Genre: Adventure
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Publisher: Sierra On-Line
Year: 1989
System: Atari ST
Gold Rush! is a graphic adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line for the Atari ST in 1989. The game is set during the American Gold Rush of 1849 and follows the journey of Jerrod Wilson, a young adventurer traveling from Illinois to California in search of wealth and fortune.
Gameplay is presented through a point-and-click interface with textual input options. Players interact with an expansive world consisting of over 40 locations, including mining camps, riverboats, and frontier towns. The adventure involves traveling by stagecoach, steamship, and pack animal, and participating in activities such as panning for gold, negotiating supply purchases, and engaging with historical characters.
Gold Rush! integrates historical references, offering players factual details about the journey west, the perils of mining life, and real events like the San Francisco fire of 1851. Time management is integral—Jerrod must spend wisely and avoid running out of money. Multiple solutions and non-linear progression allow for different paths to success, including gold prospecting, investing, or gambling.
