Probably some Sierra adventure game had multiple endings before that one. Lucas Arts' Maniac Mansion had multiple endings and cutscenes, but it was released in 1987, a year after.
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first thing coming to my mind was Sid Meier's Pirates, but that one is from 1987.
There must be some game on the Apple 2 from around 1981 or 82 to have multiple endings, imho.
You have to define "multiple ending". I don't think Metroid really has multiple endings. It's more bonus content on the base ending. By contrast, Chrono Trigger has multiple endings starting with the first playthrough. If you crash the Epoch you have a different ending scene than you do when the Epoch is intact. And then you have all the NG+ endings available.
Wizardry IV (1986) has multiple endings. To quote from CRPG Addict:
Apparently, there are several possible endings: one "good," three "evil," and one "grandmaster." The "good" ending occurs after you wander into a pool that changes your alignment; you can then pass a challenge from the various dukes of the kingdom to become their (benevolent) overlord. The three "evil" endings have you challenging the god Kadorto for the Amulet and becoming a god yourself (each of a different type depending on--of all things--the sword you choose in the altar room I described in the last post; I would have become a "greedy and opulent God").
The "grandmaster" ending, as best I can tell, involves having the right artifacts when you challenge Kadorto and ultimately revealing him to be a fraud and the Amulet to be a thing of pure chaos crafted as a cosmic joke. You determine to send it back to its makers and then wander off down a path, footloose and fancy-free. Isn't that nice.
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Doesn't Ultima IV (1985) also have a bad ending option in Stygian Abyss?
My WTB thread (Sega CD/Saturn games)
Also looking to buy: Ys III (TG-16 CD), Shadowrun (Genesis) Hori N64 mini pad and Slayer (3DO) in long box/just the long box