Thayer's Quest (set 1)

Embark on a fantasy quest in Thayer's Quest, a 1984 platformer from RDI Video Systems. Players guide young Thayer through three distinct kingdoms – Weigard, Illes, and Iscar – as he journeys to confront Sorsabal The Twisted. Unlike many laserdisc games of the era, Thayer’s Quest prioritizes accessibility; its gameplay resembles a “Choose Your Own Adventure” story where success depends more on understanding situations than mastering complex timing. The game features hand-drawn animations presented via laser disc technology and utilizes an unusual control scheme: instead of a traditional joystick, players use a membrane keyboard to direct Thayer's movements. A unique quirk is the game’s tendency to prompt the player for their name with humorous messages if no input is given. To manage playtime per coin, the game periodically deducts lives regardless of player actions. Thayer's Quest was initially released as a conversion kit for existing Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace arcade cabinets, replacing hardware and including new side art prominently displaying the RDI logo. While originally intended to be part of a larger series, only this initial installment materialized; further kingdoms were planned but never developed. A version also appeared on the RDI Halcyon home system, possessing additional content not found in the arcade release.