Condor position
Condor position.

Here is a close up of ware to stand when trying to catch the condor. The arrow points to a tinny small line that seems to mark a fairly good target area for standing. With the red dot on the walking action, click on this line and Graham should move to a good position to try and catch the condor.

Catching the condor seems to be more an issue of timing that positioning. Timing isn't something I have found a perfect way of mastering. It seems that I am most often able to grab the condor when it is almost above Graham when I jump. It is helpful to slow down the game speed when attempting to this also and will give you more time to watch the condor's position. (Any better suggestions please see the about page and send me an e-mail).

From Andrew Que (http://www.DrQue.net/)

Wisconsin, USA

September 20, 2003 at 1:09 PM

This is probably the most frequent question people ask about KQ1. Be patient-- you'll get him!

From Pauliina P.

February 26, 2004 at 8:26 AM

I have stood on the right place for a long time but the condor doesn't come at all. Is there some bug in my game or have I done something wrong? I checked all the links but there was nothing I should or sgouldn't have done. Help me!

From Pauliina P.

February 26, 2004 at 10:37 AM

I'm here again. Please, someone tell me, is it possible that the condor doesn't come at all? Is there something special I should do before it comes? I've stood there for ages and it doesn't show up! Is there really something wrong with my game or computer? That's very strange!(and stressing)

From Katahdin

March 06, 2004 at 12:44 PM

You have to get the Magic Mirror before the Condor will show up.

From Jackie (http://jackie.za.net/)

South Africa

October 09, 2004 at 5:30 PM

I also cannot get the condor to show up at all. I originally used the magic ring to get the mirror, and later went back and threw water on the dragon. Is this a bug which causes the condor not to show up?

From Art Vandelay

New York, USA

November 06, 2004 at 4:48 PM

The Condor will show up imediately after obtaining the magic mirror from the dragon inside the well. After picking up the mirror, simply follow the dragon through the cave. Exit the next room to the left and you will be outside with the Condor waiting to pick you up.

From Smoovbee

Washington, DC

January 21, 2005 at 4:21 AM

soryy bout last message.. OK... I was having the same problem as the other people with the condor but i firgured out that u have to have both mirror and chest of gold from the giant in the clouds before condor shows up//or maybe its just that u have to have the chest of gold.. either way, the mirror doesn't bring the bird, the chesty does. ( or both). :)

From Peter

January 31, 2005 at 7:15 AM

I just thought id let you know, i have perfected a method of catching the condor. When you enter that screen, you move to the red spot you marked, and then just click at the condor as it goes past. When you click, the condors progress pauses for a second or 2 whilst the text pops up. Use this time to line the cursor up on the talons of the condor, and hold the mouse still on that point. The next time the condor passes, click, you will grab it. This works every time.

From kbolter

canada

October 24, 2005 at 2:01 AM

everytime i go to clicl on the condor it says you are neither fast enough or quick enough please help, and how do i jump?

From thedemonlord

california

June 18, 2008 at 12:29 PM

I still have not been able to get the condor to show up

From thedemonlord

california

June 18, 2008 at 5:38 PM

I still have not been able to get the condor to show up

From Sionna

Canada

February 10, 2009 at 11:08 AM

Please!! I'm playing the new 4.0 vga version from AGD and I can't get the condor. I've tried Peter's suggestion and I can't get it to work. Were should the condor be on the screen when I click on it? I've tried everything and I can't get it to work. Please help!

From Sionna

Canada

February 10, 2009 at 11:10 AM

In response to theDemonlord, if you're still checking here, you need the mirror and the chest before the Condor will show up.

From kingquestor

Sydney, Australia

February 15, 2009 at 7:36 PM

Im a fairly big fan of kings quest games, ever since i used to watch my older brother play from a young age. Anyway, upon downloading the VGA version of kq1, i too needed help with catching the damn condor. i tried using the tips i found here, but it still wouldnt work. i almost gave up completely, when i noticed that the graphic scenery on the version i downloaded was slightly different to the stills shown on this website (on mine, there is a small pebble near the place u should jump for the condor). To anyone who has the same version as me, just stand on the pebble when u jump, and the condor picks u up every time without fail.

From ballsax

Cali

March 30, 2009 at 11:51 PM

Yes, i am also an avaid fan of dos Vga games, i am also playing the remake 4.0 vga version from AGD. like Sionna in Canada, it is very diffuclt to catch and and i still have yet to grab it.

From nullaresnata

Portugal

April 21, 2009 at 12:30 AM

Like kingquestor explained, just step on the small pebble and click on the condor when it comes flying near you. Sure thing! You can also save before the flight of the condor, just remember to save with the use tool selected. You can't miss like this.

From tim81x

florida/use

February 13, 2012 at 9:07 PM

thanks the pebble thing helped alot i was about to give up cuz a walkthrough to me to stand behind the small rock

From coolboy

Illinois, USA

December 16, 2012 at 11:42 PM

thanks that rock thing helped me alot.

From coolboy

Illinois, USA

December 28, 2012 at 12:33 AM

a walkthrough told me to stand in the middle of the screen.

From DoctorRyanB1

Dayton, OH

March 18, 2015 at 11:37 PM

Thank you so much kingquestor for your tip. It really kept me from putting my fist through the computer.  LOL

From XevB3k (http://sharayabrooks.webs.com)

ky

September 13, 2015 at 5:31 PM

Kingsquester, thank you. You are a lifesaver. lol

From Josh

Boston, MA

September 30, 2015 at 2:54 PM

I have both the chest and the mirror. I have waited a very long time. No sign of the condor. I thin Pauliina and others are right, there must be a glitch. I guess that's the end of the game for me folks. :-(

From MGabeN

HUN

October 22, 2015 at 12:14 PM

This is that thing what I HATE!!!

From Jupiter's Heart

CA, USA

May 01, 2016 at 12:13 AM

Though it may be different for me, because I'm using the ORIGINAL version of the game, I was stunned to see the condor show up, & it happened BEFORE I got the mirror (or the chest of gold, for that matter). I think the trigger might be walking out of the cave. I was just wandering around, mapping the landscape on paper, so I wanted to visit every screen.

==================

::START SPOILERS::

==================

I had finished/picked up the following when the Condor appeared:

Dagger

Diamond Pouch

Fourleaf Clover

Gold Walnut

Pebbles

Bowl (used)

Fiddle

Carrot (used/defeated Troll - but haven't talked to Gnome)

Magic Ring

Cheese / Note (killed witch)

================

::END SPOILERS::

================

Again, to clarify, if you're having trouble getting the Condor to appear, try entering/exiting the cave that leads to the back of the Dragon's Cave (which is the cave entrance on that screen where the Condor appears--in case you weren't aware). DON'T GIVE UP ON THE GAME!!! It's just too awesome! I HAD to intervene (even though the posts are a year old...)!

GOOD LUCK!

From Ginger

Miami

September 19, 2016 at 5:49 PM

Thanks, kingquestor! My version looks like yours! I was ready to give up! I stood on the pebbles and when the condor appeared, I clicked above my head and voila! The condor picked me up! Whew!

From HomieDolphin

November 06, 2016 at 4:08 PM

I tried all of these but the condor would still not show up:(

From Jeong won Lee

October 11, 2019 at 10:17 PM

hey huys I got best key to catch the condor. anyway sorry for my poor english. anyway, just I changed slow game speed. so you can catch very easily the condor. also important key is you shoud check condor's showdow in the ground. i think its notimportant where you located in.

and save the game before you jump.

From Stagazer

February 16, 2021 at 3:09 AM

I tried from evey possible angle, time and position down to the single pixel and failed. One of the most critisized flaws of the original game series; you solved the problem and know exactly what to do, but you have to stand in the exact correct position and perform an impossible combination of tasks or manouvers at the exact right moment during a random occurance time limited event.

In this remake it's a click-hit of a moving target, from the precise pixel at the precise pixel at the precise moment, and all that under time presure during a time limited event.

You only get two tries per frame visit, and it's virtually impossible to get to the right spot in time for the first jump even if you slow the game down to minimum.

Apart from this it's a fantastic job and a great remake, but seriously; did they really have to keep one of the most annoying flaws of the original?

From Stagazer

February 16, 2021 at 5:12 AM

PROBLEM SOLVED:

Hey there, Stagazer here again!

I found a clip on YouTube (where else, should have started there) solving the problem:

They are quite hard to see in the above image, but just about the length of the top of you index finger or so east (right) and south (up)  from the red square there are two small stones on the ground:

STEP 1: Place Gaham at the stones right in front of them.

STEP 2: Place the hand cursor in the middle of the cave entrance and wait for the Condor.

STEP3: Hit the Condor when it passes under your hand cursor, and that should do the trick!

Here is the YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guYWrNRO3sM

It worked for me, good luck!

Stargazer

PS

I still don't like it when adventure puzzles are based on randomly connected incidents and the solutions on stumbling into the right place at the right time by accident and sheer dumb luck rather than using your intelligens, cleverness and problem solvings skills, but maybe that's just me.