# Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash <small style="color: gray">Last updated: January 17, 2026</small> ## Overview *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* is an exceptionally rare dungeon-crawling adventure game released in 1983 exclusively for the Commodore VIC-20[^ref-1][^ref-2]. Developed by Keith Zabalaoui and published by Sierra On-Line, the game holds a unique and controversial place in gaming history as an Ultima-branded title that was created without the knowledge or involvement of series creator Richard Garriott (Lord British)[^ref-2][^ref-3]. Originally intended to be part of Sierra's SierraVenture series of games, the title was marketed as "A real-time, fantastic adventure" in its sole advertisement in *Compute!* magazine[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The game has achieved legendary status among collectors not for its gameplay quality, which has been widely criticized, but for its extreme rarity[^ref-1][^ref-2][^ref-6]. It is often referred to as the "HOLY GRAIL!" among Commodore VIC-20 collectors.[^ref-6] With approximately only 3,000 units manufactured, complete copies have sold for thousands of dollars on eBay, making it one of the most sought-after collectibles in vintage gaming[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The game's obscurity was so complete that Sierra On-Line itself denied the game ever existed until Zabalaoui personally confirmed its completion and retail distribution[^ref-1][^ref-3]. Sierra's skepticism about the game's commercial viability proved well-founded, as they only manufactured the minimum number of copies required to meet contractual obligations[^ref-1]. The combination of a declining VIC-20 market and the requirement for an expensive memory expansion cartridge severely limited the game's potential audience[^ref-1]. Despite bearing the Ultima name, the game has very little connection to the other entries in the celebrated RPG series[^ref-2][^ref-7]. > [!info]- Game Info > **Developer:** [[Sierra On-Line]][^ref-1] > **Designer:** Keith Zabalaoui[^ref-1][^ref-3] > **Publisher:** Sierra On-Line[^ref-1][^ref-2] > **Engine:** VIC-BASIC with assembly language routines[^ref-1] > **Platforms:** VIC-20[^ref-1][^ref-2][^ref-3][^ref-4][^ref-5] > **Release Year:** 1983 > **Series:** Ultima > **Protagonist:** Unnamed Prisoner > **Sierra Lineage:** SierraVenture ## Story Summary The premise of *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* centers on the player character who has been imprisoned within the depths of Mt. Drash by malevolent creatures known as "garrintrots"[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The player's sole objective is to escape from the treacherous dungeons that lie within the mountain[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The name "Mt. Drash" itself carries significance within Ultima lore, as it is named after one of the dungeons featured in *Ultima I*[^ref-2]. Interestingly, the name "garrintrots" may have been derived from Richard Garriott's own name, representing a playful—if unauthorized—connection to the series creator[^ref-3]. However, beyond this nomenclature and the mountain's name, the game shares virtually no narrative or thematic elements with the mainline Ultima series[^ref-2]. The setting takes place entirely within the dungeon depths of Mt. Drash, offering no connection to Sosaria or any of the established locations, characters, or lore of the Ultima universe[^ref-2][^ref-3]. The cover artwork, which depicts a castle presumably meant to represent Mt. Drash, is actually a detail taken from the lesser-known half of the *Ultima II* box art, further emphasizing the game's tenuous relationship with the main series[^ref-3]. ## Gameplay ### Interface and Controls *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* utilizes keyboard-based controls for all player input[^ref-2]. The game employs a hybrid perspective system that combines first-person dungeon exploration with top-down combat views[^ref-2]. The gameplay is described as real-time, requiring players to make decisions and react to threats as they encounter them rather than in a turn-based fashion[^ref-1]. The game features an unusual copy protection system in which the 'Run/Stop' and 'Restore' keys are disabled, preventing players from easily interrupting or resetting the game during play[^ref-3]. This served as a rudimentary anti-piracy measure for the cassette-based software. ### Structure and Progression The game is structured as a dungeon escape, with players navigating through the levels of Mt. Drash while avoiding or fighting the garrintrots that have imprisoned them[^ref-1][^ref-3]. Players must collect gems throughout the dungeons, though the game's interface provides poor feedback about whether items have been successfully collected[^ref-2]. - **Dungeon Navigation:** Players explore labyrinthine corridors in first-person view[^ref-2] - **Combat Encounters:** Battles occur in a top-down perspective when monsters are encountered[^ref-2] - **Gem Collection:** Items must be gathered for progression, though collection is poorly communicated[^ref-2] ### Puzzles and Mechanics The core gameplay loop involves navigating the dungeon's maze-like structure while engaging in real-time combat with the garrintrots[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The game utilizes the VIC-20's standard set of graphical characters to render its environments and creatures[^ref-1]. Sound is provided through the 4-voice capabilities of the MOS Technology VIC video chip[^ref-1]. The 3D first-person view has been criticized as being "nearly useless" since it fails to display monsters or gems, forcing players to rely primarily on the top-down combat view for meaningful gameplay information[^ref-2]. The lack of visual feedback for item collection compounds the difficulty of understanding one's progress through the game[^ref-2]. ## Reception ### Contemporary Reviews *Computer Gaming World* reviewed the game in 1983, notably praising its unique graphics and musical score[^ref-3]. However, the publication did not provide a specific numerical score in its assessment. The game received only a single advertisement in *Compute!* magazine, marketing it as "A real-time, fantastic adventure"[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The title was listed in the Sierra On-Line Consumer Price List for the First Quarter of 1984 at a retail price of $19.95 with stock number 40245202[^ref-1]. Despite this official listing, the game's minimal marketing presence and the declining VIC-20 market ensured extremely limited commercial exposure. ### Modern Assessment Modern retrospective reviews have been overwhelmingly negative, with the game valued primarily for its rarity rather than its gameplay merits. The MobyGames community has rated the game 2.4 out of 5 based on 6 ratings and 1 review[^ref-2]. One particularly damning modern review from user Pix stated: "This is one of the single worst games I've ever played"[^ref-2]. The reviewer further elaborated: "Without the Ultima brand on it, this game would be justly long forgotten"[^ref-2]. They concluded: "It's got Ultima in the title so I had to play it. There is a reason this title is so rare though - no one wanted to buy it in the first place"[^ref-2]. **Aggregate Scores:** - **MobyGames:** 2.4/5 (6 ratings, 1 review)[^ref-2] ## Development ### Origins The game was originally conceived and developed by Keith Zabalaoui, one of Richard Garriott's friends, in Coarsegold, California for Sierra On-Line in 1983[^ref-1][^ref-3]. Sierra initially planned to publish the game as part of their SierraVenture series of adventure games[^ref-3]. The Ultima branding was applied to the game without Lord British's knowledge or approval, creating what would become one of the series' most controversial entries[^ref-2][^ref-3]. Sierra harbored significant skepticism about the game's commercial prospects from the outset[^ref-1]. The VIC-20 market was already in decline by 1983, and the game's requirement for an 8K or 16K RAM memory expansion cartridge further limited its potential customer base[^ref-1]. This combination of factors led Sierra to manufacture only the minimum number of copies necessary to fulfill their contractual obligations—approximately 3,000 units[^ref-1][^ref-3]. ### Production Development took place using VIC-BASIC as the primary programming language, supplemented by assembly language routines for performance-critical sections[^ref-1]. The game was designed to run on the Commodore VIC-20 with expanded memory, utilizing the platform's standard graphical character set for visuals and its 4-voice sound chip for audio[^ref-1]. **Development Credits:**[^ref-1][^ref-3] - **Designer/Programmer:** Keith Zabalaoui - **Publisher:** Sierra On-Line, Inc. ### Technical Achievements The game attempted to create a hybrid perspective system combining first-person dungeon exploration with top-down combat views, an ambitious technical goal for the limited VIC-20 hardware[^ref-2]. *Computer Gaming World* praised the game's "unique graphics and musical score" in its 1983 coverage, suggesting that the audiovisual presentation achieved some merit within the constraints of the platform[^ref-3]. The 4-voice sound capabilities of the MOS Technology VIC video chip were utilized for the game's soundtrack, which received positive notice despite the overall negative reception of the gameplay itself[^ref-1][^ref-3]. ### Technical Specifications **Cassette Version:**[^ref-1][^ref-2] - **Media:** Cassette tape - **Memory Required:** 8K or 16K RAM expansion cartridge - **Input:** Keyboard only - **Players:** 1 Player - **Perspective:** 1st-person / Top-down hybrid - **Graphics:** VIC-20 standard character set - **Audio:** 4-voice MOS Technology VIC chip ### Cut Content No documented cut content has been identified in available sources. The game appears to have been completed and shipped in its intended form, despite Sierra's limited enthusiasm for the project[^ref-1][^ref-3]. ### Version History | Version | Date | Platform | Notes | |---------|------|----------|-------| | 1.0 | 1983 | VIC-20 | Initial and only official release[^ref-1][^ref-2][^ref-3] | | Unofficial Conversion | 2003 | Various | Fan-made conversion for preservation purposes[^ref-2] | ### Technical Issues The game suffers from significant design flaws that hamper playability[^ref-2]. The first-person 3D view is described as "nearly useless" because it fails to display monsters or gems, critical gameplay elements[^ref-2]. Additionally, the game provides no feedback when collecting gems, leaving players uncertain whether they have successfully picked up items or not[^ref-2]. The copy protection system that disables the 'Run/Stop' and 'Restore' keys could be considered a usability issue, as it prevented players from using standard VIC-20 system functions during gameplay[^ref-3]. ### Easter Eggs and Trivia - The name "garrintrots" may have been derived from Richard Garriott's name, creating a subtle wordplay connection to the Ultima series creator[^ref-3] - The castle depicted on the game's cover, presumably meant to represent Mt. Drash, is actually artwork taken from the lesser-known half of the *Ultima II* box art[^ref-3] - Mt. Drash shares its name with one of the dungeons featured in the original *Ultima I*[^ref-2] - The Ultima branding was applied without Lord British's knowledge, making this an unauthorized use of the franchise name[^ref-2][^ref-3] - One persistent rumor claimed that Sierra buried remaining stock at the foot of a mountain, similar to the infamous Atari video game burial[^ref-1] - A retailer near Vancouver, B.C. reportedly dumped unsold software over a cliff, possibly including copies of Mt. Drash[^ref-1] - Sierra officially denied the game ever existed until Zabalaoui personally confirmed its completion and distribution[^ref-1][^ref-3] ## Voice Cast *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* does not feature voice acting, as was standard for games of this era and platform. ## Legacy ### Sales and Commercial Impact Approximately 3,000 units of *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* were manufactured, representing only the minimum quantity Sierra needed to meet their contractual requirements[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The game's commercial performance was dismal, with poor sales resulting from the declining VIC-20 market, the expensive memory expansion requirement, and minimal marketing support consisting of only a single *Compute!* magazine advertisement[^ref-1][^ref-3]. The game was listed in Sierra's First Quarter 1984 Consumer Price List at $19.95, but this official acknowledgment did little to boost sales[^ref-1]. Ironically, the game's commercial failure has transformed it into an extremely valuable collectible, with complete copies commanding thousands of dollars from collectors seeking to own one of gaming's rarest titles[^ref-1][^ref-9][^ref-10]. ### Collections *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* has never been included in any official compilation or re-release. Its status as an unauthorized use of the Ultima brand, combined with its poor reputation and Sierra's reluctance to acknowledge its existence, has kept it absent from the numerous Ultima collections that have been released over the decades[^ref-2][^ref-3]. ### Fan Projects In 2003, an unofficial conversion of the game was created by fans seeking to preserve this obscure piece of gaming history[^ref-2]. More recently, a Commodore 64 conversion has been developed, bringing this forgotten Ultima title to a new platform and making it accessible to a wider audience of retro computing enthusiasts.[^ref-8] These conversions allow the game to be played on modern systems and have helped ensure that this rare title remains accessible for study and historical documentation, even as original cassette copies become increasingly scarce and expensive. ### Related Publications - **Sierra On-Line Consumer Price List (Q1 1984):** Listed the game at $19.95, stock number 40245202[^ref-1] - **Compute! Magazine Advertisement:** The sole advertisement describing it as "A real-time, fantastic adventure"[^ref-1][^ref-3] No official hint books, strategy guides, or novelizations were produced for the game. ### Critical Perspective *Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash* occupies a peculiar and instructive position in gaming history. It serves as a cautionary tale about brand licensing and the potential consequences of attaching a prestigious name to an unrelated product[^ref-2][^ref-3]. The decision to apply the Ultima brand without Richard Garriott's knowledge or approval resulted in a product that satisfied neither Ultima fans seeking a genuine series experience nor general consumers looking for quality VIC-20 software[^ref-2]. The game's historical significance lies not in its gameplay contributions—which have been universally criticized—but in its status as a collector's item and a curious footnote in the Ultima franchise's otherwise distinguished history[^ref-1][^ref-2]. As one reviewer succinctly observed, "Without the Ultima brand on it, this game would be justly long forgotten"[^ref-2]. Instead, the combination of extreme rarity, controversial origins, and the enduring popularity of the Ultima series has ensured that *Escape from Mt. Drash* remains a subject of fascination for collectors and gaming historians alike, commanding prices that far exceed what Sierra ever hoped to earn from its original $19.95 retail release[^ref-1][^ref-2]. ## Purchase - [GOG Dreamlist](https://www.gog.com/dreamlist/game/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash-1983) ## Downloads **Purchase / Digital Stores** - Not currently available on any official digital distribution platform **Download / Preservation** - [MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/15218/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash/) - Database entry and screenshots - 2003 unofficial conversion available through various abandonware preservation sites[^ref-2] **Manuals & Extras** - Original documentation is extremely rare due to limited production run ## See Also ## References [^ref-1]: [Wikipedia – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima:_Escape_from_Mt._Drash) – release date, developer, publisher, technical specifications, sales data, trivia, development history, advertising information [^ref-2]: [MobyGames – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://www.mobygames.com/game/15218/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash/) – platforms, publisher, technical specs, player ratings, user reviews, trivia, gameplay issues, 2003 conversion [^ref-3]: [Ultima Codex Wiki – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://wiki.ultimacodex.com/wiki/Ultima:_Escape_from_Mt._Drash) – development history, designer credits, Computer Gaming World review, sales figures, trivia about garrintrots and cover art, copy protection details [^ref-4]: [MyAbandonware – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://www.myabandonware.com/game/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash-7a) – platform information, screenshots, download availability [^ref-5]: [GameFAQs – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/vic20/575958-ultima-escape-from-mt-drash) – game database entry, VIC-20 platform listing [^ref-6]: [The Digital Antiquarian – The Legend of Escape from Mt. Drash](https://www.filfre.net/2013/05/the-legend-of-escape-from-mt-drash/) – detailed history, collector information, auction records [^ref-7]: [Ultima Fandom Wiki – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://ultima.fandom.com/wiki/Ultima:_Escape_from_Mt._Drash) – series context, gameplay description [^ref-8]: [The Oasis BBS – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://theoasisbbs.com/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash-the-forgotten-ultima-game-comes-to-c64/) – C64 conversion, preservation efforts [^ref-9]: [Giant Bomb – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://www.giantbomb.com/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash/3030-5115/) – game database entry, collector information, development background [^ref-10]: [IGDB – Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash](https://www.igdb.com/games/ultima-escape-from-mt-drash) – game database entry, platform information