In this gaming guide, we will provide a walkthrough for the Mac version of Shadowgate from 1987. Whether you’re new to this classic game or just need some help, our guide will give you the info you need to conquer Shadowgate on your Mac. Let’s dive in!
General Tips/Info
- Torch duration is related to in game actions. Try to remember to light a fresh torch after about 40 actions or clicks. The 1st torch goes out before 17 clicks.
- You can double click on doors and doorways to travel without having to use the GO command.
- Typically I tried to write commands and items in capital letters but I may have missed a few spots.
- Gameplay should essentially be the same for the IIGS version.
First Half
- 1 Entrance: OPEN the skull atop the door. Click and drag the key to your inventory window. OPEN and enter the door (double clickx2)
- 2 Hallway: Drag the 2 wall torches to inventory. OPERATE the key from #1 on the double door, then open and enter. Discard Key.
- 3 Hallway2: Light a fresh torch with the OPERATE command, discard the old one (drag and drop on screen). OPEN the book & collect the key. There are two torches on the wall. The closest TORCH is special so set it to the side of your inventory. Click on the far “EXIT” box in the “EXIT” window.
- 4 Hallway3: Open all the doors, take a right.
- 5 Lake: Open the door and continue on.
- 6 Waterfall: Take one STONE from the ground and double click on the black area to the left of the waterfall (secret passage).
- 7 Alcove: HIT the loose rock. OPEN the pouch and collect the BLUE RED & WHITE GEMS. Backtrack to Hallway 3 with the 3 doorways and enter the left doorway.
- 8 Pedestal room: OPERATE the WHITE GEM in the 5 sided slot next to the door. Drag the ORB to your inventory. Double click and enter the door.
- 9 Lair: Drag and drop the SHIELD in your inventory. Afterwards drag and drop the SPEAR, & HAMMER. Torch is optional. Beware there’s an inventory limit so you may need to drop items and return here later.
- 10 Pedestal room: Grab the two torches, drop your shield, and backtrack to the 3 doors. Take the middle door at the far end.
- 11 Tomb: Open the rightmost tomb and the back left tomb. OPERATE your torch on the mummy & collect the sceptre. Conntinue to the exit via the back left tomb.
- 12 Mirror room: OPERATE the hammer to smash the middle mirror. Discard hammer. Set aside spear, you’ll need to use it later. 2 Torches if you need them. Backtrack to the lake.
- 13 Lake: OPERATE the orb on the lake. Once frozen, drag and drop the key the skeleton is holding into your inventory. OPERATE the torch on the frozen lake and collect the orb. Return to hallway 1.
- 14 Hallway 1: Use the key you found in the book from Hallway 2 on the closet door (to the right of the double doorway). Enter the closet.
- 15 Closet: Take the sword & sling. OPERATE the waterfall rock with the sling to load it. Discard the closet key. Return to hallway 2.
- 16 Hallway 2: On the bottom left stone of the back wall, use the OPEN command to reveal a secret passage. Enter.
- 17 Chamber: Take the ARROW and OPERATE the left wall torch on itself to reveal a passage. Enter.
- 18 Bridge room: Cross on the left for now.
- 19 Alcove 2: Save game. Remember the special torch from Hallway 2? Time to light it and OPERATE it on the wraith to avoid the curse. If it doesn’t work correctly, make sure you load your game. The wraiths curse will eventually kill you, and I don’t know the cure. (Maybe try some bottles at random). Collect the CLOAK on the left of the door and the torches if you want. Open and enter the door.
- 20 Chamber 2: Speak “EOPR” on the rope to connect this room with the mirror room above. Hint scroll and optional bottles & torch here. Hidden door in middle of back wall. OPEN & enter.
- 21 Cave: OPERATE the BLUE GEM on the stone tablet to reveal a wizard. He will give you a hint and a scroll. Take the scroll and make your way to the mirror room.
- 22 Mirror room: You should only have one key left in your inventory, OPERATE it on the door and discard it (and any other keys you already used). OPERATE the CLOAK on yourself. Open the door and continue on. Your inventory should contain a cloak, sceptre, arrow, orb, red gem, scroll, sword, loaded sling, torches.
- 23 Bridge: OPERATE the orb on the flames to extinguish. Open door and continue.
Last Half
- 24 Crevice: Discard the cloak. OPEN the scroll. Examine if you want. Then OPERATE the scroll on THYSELF and move to the next exit. Please note you cannot move freely pass this bridge, so use your scroll and spear wisely.
- 25 Courtyard: OPERATE the loaded sling (rock found at waterfall) on the Cyclops. OPERATE sword on cyclops once unconscious. OPERATE the well on itself. OPEN the bucket and take the GAUNTLET. Discard the sword and sling.
- 26 Hallway4: Take the 1st door on the left.
- 27 Library: OPERATE the red gem in the 5 sided slot on the right side of the bookcases. Take the book on the desk. OPEN the desk and take all its contents. Please note you will need to remove the RED GEM at a later time if the Sphinx requires the Skull for their riddle, it’s on the back bookshelf.
- 28 Study: Open the scrolls from the library desk and examine them. OPERATE the Terra Terrakk scroll with the globe in the study. Take the key. Return to Hallway4 and enter the other door on the left.
- 29 Laboratory: Notice one stone on the floor has a black handle. Operate this stone on itself. Collect the holy water from the hidden compartment. Open the holy water (or don’t forget to open it later when you need to use it). Enter the tunnel on the right.
- 30 Garden: OPERATE the gauntlet on thyself. Take the flute floating in the fountain spray. OPERATE thyself on the flute. You should hear a tune and a compartment will open in the tree trunk. Take the sapphire ring. Discard gauntlet and flute. Return to the hallway, open and enter the door at the back of the hall.
- 31 Banquet hall: OPERATE your lit torch on the lump on the rug. OPERATE that key on the bottom door to unlock. Use the other 2 keys in your inventory to open the top two doors. Discard all keys on the floor. Enter the top right door.
- 32 Chamber (sphinx): Attempt to go up the stairs and the sphinx will ask you a riddle. You’ll need to find the solution in shadowgate. Some of the puzzle answers are MAP, SKULL (both found in library) MIRROR (banquet hall). If i missed some let me know and I’ll edit this later. Also note the pattern on the stairs as it will come in handy for a late game puzzle.
- 33 Observatory: Take the shooting star off the poster. OPERATE the poster on itself to reveal the lightning ROD. Take it. Go up the ladder.
- 34 Turret: OPERATE the arrow on the beautiful woman. Then take the GOLDEN THORN and return to the banquet hall. Enter the doorway top left.
- 35 Chamber (hellhound): Attempt to take the horn. OPERATE the (opened) holy water bottle on the hellhound. Take horn and climb ladder.
- 36 Turret (wyvern): OPERATE the shooting star on wyvern. Take the Bladed sun from its stand and return to the banquet hall. Take the final door on the bottom.
- 37 Hallway 5: Take left door
- 38 Balcony: OPERATE lightning rod in mount on the parapet and take the wand from the hand in the floor. Move down the stairs on the left.
- 39 Lookout: Take the bag and return to the hallway.
- 40 Hallway: Move to the room on the right.
- 41 Throne room: OPEN the panel with the D on it. OPERATE the sapphire ring in the revealed hole. OPERATE the sceptre in the skeleton’s empty hand. At this point, dump everything in youro inventory here except for a freshly lit torch and the wand. Return all the way back to the double bridge room from the first chapter of the game. Go up the rickety bridge.
- 42 Cave (snake): OPERATE the wand on the snake. Take the staff, discard the wand and return to the mirror room. Take the spear you left there earlier and make your way back to the Throne room.
- 43 Crevice: With spear & staff in inventory, go to the crevice and cross the bridge. When the troll appears, OPERATE the spear on him. Cross and return to the Throne room.
- 44 Throne room: Grab your stuff, it’s time for the final chapter. Combine (OPERATE) your golden throne and your staff. Open the watch tower bag and take all the coins. Enter next room.
- 45 Hallway 6: Inventory check: Staff, Golden thorn, Big Coin, Small Coins, Book, Glasses, Scroll, Bladed Sun (Talisman), Horn. Take torches here if needed.
- 46 Cave (Gargoyles): Take right exit.
- 47 Cavern (lava): OPERATE your glasses on Thyself. OPEN book, OPERATE book on the huge statue. Discard glasses and book. Cross bridge.
- 48 Cave (Levers): The solution to this puzzle can be found in the sphinx room. If you didn’t write it down, it’s OPERATE left lever, middle lever, left lever. Take the orb from the cylinder. OPERATE the orb with the staff.
- 49 Cave (gargoyles): (Open and) OPERATE the scroll on the gargoyles. Enter the passage between them.
- 50 Wellroom: Operate the well’s handle on itself. OPERATE the large coin on the well opening. Enter the well.
- 51 River: OPERATE the handle on the gong. Give the spectre his fare (OPERATE small gold coin to spectre). GO on their raft.
- 52 Vault: OPERATE the bladed sun in the left slot, under the sword. OPERATE thyself on the horn. With the staff assembled (orb, thorn and staff), enter the skull.
- 53 Cavern (Behemoth): OPERATE the completed staff of ages on the behemoth. Congratulations.
And that wraps up our share on Shadowgate: MacVenture Series: Mac Version Shadowgate Walkthrough. If you have any additional insights or tips to contribute, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. For a more in-depth read, you can refer to the original article here by Paladin, who deserves all the credit. Happy gaming!