Space Quest 1: The Sarien Encounter will always have a special place in my heart (next to the left ventricle). Why? Well, let me tell you a story ... (going into flashback italics) ...

There was once a cute adorable nine-year old boy named Adam. He was the cutest, most adorable boy in all of North Carolina (and he would grow up to be the sexiest and most desirable guy in all of North Carolina, if not the East Coast, but I'll save that story for another day). Anyway, this little boy was fortunate enough to belong to a family that owned a computer, an IBM PS-1, 33 MHz. Since this little boy liked outer space and aliens (what can I say? I had problems), his parents got him for his birthday a computer game that had two aliens and a human drinking intoxicating beverages on the cover. This game was Space Quest 1 (actually, the VGA remake of Space Quest 1). Little did his parents know that adventure gaming was more addictive than heroin, and this cursed purchase would screw their son up forever ...

And that's why I will always fondly remember Space Quest 1. Yes, it was the first adventure game I owned, and it was also the first I beat. There have been two versions of Space Quest 1, the original EGA AGI release and an updated VGA SCI release, both of which are reviewed here.

Two Games in One Review! I Don't Smoke That Wacky Tabaccy!

Space Quest 1 is the first game of the Space Quest series (which I severely hope you could figure out by the "1" following the word "Space Quest" in the title), and it introduces the space janitor/hero/all-around great guy Roger Wilco. Basically, Roger is a janitor onboard the spacelab Arcada, which just so happens to be testing out a new invention called the Star Generator. This "Star Generator" has the ability to turn a giant hunk of rock (also known as a planet) into a giant burning ball of stinky gas (also known as a star). Unfortunately for Roger and the rest of the crew, the Arcada is attacked by a rather irate species with bad table manners, and the Star Generator is stolen and the crew slaughtered. Everyone is killed--except for Roger, who was napping in a janitor's closet. And from here, Roger must save his own hide and keep those dastardly aliens from using the Star Generator's destructive power.

The Game Was Funny, and I Liked It, and it Was Really Cool, and Then I Got Ice Cream

Let me put this simply--Space Quest 1 is freakin' hilarious. From the plot, to the death scenes, even to the manual, the game had me in hysterics. And not just normal hysterics, either. I think I coughed up my lung once or twice from the laughing and the rolling and the pitching and the vomiting (yes, it was syrup-of-ipecac funny). The original Space Quest 1 is made in AGI, which means Roger is controlled by the keyboard, and actions are done by a text parser (i.e., "look at dead body" or "touch self"). The VGA remake is done in SCI, which allows for pointing and clicking. Since this is a Sierra game, puzzles are mainly of the "Ooh! There's something that looks like I could pick up, let's go and see if it kills me or not!" variety (that's a very fancy way of saying there are inventory-based puzzles). Surprisingly, there were very few illogical puzzles, and some situations even have more than one solution to them. Adventure games totally linear? Well, booya grandma!

I'm Just Writing Random Stuff for These Titles; Could You Tell?

Obviously, the graphics in the original Space Quest 1 are a bit dated. But they were made over 10 years ago; I think we can forgive that. And even though the graphics in the remake are dated, I must say that they are still wonderful. There are some scenes that I would print out and pin up on my wall if it didn't mean moving the "Girls of the Mediterranean 1998" calender. And don't get me started on the music. The Space Quest theme is one of the most addictive oodlings in history, and the rest of the music not only sounds great, it fits the mood perfectly. (See, you got me started. Bad reader!)

Play That Funky Music, White Boy--Wait! This Would Have Made More Sense One Title Up. Oh Well, Live and Learn, Live and Learn.

I'm hard pressed to find fault with either of these games, but there are a few problems. On modern computers, parts of the VGA remake of Space Quest 1 run so fast they're just insanely hard (I'm thinking the Kerona desert here--Roger has to drink a swig of water every three steps!). There are a few inventory items that you can miss that will render the game unwinnable (and we all know it's a horror when a good game turns unwinnable). Also, there'll be a severe sense of deja vu playing either of these games because (obviously) the VGA remake is a remake (duh) of Space Quest 1. Yes, that's right, Jim, they're almost exactly the same!

Now I Have You, Young Skywalker

If you can sit through Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail without cracking a smile, you probably won't like either Space Quest 1. But if you have a sense of humor at all, even if it was just laughing at some idiot getting a concussion on America's Funniest Home Videos, Space Quest 1 is a must-play. So there!

Final Grade (Both Versions): A

No, Mr. Banana! No!

What, there's no more review left! And I was starting to have fun writing titles ...

System Requirements:
DOS 6.0+
486
8 MB free HD space
Sound card