History YMMV / KingsQuestMaskOfEternity

* ContestedSequel: Go to a Creator/{{Sierra}} fan board and ask if it's a ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' game. Then ask them if it's a ''good'' game. [[FlameWar Make sure to bring chocolate, marshmallows, and graham (no pun intended) crackers for the inevitable cookout.]]

* MisBlamed: The game itself was blamed for killing the adventure game genre, but trouble with the company and a shifting industry had far more to do with it. Also, while the game remains obscure enough to not be fully VindicatedByHistory, many who look back on it now see it in a different light. The rest of the King's Quest series, while still looked back on fondly, is now acknowledged to have more or less made the fall of the adventure game genre inevitable [[FranchiseOriginalSin from the beginning]], due to wildly inconsistent quality and loads of FakeDifficulty. Mask of Eternity's gameplay, by comparison, has noticeably more modern standards of balance and fairness.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: No matter what you think of the game, you have to admit the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGg6UeN_W-A main theme]] is awesome.

* FanonDiscontinuity: The fandom does not especially like this game. This game is largely ignored and/or derided by the fanbase as InNameOnly, due to its drastic change in tone, reliance on violence in a series that usually rewarded you for thinking your way out of the situation, and protagonist that wasn't a member of the Daventry Royal Family.

* MemeticMutation: "'Tis beyond my reach!" Variations on this pop up in the FanRemake of ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIIRomancingTheThrone'' and ''VideoGame/TheSilverLining''. (Get lost, narrator. We're ''still'' debating if this is a [[ContestedSequel King's Quest]] game or not.)
* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly 7/10s. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) [[GenreKiller killed off the adventure game genre]]. The bundle on Website/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though (although it will vary person to person whether this game or ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVIIThePrincelessBride'' is the main attraction and which is the add-on).

* MostAnnoyingSound: The aforementioned "'Tis beyond my reach!" was an infuriatingly oft-heard line.

* {{Irony}}: Despite the fact this game is pretty much universally hated, this game is bundled with ''King's Quest VII'' on GOG.com. So if you want ''King's Quest VII'' (and have it easily work on modern computers), you have to buy it with this game.

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) [[GenreKiller killed off the adventure game genre]]. The bundle on Website/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though (although it will vary person to person whether this game or ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVIIThePrincelessBride'' is the main attraction and which is the addon).

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) [[GenreKiller killed off the adventure game genre]]. The bundle on Creator/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though (although it will vary person to person whether this game or ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVIIThePrincelessBride'' is the main attraction and which is the addon).

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. The bundle on Creator/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though (although it will vary person to person whether this game or ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVIIThePrincelessBride'' is the main attraction and which is the addon).

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. The bundle on Creator/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though (although it will vary person to person whether this game or VideoGame/KingsQuestVIIThePrincelessBride is the main attraction and which is the addon).

* {{Irony}}: Despite the fact this game is pretty much universally hated, this game is bundled with ''King's Quest VII'' on GOG.com. So if you want ''King's Quest VII'' (and have it easily work on modern computers), you have to buy it with this game. The bundle was originally $9.99, but the price was slashed to [[NumberOfTheBeast $6.66]].

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. The bundle on Creator/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though.

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. The KQ7-KQ8 bundle on Creator/GOGDotCom does sell pretty well, though.

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. The KQ7-KQ8 bundle on Creator/GOGDotCom does ell pretty well, though.

* VindicatedByHistory: Inverted. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, even outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre.

* {{Irony}}: Despite this game is pretty much universally hated, this game is bundled with 7 on GOG.com. So if you want 7 (and have it easily work on modern computers), you have to buy it with this game. The bundle was originally $9.99, but the price was slashed to [[NumberOfTheBeast $6.66]].

* {{Irony}}: Despite this game is pretty much universally hated, this game is bundled with 7 on GOG.com. So if you want 7 (and have it easily work on modern computers) is to buy it with this game. The bundle was originally $9.99 but the price was slashed to [[TheDevil $6.66]]

* MostAnnoyingSound: The aforementioned "'Tis beyond my reach!" was an infuriatingly oft heard line.

* VindicatedByHistory: Reversed. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. Gameplay-wise, ''King's Quest 2015" also adds action elements, but encourages nonviolence and thus has been well-received.

* VindicatedByHistory: Reversed. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre. Gameplay-wise, ''Your Legacy Awaits" also adds action elements, but encourages nonviolence and thus has been well-received.

* VindicatedByHistory: Reversed. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, outselling ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre.

* VindicatedByHistory: Reversed. Believe it or not, when the game first came out, it sold reasonably well, outselling GrimFandango, and earned modest scores from gaming magazines, mostly around 70%. After Sierra went under and the adventure game market crashed, everyone turned on the game, now labeling it as the game that (temporarily) killed off the adventure game genre.

* ContestedSequel: Go to a Creator/{{Sierra}} fan board and ask if it's a ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' game. Then ask them if it's a ''good'' game. [[FlameWar Make sure to bring chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers for the inevitable cookout.]]

* {{Irony}}: Despite this game is pretty much universally hated, this game is bundled with 7 on GOG.com. So if you want 7 (and have it easily work on modern computers) is to buy it with this game. The bundle was originally $9.99 but the price was slashed to $6.66

* FanonDiscontinuity: The fandom does not especially like this game.
* MemeticMutation: "'Tis beyond my reach!" Variations on this pop up in the FanRemake of ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIIRomancingTheThrone'' and ''VideoGame/TheSilverLining''.
* MostAnnoyingSound: The aforementioned "'Tis beyond my reach!"

* PolygonCeiling: The series' first and so far only 3D outing went... badly.

* MemeticMutation: "'Tis beyond my reach!" Variations on this pop up in the FanRemake of ''KingsQuestIIRomancingTheThrone'' and ''VideoGame/TheSilverLining''.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: No matter what you think of the game, you have to admit the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGg6UeN_W-A main theme]] is awesome.
* MemeticMutation: "'Tis beyond my reach!" Variations on this pop up in the FanRemake of ''KingsQuestII'' and ''VideoGame/TheSilverLining''.
* MostAnnoyingSound: The aforementioned "'Tis beyond my reach!".

* YourMileageMayVary: Depending on who you ask, this game is either an abomination of gaming, or a decent to actually pretty good game that simply shouldn't have been released under the King's Quest label.

* MemeticMutation: "'Tis beyond my reach!" Variations on this pop up in the FanRemake of ''KingsQuestII'' and ''Game/TheSilverLining''.

* YourMileageMayVary: Depending on who you ask, this game is either an abomination of gaming, or a decent to actually pretty good game that simply shouldn't have been released under the King's Quest label.