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HeroQuest, sometimes also written as Hero Quest, is a board game created by Milton Bradley in conjunction with Games Workshop and, set in the Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe. The game was based loosely around archetypes of fantasy role-playing games: the game itself was actually a game system, allowing the gamemaster (in HeroQuest parlance, "Zargon") to create dungeons of his or her own design using the provided game board, tiles, furnishings and monsters. Several expansions were released, each adding new tiles, artifacts and new monsters to the core system. Because of the ease of play of the game (a full dungeon can be explored and beaten in as little as an hour, compared to five or longer for a full-blown role-playing game) and its vivid detail work, it is fondly remembered in gamer circles (much like Talisman) and copies of it are jealously hoarded. Copies routinely go on eBay for double or more of the original $19.99 selling price.

Original Game

HeroQuest was created by Stephen Baker, who worked for the UK division of Milton Bradley (MB). HeroQuest was released in England/Europe/Australia around 1989. It was released in America/Canada in 1990 in a slightly different version. In 1992, HeroQuest won the Origins Award for Best Graphic Presentation of a Boardgame of 1991.

Base Game

Released in Europe & Australia in 1989, then in America & Canada in 1990.
US Instruction Booklet from Hasbro
US Quest Book from Hasbro
Contents (US version):
  • 31 Monster Figures
    • 8 Orcs
    • 6 Goblins
    • 3 Fimir
    • 4 Chaos Warriors
    • 1 Chaos Warlock
    • 1 Gargoyle
    • 4 Skeletons
    • 2 Zombies
    • 2 Mummies
  • 4 Hero Figures
    • Barbarian
    • Dwarf
    • Elf
    • Wizard
  • 15 Pieces of Furniture
    • 2 Tables
    • 1 Throne
    • 1 Alchemist's Bench
    • 3 Treasure Chests
    • 1 Tomb
    • 1 Sorcerer's Table
    • 2 Bookcases
    • 1 Torture Rack
    • 1 Fireplace
    • 1 Weapons Rack
    • 1 Cupboard
  • Various Candlesticks, Bottles, Skulls and Rats
  • 16 Open Doors
  • 5 Closed Doors
  • 66 Playing Cards
    • 24 Treasure Cards
    • 10 Artifact Cards
    • 8 Monster cards
    • 3 Air Spells
    • 3 Fire Spells
    • 3 Water Spells
    • 3 Earth Spells
    • 12 Chaos Spell Cards
  • Cardboard Tiles
  • 1 Gameboard which can create a variety of layouts by using blocked corridors, secret doors etc.
  • Instruction Booklet
  • Quest Booklet
  • 4 Character Cards
  • Information Screen
  • Pad of Character Sheets
  • 4 White Combat Dice
  • 2 Red Movement Dice


Contents (Euro version):

  • 31 Monster Figures
    • 8 Orcs
    • 6 Goblins
    • 3 Fimir
    • 4 Chaos Warriors
    • 1 Sorcerer
    • 1 Gargoyle
    • 4 Skeletons
    • 2 Zombies
    • 2 Mummies
  • 4 Hero Figures
    • Barbarian
    • Dwarf
    • Elf
    • Wizard
  • 15 Pieces of Furniture
    • 2 Tables
    • 1 Throne
    • 1 Alchemist's Bench
    • 3 Treasure Chests
    • 1 Tomb
    • 1 Altar
    • 2 Bookcases
    • 1 Torture Rack
    • 1 Fireplace
    • 1 Weapons Rack
    • 1 Cupboard
  • Various Candlesticks, Bottles, Skulls and Rats
  • 16 Open Doors
  • 5 Closed Doors
  • 64 Playing Cards
    • 25 Treasure Cards
    • 5 Artifact Cards
    • 8 Monster cards
    • 3 Air Spells
    • 3 Fire Spells
    • 3 Water Spells
    • 3 Earth Spells
    • 14 Equipment Cards
  • 21 Cardboard Tiles
    • 8 Single Blocked square markers
    • 2 Double blocked square markers
    • 6 Pit trap markers
    • 1 Stairway Tile
    • 4 Secret Door Markers
  • 1 Gameboard which can create a variety of layouts by using blocked corridors, secret doors etc.
  • Instruction Booklet
  • Quest Booklet
  • 4 Character Cards
  • Information Screen
  • Pad of Character Sheets
  • 4 White Combat Dice
  • 2 Red Movement Dice

Expansion Packs

Kellar's Keep

Released in Europe & Australia in 1989, then in America & Canada in 1991.
US Quest Book from Hasbro
Contents (US version):
  • 10 new quests
  • 17 plastic figures
    • 8 Orcs
    • 6 Goblins
    • 3 Fimir
  • Cardboard tile sheet
    • 1 Iron Door
    • 1 Wooden Door
    • 4 Short Stairway Tiles
    • 2 Long Stairway Tiles
    • 1 Cliff Corridor Tile
    • 1 Giant Stone Boulder Tile
    • 2 Trap Door Tiles
    • 2 Pit Trap Tiles
    • 12 Blocked Square Tiles
    • 1 Weapons Forge Tile
    • 1 Cloud of Chaos Tile
    • 1 Four Part Stone Map Tile

Return of the Witch Lord

Released in Europe & Australia in 1989, then in America & Canada in 1991.
US Quest Book from Hasbro
Contents (US version):
  • 10 new quests
  • 16 Plastic figures
    • 8 Skeletons
    • 4 Mummies
    • 4 Zombies
  • Cardboard tile sheet
    • 1 Throne Room Tile
    • 4 Coffin Tiles
    • 6 Blocked Square Tiles
    • 2 Pit Trap Tiles
    • 4 Secret Door Tiles
    • 1 Revolving Room Tile
    • 1 Death Mist Tile
  • 1 Iron Door
  • 1 Wooden Door

Against the Ogre Horde

Released only in Europe & Australia in 1990.
Contents (European version):
  • 7 new quests
  • 7 plastic figures
    • 1 Ogre Lord
    • 1 Ogre Chieftan
    • 1 Ogre Champion
    • 4 Ogre Warriors
  • Cardboard tile sheet
    • 1 Overground Starting Tile
    • 2 Double sided Room Tiles
  • 15 Chaos spell Tokens
  • 4 Stone Doorways
  • 4 Pit of Darkness Tokens
  • 6 Fallen Rubble Tokens
  • 4 Secret Door Tokens
  • 1 Ogre Throne

Wizards of Morcar

Released only in Europe & Australia in 1991.
Contents (European Version):
  • 5 new quests
  • 16 plastic figures
    • 4 Evil Sorcerers
      • 1 High Mage
      • 1 Necromancer
      • 1 Orc Shaman
      • 1 Storm Master
    • 12 Men-at-Arms
      • 24 Weapons for the Men-at-Arms
  • Cardboard tile sheet
    • 1 Magic Reference Chart
    • 3 Magical Barriers (Fire, Ice & Stone)
    • 1 Earthquake Tile
    • 1 Lightning Bolt Tile
    • 4 Breached Wall Tiles
    • 1 Cloak of Shadows Tile
    • 4 Fireburst Tokens
    • 6 Blocked Square Markers
  • 64 Playing Cards
    • 24 Evil Sorcerer Spell Cards
    • 9 new Wizard and Elf Spell Cards
    • 23 Men-at-Arms Cards
    • 8 new Treasure Cards

The Frozen Horror

Released only in America & Canada in 1992.
Quest Book from Hasbro
Contents (US version):
  • 10 new quests
  • 15 plastic figures
    • 1 Female Barbarian
    • 6 Mercenaries
    • 3 Ice Gremlins
    • 2 Polar Warbears
    • 2 Yetis
    • 1 Frozen Horror
  • Cardboard tile sheet
    • 1 Iron Door (without base)
    • 1 Wooden Door (without base)
    • 6 Ice Tunnel Tiles (2 of a kind)
    • 6 Magic Ice Tiles
    • 1 Slippery Ice Tile (2x1)
    • 1 Crystal key Tile
    • 1 Bottomless Chasm Tile
    • 1 Living Fog Room Tile
    • 1 Ice Cave Entrance Tile
    • 1 Seat of Power Tile
    • 1 Ice Vault Tile (4x3 squares)
    • 1 Ice Gremlin Treasure Room Tile
    • 1 Ice Vault Tile (2x3 squares)
    • 1 Slippery Ice Tile (2x3 squares)
    • 6 Blocked Square Tiles
    • 6 Slippery Ice Tiles (1x1)
    • 1 Icy River Tile (3x1)
    • 1 Slippery Ice Tile (3x1)
    • 1 Icy River Tiles (8x1)
    • 1 Ice Slide Tile (8x1)
    • 2 Slippery Ice Tile (1x1)
    • 2 (of a total of 8) Skull Tiles
    • 6 (of a total of 8) Skull Tiles
    • 1 Ice Ledge Tile
    • 1 Frozen Crypt Tile
    • 1 Cage Room Tile
    • 1 Scepter Room Tile
    • 1 Ice Ledge (5x3)
    • 1 Frozen Crypt Room (5x3)
  • 30 Playing Cards
    • 6 Treasure Cards
    • 8 Monster Cards
    • 6 Chaos Spell Cards
    • 10 Artifact Cards

The Mage of the Mirror

Released only in America & Canada in 1992.
Quest Book from Hasbro
Contents (US version):
  • 10 new quests
  • 13 plastic figures
    • 1 Female Elf
    • 1 Elven Archmage
    • 2 Elven Warriors
    • 2 Elven Archers
    • 3 Giant Wolves
    • 4 Ogres
  • Cardboard tile sheet
    • 6 Blocked Square Tiles
    • 1 Brass Key Tile
    • 3 Double Blocked Square Tiles
    • 1 Inner Sanctum Room
    • 1 Inner Sanctum Wall
    • 1 Iron Door
    • 3 Long Pit Trap Tiles
    • 2 Mirror Tiles
    • 1 Moonsilver Flask Tile
    • 4 Pit Trap Tiles
    • 4 Portcullis Tiles
    • 1 Princess Millandriell Tile
    • 1 Prospector Tile
    • 1 Quicksand Room
    • 4 Secret Door Tiles
    • 1 Sky Orb Tile
    • 4 Sky Orb Tokens
    • 14 Skull Tiles
    • 1 Spiral Stairway Tile
    • 2 Trap Door Tiles
    • 4 Weapon Pack Tiles
    • 4 Wolf Tokens
    • 1 Wooden Door
  • 30 Playing Cards
    • 7 Chaos Spell Cards
    • 8 Elf Spell Cards
    • 7 Artifact Cards
    • 4 Treasure Cards
    • 4 Monster Cards

The Dark Company

Released only in Europe.
Contents:
  • Base Game plus
  • 1 new quest, "The Dark Company"
  • 12 Men-at-Arms

HeroQuest Adventure Design Kit

Released only in Europe in 1990, this expansion kit contains items to help HeroQuest players design their own quests:
  • Adventure Design Booklet
  • 4 sheets of adhesive labels (monsters & furniture)
  • 80-page pad of new, larger character sheet

White Dwarf Magazine Articles

  • White Dwarf 134 Contained a scenario for HeroQuest, 'The Halls of Durrag-Dol'. This scenario introduced Skaven hordes.
  • White Dwarf 145 Contained a scenario for HeroQuest, 'The Eyes of Chaos'.

Computer Game Version

A computer game adaptation was also released in 1991, forcing Sierra On-Line to rename their Hero's Quest series to Quest for Glory.

Other Merchandise

Novels

At least 3 HeroQuest Novels have been published:
  • The Fellowship of the Four
  • The Screaming Spectre
  • The Tyrant's Tomb

Jigsaws

  • HeroQuest Puzzle: "Adventure Design Kit"
  • HeroQuest Puzzle: "Kellar's Keep"
  • HeroQuest Puzzle: "Ogre Horde"
  • HeroQuest Puzzle: "Return of the Witch Lord"

Other Versions

Advanced HeroQuest

Advanced HeroQuest is a revised and expanded version of the HeroQuest game. The basic concept is the same: four heroes venture into a dungeon to fight monsters and gain treasure, but the rules are more detailed and complex.

Warhammer Quest

Warhammer Quest is another similar type of game by Games Workshop after Advanced HeroQuest had gone out of print.

Similar games

External links

Fantasy board games | Warhammer Fantasy | Origins Award winners | Adventure board games

HeroQuest | Heroquest | HeroQuest | HeroQuest (lautapeli) | HeroQuest

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "HeroQuest (board game)".

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