Gauntlet IV (USA, Europe) (En,Ja) (August 1993)
Gauntlet IV (USA, Europe) (En,Ja) (August 1993) on Genesis
Gauntlet IV landed on the Sega Genesis in August 1993 as a faithful port of the classic arcade dungeon crawler. It was one of the first games for the system to support four players simultaneously, a big deal in an era when couch co-op was a huge draw. The cartridge was released in both the USA and Europe, and includes English and Japanese language options, though the core action is easy enough to grasp regardless of text preferences. No developer or publisher is credited on the version info I have, but the game itself is an official commercial product from Sega's heyday.
You pick from four classic characters - Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard, or Elf - each with different stats for speed, strength, and magic. The goal is simple: plow through endless dungeon chambers, slay skeletons, ghosts, sorcerers, and thieves, and survive long enough to reach the exit. Along the way you grab treasure for points, food to restore health, keys to open locked doors, and potions for temporary boosts. The action is viewed from a top-down perspective and the controls are snappy: one button attacks, another allows magic use, and you can run by double-tapping a direction. The game throws waves of enemies at you, and the only way to win is to keep moving and keep fighting.
What makes Gauntlet IV worth revisiting is its raw, unfiltered arcade feel and that four-player co-op mode. It's a straightforward, no-story loot-and-shoot experience that works great for a group of friends sharing a couch. Compared to other Genesis action games, it's less about precision platforming and more about crowd control and resource management. If you enjoy the original arcade Gauntlet or games like Diablo (though simpler), this is a solid piece of retro history. It's not a deep game, but it delivers exactly the mindless fun it promises.
How to Play Gauntlet IV (USA, Europe) (En,Ja) (August 1993) Online
When you start Gauntlet IV, the title screen will ask you to press Start. On the next screen you can choose your character - Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard, or Elf - each has unique stats. You can also set the number of players (1-4) and turn on or off certain options like friendly fire. Once you begin, you appear in a dungeon room. Use the D-Pad to move and S to attack with your main weapon. Holding the direction you want to attack is important because your character only swings in the last direction you faced. Collect keys to open doors, food to restore health, and potions for extra effects. The goal is to find the exit to the next level while killing every enemy in sight.
The core loop is straightforward: enter a room, kill everything, grab loot, find the door. Magic is useful for crowd control - press the attack button while holding a direction to use a magic blast if you have enough mana. Potions are hidden under vases or appear after killing certain enemies. Watch your health: it drains slowly over time as well as from enemy hits. Food is your main source of healing, so don't waste it. If you die, you restart from the beginning of the current level unless you have a continue. This version has both English and Japanese text in menus, but the gameplay is identical regardless of language selection.
Gauntlet IV (USA, Europe) (En,Ja) (August 1993) Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
- X: A button
- S: B button
- Z: C button
- A: X button (6-button pad)
- Q: Y button (6-button pad)
- E: Z button (6-button pad)
- Enter: Start / Mode
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