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Myst

Updated: 12/10/2025, 5:15:45 PM Wikipedia source

Myst is a 1993 adventure video game developed by Cyan and published by Broderbund for Mac OS. In the game, the player travels via a special book to a mysterious island called Myst. The player interacts with objects and traverses the environment by clicking on pre-rendered imagery. Solving puzzles allows the player to travel to other worlds ("Ages"), which reveal the backstory of the game's characters and help the player make the choice of whom to aid. Designers Rand and Robyn Miller had started in game development creating black-and-white, largely plotless works aimed at children. They wanted Myst to be a graphically impressive game with a nonlinear story and mystery elements aimed at adults. The game's design was limited by the small memory footprint of video game consoles and by the slow speed of CD-ROM drives. The game was created on Apple Macintosh computers and ran on the HyperCard software stack, though ports to other platforms subsequently required the creation of a new engine. Myst was a critical and commercial success. Critics lauded the ability of the game to immerse players in its fictional worlds. It has been called one of the most influential and best video games ever made. Selling more than six million copies, Myst was the best-selling PC game for nearly a decade. The game helped drive adoption of the CD-ROM drive, spawned a multimedia franchise, and inspired clones, parodies, and new video game genres, as well as spin-off novels and other media. The game has been ported to multiple platforms and remade multiple times.

Infobox

Developer
Cyan[a]
Publishers
mw- Broderbund Mac OSBroderbundSaturn JP/EU: SunsoftNA: Acclaim EntertainmentPlayStationJP: SoftBankNA/EU: Psygnosis3DOJP: Micro CabinNA: SunsoftWindowsNA: BroderbundEU: Red Orb EntertainmentJaguar CDAtari CorporationCD-iEU: Philips MediaAmigaOSEU: PXL ComputersPlayStation PortableJP: SegaWW: MidwayNintendo DSEU: MidwayNA: Empire Interactive (original)NA: Storm City Games (updated)iOSCyanNintendo 3DSNA: Maximum Family GamesAU/EU: Funbox MediaAndroidNoodlecake Games
Directors
Rand MillerRobyn Miller
Producer
Laurie Strand
Designers
Rand MillerRobyn Miller
Artists
Robyn MillerChuck Carter
Composer
Robyn Miller
Series
Myst
Platform
Mac OS Windows, 3DO, Sega Saturn, Atari Jaguar CD, PlayStation, CD-i, AmigaOS, Pocket PC, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, iOS, Nintendo 3DS, Android
Release
September 24, 1993 Mac OSNA: September 24, 1993 WindowsNA: March 1994 3DO NA: March 17, 1995 SaturnNA/PAL: September 1995 Jaguar CDNA: December 15, 1995PAL: 1995 PlayStationNA: October 15, 1996PAL: November 15, 1996 PlayStation PortableJP: March 30, 2006NA: July 16, 2009 Nintendo DSEU: December 7, 2007NA: May 13, 2008 iOSWW: May 2, 2009 Nintendo 3DSNA: October 26, 2012EU: September 5, 2013 AndroidWW: January 26, 2017
Genre
Adventure
Mode
Single-player

Tables

Aggregate scores
GameRankings
GameRankings
Aggregator
GameRankings
Score
PC: 83%DS: 45%iOS: 88%PSP: 60%
Metacritic
Metacritic
Aggregator
Metacritic
Score
DS: 43/100PSP: 69/1003DS: 23/100
Aggregator
Score
GameRankings
PC: 83%DS: 45%iOS: 88%PSP: 60%
Metacritic
DS: 43/100PSP: 69/1003DS: 23/100
Review scores
Adventure Gamers
Adventure Gamers
Publication
Adventure Gamers
Score
4/5
Edge
Edge
Publication
Edge
Score
6/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Publication
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Score
3DO: 5.75/10
Famitsu
Famitsu
Publication
Famitsu
Score
PS: 29/40
GameSpot
GameSpot
Publication
GameSpot
Score
PC: 8.9/10PS: 6.3/10
Next Generation
Next Generation
Publication
Next Generation
Score
3DO/PS: 2/5SAT: 3/5
Nintendo Life
Nintendo Life
Publication
Nintendo Life
Score
3DS: 1/10
Pocket Gamer
Pocket Gamer
Publication
Pocket Gamer
Score
3DS: 3/10
Maximum
Maximum
Publication
Maximum
Score
SAT/PS: 2/5
Publication
Score
Adventure Gamers
4/5
Edge
6/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly
3DO: 5.75/10
Famitsu
PS: 29/40
GameSpot
PC: 8.9/10PS: 6.3/10
Next Generation
3DO/PS: 2/5SAT: 3/5
Nintendo Life
3DS: 1/10
Pocket Gamer
3DS: 3/10
Maximum
SAT/PS: 2/5

References

  1. Saturn version developed by Sunsoft; PlayStation version developed by Alfa System; 3DO version developed by Microcabin;
  2. In a 1995 interview, the Millers said the game cost $600,000, half of which came from Sunsoft; The New York Daily News g
  3. Psygnosis
    https://web.archive.org/web/19970428182729/http://www.psygnosis.com/news/Wire%2314.pdf
  4. IGN
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120124202336/http://psp.ign.com/articles/101/1013801p1.html
  5. Nintendo World Report
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141213190055/http://nintendoworldreport.com/review/22752/myst-nintendo-ds
  6. Nintendo Life
    https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds/myst
  7. Myst User Manual
  8. Wired
    https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.08/myst_pr.html
  9. Hop on Pop: The Pleasures and Politics of Popular Culture
  10. Grantland
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130926162310/http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9713372/looking-back-game-myst-20th-anniversary
  11. GameSpot
    http://www.gamespot.com/features/myst_gg/index.html
  12. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  13. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  14. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  15. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  16. Ars Technica
    https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/video-how-mysts-designers-stuffed-an-entire-universe-onto-a-single-cd-rom/
  17. Myst User Manual
  18. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  19. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  20. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  21. The A.V. Club
    https://www.avclub.com/article/myst-creator-rand-miller-his-favorite-puzzle-every-242061
  22. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  23. Prima's Official Strategy Guide: Myst
  24. New York Daily News
    https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107059334/daily-news/
  25. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  26. The Making of Myst
  27. WorldVillage
    https://web.archive.org/web/20090217214159/http://www2.worldvillage.com/wv/gamezone/html/reviews/myst.htm
  28. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  29. Billboard
  30. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  31. 1UP.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110604014208/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-myst
  32. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  33. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  34. Spokesman Review
  35. Classic Game Postmortem: Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150409074445/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1018048/Classic-Game-Postmortem
  36. The Denver Post
  37. AllMusic
    https://www.allmusic.com/album/r347826
  38. www.fangamer.com
    https://www.fangamer.com/products/myst-vinyl-ost
  39. Myst
    https://www.newspapers.com/image/817627732
  40. Press Journal
    https://www.newspapers.com/image/782486210
  41. The Washington Post
  42. Myst and Riven: The World of the D'ni
  43. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/04/arts/a-new-art-form-may-arise-from-the-myst.html
  44. Computer Gaming World
  45. IntelectMT
    https://web.archive.org/web/20021215144137/http://www.intelectmt.com/corp/intelectmt/press/press-it/press_010619.htm
  46. Arlington Heights Daily Herald
    https://dailyherald.newspaperarchive.com/arlington-heights-daily-herald-suburban-chicago/1997-12-29/page-268/
  47. Myst
    https://web.archive.org/web/20050525124359/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/most_influential/p14.html
  48. GameSpot
    http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-overtakes-myst/1100-2857556/
  49. Riven
    https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/04/science/personal-computers-riven-picks-up-where-best-selling-myst-left-off.html
  50. Myst
    https://money.cnn.com/2002/03/27/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/
  51. IGN
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120120054557/http://pc.ign.com/articles/082/082913p1.html
  52. Fast Company
    https://www.fastcompany.com/90240345/myst-at-25-how-it-changed-gaming-created-addicts-and-made-enemies
  53. The Guinness Book of Records 1999
    https://archive.org/details/guinness1999book00slgu/page/170
  54. EGM2
    https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AEGM2_US_02.pdf&page=59
  55. "Myst: Masterpiece Edition"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080317044812/http://www.ubi.com/US/Games/Info.aspx?pId=196
  56. Ars Technica
    https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/06/30-years-later-myst-demake-for-atari-2600-reminds-us-how-far-weve-come/
  57. GameSpot
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110525163227/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/realmyst/news.html?sid=2643165&mode=recent
  58. IGN
    https://web.archive.org/web/20160308193646/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/14/realmyst
  59. Next Generation
  60. Retro Gamer
    https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-raspberry-pi-buenos-aires/Retro%20Gamer%20059
  61. Eurogamer
    https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-02-07-myst-gets-remade-again-in-realmyst-masterpiece-edition
  62. Steam Community
    http://steamcommunity.com/games/244430/announcements/detail/231142125568569395
  63. Eurogamer
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070625064437/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=77459
  64. "Myst for PocketPC"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121213032053/http://www.cyanworlds.com/products/mystppc.php
  65. "Riven for PocketPC"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121030145352/http://www.cyanworlds.com/products/rivenppc.php
  66. Macworld
    https://www.macworld.com/article/135131/2008/08/myst.html
  67. "Cyan's 'Myst' for iPhone Brings Back Memories"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110418073307/http://toucharcade.com/2009/05/02/cyans-myst-for-iphone-brings-back-memories/
  68. "Massive Myst Clogs Up iPhone"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130203142832/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/979/979141p1.html
  69. "realMyst for iPad - Now Available!"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130601143043/http://www.cyanworlds.com/news/?p=48
  70. The Verge
    https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/26/14357340/myst-game-android-announced-mobile-release-date
  71. VentureBeat
    https://venturebeat.com/2017/04/26/classic-game-riven-follows-myst-onto-android-smartphones/
  72. Gematsu
    https://gematsu.com/2019/06/realmyst-masterpiece-edition-coming-to-switch
  73. Gematsu
    https://www.gematsu.com/2020/05/realmyst-masterpiece-edition-for-switch-launches-may-21
  74. The Verge
    https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/16/21436681/myst-trailer-cyan-worlds-remake-vr-oculus-quest-announcement
  75. "Coming Soon: Myst"
    https://www.gog.com/news/coming_soon_myst
  76. Venture Beat
    https://venturebeat.com/2020/12/09/cyans-original-myst-debuts-on-the-oculus-quest-2/
  77. The Verge
    https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/22/22545252/myst-vr-pc-mac-cyan-worlds
  78. GameSpot
    https://www.gamespot.com/articles/myst-remake-coming-to-pc-and-xbox-game-pass-on-august-26/1100-6495234/
  79. Xbox Wire
    https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/08/17/myst-is-coming-august-26-with-xbox-game-pass/
  80. Time Extension
    https://www.timeextension.com/news/2023/02/a-new-mobile-version-of-myst-is-coming-this-thursday-for-ios
  81. Polygon
    https://www.polygon.com/news/543777/myst-2020-rime-update-free-patch
  82. GameRankings
    https://web.archive.org/web/20081220045403/http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/89467.asp?q=Myst
  83. GameRankings
    https://web.archive.org/web/20081220051501/http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/939943.asp?q=myst
  84. GameRankings
    https://web.archive.org/web/20191209013045/https://www.gamerankings.com/iphone/959964-myst/index.html
  85. GameRankings
    https://web.archive.org/web/20081220044020/http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/930989.asp?q=myst
  86. Metacritic
    https://www.metacritic.com/game/myst/critic-reviews/?platform=ds
  87. Metacritic
    https://www.metacritic.com/game/myst/critic-reviews/?platform=psp
  88. Metacritic
    https://www.metacritic.com/game/myst/critic-reviews/?platform=3ds
  89. "Myst: Review"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141213023453/http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17473
  90. Edge
  91. Electronic Gaming Monthly
  92. Weekly Famitsu
  93. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin
  94. GameSpot
    http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/myst-review/1900-2542724/
  95. GameSpot
    https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/myst-review/1900-2546017/
  96. Next Generation
  97. Next Generation
  98. Next Generation
  99. Nintendo Life
    http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds/myst
  100. Pocket Gamer
    http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/3DS/Myst/review.asp?c=54456
  101. Maximum: The Video Game Magazine
  102. Maximum: The Video Game Magazine
  103. Computer Gaming World
    http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=113
  104. Computer Gaming World
    http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=117
  105. Pyramid
    http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=801
  106. The New York Times
    https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F07E7DD1030F937A35751C1A962958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
  107. Entertainment Weekly
    https://ew.com/article/1994/10/07/land-myst-opportunity/
  108. "Writing With the Code - a Digital Poetics"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080618003824/http://imv.au.dk/~pold/publikat/writcode.htm
  109. San Francisco Chronicle
  110. Macworld
    https://archive.org/details/MacWorld_9403_March_1994/page/n79/mode/2up
  111. Macworld
    https://archive.org/details/MacWorld_9501_January_1995/page/n101/mode/2up
  112. Amiga Format
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131004235336/http://www.amigareviews.leveluphost.com/myst.htm
  113. Next Generation
  114. Computer Gaming World
    http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=118
  115. Electronic Entertainment
  116. Computer Gaming World
  117. Computer Gaming World
    http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148
  118. GamePro
  119. GamePro
  120. GamePro
  121. GamePro
  122. Salon
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080402053903/http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1997/11/cov_06riven.html
  123. Myst
  124. Billboard
  125. Gamecenter
    https://web.archive.org/web/20001109203800/http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Deadburied/ss01.html
  126. IGN
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150305100613/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/02/the-past-present-and-future-of-adventure-games
  127. Edge UK
  128. Polygon
    https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/15/20962788/indie-development-history-handmade-pixels
  129. PCGamesN
    https://www.pcgamesn.com/riven-remake/release-date
  130. Vox
    https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/10/26/13311456/escape-the-room-games-explained
  131. PC World
    https://www.pcworld.com/article/2063396/deep-dive-with-myst-co-creator-rand-miller-the-full-interview.html?page=2
  132. MTV
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150913031523/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/04/29/matt-damon-never-spoke-with-bourne-developers-wanted-a-game-like-myst/
  133. BBC
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4160466.stm
  134. Childhood
    https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0907568298005002005
  135. BusinessWeek
  136. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/04/arts/video-games/a-museums-games-are-not-on-pedestals.html?_r=0
  137. IGN
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  138. IGN
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  139. IGN
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  140. GameSpot
    http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/mystvendofages/news.html?sid=6116222&mode=all
  141. GameSpot
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130309232431/http://www.gamespot.com/news/uru-ages-beyond-myst-ships-6083553
  142. IGN
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121026090949/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/02/05/myst-online-uru-live-is-discontinued
  143. The Escapist
    http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109075-Open-Source-Myst-Online-Finally-Happens
  144. "New and Expanded Features Revealed for Highly-Anticipated Uru: Ages Beyond 'Myst'"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20090302012258/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23203075_ITM
  145. The Spokesman-Review
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131102215621/http://www.spokesmanreview.com/pf.asp?date=052201&id=s966647
  146. Deadline Hollywood
    https://deadline.com/2015/05/myst-tv-series-video-game-hulu-legendary-matt-tolmach-1201421271/
  147. The Verge
    https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/26/18760000/myst-game-tv-series-film-village-roadshow
  148. Deadline Hollywood
    https://deadline.com/2020/04/village-roadshow-ashley-edward-miller-myst-video-game-1202909392/
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