Gauntlet was one of the first coin operated arcade cabinets that allowed 4 players to play on the machine simultaneously. Featuring a top down view and an endless supply of dungeons to conquer if there ever was a coin guzzling machine then this would be it. Well many years have passed since Gauntlet was introduced in the arcades and now in 2006 Gauntlet appears on Xbox 360’s Live Marketplace for download.

Gameplay To begin with, players choose one of four characters which are Elf, a fast moving archer. Valkerie, a sword wielding female fighter. Warrior, a hard as nails axe wielding powerhouse and finally Wizard, a fireball throwing cloaked beardy guy. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses such as the Wizard being able to use potions more effectively or the archer moving the fastest of the four characters and being able to shoot through gaps in walls.

The main objective of the game is to survive dungeons by finding the exit and warping to the next level. However each dungeon is populated by all manner of enemies that are their to sap your health and ultimately finish you off so that you have to either insert another coin or in this case use the Y button to add credits to your game during play. This method in the offline single player mode means that their character can never be killed as you are able to keep pressing the Y button to give massive amounts of health. That said there seems to be a never ending supply of dungeons to battle through so in reality the issue of your own staying power will probably make you quit than sit there through the never ending dungeons for hours on end. Goblins, Ghosts, Wizards, Trolls are all out in force when playing Gauntlet and with the single attack button at your disposal means that navigating the dungeons to find the exit is a more taxing experience than the actual combat. Ultimately the game is a lot more entertaining if you have 3 other players alongside you to help out. Gauntlet becomes a lot more fun because you can either play as a team and be smart about who picks up potions, keys, treasure and food or you can simply have a free for all bout. Obviously working as a tight team has its rewards and more importantly will allow your team to progress further into the game.

Graphics The dungeons are represented by using a top down viewpoint and feature simple maze like pathways. The player characters all look different to each other which is a good thing when there are four players on screen. The enemies although simple are varied and seem to fill the screens in huge numbers which is great feature of the game. Simple effects are used such as with ghosts enemies changing colour when injured. During play there are no slowdown moments as the game runs perfectly smooth regardless of the on screen action.

Sound The sound is actually quite lacking and what you will tend to notice more or in fact laugh at is the dungeon announcer who warns of impending doom such as “Warrior is about to die” or “I never seen such heroism”. Other sound effects are the cries of pain when your character gets hit and the sound of your weapon being used. Overall the sound is very simple yet works well in the context of a four player game where there are potentially four weapons sound effects being used at the same time throughout.

Longevity Gauntlet is a long game in that there are plenty of dungeons to fight through and the fact that it’s not easy if you don’t continually add credits. Gauntlet allows four gamers to hook up over Xbox Live to tackle the dungeons in unison. The difference here is that as long as one team member makes it to the exit then the rest of the team will be resurrected for the next level. If all team mates die then it game over and a restart at the beginning. Completing many dungeons over Xbox Live with 3 other players is not an easy task at all and some communication is required if you are to be a successful team.

Overall Gauntlet is a fun and uncomplicated game that will suit action fans that just want to kick back and get on with some adventuring. As a single player experience it is fun and reasonably rewarding; however the game comes alive with 2 or more extra players to fight alongside whether this is on or offline. Gauntlet is a classic game and for those of you who wish to relive childhood memories for less cash then this is well worth a look. For anyone else looking for a fun yet simple game then Gauntlet is definitely worth playing. If in doubt you can download a demo of the game first before you decide on spending your Microsoft points.