After all the “pew-pews” yesterday in Operation Wolf, most of you are no doubt tired and need a well-earned sit down. Well pull up a chair, get a very big sheet of paper, some pencils, a big rubber, book a week off work and load up Dun Darach – which is No.#57 in the Your Sinclair Top 100 – as you’re going to need all of the above.
Dun Darach – created by Greg Follis & Roy Carter – is an original arcade adventure game released by Gargoyle Games back in 1985. Gargoyle Games were known for releasing original content like Heavy on the Magick, Marsport, Sweevo’s World and Dun Darach; was one such title that has stayed in the memories of those that became lost within it.
Dun Darach is based around Celtic folklore, mainly the mythological Irish hero Cuchulainn. The game finds Cuchulainn lost in the secret city of Dun Darach, in search of his friend Loeg who has been tricked by the sorceress/temptress Skar who is in league with Cuchulainn’s No.#1 most disliked at the moment, the Connachta.
As you progress throughout Dun Darach it isn’t a simple affair of biff a baddie and find a friend; here is a living breathing city with traders (to sell, buy or steal from), a bank (to deposit cash and gain interest), citizens, and also the keepers of the peace who don’t take kindly to thieves. There are many streets and many doors – you can walk down one street and because you are facing West you’re missing the doors on the Eastside and vice versa. The game is big! So big it even comes with its own save feature so when it comes to bedtime so you can keep you current position recorded and return to it the following day.
Dun Darach is not a game to let go by, and if the thought of such a big game worries you, don’t let it – you’re a gamer for goodness sake! I would of course recommend looking for a map beforehand if you wanted to go in with a little head start.
Originally published July 2, 2016. Updated March 12, 2023.
