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham enters Mordack's personal library

VGA disk version.

EGA: closeup of a spellbook lying on Mordack's desk

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham looks at his inventory while in Mordack's library

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: Mordack's wand-charging machine

VGA disk version.

EGA: Mordack shows up at last--that is, if you've managed to avoid being killed by one of his random appearances.

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: a close-up shot of Mordack

VGA CD.

EGA: Mordack and Graham battle with shapechanging magic

VGA disk version.

EGA: casting the spell to finish Mordack off for good

VGA disk version.

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham's rain spell kills the fiery Mordack

VGA disk version.

EGA: Crispin shows up to restore Graham's family and home to normal size

VGA disk version.

EGA: Graham and Cassima listen to Crispin explain matters.

VGA CD.

EGA: Graham is reunited with his family

VGA disk version.

EGA: Alexander asks Cassima if he can visit her again someday

VGA CD.

EGA: Crispin tries to remember the spell to revive the stunned Cedric

VGA disk version.

EGA: Crispin sends Graham and his family back to Daventry

VGA disk version.

EGA: the royal family returns home

VGA disk version.

Back to the main page