I've been trying to search for this one game in particular for years, and it's driven me half bonkers doing so. It was a gem collection/quest-type 2D platform computer game. It was very likely a Mac game, and may have been Shareware too. The title completely escapes me - it may have had "quest" in it? I remember the main character was some kind of elf dude, and he had to jump up and down collecting various kinds of gems and magical items to go from place to place through a castle, and fight evil magic along the way. There was a wizard, and I think he was helping the main character, but I'm not sure. There may have been a witch involved too, but if so, I don't even remember what her role or nature was. I think there may have been another female elf character somewhere in there, but I don't know what her role was either (or if I'm imagining things).
The game-play was largely simple (but sometimes challenging), just moving left to right, up and down, through the castle collecting gems on little perches, while avoiding and overcoming obstacles and using collected items to battle magic foes of some kind. (I don't even remember what it was the hero was battling!).
It was a game meant for kids, but somewhat older kids (7-13 or so; I was about 9 years old when I played it). I remember the graphics were - for the time - quite rich, smooth and vibrant, but also streamlined and simple. The animations were very smooth and vivid too. I remember the castle was very dark, and the game was not realistic, but the danger in each level felt unnervingly real at times.
It was not an educational game, nor was it anything to do with Merlin and Arthur, or Zelda, or anything that involved. It was also NOT Scooter's Magic Castle, nor King's Quest, nor Magic Mansion.
I only played this game for a very brief period (maybe 2-3 weeks total) around 1995, on my great aunt's computer (which was possibly some type of flatbed Macintosh Quadra). Then when the computer went elsewhere, so did the game, and I eventually forgot about it. Unfortunately, my great aunt or anyone who might have known that computer or that game is long gone.
I'm sorry I don't have more to go on than that. I hold out some hope that looking for this game isn't a complete lost cause. Any help or insight is appreciated, including questions.
**EDIT**: It seems I already posted on this forum (post# 11323) asking about this game, 5 years ago! The only thing that's changed is that I'm more convinced the computer was a Mac, and not a PC running Windows NT or DOS.