Being completely public domain and very famous, I would say "Why have they never put one in?" except now I'm wondering "How could I have missed them!?"

I think, I was expecting the references to right in front of me, like the 7 Dwarves or the Frog Prince. But no, it was rather more subtle than that.

Lolotte from 4 was more or less a carbon copy of the Wicked Witch of the West.

-Green skin
-Controlled a horde of winged monkeys
-Had a good witch... er... fairy counterpart.

I mean there were vast differences. But that comes to my first question.

Why were the references so subtle? Why couldn't they have put a cowardly lion in one game? Or the Scarecrow? Or Dorothy herself. Sierra takes advantage of every public domain fantasy/fairy tale, and if it isn't public domain, they outright steal it anyway. I mean, all the lawsuits they went through never stopped them. So I am just really surprised they never shoved a Wizard of Oz reference right in our faces.

Actually... I would even argue that Space Quest did it better. With the giant holographic head not wanting to help you until you kill a monster terrorizing the area.

That is so cool :3 thanks

On a related note, the witch's death in KQ1 is more blatant as she actually 'melts' upon death.

Also Lolotte yells, "I'm melting, I'm melting, no wait that's another story. The pain, I'm in pain " during her dialogue in KQ4.

It's said that the silver whistle in KQ4 is also a rough reference to a silver whistle that the Witch used in the books to summon the winged monkeys.

Also the HOME amulet of KQ2 is said to have similar properties to the Ruby/Silver Slippers of the Oz books/Film.

The Whoosh shoes in Wizard and the Princess also are similar to the Ruby Slippers.

References to Gilliken country where there are living trees is made in the companion when it discusses other living trees similar to the "Ents" in KQ4's Scary Woods It's also mentioned that Weeping Willows are cousins to the laughing willows of Gilliken country. Which brings us to the Weeping Willow in KQ5.

See No Weevil mentions a desert where no life can exist, and to go there means death. Similar to the Deadly Desert in Oz books. The desert where the Medusas live is sometimes called the Deadly Desert as well.

Every human being turned to stone in KQ8, might mirror the plotline of the inhabitants of the Emerald City that were turned to stone by the Gnome King.

The Horse of a Different Color, gets a mention in the King's Questions trivia program, along with the Emerald City.

A copy of the Wizard of Oz can be seen on the shelf of Manannan's study on the cover of the King's Quest Companion, 2nd Edition cover.

At least one Oz references can be found in the various King's Quest (magic window/magic ink) hint books, as well. I know there is one to the Wizard and magic shoes in a false hint in KQ3 Hintbook by Al Lowe.
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Not in the SCI version. The theme when she swoops down and captures you as a random encounter is similar enough that it was probably meant to evoke thoughts of the Wizard of Oz witch theme, but it's in no way the same melody. The melody when she appears in the house (when you're hiding in the bedroom) is also completely different.