Play Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - Hillsfar Online

Summary

Hillsfar, the AD&D‑flavored RPG that landed on the NES in 1993, feels like a hybrid of tabletop freedom and arcade‑style chores. You can start by picking a pre‑made hero, building one from scratch, or even importing a character from earlier SSI titles like Pool of Radiance, which instantly ties the game into a broader Dungeons & Dragons universe. The character creator lets you choose race (dwarf, elf, human or gnome), class (cleric, fighter, magic‑user or thief), and alignment, then hands you a set of randomly generated stats that shape how you’ll tackle the three class‑specific quest lines.

Gameplay splits into two distinct flavors: a series of action‑oriented mini‑games—searching for treasure, lock‑picking, or bashing doors—and a more traditional adventure mode where you follow the ordered quests but can wander off to explore the town of Hillsfar or its surrounding caves. The world is shown from three angles: a side‑on view while traveling, a bird’s‑eye map when you’re in town, and a first‑person perspective inside dungeons, all navigated via a simple “bump” interface that triggers interactions when you run into objects.

Critics were split; the original computer versions earned mixed praise, yet the NES port drew harsher words. One reviewer summed it up: the game devolves into endless gold‑grinding and lock‑picking, with little adventure or strategy to keep you hooked, and its graphics feel flat and uninspired.

Storyline

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Hillsfar (often just called Hillsfar) is set in the eponymous town, a bustling hub where four distinct guilds dominate: Fighter, Cleric, Mage, and Thief. At character creation you pick one of these classes and are sent straight to the corresponding guildmaster, who hands out a series of quests tailored to your profession. Each mission tests the strengths of your chosen path, and finishing the entire set rewards you with a boost in gold and experience. Once all assignments are completed, the hero’s journey comes to a natural end and the character retires from adventuring. The game’s simple loop of guild‑driven tasks gives the town of Hillsfar a clear, class‑focused narrative drive.