Akalabeth



Akalabeth is the in-official "Ultima 0", created by Richard Garriott in 1979 and released commercially in 1980 for the Apple II. Akalabeth was actually a free-time project of him, and he only got the idea to sell it, after it was finished. Later, the California Pacific Computer Company brought the rights from him, and published it.

The game is incredibly primitive when compared to today's standards. All there is to do is to slay monsters and buy equipment and the game has only black and white graphics and no sound, although a PC remake of the game features midi music and a limited amount of color.

Story
As far as a story is concerned, it was later reconned so that Mondain attacks Sosaria for a first time, but the player's efforts in this game deflect his attack, making him frustrated and finally leading to the events of Ultima I.

Trivia

 * California Pacific sold thousands of the game. A good deal for Garriott, who received $5 for each game sold.


 * Akalabeth was Garriott's 28th programmed game, but only his first commercial game.


 * In the Ultima Collection, a PC-Version is included, complete with some MIDI music and some color in the graphics.