Instead of reviewing shitty games like he usually does, the Nerd tells the tale about SwordQuest and the fantastic contest that went with the games.  Someone should really do a contest similar to this.  That would be awesome.  If someone did do something like this, what should the prizes be?  Money, jewels, treasure?  Anyways, sit back and enjoy the epic tale of SwordQuest.
 
 

YES thanks for posting! I have been eagerly awaiting his next video. I've seen almost all of them now. 
 
Thanks again!

YES!!! thank you JJ

Really like all of Cinemassacre's videos. Really interesting stuff he makes. Thanks for reminding me.

 awesome.now i really want to see if someone can find those treasures.

I want to know where that sword is.

That was pretty great! :D 

This is up sooner than I thought it would be. Thanks.

I wish these came out every week. I've seen every single episode.

" I wish these came out every week. I've seen every single episode. "

" @SpikeSpiegel said:

" I wish these came out every week. I've seen every single episode. "

Same, but he was talking about putting only one episode a month out now.  :(          It really bums be out, but the guy does need a brake. "

Wow, the fact a contest like that even existed is crazy. The AVGN should go on adventure like Indiana Jones and find all the artifacts. ^_^
 
I remember there being other contests like this, but the rewards were cash prizes. The most recent one I can think of was Advent Rising, but it failed because I hear the game was a buggy mess.
 
Wikipedia has some info on the contest. Apparently the winner of the talisman and mini sword emblem melted the talisman to help pay for school.

That was just amazing.  I can't believe a game actually had real treasures tied to them.  It just elevates something like playing a video game to new heights. 
I think such things should still be pushed.  It's so rare to see the competitive single-player experience, let alone any experience that incentives the gamer with something tangible.  C'mon, developers!  Let's see this trend given a re-birth!

" @JJOR64 said:

" @SpikeSpiegel said:

" I wish these came out every week. I've seen every single episode. "

Same, but he was talking about putting only one episode a month out now.  :(          It really bums be out, but the guy does need a brake. "

I guess you're right. I almost wish they would release all his older episodes on DVD. That would be incredible. "

"

That was just amazing.  I can't believe a game actually had real treasures tied to them.  It just elevates something like playing a video game to new heights. 
I think such things should still be pushed.  It's so rare to see the competitive single-player experience, let alone any experience that incentives the gamer with something tangible.  C'mon, developers!  Let's see this trend given a re-birth!

"

I wish more of his videos were interesting, such as this one was.

WE MUST GET THAT FUCKING SWORD.

"

That was just amazing.  I can't believe a game actually had real treasures tied to them.  It just elevates something like playing a video game to new heights. 
I think such things should still be pushed.  It's so rare to see the competitive single-player experience, let alone any experience that incentives the gamer with something tangible.  C'mon, developers!  Let's see this trend given a re-birth!

"

This was definitely one of my favorite episodes of the Nerd. He's clearly a very bright guy and knows a ton about the history of games and I'd really like to see more episodes like this in-between this usual, hilarious hijinks. I remember flipping through some of those awesome Atari promo catalogues when I was a kid and reading all about the completely insane Swordquest contest. I also remember feeling cheated that I hadn't been born 2-3 years earlier! 
 
I'd also like to see someone try another wacky contest like this but there never seems to be any real follow through. Anyone else remember the ill-fated Advent Rising? The GiantBomb page doesn't mention it (a disturbing trend!) but Majesco originally planned a $1,000,000 (yes, one million) dollar giveaway to the first person who could find a certain, hidden symbol in the game. It was ultimately scrapped due to poor sales and of course, the game being a hot mess of glitches. 

" Anybody know what song that was that had an instrumental version playing at the end there?  I recognize it but can't place it... and that is going to drive me crazy. "

" @SpikeSpiegel said:

" I wish these came out every week. I've seen every single episode. "

Same, but he was talking about putting only one episode a month out now.  :(          It really bums be out, but the guy does need a brake. "

"@HatKing said:

" Anybody know what song that was that had an instrumental version playing at the end there?  I recognize it but can't place it... and that is going to drive me crazy. "

Dude... it's the Nerd's theme song done over in orchestra! Probably just a synthesizer.  And OMG! The guy who won Earthworld melted down the Necklace he won, worth 25,000$ dollars, so he could pay for school. How UN-EPIC.  "

For some reason this episode was really inspirational.

Yeah that was a great episode. I personally really enjoy a lot of the nerds stuff.
 
@HatKing: Direct link if you wanted to listen to it more clearly. 

That was really interesting. It's crazy how a contest of that magnitude was around during the 80's, and let alone through video games! It's a shame there's nothing quite like it anymore, but I guess the internet would ruin it for everybody.

Damn, 20 years back gaming was cool.

That was a good one. Too bad the power of the internet would totally kill something like that today. Those prizes are ridiculous and the fact that no one knows what happened to the last three is crazy. Someone really should find that sword.

" Damn, 20 years back gaming was cool. "

You can tell that James Rolfe enjoys doing these kinds of episodes instead of the usual rant-fests. He seems super enthusiastic in this one at least. 
 
As for the contest itself: Holy SHIT. I guess that was when Atari was having coke parties every night or something.

Isn't the baseball "pitch a perfect game and get a real million dollars" thing that is supposed to happen sometime this year similar enough?

" This was definitely one of my favorite episodes of the Nerd. He's clearly a very bright guy and knows a ton about the history of games and I'd really like to see more episodes like this in-between this usual, hilarious hijinks. 

Infinity Ward should offer up contest prizes for its next Call of Duty consisting of golden, gem-encrusted assault rifles, grenades, and combat knives. 

Holy crap, definitely like that episode the most out of ALL the AVGN episodes. Such a crazy wicked idea for a video game competition like that one . The episodes well put together aswell, explains it in such a doco style way that makes it moddy haha for me anyways. But overall a good episode, ive done a little research to find a really awesome interview with the Fireworld winner, here it is:
 
 http://www.atarihq.com/2678/swordqst.html
 
Highly recommend the read, good background to the competition aswell as the treasures etc. I reckon the remaining treasures were melted down, cause Jack Tramiel cant have them in his living room or house like James said because he has 3 children, surely one of there friends or them would have leaked a picture or any information out about them.
 
Man that would be cool if one they appeared online or something, hahaha.

Man i miss the 80s

With the resources they have now, Atari should consider continuing the SwordQuest contest. Like the Nerd said, it's a really sad ending for what could've been the best contest in video game existence.  
 
According to Wikipedia, Steven Bell, the guy who won the Talisman in the Earthworld contest, melted down the Talisman for financial purposes. If that's true, then it's really sad. He should've kept it for eternity like a real treasure. 

The video was pretty boring but the story was interesting.