A classic adventure game for NES. Apparently there was a PC (or some other computer game) version before it, but NES version is what Was Mentioned. The game was written by Icom Simulations and NES version was released by Kemco. Currently the copyrights are owned by company called Infinite Ventures. (I don't know how they're related to the original makers...)
The game opens with this quote (well, this one is from PC version but IIRC it's not that different from NES version):
The last thing that you remember is standing before the wizard Lakmir as he gestured wildly and chanted in an archaic tongues. You now find yourslef staring at an entryway which lies at the edge of a forest. The Druid's words still ring in your ears: "Within the walls of the Castle Shadowgate lies your quest. If the prophecies hold true, the dreaded Warlock Lord will use his dark magic to raise the Behemoth, the deadliest of the Titans, from the depths of the earth. You are the seed of prophecy, the last of the line of kings, and only you can stop the Warlock Lord from darkening our world FOREVER. Fare thee well."
(And the Academy Award for the most outstanding, amazing and complicated plot goes to... Shadowgate!)
Shadowgate was a pretty decent game for NES. It's an adventure game, as said before. Graphics were more or less acceptable. Sounds were fantastic. (Whoever the composer was, he had done excellent work.)
The game itself was screen-driven - the action was shown on a small window, and player chose commands and items from the rest of the display. The commands were typical text adventure stuff.
There was no time limit to do anything - except that the torches were often burning out.
The only really annoying thing about the game was that "sudden deaths" were amazingly common (battery-based save feature was a must!) and some puzzles were far from logical. (Ummm... shooting stars? Errrrrr......) At least the death music has been the most beautiful "game over" musics I've ever heard =)
Once finished (getting clues from other players, if needed) the game could then be solved again in a less than a day. Replayability zero.
Challenge? Yeah, if you want somewhat unfair challenges. =)
The game engine was then reused in Déjà Vu, a detective adventure.
Reworkings of the game (under title "Shadowgate Classic") were released for PC and Gameboy Color.