Space Quest

A comedic science fiction adventure game series created by Sierra On-Line, following the misadventures of janitor Roger Wilco.

Adventure

Games

1985–1991

Years

Platforms

$105.98

Ø CIB

+9.4%

24M change

About

The Space Quest series began with the release of the original game in 1986 (often associated with 1985/1986 development), followed by Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge in 1987 and Space Quest III: The Pirates Of Pestulon in 1989. The series received a 256-color VGA remake of the first game in 1991, titled Space Quest I: Roger Wilco in the Sarien Encounter. Developed by Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy (The Two Guys from Andromeda), the franchise is known for its sci-fi parodies and humorous death screens.

The development of Space Quest (1985) and its official release as Space Quest (1986) utilized Sierra On-Line's Adventure Game Interpreter (AGI) engine, which required players to type text commands to interact with the environment. This system carried over into Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge (1987), which expanded the narrative universe with more complex environmental hazards.

By the release of Space Quest III: The Pirates Of Pestulon (1989), the franchise transitioned to the Sierra Creative Interpreter (SCI) engine, introducing mouse support, improved 16-color graphics, and a sound card-compatible soundtrack. The technological progression culminated in the 1991 remake, Space Quest I: Roger Wilco in the Sarien Encounter, which replaced the text parser entirely with a point-and-click icon interface. These early installments established the series' signature real-time hazard navigation and inventory-based puzzle solving, influencing the design direction of graphic adventure games throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.