Welcome to this tribute site for Knightmare - the award-winning adventure game show, produced by Broadsword Television and shown on 'Children's ITV' in the UK from 1987 to 1994.
This website launched in January 1999. You can find:
- Detailed information on the eight series of Knightmare
- Hundreds of screen-shots
- Cast photographs
- Over 100MB of audio and video clips
- Online versions of the official Knightmare Adventurers Club newsletter
- Various reviews of the books, computer/board games and the show itself
- A document on the history of the show, written by creator Tim Child
If you like what you see, please sign the Guestbook. You can also discuss any aspect of Knightmare with other visitors in the Knightmare Discussion Forum.
Knew to Knightmare?
By visiting this site, you will probably have seen Knightmare on TV and know what it's all about. However, here's a description if you're (k)new to the concept:
Knightmare was a fantasy adventure game show, shown on Children's ITV in the UK between 1987 and 1994. It was created and produced by Tim Child and was a Broadsword Television production for Anglia Television/ITV. The show made extensive use of the 'Cromakey' (blue screen) technique to generate rooms and scenes with different backgrounds and graphics.
The adventure was set mostly in a dungeon, and there were three 'levels' corresponding to difficulty. Teams of four took it in turns to challenge the dungeon to complete a 'quest' - usually to retrieve a symbolic object, such as a Crown or Shield. The dungeon master 'Treguard', and his assistant occasionally helped teams along their way as they solved problems, puzzles and riddles.
The 'dungeoneer' is the one person of the team who is guided through the adventure, and wears a helmet to blind them from reality. He or She is guided by the three other members of the team, known as their 'advisors', who sit in the dungeon ante-chamber and watch the adventure through a 'Magic Mirror'.
The object of each quest was decided at the start, and teams would be awarded with a medal or FrightKnight trophy upon successful completion.
All teams encountered clue rooms with objects, which could be of great use later on. Clues could also consist of scrolls which often provided a hint regarding the remaining items on the table or a spy glass to check up on the 'opposition'.
In the early series, clue rooms were frequently guarded by a character or wall monster. The team could only proceed by answering a number of riddles or questions correctly. Teams would also often earn an additional reward by answering (commonly) all the questions correctly. Such rewards might constitute advice as to which items to take, or may include passwords or coded sequences for later use in the dungeon. On rare occasions, teams could also earn magic.
The dungeoneer's energy status was known as the 'Life Force' - it had to be constantly restored by picking up food scattered all over the dungeon, and then placed it the dungeoneer's knapsack. The current energy status was frequently shown on screen during the quests.
During Series 1-5, this was shown as a head with armour with three colour status. For Series 6-7 it was an animated walking knight with armour dropping off. Series 8 was an animated pie, of which slices would gradually disappear.
Other quest obstacles include card and chess puzzles, fireballs and spears, bombs, scorpions and snakes.
The Rules of the Knightmare Dungeon
These rules have been taken from the Knightmare books and are mostly relevant to the early series of Knightmare, as in later series there were subtle changes (see the Series Guides for more information).
- Your Life Force Status has three possible stages: GREEN, AMBER and RED. You begin the adventure on GREEN, indicating that you are unwounded and fresh for the Challenge.
- During your adventure you will gradually lose Life Force energy. You may also lose one Life Force grade all together if you make a mistake.
- You can eat any item of food at any time which will restore your Life Force to GREEN. Your Life Force cannot go above GREEN.
- You can carry up to two objects at a time. If you find an item which you want but you already have two, you must discard one. Objects from level 1 cannot be used in level 2 and so on.
- You will sometimes be given spells to use during your adventure. You can only use up to three spells in your quest. Most spells are useful in several situations, but there will usually be one special situation that each spell is particularly helpful in dealing with. Choose the right moment to cast your spell, since a spell can only be used once.
- Remain true to the Code of Chivalry: be courageous, dutiful and just, protect the weak, and show honour even in adversity.
- One final point - the RIGHT-hand path is usually the best path to take, unless you are advised otherwise