Best Gauntlet Game?

[Gunstar Green]

If you want to play OG Gauntlet (Not Legend or Dark Legacy), then the game you are looking for is Gauntlet IV on the Genesis.

It is a port of Gauntlet, with about as much passion and love as you could dump into a port at the time. On top of a great arcade mode, complete with voice samples and 4-player co-op, it contains a Quest Mode, that is an entirely unique mini rpg that has you climbing various towers to unlock more of the game, while upgrading gear. Oh, and the legendary Sakimoto did the soundtrack conversion, so it also has the best Gauntlet soundtrack ever.

Seriously, if you want to play OG Gauntlet, you are doing yourself a disservice not playing this version.

This. Hands down the best way to experience the original Gauntlet.

If you don't like the original Gauntlet it probably won't set your world on fire but it's worth checking out if you have interest in the series.

[chuckster]

Exhuminator might have the right of it with his choice.

I was only halfway being a smart ass, Dungeon Explorer II plays a lot like Gauntlet, only so much better.

To be fair, I've never been a big fan of Gauntlet in general. I suppose the arcade original is the best. For a more modern take; Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows is decent-ish.

Just taking a cursory look at Dungeon Explorer 2, I definitely want to check it out. I see its on the Wii VC, so I'll nab it when I get back home!

Gauntlet IV also looks like the way to go for the OG Experience. The Quest mode sounds like a big improvement over the arcade mode and constantly-draining health. The concept makes sense from a supply/hunger standpoint but it is what has kept me from playing old-school Gauntlet so far.

From what I've seen, Dark Legacy seems to be the best 3d Gauntlet to most people (with some going with Legends, which I have tried before), so I feel fine on that front.

Maybe a good question would be what makes Gauntlet games good for you? I think the series is really cool even if I haven't tried many of the games. It really commits to an arcade dungeon crawler experience, which you don't see much of.

[marurun]

Dungeon Explorer II is great, but I like the original Dungeon Explorer even more. You can't go wrong with either, though.

[racketboy]

Fun fact: on the night of my senior prom in high school, I was at home, alone, playing Gauntlet on Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits vol. 2 for Dreamcast. I sure as hell wasn't getting dates in highs school and so I wanted to pick the dorkiest sounding activity for reverse-bragging-rights?
I was determined to see the end and was disappointed that the game just loops infinitely. TBH it's the kind of game that's really best in arcades because infinite credits kind of defeats the point.

If it makes you feel better, I'm one of those kids who it never even registered in my brain when a dance or prom was going on. I did tag along to the homecoming football game for 30 min to an hour with some of my friends my senior year, but it wasn't my idea and that was the extent of my typical school extra ciricular activities. (Although I was member of our school's Business Professionals of America group for a few years and was good enough to compete at state finals )

If you want to play OG Gauntlet (Not Legend or Dark Legacy), then the game you are looking for is Gauntlet IV on the Genesis.

It is a port of Gauntlet, with about as much passion and love as you could dump into a port at the time. On top of a great arcade mode, complete with voice samples and 4-player co-op, it contains a Quest Mode, that is an entirely unique mini rpg that has you climbing various towers to unlock more of the game, while upgrading gear. Oh, and the legendary Sakimoto did the soundtrack conversion, so it also has the best Gauntlet soundtrack ever.

Seriously, if you want to play OG Gauntlet, you are doing yourself a disservice not playing this version.

Nice! Thanks for this info! I might end up tracking this down!

[Exhuminator]

Dungeon Explorer II is great, but I like the original Dungeon Explorer even more. You can't go wrong with either, though.

Yes, both games are worth playing. The OSTs are really stellar:





Am I the only person who's played Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows? A trailer:

[Tanooki]

Hmm for me it's a toss up of the old Gauntlet II arcade/home versions and then Gauntlet Legends/Dark Legacy arcade/gamecube as they're really great titles with lots of do and solid enough balance to them.

I've got that non-gauntlet gauntlet game too Ack seems to hate. I'm kind of mixed on it. I got it when it came out on Steam and you could match up and it would play right because on your own it's almost impossible due to the badly setup progression of it. Yet then it comes out on GoG so I got it connected, and no one ever seems to play it anymore so the game is like impossible to enjoy as you can't get a team going.

[Sarge]

I've played it, but not for very long. It's languishing in my cabinet with my other PS2 games.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Where is Gauntlet III? Did it even come out?

Best part is that there's a "Gauntlet III" and a "Gauntlet: The Third Encounter." Two different games, both very obscure, neither one that great from what I recall.

The best Gauntlet games are Gauntlet, Gauntlet II, Gauntlet IV, Gauntlet Legends, Dark Chambers, Dungeon Explorer, Arcus Odyssey, and Soul Blazer.

[nightrnr]

Tally another vote for Gauntlet IV.
I had a lot of fun with that on Genesis. Just be prepared to write down passwords or use save states.
I just like that it added a point to the whole thing (a quest mode). Like others, I was disappointed that there was no ending to the originals (and the 1st game on NES was just too hard for me).
Also the music on Gauntlet IV was so marvelously and overly epic (one track reminds me of Monty Python and the Holy Grail ).

Also, no one likes Sega CD Dungeon Explorer? That's a neat Gauntlet style game too IMO (very detailed/big graphics for a 16-bit game). Not sure how it compares to the Turbografx games though.
I also like DS Dungeon Explorer, but I might be alone on that one.

Not sure if Shining Soul I/II counts (no monster generators, I think), but I sunk a lot of time into those on GBA.

Finally, the "it" monster on Gauntlet II lead to some fun times playing with a friend(emy) on NES. If that game actually had an ending, it would have my full recommendations. It was my 1st Gauntlet game and I really need to add it to my collection some day.

[Exhuminator]

I also like DS Dungeon Explorer, but I might be alone on that one.

If you're talking about Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts, I beat that one back in 2015. It was OK, like a 6/10. I plan to give the PSP Dungeon Explorer a try eventually (it's different than the DS one).

I forgot about Sega CD Dungeon Explorer. Is it much different than the TGCD version? Nevermind, I just looked it up, it's a totally different game. Cool!

I just remembered another Dungeon Explorer:


Crystal Beans From Dungeon Explorer
English fan translation: https://www.romhacking.net/translations/1710/

I beat Crystal Beans myself a few years ago. It's OK. Very much Gauntlet inspired, monster generators and all that.