Dragon's Lair (SNES)

This article is about the 1993 game. For other meanings, see Dragon's Lair.

Dragon's Lair
Developers	MotiveTime Ltd.
Publishers	Data East (US) Elite Systems (PAL) Konami (JP)
Platforms	Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (cancelled)
Series	Dragon's Lair
Release date	US: 1993
Genre(s)	Action Platformer

Dragon's Lair is a side scrolling platformer video game that is also based on the original laserdisc game of the same name. Developed by MotiveTime Ltd. and distributed by Data East in North America and Elite Systems in PAL regions, it is a video game released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In Japan, the Super Famicom release was titled Dragon's Magic and distributed by Konami. Much like its NES counterpart, this version of Dragon's Lair also follows the same story as the original game but abandons the quick-time event gameplay mechanics.

Story

Similar to the original arcade release and several home conversions, the storyline names Mordroc as the owner of The Castle who has orchestrated the kidnapping of Princess Daphne, whom Dirk the Daring must rescue. Mordroc does not appear in the game, as his pet Singe the Dragon serves as the final boss. Official Description from US Manual:

Enter the Dragon's Lair
From deep within Mordroc's Castle, a foul stench rose up to mix with the cold, damp midnight air. In the deadly caves far below the surface, the evil wizard's pet fire-breathing dragon. Singe guards the captive Princess Daphne. You, Dirk the Daring, walk steadily toward the castle gate. You feel no fear - but then, fear is for cowards. No other would dare to enter this perilous castle where Mordroc has imprisoned the helpless princess. But for you there is no other possible course to take. Now is the time for heroes. Now is the time to enter the Dragon's Lair...
The Challenge
Dare you take up the role of Dirk the Daring, and attempt to free the beloved Princess Daphne from the clutches of the evil wizard Mordroc? To do so, the search will take you across the castle battlements, through the castle interior and down into the dark, dank caves below. On the way, you must battle serpents, the Lizard King, Giddy Goons^ Pats, Ghosts and a host of other enemies. Finally, you must survive an encounter with the formidable Singe, before releasing the Princess.

Gameplay

As a side scroller, the player freely controls Dirk. The game itself employs mechanics found in games such as Castlevania and Ghosts N' Goblins. Dirk explores the dark castle in search for Daphne while fighting off many of Singe's minions. The game incorporates the use of several projectile weapons beyond Dirk’s Sword including the Axe (weakest), Dagger, and Throwing Star (most powerful throwing weapon, they can damage Dirk if they contact him upon their return trajectory).

Levels and enemies inspired by the original Dragon's Lair were also reworked for platforming challenges, and collectibles were once again added in the form of "Bonus Jewels" which Dirk smashes to reveal the item. All levels featured a timer which can be extended if Dirk collects a Time bonus from a smashed Jewel. Collection of 10 Gold pieces allows Dirk to enter a bonus section at the end of each level.

Level progression is tracked by a Map Screen between stages. Many levels feature more than one exit, and Dirk can re-enter completed levels to collect more bonus items. The game features a password system and concludes with a boss battle against Singe in the lowest level of the Castle.

Several common enemies from the arcade game now appear in giant forms that serve as boss battles including a Bat and a Snake. On the other hand, several notable enemies from the original game are adapted into common stage enemies which might appear multiple times in each stage such as the Robot Knight and the Lizard King. The Baiter—a floating dragonette with a face similar to Singe—even appears frequently throughout most stages, seemingly manifesting into stages to home in on Dirk from any direction.

Regional Differences

Elite Systems reportedly tweaked several gameplay elements prior to the PAL release in order to reduce difficulty.

The US and Japanese releases have several small graphical differences, especially in regards to in-game items and the HUD.

Reception

Chris Slate praised the game in a feature for Game Players, proclaiming “Dragon’s Lair is a beautiful game, from the hazy skies to the musty dungeons. It sounds great too. In fact, there isn’t much about this game that isn’t good. So while fans of the arcade version may miss the odd formula, most game players should still get a kick out of rescuing Daphne. It’s hack n slash action in a mighty medieval manner.” GamePro ’s Scary Larry also provided a positive but more measured endorsement, writing “Dragon’s Lair has a few nicks in its shield. The game requires you to make some fairly difficult leaps of faith, which show you what it’s like to fall off a castle. The graphics, though clean and well-animated, tend to be repetitive and the levels don’t change (Battlement, Interior, Dungeon). All in all, the challenge of this game should attract arcade slashers, while the cartoony graphics will appeal to kids”; the game was rated 4/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 3.5/5 for control, 4/5 for FunFactor, and Advanced in challenge.

Nintendo Power published a brief review that praised the colorful graphics, controller layout options, and four-levels of difficulty options, but heavily critiqued the "slightly stiff and slow" controls, imprecise collision detection of attacks, and Dirk's limited move-set that prevented him from swinging his sword while jumping. The magazine’s Power Meter rated the game 3.6/5 on graphics, 3.3/5 on play control, 3.4/5 on challenge, and 3.4/5 on theme and fun.

The four reviewers for Electronic Gaming Monthly were split in their assessments of the game's quality, with an average score of 5/10. The most positive review encouraged players to acclimate to the controls and learn to anticipate enemy patterns in order to fully appreciate the game's "top notch" graphics and "respectable" soundtrack. The most critical review argued that the game's "side scrolling action is about as average as games go," and that colorful visuals were not enough to save it from bad controls that result in deaths that could only be avoided through anticipating the gameplay delays. All reviewers lamented the overall gameplay, using such descriptors as "sluggish" and "sloppy."

Super NES Buyer's Guide was similarly lukewarm in its assessment, with an average score of only 52.33% between three reviewers, with all of them finding the gameplay experience lacking compared to the laserdisc original and the game's play control and limited power-ups underwhelming.

European Nintendo-focused magazine N-Force featured a cover story preview for an early build of the game, with reviewer "GUNNS" declaring "This is going to be one hell of a game, as long as the frustrating faults are ironed out. Provided that it's done properly, Elite quite possibly have the best game of its genre." Praising the superb graphics and animation, the feature identified gameplay problems with the controls and specifically Dirk's forward momentum, noting "The ability to slide like Willie Mays has advantages going downhill, but not when heading toward holes in the floor or cauldrons of boiling oil! . . . Not only must Dirk be pixel perfect with jumps, denizens regenerate rapidly and many--such as the Baiter . . . are 'intelligent' and home in on him with annoyingly fatal regularity. Couple this with Dirk's inability to defend himself effectively from overhead attacks, or while prone, and you have a game that in its present form results in massive hair loss through tearing out!" Reviewing the final PAL version of the game, many of the same critiques regarding the "pulling out your hair" difficulty were sustained but GUNNS awarded it with a glowingly positive 92% overall. Secondary reviewer "FLUNKY" awarded a slightly less enthusiastic 83% overall, concluding "Definitely a game worthy of any collection" but qualifying that praise with "unfortunately the sonics are quite poor" and "the climbing being the most difficulty move to perfect." The magazine awarded the game with high scores in all measurable categories with an overall 87% FORCE rating and declaring it: "Great game, great looks, but damn hard."

Cancelled Port

An unreleased Sega Genesis/Mega Drive port under working title Dragon's Lair: The Adventure Continues was developed by Eden Entertainment Software for Elite Systems Ltd. to have been published by Taito. In 2011, MrMark0673 and Gknight dumped a prototype ROM from an EPROM cartridge.

Trivia

• In contrast to most other versions of Dragon's Lair, Singe is completely immune to any sword attacks in the final boss battle, so projectile weapons must be thrown at his head.
• This is the first game to reuse sounds from the original Dragon's Lair game.
• The game features a hidden developer credit.

External Links

• Instruction Manual (USA) at Internet Archive
• Box Art (USA) at Internet Archive
• Sprite Rips at The Spriters Resource

Gallery