Newly optimized for GameCube, Gauntlet: Dark Legacy is the all-new iteration of the 3-D time-honored hack-'n'-slash arcade classic Gauntlet. The game design allows players to work as a team as they venture through eight worlds. One to four players can select one of eight different characters. Using force of arms and exotic magical powers, players vanquish creatures, search for treasure, evade traps, and embark on quests. The game features special character-based power attacks, magic potions, stunning new power-ups, and combination moves. The game save system allows you to transfer evolving characters from your own machine to a friend's so you can take on the dungeon together.

composed of 60 stages of robust gameplaying

objective is tracking through monsters and mazes with a little shoot 'em up and beat 'em up

Average Customer Review: ( 81 customer reviews )
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For those who are on the fence about whether or not they want to order this game or not, let me help a little. First off, I own the PS2 version of this game. Now, as we've seen so far, either the Gamecube release is exactly the same or improved over the PS2 version. With that in mind, either way this is a five-star game. The game that the misguided reviewers are discussing is Gauntlet Legends. Now, Gauntlet: Dark Legacy basically took Legends, doubled the number of boards and characters, and improved the graphics. There is no need to own Legends, I would just purchase this one, since everything that appears in Legends is encompassed within Dark Legacy.

As far as gameplay goes, if you like hack'n'slash type games, where you can pick up items and build your character, then this is for you. One improvement in this game is that initially there are eight characters that fall under four classes (warrior, archer, wizard, and valkyrie). As you collect the bonus coins on the different levels, you can unlock a few more (four or five, don't remember the exact number). Each class has a dominant trait (strength, armor, speed, and magic) and a special magical ability that grows more powerful at certain level-ups (wizards can use magic to change poison into food).

IMPORTANT TIP IN THIS PARAGRAPH, PLEASE READ:

You can increase each characters traits by leveling up or with gold that you collect. On the PS2 version, once one of your traits maxed out at 999, you wouldn't gain any more for the remaining three traits at level-up. From there on, you would have to increase those with gold. The one thing that upset me, since I didn't know, was that when one trait maxed out, the others reverted back to number they would have reached on their own, therefore wiping out any extra points you purchased for those traits. In essence, you should allow your character to level-up on their own and then once they max out the dominant trait, buy the rest. Basically, you should sit on your gold until one trait reads 999, otherwise you will waste gold. That was my only complaint but once I figured that out, it was a moot point and did not take away from gameplay. One of the other improvements was that one character took up a file on Legends. On the PS2, one file will hold all 12+ characters under one name.

The boards are expansive and very detailed. The enemies are relentless, varying and plentiful. One of the other great things is that the number of enemies and items is dependent upon the number of players. The more the merrier and the more chaotic. Every time I thought I had beaten the game, another board opened up. It's a fairly straight-forward game, kill everything, collect items and gold, buy items, increase character traits at level up, defeat mini-bosses and stage bosses. It's truly an adventure game, the only RPG element is the character traits, but that is the extent. This game is a lot of fun if you just want to fight and not have to do a whole lot of thinking. It's more challenging with multiple players but definitely worthwhile as a single player. There is a certain strategy to some boards to minimize the damage that your character takes.

Basically, if Nintendo changes nothing from the PS2 version, it would still be worth it. Somehow, I feel that they will add or change some things for the better. Either way, it's worth buying. One warning, if you want a true RPG, look elsewhere. This requires minor puzzle solving and very little battle strategy.

26 of 26 found the following review helpful:

Gauntlet delivers upon it's expectations.Apr 18, 2002
By Shane
This game has been hounded by many reviewers for its less than spectacular graphics and how the gameplay is not intuitive. But Gauntlet delivers exactly what it is supposed to: A hack-and-slash adventure with some new improvements. This is mainly a multiplayer game, but I can tell you that I played it for hours in singleplayer mode and have had a great time. I have two single player games going right now, one with the Warrior and one with a Falconess (secret character). I also have two multiplayer games going with my brother, and we are having a blast. The game requires hours of fighting your way through levels, collecting treasure and items, hitting switches, and raising your experience level (which is highly addictive, by the way). If you are looking for a game with revolutionary gameplay and graphics, then this is not up your alley. But if you simply want a game to sit down and enjoy either by yourself or with a friend, then Gauntlet: Dark Legacy definitely delivers.

17 of 18 found the following review helpful:

A niche game with a TON of replay value.Jun 16, 2002
By David Reynolds
In the arcades, this game fed an addiction inside me I didn't know I had. It's over the top fantasy elements (the sorceress is a perfect characature of the overly volumptuous damsiel in distress) and wonderfully slash-happy game play (envision your character standing on a ledge, hundreds of feet above boiling lava, surrounded on all sides by knife wielding mutants, crazed orcs, and kamikaze bomb carriers, all lusting after your untimely and greusome demise) both combine to create a fun and highly addictive gaming experience that's worth the 50 bucks this game will cost you.

This game features 8 starting characters, 20 some odd secret characters, 60 totally different levels, 10 different boss battles (that you can replay for more treasure and experience) 30 power-ups, and more collectibles than you can shake a stick at. This alone is enough replay to make any gamer's head explode, but the maker's also decided to include countless costumes for you character(s) to wear (The dwarf's S&M outfit had me rolling on the floor).

My one gripe with this game is that Midway decided not to update the graphics to take advatage of the gamecube's graphical power. Bad for some, but I enjoyed those old school graphics that made me feel as if I had the arcade coin-op in my own home. (for those of you who are wondering, the feature that made your charater's health deplete over time is thankfully absent in the home version).

The best 4-player game I've owned since super smash bros. melee, and with the ability to save multiple characters on one file, Gauntlet the ultimite pick-up-and-play party in a box.

13 of 15 found the following review helpful:

I can't believe I didn't try this game beforeJul 21, 2002
By Gilbert J Guillaume
I didn't know about the Arcade version of gauntlet
but now that I've played I see why many people say it's great

This game is not ment to played alone because If you play it alone all the demons etc will finish you up.

It's so cool because you can be speaking to you friend and saying
:" Help, me use your magic". cool uh

If you buy games for there graphics you better not buy this

Because the graphics are pretty poor but the gameplay is exelent

The more you play with the character the more powerfull It becomes for exemple I like the blue wizard so I only use him
at level twenty he became the blue mage
that's pretty cool

Thank you for reading my review

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Mostly Mindless Mayhem = fun, fun, funMar 20, 2002

Having been a fan of the old arcade gauntlet years ago, my eyes almost bugged out of my head when I saw this title. And though I may, for that reason, be a little biased, I am extremely happy with my purchase.

Although this is not, by any stretch, an RPG (which is where I spend most of my time) the mindless mayhem is a bit of pleasant nostalgia for me. You start with 8 character classes in the beginning and can open up new upgraded versions as you play. Each has four color based skins that change slightly at certain levels.

One of the main drawbacks, in my opinion, is the linear design of the different boards. In each one you are forced to wade through every single monster the designer thought to throw at you, pretty much in a predetermined order.

Overall the game is a lot of fun to play and has pretty good replay value. I have 4 different characters going simultaneously, 3 for me to play alone and one I play with a friend. (Two player combos are great!) I am sure that I will log a lot of hours on this game.

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