Castle of the Winds

Castle of the Winds (also known as "Castle of the Winds: Vanquish the Dark Forces")[1] is a tile-based roguelike video game for Microsoft Windows. It was developed by SaadaSoft in 1989[2] and distributed by Epic MegaGames in 1993.[3][4] The game was given around 1998 into the public domain and provided as Freeware download by the author Rick Saada.[5][6]

Castle of the Winds
Castle of the Winds II Cover.jpg
Developer(s) SaadaSoft (Rick Saada)
Publisher(s) Epic MegaGames
Platform(s) Windows 3.x
Release 1989, 1993
Genre(s) Roguelike
Mode(s) Single-player
Release history Edit

The game is composed of two parts: A Question of Vengeance, released as shareware, and Lifthransir's Bane, sold commercially. A combined license for both parts was also sold.

In 1998, the game's author, Rick Saada, decided to distribute the entirety of Castle of the Winds free of charge.[6]

As a 16-bit application, the program will not run natively under 64-bit versions of the Windows operating system.

The game is public domain per Rick Saada's words:

Rick Saada, creator of Castle of the Winds, decided that it should be public domain so he has given permission for anyone to distribute it for free. (Epic doesn't have an exclusive license to sell it)."[5]