In 1983, Sierra On-Line released Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash for the VIC-20. It was an oddity in the Ultima universe—loosely connected to the series in name alone and developed without direct involvement from Richard Garriott. Now, this rare and obscure game has been adapted for the Commodore 64 by Aleksi Eeben of CNCD, bringing a nearly forgotten piece of gaming history to a broader audience.
The Game
Trapped inside Mt. Drash by creatures known as Garrintrots, players must navigate 15 levels of randomly generated dungeons, fighting enemies and racing against the clock to escape. Some levels require collecting gems before reaching the exit, adding an extra challenge beyond simply defeating monsters.
Unlike other Ultima titles, Escape from Mt. Drash is more of a fast-paced action game than a deep role-playing experience. The game features a simple first-person dungeon view rendered using the VIC-20’s built-in graphical characters. While visually basic, it stood out for its use of background music—something uncommon on the VIC-20 but later standard on systems like the Commodore 64 and NES.
Development and Release
Keith Zabalaoui, a friend of Richard Garriott, developed the game for Sierra On-Line. Sierra had recently published Ultima II and decided to attach the Ultima name to this unrelated game in an attempt to boost sales. The decision didn’t work, as the declining VIC-20 market and the game’s need for additional RAM expansion limited its audience.
Unlike most VIC-20 games, which were distributed on cartridges, Escape from Mt. Drash was only released on cassette. Sierra produced just a few thousand copies, fulfilling contractual obligations but never actively marketing the game. In fact, the company later denied its existence until Zabalaoui confirmed its release. It even appeared in Sierra’s 1984 price list at $19.95, but with so few copies made, it quickly faded into obscurity.
The Commodore 64 Port
The C-64 version preserves the essence of the original, offering the same dungeon-crawling gameplay but on more powerful hardware. While still simple compared to other Ultima titles, it gives fans a chance to experience one of the rarest games ever associated with the franchise without tracking down an original VIC-20 cassette. The port was developed by Aleksi Eeben of CNCD, ensuring an authentic recreation of the original experience.
A Unique Chapter in Ultima History
Despite its rarity and lack of connection to the main Ultima series, Escape from Mt. Drash remains a fascinating piece of gaming history. It’s a glimpse into the experimental era of early home computing, where developers pushed hardware limitations to create something new. Now, with its Commodore 64 adaptation, it has a second chance to be discovered.
