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File:Ultima VII SNES Secret Dungeon.png

2026-08-28T22:28:17Z

Evaxon: Evaxon uploaded a new version of File:Ultima VII SNES Secret Dungeon.png

Map of the Secret Dungeon in Ultima: The Black Gate (SNES)

SNES-port of Ultima VII

2026-08-28T22:21:35Z

Evaxon: /* New dungeon list */

{{DISPLAYTITLE:SNES-port of {{Ultima VII}}}}
[[File:Title_U7SNES.png|thumb|right|200px|Box art]]
''[[Ultima VII]]'' was the last ''Ultima'' released to a console by [[Origin]], and a version of the game was released for the [[SNES|Super Nintendo]] in 1994.

Like the [[SNES-port_of_Ultima_VI|SNES-port of {{Ultima VI}}]], and most of the console ports, this version was released in Japan. Unlike the other console ports, this version was released in Japan and the United States at the same time, and the Japanese version still bears ''The Black Gate'' as a subtitle. In fact, the Japanese box art is based on the original box; pure black with a blue logo.

==Description==
[[File:U7SNEStitle.png|thumb|200px|Title screen]]
[[File:U7SNESintro.png|thumb|200px|The introduction]]
[[File:U7SNESgame.png|thumb|200px|In-game]]
The technical limitations of the Super Nintendo made it necessary to cull a fair amount of the content which had been present in the [[IBM PC|PC]] version of {{Ultima VII}}, which had been approximately 20 megabytes in size and had featured [[VGA]] graphics, a full soundtrack and a deeply interactive game world. In order to compress the game into a one-megabyte module, a great deal of material had to be removed – resulting in a product with simplified graphics, a limited musical score and a greatly simplified world map.

In addition to this, Nintendo of America appeared to impose a great deal of editorial control over the games content – leading to the removal of many of the original versions darker aspects for the sake of keeping the game family-friendly. As such, the game's plot was changed from focusing on a spree of mutilation killings to focusing on a rash of unsolved kidnappings, and macabre or sexual imagery was removed. It is likely that the Japanese version has less censorship, as usual.

[[Nintendo Power]] praised {{Ultima VII}}'s interface, sound, and exploration, but criticized the uncomfortable combat and movement. The game received a 2.9/5 for graphics and sound, 2.5 for play controls, 2.9 for challenge, and 3.1 for play and fun.<ref>{{RefBook | title=Nintendo Power | section=Now Playing | game= Ultima VII | year= 1995 | month= Jan. | Vol=68 | pages=106, 107}}</ref> 

In 2006, this version of ''The Black Gate'' was made available on the Sony [[PSP]] by [[Electronic Arts]] (EA) as part of their Retro Replay package, along with thirteen other older EA games.

=== Included with the Game ===

* Instruction booklet (international release)
* ''[[The Book of Fellowship]]'' (Japanese release)
* [[Ultima VII map of Britannia|Paper map of Britannia]] (only international release)

== Changes from the Original ==
Several changes made this remake more similar to ''[[Ultima: Runes of Virtue II]]'':
* The game does not support a party system, leaving the player only able to control the [[Avatar]]. Unlike the ''Runes of Virtue'', he is defaulted to their male version and cannot be named.
* The combat system lacks any automation and plays similarly to many action-adventure games (e.g. the aforementioned ''Ultima: Runes of Virtue II'').
* Several plot-relevant items were relocated to former nameless caves. The latter were each given a name and were expanded to large dungeons.
* Conventional ship travel is not available, limiting exploration to islands which may be reached via an item known as the [[Ships|Magic Boat]]. The [[moongates]] are also completely non-functional throughout the game.
* The game world is much smaller than the original, and there are far fewer [[NPC]]s – all of whom lack daily schedules. Many characters have been replaced or altered drastically to conform to the new story, and the amount of dialogue in the game has been reduced.
* The game is divided into outdoor and indoor maps, which prevents the player from using the isometric view to look inside of unentered buildings.
* Several spell-casting items were added (e.g. [[Hail Storm Amulet]], [[Sword Storm Amulet]]). Many of them use the Avatar's [[Mana|magic points]].

Further changes from the original version:
* Both the introduction and ending have been greatly reduced in size, and are limited largely to narrative text rather than animations.
* The spell-casting system is streamlined such as to exclude [[reagents]] and spell purchasing, and there are only 16 available spells instead of 72. Spells not seen in the original game have also been added, such as ''[[Water Walk]]'' and ''[[Lifting]]''.
* A set of elemental swords was added: [[earth sword]], [[fire sword]], [[frost sword]], [[water sword]], [[wind sword]].
* The function of the day and night cycle has changed, with visibility being greatly reduced at night and certain items (such as the [[bedroll]], or [[magic lantern]]) being only usable after sundown.

[[File:U7SNEStalk.png|thumb|200px|Talking to [[Iolo]]]]

=== New dungeon list ===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Dungeons !! Treasure !! Notes
|-
| [[Covetous]] || [[Caddellite helm]] || Quest item (destroy Cube Generator)
|-
| [[Deceit]] || [[Tetrahedron Generator]] || [[Guardian’s]] generator n.1
|-
| [[Despise]] || [[Sphere Generator]] || Guardian's generator n.2
|-
| [[Destard]] || Empty chest || Quest item
|-
| [[Hythloth]] || [[Black Gate]] || Guardian's gate
|-
| [[Wrong]] || ? || -
|-
| [[Shame]] || [[Gem of Paralysis]] || Magic weapon (3MP; paralyzes enemies)
|-
| [[Bee cave]] || [[Tseramed arrows]] || Weapon (inflicts sleep)
|-
| [[Buccaneer's Cave]] || [[Wand|Power bolt wand]] || Magic weapon (1MP)
|-
| [[Vesper mine]] || [[Blackrock|Blackrock talisman]] || Quest item (obtain the Ethereal Ring)
|-
! Caves originally nameless !! Treasure !! -
|-
| [[Cyclops Cave]] (originally: nameless cave near [[Spiritwood]]) || [[Plate armour]] || Armour
|-
| [[Heftimus Cave]] (originally: nameless cave near [[Jhelom]]) || [[Potions#Potions_in_Ultima_VII_(SNES)|Potions]] || Item
|-
| [[Heroes' Hole]] (originally: nameless cave near [[Shrine of Honor]]) || [[Dragonskin boots|Scale boots]] || Armour (walk on lava)
|-
| [[Pirate Cave]] (originally: nameless crypt on [[Dagger Isle]]) || [[Lightning wand]] || Magic weapon (2MP)
|-
| [[Scorpion Cave]] (originally: nameless cave north of the [[Drylands]]) || [[Energy crystal]] || Magic weapon (1MP)
|-
| [[Sutek’s dungeon]] (originally: nameless mines on [[Terfin]] island) || [[Enchanted hourglass]] || Quest item (destroy Sphere Generator)
|-
| [[Swamp Cave]] (originally: nameless cave near [[Cove]]) || [[Rudyom's wand]] || Quest item (destroys the Black Gate)
|-
| [[Dungeon of Serpents]] [[Undertaker]] (originally: nameless cave of the [[Meditation Retreat]]) || [[Cube Generator]] || Guardian's generator n.3
|-
! SNES-only dungeons !! Treasure !! -
|-
| [[Dungeon of Unknown Fears]] (it replaces [[Martingo|Martingo’s]] palace on [[Spektran]]) || [[Ethereal Ring]] || Quest item (destroy Tetrahedron Generator)
|-
| [[Dungeon Sagatious]] (it replaces [[Alagner|Alagner’s]] storehouse in [[New Magincia]]) || [[Alagner's notebook]] || Item
|-
| [[The Crypts]] (it replaces the [[Dark Tower]] in [[Skara Brae]]) || [[Magic armour#Ghostly_Armour_and_Flame_Armour|Ghostly armour]] || Armour
|-
| [[Secret Dungeon]] || Shield of Reflection || Shield
|}

=== Enemy elemental resistance ===
The five exclusive elemental swords are ineffective against some enemies. Default sorting is by number of elemental resistances.
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Enemy !! Resistance(s)
|-
| [[Ethereal monster]] || -
|-
| [[Giant bees]] || -
|-
| [[Giant rats]] || -
|-
| [[Gremlins]] || -
|-
| [[Liches]] || -
|-
| [[Snakes]] || -
|-
| [[Wolves]] || -
|-
| [[Cyclops]] || Frost
|-
| [[Headless]] || Frost
|-
| [[Trolls]] || Frost
|-
| [[Acid slugs]] || Water
|-
| [[Alligators]] || Water
|-
| [[Gazers]] || Water
|-
| [[Giant spiders]] || Water
|-
| [[Slimes]] || Water
|-
| [[Mongbats]] || Wind
|-
| [[Bats]] || Earth, wind
|-
| [[Fairies]] || Earth, wind
|-
| [[Dragons]] || Fire, wind
|-
| [[Drakes]] || Fire, wind
|-
| [[Scorpions]] || Fire, water
|-
| [[Skeletons]] || Fire, water
|-
| [[Ghosts]] || Fire, water, wind
|-
| [[Stone harpies]] || All
|}

== Trivia ==

* One strange piece of merchandise associated with the game was the Japan-exclusive {{FormatLink||Ultima VII| boomerang}}. The Boomerang is a hidden weapon in this port.

== Gallery ==

<gallery orientation="original" widths="200" spacing="middle" captionalign="left">
File: Ultima7SNESAdvertisement.png|''Ultima Black Gate'' SNES advertisement
File: U7SNESback.jpg|Back of the box
File: U7Famibox.jpg|Japanese game box
File: U7Famiback.jpg|Back of the Japanese box
</gallery>

==See Also==

* {{FormatLink||Ultima VII| transcript (SNES)}}
* {{FormatLink||Ultima VII| (SNES) magic}}
* {{FormatLink|SNES map for |Ultima VII}}
* {{FormatLink||Ultima VII| (SNES) walkthrough}}
* [[Scrolls and Signs from Ultima VII: The Black Gate (SNES)]]

== External Links ==

* Silellak played through the entirety of {{Ultima VII}} for the SNES, and recorded his experience at: [http://rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=34561&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 here].
* He also has recorded the last 5 minutes [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pYdNNENLI here].
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAjkzE-rrJA YouTube – {{Ultima VII}} (SNES) Gameplay Video]

==References==
<References/>

{{Console}}
[[Category:Technical]]
[[Category:Ultima VII]]
[[Category:Ultima VII on SNES]]

Secret dungeon

2026-08-28T22:19:18Z

Evaxon: Evaxon moved page Secret dungeon to Secret Dungeon: Capitalised dungeon

#REDIRECT [[Secret Dungeon]]

Secret Dungeon

2026-08-28T22:19:18Z

Evaxon: Evaxon moved page Secret dungeon to Secret Dungeon: Capitalised dungeon

In [[SNES-port of Ultima VII|Ultima: The Black Gate (SNES)]] there is a secret dungeon that is accessible from [[Dungeon of Unknown Fears|The Dungeon of Unknown Fears]]. The secret dungeon contains the Shield of Reflection and also has connections to some of the other dungeons in the game - [[Dungeon Sagatious]], [[Undertaker]] and [[Buccaneer's Cave]]

[[File:Dungeon of Unknown Fears Secret Dungeon Exit.png|thumb|How to open the secret dungeon door]]

[[File:Ultima VII SNES Secret Dungeon.png|thumb|Map of the secret Dungeon]]

Secret Dungeon Notes:

Not sure what any of the switches do individually. But generally switching them will open the unexplodable walls marked with green.

There are more switch rooms and many many more switches than are necessary to open all the unexplodable walls. Some of the switch rooms also have tile-sets and monsters that are different from the rest of the dungeon. Is it possible that some of the switches have effects outside of the Secret Dungeon? I believe that there are some doors elsewhere in the game that appear to be unopenable. Do some of the switches control them?

The golden key allows you to get back into the secret dungeon if you use the exit to [[Undertaker]]. There is also a golden key in [[Undertaker]] that will let you get into the Secret Dungeon.

If you enter [[Undertaker]] from the Secret Dungeon you don't need the [[Caddellite helm|Caddellite Helmet]]. But, if you leave [[Undertaker]] through it's normal exit you will need the helmet to go back in.

If you exit to [[Buccaneer's Cave]] or [[Dungeon Sagatious]] you can't get back. (At least as far as I'm aware)

The Boss Key doesn't appear to have any use in the Secret Dungeon. I assume it's so you can exit the connecting dungeons more easily or to stop you getting stuck in them.

Secret Dungeon

2026-08-28T22:12:05Z

Evaxon: Created page with "In Ultima: The Black Gate (SNES) there is a secret dungeon that is accessible from The Dungeon of Unknown Fears. The secret dungeon contains the Shield of Reflection and also has connections to some of the other dungeons in the game - Dungeon Sagatious, Undertaker and Buccaneer's Cave How to open the secret dungeon door File:Ultima VII..."

File:Ultima VII SNES Secret Dungeon.png

2026-08-28T21:38:18Z

Evaxon:

Map of the Secret Dungeon in Ultima: The Black Gate (SNES)

File:Dungeon of Unknown Fears Secret Dungeon Exit.png

2026-08-28T21:26:21Z

Evaxon:

How to open the door to the secret dungeon.