Page 21 - OSG Presents Video Game Trader Magazine #14

Debuting in 1983, Cinematronics‘ Dragon‘s Lair
Arcade expanded and redefined our definition of
video games away from just crudely drawn flicker-
ing blocks, with the advent of fresh, detailed, cin-
ema-style animation. Leaving the squared bits of
quarter-munchers behind, developer Advanced
Microcomputer Systems, along with animator Don
Bluth, utilized the storage capacity of the laserdisc
format to essentially produce the first interactive
cartoon. Even today, Dragon‘s Lair is a movie that
plays like a game or, perhaps, a game that plays
like a movie.
While not as revolutionary as the arcade‘s interac-
tive-movie formula but no less adventurous, CSG Imagesoft‘s Nintendo Entertainment System port of
Dragon‘s Lair also experimentally probed the boundaries of play control until it was no longer just a transpar-
ent aspect of gaming. Through restricting the movement of the on-screen character, the gameplay of the NES
Dragon‘s Lair is not a blemish on developer MotiveTime, Ltd., but a link to the film-inspired arcade counter-
part, its comedy relief, and a visual personification of Dirk‘s geeky personality.
In order to comprehend the concept that the control of Dragon‘s Lair provides more than just the ability to
function, it must first be established that the arcade Dragon‘s Lair, more so than other games, follows the rules
of a movie. Because it follows the rules of a movie, it can only have one path to the end. You can‘t control a
movie; it will proceed without your involvement. Dragon‘s Lair retains this idea but with minimal additional
control: if you do decide to deter from its one-way path, you‘ll die.
This was instituted by having the player adjust the joystick at correct, precise intervals to advance, not at his/
her own discretion. For example, Donkey Kong gave the player the freedom to move Mario at any point that
the player deemed best to circumvent a barrel. He/she can jump the object or hit it with a hammer, because
both decisions will eliminate the obstruction. However, conquering Dragon‘s Lair requires memorizing the only
moments in which you can maneuver Dirk the Daring through his stumbling and fumbling of Princess Daph-
nie‘s rescue. If Donkey Kong were Dragon‘s Lair, Mario would only be able to jump the barrel and he‘d only
be able to do it at a certain moment.
As detested as it may be now, this choose-your-own-path gameplay of Dragon‘s Lair is faith-
fully recreated to fit the Nintendo, albeit stripped down to fit 2-D proportions. Move incorrectly,
duck at the wrong moment, and you‘re deteriorated. If you don‘t jump, duck, crawl, stand up,
jump, then crawl in that order when confronted with a deceptively difficult obstacle of two
swinging chains positioned at Dirk‘s legs and face, you‘ll lose. Any other order will take up too
much time, since coming into contact with the objects will cost an extra life.
Like it or not, that‘s Dragon‘s Lair.
By forcing the player to respond in Dirk‘s frantically slow motion, Dragon‘s Lair simulates, with
some amazing animation, the slapstick comedy so prevalent in its arcade counterpart. As with
the laserdisc version, which highlights the awkwardness of the character's movement through
the reaction to his enemies, Dirk, thanks to animation that follows each painstakingly minute
detail, wobbles through each near-death situation by barely escaping the clutches of his de-
mise. It‘s not so much that the hero is purposely avoiding the enemies, but that he‘s just get-
ting lucky... each time.
This also argues that the controls are actually a flawed characteristic of Dirk. He‘s a tall, gawky
nerd who luckily succeeds in his profession in spite of his shortcomings. Because of which, his
character walks as he is: a leisurely moving, hesitant anti-hero. Had he had the reflexes of a
Mario or a Sonic, he‘d be someone else entirely, a brave unflinching soul ravaging through the
unknown dangers that lay ahead of him. If the developers made Dirk to play like Sonic, a bra-
zen, unafraid speed-demon, it would have been uncharacteristic. It wouldn‘t be Dirk. And,
again, it wouldn‘t be Dragon‘s Lair.
Reviewers didn‘t take much of this into consideration, mostly languishing on its atypical controls and hyping its graphical achievements. Nintendo Power, which,
1
contrary to popular thought, did dole out poor scores, dished out a 3.9 (out of a possible 5) for its graphics. Its play control earned a bottom-scraping 2.1 and its
fun hit a respectable 3.4. However, its challenge landed it a confusing 3.0, putting it well below the 4.3 for Deja Vu and tying it with the basketball game, Arch
Rivals (Silver Surfer, an equally frustrating cartridge managed a 2.9 for challenge that same issue).
2
GamePro bestowed a perfect 5 (out of 5) for graphics, a 4 in sound, and a 3 in the remaining gameplay, fun, and challenge. Despite its average rating in diffi-
culty, the review by Charlie T. Asian begins with ―Dragons‘ Lair, the latest NES cartridge
from CSG Imagesoft, can be summed up in one word - YEARRRRRRGH!‖ It later states
that ―[t]he NES version of Dragon‘s Lair has a couple of things in common with its arcade
predecessor - brilliant graphics and a high frustration factor.‖ An odd statement to make
when compared to its scores.
In an almost perfect review, Jeff Rovin, in his book How to Win at Nintendo Games 4,
3
gave Dragon‘s Lair an overall A- . Its graphics, sound, and simulation all achieved an A,
with, oddly enough, its challenge hitting its lowest grade, a B+. His glowing assessment
begins with ―[s]pectacular graphics and tough gameplay make this a superior, almost
Genesislike cartridge.‖ While he does comment on the controls, he ends by stating that it
shouldn‘t deter from your enjoyment.
Dragon‘s Lair, for the NES, struggles to this day to find more fans, like Rovin. Nearly
twenty years since its release, and online experts such as the Angry Video Game Nerd
crying expletives at Dragon Lair‘s control, people still seem to miss that it‘s awkward
controls are not the downfall of the game, but its shining individualistic essence.
1 Asian, Charlie T. “Dragon’s Lair.” GamePro Magazine October 1990: 60. 2 “Now Playing.” Nintendo Power January 1991: 85.
3 Rovin, Jeff. How to Win at Nintendo Games 4. New York: St. Martin’s Paperback, 1991.

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