1980s
Police Quest
1987 · Adventure · PC/DOS
Overview
Police Quest is a classic 1980s adventure game developed by Jim Walls for PC/DOS.
Deep Dive
Police Quest is a classic 1980s adventure game developed by Jim Walls for PC/DOS.
Developer Story
Police Quest was designed by Jim Walls and Ken Williams at Sierra On-Line in 1987. Walls was a retired California Highway Patrol officer who brought authentic police procedure into game design — players had to follow actual law enforcement protocols or the game would end. Forgetting to buckle your seatbelt, failing to check your weapon, or violating procedure could all kill the player indirectly.
Did You Know?
- Jim Walls was a real police officer before designing Police Quest, and authentic police procedure was enforced — ignoring protocol ended the game.
- Players who forgot to buckle their seatbelt before driving could be killed in an accident — realistic consequence taken to an extreme.
- The game required players to holster and unholster their weapon correctly — gun safety procedure as puzzle mechanic.
- Walls left Sierra after Police Quest 2 due to creative differences; the series was later rebooted by novelist Daryl Gates with a more action-oriented focus.
