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{{refimprove|date=May 2022}}
{{refimprove|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox video game series
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Dragon's Lair
| title = Dragon's Lair
| image =Dragons-lair-logo.png
| image =Dragons-lair-logo.png
| caption =
| caption =
| genre = [[Fantasy]], [[animation]]
| genre = {{Unbulleted list
| [[Interactive film]]
| developer = [[RDI Video Systems]]<br>[[Software Projects]]<br>[[Motivetime]]<br>[[Elite Systems]]<br>[[Sullivan Bluth Studios]]<br>Don Bluth Interactive<br>Dragonstone Software
| [[Action-adventure game|Action-adventure]]
| publisher = [[Cinematronics]]<br>[[CSG Imagesoft]]<br>[[Leland Corporation]]<br>[[Data East]]<br>[[Ubisoft]]<br>[[Digital Leisure]]
}}
| creator = [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]]
| developer = {{Unbulleted list
| artist = [[Don Bluth]]
| [[RDI Video Systems]]
| writer = Rick Dyer
| [[Software Projects]]
| composer =
| [[Motivetime]]
| platforms = {{cslist |[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]|[[PlayStation]]|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]|[[Sega CD]]|[[Game Boy Color|GBC]]|[[Philips CD-i|CD-i]]|[[Atari Jaguar CD|Jaguar CD]]|[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]|[[GameCube]]|[[Nintendo DSi]]|[[IBM PC]]|[[Amiga]]|[[Nintendo Switch|Switch]]|[[TI-99/4A]]|[[Apple IIGS]]}}
| [[Elite Systems]]
| first release version = ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]''
| [[Sullivan Bluth Studios]]
| first release date ={{Video game release|US|1983}}
| [[Dragonstone Software]]
}}
| publisher = {{Unbulleted list
| [[Cinematronics]]
| [[CSG Imagesoft]]
| [[Leland Corporation]]
| [[Data East]]
| [[Ubisoft]]
| [[Digital Leisure]]
}}
| creator = {{Unbulleted list
| [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]]
| [[Don Bluth]]
| [[Gary Goldman]]
| [[John Pomeroy]]
}}
| artist =
| writer =
| composer =
| platforms = {{cslist
| [[Arcade video game|Arcade]]
| [[Coleco Adam|Adam]]
| [[Commodore 64]]
| [[ZX Spectrum]]
| [[Amstrad CPC]]
| [[Amiga]]
| [[Atari ST]]
| [[Mac (computer)|Mac]]
| [[MS-DOS]]
| [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
| [[Game Boy]]
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
| [[Sega CD]]
| [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]]
| [[CD-i]]
| [[Atari Jaguar CD|Jaguar CD]]
| [[Windows]]
| [[Game Boy Color]]
| [[GameCube]]
| [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
| [[PlayStation 2|PS2]]
| [[iOS]]
| [[Nintendo DS|DS]]
| [[Wii]]
| [[PlayStation 3|PS3]]
| [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]]
| [[Android (operating system)|Android]]
| [[Xbox Live Arcade|XBLA]]
| [[Linux]]
| [[PlayStation 4|PS4]]
| [[Nintendo Switch|Switch]]
| [[TI-99/4A]]
| [[Xbox One]]
| [[Apple IIGS]]
}}
| first release version = ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]''
| first release date = June 19, 1983
| latest release version =''[[Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair]]''
| latest release version =''[[Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair]]''
| latest release date ={{Video game release|US|2002}}
| latest release date = November 18, 2002
}}
}}
'''''Dragon's Lair''''' is a video game franchise created by [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]]. The series is famous for its [[Western animation]]-style graphics and complex decades-long history of being ported to many platforms and being remade into television and comic book series.
'''''Dragon's Lair''''' is a video game franchise created by [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]]. The series is notable for its film-quality [[animation]] by ex-[[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] animator [[Don Bluth]], and complex decades-long history of being [[Porting|ported]] to many platforms. It has also been adapted into television and comic books.


The first game in the series is titled ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'', originally released for [[arcade video game|arcades]] in [[1983 in video gaming|1983]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/fun.games/05/18/dragons.lair/|title=Review: 'Dragon's Lair' returns on Blu-ray Disc|date=May 18, 2007|website=CNN.com|access-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref> by [[Cinematronics]]. It uses [[Interactive film|laserdisc]] technology, offering greatly superior graphics compared to other [[1980s in video gaming|video games at the time]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/images/articles/2008-dlair-article-USA-GamesMag-Feb2008.pdf|title=Enter The Dragon's Lair|date=February 2008|work=Games Magazine|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> The game was ported to several other platforms, but as no home system technology of that era could accommodate the graphical quality of [[LaserDisc]], several abridged versions of the original game were released under different names.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/images/articles/2007-dlair-article-USA-RetroGamer-May2007.pdf|title=Conversion Capers|date=May 2007|work=Retro Gamer|access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref> The first true sequel, ''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]],'' had started development as early as 1984, but would only appear in arcades in 1991. While its graphics were once again praised, its by-then outdated and limited interactivity compared to the newer generation of arcade games kept it from reaching the popularity of the original.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Dragon's Lair II|date=December 1994|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly}}</ref>
The first game in the series, ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'', was originally released for [[arcade video game|arcades]] in [[1983 in video gaming|1983]] by [[Cinematronics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/fun.games/05/18/dragons.lair/|title=Review: 'Dragon's Lair' returns on Blu-ray Disc|date=May 18, 2007|website=CNN.com|access-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref> It leveraged [[LaserDisc video game|LaserDisc]] technology, offering greatly superior graphics compared to other [[1980s in video gaming|contemporary video games]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/images/articles/2008-dlair-article-USA-GamesMag-Feb2008.pdf|title=Enter The Dragon's Lair|date=February 2008|work=Games Magazine|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> While many home ports were released in the following years, developers often had to make severe compromises to make the game work on the target platforms of the era, such as splitting it into [[Escape from Singe's Castle|two halves]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/images/articles/2007-dlair-article-USA-RetroGamer-May2007.pdf|title=Conversion Capers|date=May 2007|work=Retro Gamer|access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref> A sequel, ''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]],'' had started development as early as 1984, but would only see release in arcades in 1991. While its graphics were once again praised, its limited interactivity compared to the newer generation of arcade games was considered outdated, and kept it from reaching the same popularity of the original.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Dragon's Lair II|date=December 1994|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly}}</ref>


The two main games in the series are considered gaming classics<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/fun.games/02/13/saltzman.dragon/index.html|title=CNN.com - New 'Dragon's Lair' disappoints - Feb 13, 2003|last=Service|first=Marc Saltzman Gannett News|website=edition.cnn.com|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> and are frequently re-released for each new generation of consoles.<ref name="DLT review IGN">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/10/27/dragons-lair-trilogy-review|title=Dragon's Lair Trilogy Review|last=Harris|first=Craig|date=October 27, 2010|website=IGN|language=en-US|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> In 2010, they were bundled alongside the unrelated 1984 [[Bluth Group]] game ''[[Space Ace]]'' in the ''Dragon's Lair Trilogy'' which was made available across numerous platforms.<ref name="DLT review IGN"/>
The two first games in the series are considered gaming classics,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/fun.games/02/13/saltzman.dragon/index.html|title=CNN.com - New 'Dragon's Lair' disappoints - Feb 13, 2003|last=Service|first=Marc Saltzman Gannett News|website=edition.cnn.com|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> and are frequently re-released on each new generation of consoles, often bundled alongside the 1984 LaserDisc game ''[[Space Ace]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/10/27/dragons-lair-trilogy-review|title=Dragon's Lair Trilogy Review|last=Harris|first=Craig|date=October 27, 2010|website=IGN|language=en-US|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref>


Forays into other media include a [[Dragon's Lair (TV series)|short lived animated series]] that aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in 1984 and a comic-book miniseries released in 2003. Plans for a feature-length film have existed since the 1980s and resurfaced in 2015, when Bluth launched two crowd-funding campaigns.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/10/26/9617632/dragons-lair-movie-kickstarter-don-bluth|title=Dragon's Lair creators turn to Kickstarter to raise money for Dragon's Lair: The Movie|work=Polygon|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> The [[Kickstarter]] campaign was unsuccessful<ref name="DL Kickstarter"/> but the [[Indiegogo]] campaign reached its target in early 2016.<ref name= "indiegogo"/>
The franchise has since expanded into other media, including a [[Dragon's Lair (TV series)|short lived animated series]] that aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in 1984 and a comic-book miniseries released in 2003. Plans for a feature-length film have existed since the 1980s and resurfaced in 2015, when Bluth launched two crowd-funding campaigns.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/10/26/9617632/dragons-lair-movie-kickstarter-don-bluth|title=Dragon's Lair creators turn to Kickstarter to raise money for Dragon's Lair: The Movie|work=Polygon|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> While the [[Kickstarter]] campaign was unsuccessful,<ref name="DL Kickstarter"/> the [[Indiegogo]] campaign reached its target in early 2016.<ref name= "indiegogo"/>

== Games ==
* ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' is a [[laserdisc video game]] published by [[Cinematronics]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7647 |title=Dragon's Lair |publisher=The International Arcade Museum |access-date =October 5, 2013}}</ref> In the game, the protagonist Dirk the Daring is a knight attempting to rescue [[Princess Daphne (character)|Princess Daphne]] from the evil dragon Singe who has locked the princess in the foul [[Magician (fantasy)|wizard]] Mordroc's castle. It featured animation by ex-[[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]] animator [[Don Bluth]]. Most other games of the era represented the character as a [[sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]], which consisted of a series of pixels displayed in succession. Due to hardware limitations of the era, artists were greatly restricted in the detail they could achieve using that technique; the resolution, framerate, and number of frames were severely constrained. ''Dragon's Lair'' overcame those limitations by tapping into the vast storage potential of the [[LaserDisc]] but imposed other limitations on the actual gameplay. The game can freeze as the laserdisc searches for the correct scene to play, and the cabinets are difficult to maintain.<ref name="PO"/> It was advertised as the first truly [[Video game graphics#3D|3D video game]] and as the meeting point of video games and animated films.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/images/articles/1984-dlair-article-USA-StarBurst-Apr1984.pdf|title=New Concept in Arcade Video Gaming|last=Landau|first=Francesca|date=April 1984|work=Starburst|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> Its success sparked numerous home ports, sequels, and related games. In the 21st century, it has been repackaged in a number of formats (such as for the [[iPhone]]) as a "retro" or historic game. It is currently one of only three video games (along with ''[[Pong]]'' and ''[[Pac-Man]]'') in storage at the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thocp.net/software/games/golden_age.htm#PacMan |title=History of Computing: Video games - Golden Age |publisher=Thocp.net |access-date=August 14, 2011}}</ref>{{Dubious |reason=Direct inquiries to the Smithsonian Institution during research for a licensed documentary film have produced official responses that there are no records nor evidence of the game's storage there. Additionally, searching the Smithsonian Institution website for Pong and for Pac-Man yields results which state that each arcade game is in the collection (including a photo of the Pong inside its crate), but there are zero results when searching for Dragon's Lair. |date=March 2019}} In 1988 [[Readysoft]] started development of conversion of the game for 16-bit machines. The development was done on [[Amiga]] and due to many compromises concerning limited memory and a slow, small external storage device, the game was released in 1989 with only 15% of the scenes of the arcade original. In 1990 Amiga version was ported to [[Atari ST]] and [[MS-DOS]]. (source: Retro Gamer 38)
* ''[[Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle]]'' is a 1989 video game released for [[MS-DOS]] by [[ReadySoft]]. It is a semi-sequel to ''Dragon's Lair'' and it completes the original game presenting the adventure of Dirk after he slayed the Singe the Dragon. The game features elements like difficulty level settings, selectable number of lives or possibility to save game position. In 1990 and 1991 it was ported for [[Amiga]] and [[Atari ST]].
* ''[[Escape from Singe's Castle]]'', also known as ''Dragon's Lair Part II - Escape from Singe's Castle'', is a 1987 video game published by [[Software Projects]] for the [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[ZX Spectrum]] home computers. The game is sometimes referred to as ''Dragon's Lair II'' but is not the official arcade sequel ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp''. In 2022 an [[Apple IIGS]] version was released.
* ''[[Dragon's Lair (1990 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' is a 1990 [[platform game]] developed by MotiveTime and published by [[Sony Imagesoft|CSG Imagesoft]] in North America, [[Elite Systems]] in Europe and [[Epic/Sony Records]] in Japan for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. Its plot is identical to that of the original game.
* ''[[Dragon's Lair: The Legend]]'' is a 1991 [[platform game]] developed by [[Elite Systems]] and published by [[Sony Imagesoft|CSG Imagesoft]] in North America, Elite Software in Europe and [[Epic/Sony Records]] in Japan for the [[Game Boy]]. This is actually a port of Elite's 1985 [[ZX Spectrum]] game ''[[Roller Coaster (video game)|Roller Coaster]]''.
* ''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]]'' is the first official sequel other than ''Escape from Singe's Castle''. Released in 1991 by [[Leland Corporation]], its story takes place years later. Dirk has married Daphne, and the marriage has produced several children. When Daphne is kidnapped by the evil wizard Mordroc in order to be forced into marriage, Dirk's children are clearly upset by the abduction of their mother, and Dirk must once again save her. Home ports of the game were announced for the [[Philips CD-i]], [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer]], and [[Jaguar CD]]. However, only the CD-i version was actually released, though non-playable demos of the 3DO and Jaguar CD versions appear on those consoles' respective versions of ''[[Brain Dead 13]]''. The game was later ported to the [[Wii]] as part of the compilation release ''Dragon's Lair Trilogy''. The game was also released for Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS but it contained only half of the story.
* ''[[Dragon's Lair III: The Curse of Mordread]]'' was made for Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS in 1992 and contains a set of levels that didn't fit into home version of ''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]]''. The game also included a newly produced "Blackbeard the Pirate" stage that was originally intended to be in the arcade game but was never completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.d-l-p.com/community/forums/archives/default.asp?Action=View&MessageID=22033&Archive=Yes&Keywords= |title=Dragon's Lair Project Message Board |publisher=D-l-p.com |date=January 23, 2002 |access-date=August 14, 2011}}</ref>
* ''Dragon's Lair'' is a 1993 platform game developed by MotiveTime and published by [[Data East]] in North America, [[Elite Systems]] in Europe and [[Konami]] in Japan for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. Its plot is identical to that of the original game.
* ''Dragon's Lair'' is a 2001 game developed by [[Digital Eclipse]] for [[Game Boy Color]] that is a faithful translation of the original coin-up version.
* ''[[Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair]]'' was developed in 2002, as a [[3D computer graphics|3D]] interpretation of the game developed by Dragonstone Software and published by [[Ubisoft]] for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[GameCube]] and the [[PlayStation 2]]. It is based on the original ''Dragon's Lair'' and follows a similar story as Dirk must enter Mordroc's castle to rescue Princess Daphne from a dragon. Many of the characters and locations from the 1983 original make appearances in the game, along with new puzzles, rooms, and enemies. The game uses [[cel-shaded animation|cel shading]] to mimic the distinctive style of the original. Bluth produced two new animated sequences for the opening and ending of the game. It received mixed reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/dragons-lair-3d-return-to-the-lair/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair|website=Metacritic|language=en|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> In 2005, Digital Leisure created a new ''Dragon's Lair III'' which utilizes 3D footage from ''Dragon's Lair 3D'' but has a control system like the original arcade games.

''Dragon's Lair'' led to the creation of 1984's ''[[Space Ace]]'', another game animated by Don Bluth and his crew. ''Space Ace'' is a ROM and disc upgrade kit for the ''Dragon's Lair'' cabinets, complete with new control panel overlay, side art, and header.


== Gameplay ==
== Gameplay ==

Players have five controls: up, down, left, right, and attack. Gameplay consists of reacting to on-screen button prompts which trigger pre-drawn success or failure animations, essentially a forerunner of the modern [[quick time event]].<ref name="PO">{{Cite web|author=Simone de Rochefort|url=https://www.polygon.com/videos/2017/10/27/16537352/stranger-things-season-2-dragons-lair-history|website=Polygon|title=Something out of science-fiction: A short history of Dragon's Lair|language=en|date=October 27, 2017|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> A perfect run with no deaths lasts no more than 12 minutes. In total, the game has 22 minutes or 50,000 frames of animated footage, including individual death scenes and game over screens.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=Dragon's Lair | magazine=Animator's Newsletter | issue=8 | page=39 |date=Spring 1984 | url=https://www.animatormag.com/category/1984/issue-08/page/3/ | access-date=May 2, 2022}}</ref>
Most games in the ''Dragon's Lair'' series are [[interactive film]]s where the player controls Dirk the Daring, in a quest to save Princess Daphne. The game presents predetermined animated scenes, and the player must select a direction on the joystick or press the action button in order to clear each [[quick time event]], with different [[full motion video]] segments showing the outcome.<ref name="PO">{{Cite web|author=Simone de Rochefort|url=https://www.polygon.com/videos/2017/10/27/16537352/stranger-things-season-2-dragons-lair-history|website=Polygon|title=Something out of science-fiction: A short history of Dragon's Lair|language=en|date=October 27, 2017|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> A perfect run of the 1983 arcade game with no deaths lasts no more than 12 minutes. In total, the game has 22 minutes or 50,000 frames of animated footage, including individual death scenes and game over screens.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=Dragon's Lair | magazine=Animator's Newsletter | issue=8 | page=39 |date=Spring 1984 | url=https://www.animatormag.com/category/1984/issue-08/page/3/ | access-date=May 2, 2022}}</ref>


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
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=== Princess Daphne ===
=== Princess Daphne ===
{{Infobox character
|name = Princess Daphne
|image =
|caption = Princess Daphne with Dirk the Daring
|creator = [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]]
|designer = [[Don Bluth]]
|series = Dragon's Lair
|first = ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' (1983)
|voice = Vera Lanpher (''Dragon's Lair'', ''Dragon's Lair II'')<br>[[Ellen Gerstell]] (television series)<br>Darcy Harvier (''Dragon's Lair 3D'')
}}

In the games, Princess Daphne is the beautiful daughter of King Aethelred and an unnamed queen. She serves as the series' [[Damsel in distress#In video games|damsel in distress]]. A beautiful maiden coveted by many princes and knights, her heart belongs to the kingdom's champion, Dirk the Daring.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/amtix-magazine-17/Amtix_17_Mar_1987#page/n87/mode/2up/ |title=Amtix Magazine Issue 17 |date=March 1987 |access-date=June 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Gamer_Issue_18_1986-09_Argus_Press_GB#page/n49/mode/2up/ |title=Computer Gamer - Issue 18 (1986-09) (Argus Press) (UK) |date=September 1986 |access-date=June 13, 2014}}</ref>
In the games, Princess Daphne is the beautiful daughter of King Aethelred and an unnamed queen. She serves as the series' [[Damsel in distress#In video games|damsel in distress]]. A beautiful maiden coveted by many princes and knights, her heart belongs to the kingdom's champion, Dirk the Daring.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/amtix-magazine-17/Amtix_17_Mar_1987#page/n87/mode/2up/ |title=Amtix Magazine Issue 17 |date=March 1987 |access-date=June 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Gamer_Issue_18_1986-09_Argus_Press_GB#page/n49/mode/2up/ |title=Computer Gamer - Issue 18 (1986-09) (Argus Press) (UK) |date=September 1986 |access-date=June 13, 2014}}</ref>

====Design and portrayal====
Princess Daphne was originally created by Rick Dyer's Advanced Microcomputer Systems (AMS, later [[RDI Video Systems]]) team, then completely redesigned by the ex-[[Disney]] artist and animator [[Don Bluth]]. Bluth took his inspiration from photographs from the producer [[Gary Goldman]]'s collection of old issues of ''[[Playboy]]'' magazine, ultimately putting Daphne "in a very-revealing one piece '[[thong]]' bathing suit with a sheer [[veil]] that partially covered her".<ref>"The making of... Dragon's Lair". ''Retro Gamer'' 24.</ref> Due to the limited budget's constraints, Daphne's in-game vocals were supplied by the head of AMS' Clean-up Department, Vera Lanpher.<ref>{{cite web |last=Langshaw |first=Mark |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/levelup/a593480/dragons-lair-retrospective-how-the-quick-time-event-was-born.html |title=Dragon's Lair retrospective: How the quick time event was born - Gaming Feature |publisher=Digitalspy.co.uk |date=2014-08-30 |accessdate=2015-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906112024/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/levelup/a593480/dragons-lair-retrospective-how-the-quick-time-event-was-born.html |archive-date=2015-09-06 |url-status=live }}</ref>

For ''Dragon's Lair II'', where Daphne has experienced more than a dozen births, Bluth said "he thought it would be interesting if Daphne looked just as beautiful as ever; there's absolutely no sign she's been through anything".<ref name=cvg>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Games_Vol_3_No_1_1984-04_Carnegie_Publications_US#page/n25/mode/2up/ |title=Computer Games - Vol 3 No 1 (1984-04) (Carnegie Publications) (US) |date= April 1984|accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909220146/https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Games_Vol_3_No_1_1984-04_Carnegie_Publications_US#page/n25/mode/2up/ |archive-date=2016-09-09 |url-status=live }}</ref> Professional voice actress [[Ellen Gerstell]] voiced the character in the cartoon, wherein her attire is a less-revealing dress.

====Reception====
Princess Daphne was met with mostly positive reception and greatly contributed to the success of the game, which was then ported to various home platforms and followed by several sequels, remakes and spin-offs. She has been cited by multiple publications as one of the most attractive characters in video game history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://download.chip.eu/en/Top-20-Girls-of-Gaming_1505633.html?tab=5&show=1 |title=Top 20 Girls of Gaming - Gallery 1 - EN |publisher=Download.CHIP.eu |date= |accessdate=2014-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203112645/http://download.chip.eu/en/Top-20-Girls-of-Gaming_1505633.html?tab=5&show=1 |archive-date=2013-12-03 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.screwattack.com/shows/originals/screwattack-top-10s/top-10-sexiest-outfits |title=Top 10 Sexiest Outfits |series=''[[ScrewAttack's Top 10]]'' |publisher=ScrewAttack.com |accessdate=2014-06-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925012556/http://www.screwattack.com/shows/originals/screwattack-top-10s/top-10-sexiest-outfits |archivedate=2011-09-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/babe-of-the-week-outofwork-babes/?page=2 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414054739/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/babe-of-the-week-outofwork-babes/?page=2 |archivedate=2009-04-14 |title=Babe of the Week: Out-of-Work Babes Gallery and Images - GameDaily |date= |accessdate=2014-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/05/40-hot-but-forgotten-female-video-game-characters#37 |title=40 Hot But Forgotten Female Video Game Characters |publisher=Complex |date= |accessdate=2014-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229141109/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/05/40-hot-but-forgotten-female-video-game-characters#37 |archive-date=2012-12-29 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://game.thanhnien.com.vn/bai-viet/2015/03/08/25-nhan-v%E1%BA%A1t-n%C5%A9-khi%C3%A9n-c%C3%A1c-game-th%E1%BB%A7-nam-m%C3%A1t-t%E1%BA%A1p-trung-nh%C3%A1t.5703.html |title=25 nhân vật nữ khiến các game thủ nam "mất tập trung" nhất &#124; Đánh giá - Phóng sự &#124; Thanh Niên Game |publisher=Game.thanhnien.com.vn |date= |accessdate=2015-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412001041/http://game.thanhnien.com.vn/bai-viet/2015/03/08/25-nhan-v%E1%BA%A1t-n%C5%A9-khi%C3%A9n-c%C3%A1c-game-th%E1%BB%A7-nam-m%C3%A1t-t%E1%BA%A1p-trung-nh%C3%A1t.5703.html |archive-date=2015-04-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[UGO]] included her on their 2010 list of top 50 "video game hotties": "When the game was released, Daphne was the best-looking video game heroine around, so we still have a bit of a soft spot for her today".<ref>{{cite web |author=UGO Team |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-hotties-princess-daphne-dragons-lair |title=Princess Daphne - Hottest Girls in Games |publisher=UGO.com |date=2011-10-27 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728035530/http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-hotties-princess-daphne-dragons-lair |archivedate=2013-07-28 }}</ref> Including her at the 14th place on a similar list in 2012, Larry Hester of ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'' opined Daphne "might be the finest damsel in distress ever. Sorry, [[Princess Peach|Peach]], Disney-style cel animation wins again".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/06/the-50-hottest-video-game-characters/princess-daphne |title=47. Princess Daphne The 50 Hottest Video Game Characters |publisher=Complex |date=2012-06-27 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118123926/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/06/the-50-hottest-video-game-characters/princess-daphne |archive-date=2014-01-18 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Back in 1983, ''JoyStik'''s Joe Mendsky wrote "Daphne may look like the closest thing to a [[porn star]] in the annals of the video game, but she's not dumb. She's seen the line of quarters across the floor at the Denver arcade".<ref name=joy>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/joystik_magazine-1983-11/Joystik_v2_n2_1983_Nov#page/n31/mode/1up/ |title=Joystik Magazine (November 1983) Volume 2 Number 2 |date= November 1983|accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315082942/https://archive.org/stream/joystik_magazine-1983-11/Joystik_v2_n2_1983_Nov#page/n31/mode/1up/ |archive-date=2016-03-15 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nearly three decades later, ''Complex'' said of her that there has "only ever really been one reason to play ''Dragon's Lair''",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/04/arcade-classic-dragons-lair-getting-kinect-ed-on-xbla-may-18 |title=Arcade Classic "Dragon's Lair" Getting Kinect-ed On XBLA May 18 |publisher=Complex |date=2012-04-28 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623163402/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/04/arcade-classic-dragons-lair-getting-kinect-ed-on-xbla-may-18 |archive-date=2012-06-23 |url-status=live }}</ref> and stated: "Never mind that the gameplay was nothing more than a quarter-sucking game of trial-and-error and memorization. And, oh, God: Princess Daphne and her little sheer black dress. Jesus Christ. She was way too sexy. Our little brains exploded".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2014/02/10-arcade-cabinets-that-will-make-you-miss-your-childhood/dragons-lair |title=Dragon's Lair 10 Arcade Cabinets That Will Make You Miss Your Childhood |publisher=Complex |date=2014-02-09 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316162339/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2014/02/10-arcade-cabinets-that-will-make-you-miss-your-childhood/dragons-lair |archive-date=2014-03-16 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ranking her as the 14th "hottest video game girl of all time" in 2013, Steve Jenkins of [[CheatCodes.com]] wrote: "Don Bluth's animated portrayal of Daphne, the princess who just can't seem to keep out of trouble, was the real attraction in this game… and attractive she was. (...) Princess Daphne's love of shear(sic!) clothing, plunging necklines, and her eternal 'damsel in distress' neediness made 50 cents a bargain to spend some quality time with her".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cheatcodes.com/extra/2013/10/21/top-25-hottest-video-game-girls-of-all-time/13/ |title=Top 25 Hottest Video Game Girls of All Time &#124; Page 13 of 26 &#124; CheatCodes.com Extra |publisher=Cheatcodes.com |date=2013-10-21 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627023338/http://cheatcodes.com/extra/2013/10/21/top-25-hottest-video-game-girls-of-all-time/13/ |archive-date=2014-06-27 |url-status=live }}</ref> Writing about the reason ''Dragon's Lair'' became so popular, Nikola Suprak of ''Hardcore Gamer'' stated: "Years of playing video games has made me very familiar with the 'save the princess' motif, which makes me extremely suspicious about Daphne's princess credentials. There is a far greater chance that she is just a stripper with the stage name Princess than an actual princess, because if actual princesses dressed like she did the royal weddings wouldn't be so boring to watch".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2013/08/07/never-forget-dragons-lair/49941/ |title=Never Forget: Dragons Lair ‹ Hardcore Gamer |publisher=Hardcoregamer.com |date= 7 August 2013|accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714174132/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2013/08/07/never-forget-dragons-lair/49941/ |archive-date=2014-07-14 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Jon M. Gibson of [[GameSpy]] called Daphne "the epitome of a [[damsel in distress]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/dragons-lair-3d/5597p1.html |title=GameSpy: Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair - Page 1 |publisher=Xbox.gamespy.com |date= |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714225511/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/dragons-lair-3d/5597p1.html |archive-date=2014-07-14 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rob Mead of ''[[ST Format]]'' wrote "Daphne has to be the dippiest woman on the planet. She's gone and got herself kidnapped again. Can you believe it? The woman is a victim. She might as well walk around with the words 'Kidnap me' tattooed on her forehead".<ref name=stf>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/ST_Format_Issue_045_1993-04_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n66/mode/1up/ |title=ST Format - Issue 045 (1993-04) (Future Publishing) (UK) |date= |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320161331/https://archive.org/stream/ST_Format_Issue_045_1993-04_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n66/mode/1up/ |archive-date=2016-03-20 |url-status=live }}</ref> Charlie Barratt of [[GamesRadar]] included her among the seven "damsels you DON'T want to save", arguing that "underneath the skimpy leotard and fluttering eyelashes, Daphne's no deeper than a cardboard cutout. No smarter than a blow-up doll bimbo. Nothing more than salacious and cynical bait for your hard-earned quarters (and ''Dragon's Lair'' swallowed a LOT of quarters)".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-top-7-damsels-you-dont-want-to-save/?page=7 |title=Page 7 - The Top 7... Damsels You DON'T Want to Save |publisher=GamesRadar |date=2008-01-28 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714233950/http://www.gamesradar.com/the-top-7-damsels-you-dont-want-to-save/?page=7 |archivedate=2014-07-14 }}</ref> Glamour model Tara Babcock ranked the "beyond beautiful" Daphne as the 16th "hottest video game" and wrote that "her half-naked, yet regal appearance, flowing blonde hair, big eyes with batting lashes and cute, ditzy appearance ... has been the subject of much controversy over 'sexism' in gaming!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.impulsegamer.com/tara20hottestvideogamebabesbytarababcock.html |title=Tara's G-Spot - Games that hit the spot, according to Tara Babcock - 20 HOTTEST VIDEO GAME BABES BY TARA BABCOCK |publisher=www.impulsegamer.com |date=2008-08-02 |accessdate=2020-03-20 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012003220/http://www.impulsegamer.com/tara20hottestvideogamebabesbytarababcock.html |archivedate=2011-10-12}}</ref>

Daphne's voice was described by Earl Green of ''Classic Gamer Magazine'' as "a high pitched voice that could cause harm to small pets".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/Classic_Gamer_Magazine_Volume_1_Issue_5_2000-09_Classic_Gamer_US#page/n51/mode/1up/ |title=Classic Gamer Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 5 (2000-09) (Classic Gamer) (US) |date= September 2000|accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409221138/https://archive.org/stream/Classic_Gamer_Magazine_Volume_1_Issue_5_2000-09_Classic_Gamer_US#page/n51/mode/1up/ |archive-date=2016-04-09 |url-status=live }}</ref> Green also wrote that "those of us who were entering adolescence at the time never quite forgave the TV show for covering Princess Daphne up, even though a vast improvement was made in giving her more personality and more intelligence, rather than the original game's helium-voiced ditzy blonde".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/Classic_Gamer_Magazine_Volume_1_Issue_4_2000-06_Classic_Gamer_US#page/n23/mode/1up/ |title=Classic Gamer Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 4 (2000-06) (Classic Gamer) (US) |date= June 2000|accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317230325/https://archive.org/stream/Classic_Gamer_Magazine_Volume_1_Issue_4_2000-06_Classic_Gamer_US#page/n23/mode/1up/ |archive-date=2016-03-17 |url-status=live }}</ref> Reviewing ''Dragon's Lair 3D'' in 2002, ''[[GameSpot]]''{{'}}s Ryan Davis wrote Daphne "sounds just as squeaky and ditzy as she did in 1983".<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis |first=Ryan |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dragons-lair-3d-return-to-the-lair-review/1900-2908295/ |title=Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair Review |publisher=GameSpot |date=2003-01-08 |accessdate=2014-06-13}}</ref> Kristan Reed of ''[[Eurogamer]]'' wrote it "remains as simultaneously amusing and irritating as ever".<ref>{{cite web |last=Reed |first=Kristan |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_dragonslair_gc |title=Dragon's Lair 3D: Special Edition |publisher=Eurogamer.net |date=2004-03-17 |accessdate=2014-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714160622/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_dragonslair_gc |archive-date=2014-07-14 |url-status=live }}</ref>


=== Singe ===
=== Singe ===
Singe is a dragon who kidnaps Daphne.
Singe is a dragon who kidnaps Daphne.


== Adaptations ==
== Games ==
{{VG timeline
| compressempty = yes
| 1983 = '''''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'''''
| 1987 = ''[[Escape from Singe's Castle]]''
| 1990 = ''[[Dragon's Lair (1990 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' (NES)
| 1991a = ''[[Dragon's Lair: The Legend]]''
| 1991b = '''''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]]'''''
| 1992a = ''[[Dragon's Lair III: The Curse of Mordread]]''
| 1992b = ''Dragon's Lair'' (SNES)
| 1993 = ''Franky, Joe & Dirk: On the Tiles''
| 2002 = '''''[[Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair]]'''''
}}

===Main series===
* '''''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]''''' is a 1983 [[LaserDisc video game]] developed by [[RDI Video Systems|Advanced Microcomputer Systems]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7647 |title=Dragon's Lair |publisher=The International Arcade Museum |access-date =October 5, 2013}}</ref> The game follows protagonist [[Dragon's Lair#Dirk the Daring|Dirk the Daring]], a knight attempting to rescue [[Princess Daphne (character)|Princess Daphne]] from the evil Singe the Dragon, who has imprisoned the princess in Mordroc's castle. While most other contemporary games were rendered with [[sprite (computer graphics)|sprites]] or [[vector graphics]], ''Dragon's Lair'' had its graphics streamed from a [[LaserDisc]] in real-time, with animation created by ex-[[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]] animator [[Don Bluth]]. This however imposed limitations on gameplay, with the game boiling down to a sequence of [[quick time event]]s. It was advertised as the meeting point of video games and animated films.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/images/articles/1984-dlair-article-USA-StarBurst-Apr1984.pdf|title=New Concept in Arcade Video Gaming|last=Landau|first=Francesca|date=April 1984|work=Starburst|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref> It is currently one of only three video games (along with ''[[Pong]]'' and ''[[Pac-Man]]'') in storage at the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in [[Washington, D.C.]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thocp.net/software/games/golden_age.htm#PacMan |title=History of Computing: Video games - Golden Age |publisher=Thocp.net |access-date=August 14, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.edu/object/dragons-lair:nmah_681347 |title=Dragon's Lair - Smithsonian Institution |access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.edu/object/cinematronics-dragons-lair-model-l-d-arcade-video-game:nmah_714026 |title=Cinematronics "Dragon's Lair" model L-D arcade video game - Smithsonian Institution |access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref>{{Dubious |reason=Direct inquiries to the Smithsonian Institution during research for a licensed documentary film have produced official responses that there are no records nor evidence of the game's storage there. Additionally, searching the Smithsonian Institution website for Pong and for Pac-Man yields results which state that each arcade game is in the collection (including a photo of the Pong inside its crate), but there are zero results when searching for Dragon's Lair. |date=March 2019}}
** ''[[Escape from Singe's Castle]]'' is a 1987 video game published by [[Software Projects]] for [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]], and [[ZX Spectrum]]. It was later released for [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], [[MS-DOS]] and [[Classic Mac OS|Macintosh]] by [[ReadySoft]] in 1990 and 1991. The game is composed of levels from the arcade game that did not make it into original home conversions. An [[Apple IIGS]] version was released in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brutaldeluxe.fr/products/apple2gs/dragonslair1/index.html |title=Brutal Deluxe releases Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle for Apple IIGS |accessdate=2024-09-11}}</ref>
* '''''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]]''''' is a 1991 LaserDisc video game developed by [[Sullivan Bluth Studios|Sullivan Bluth Interactive]]. The game once again follows Dirk the Daring attempting to save Princess Daphne, whom he is now married to, from the evil wizard Mordroc. Dirk travels through several dimensions and historical eras searching for Daphne, some inspired by classic stories and [[fairy tale]]s, such as ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1951 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' and ''[[Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)|Sleeping Beauty]]''.
** ''[[Dragon's Lair III: The Curse of Mordread]]'' is a 1992 video game published by ReadySoft for Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS and Macintosh. The game is composed of levels from the arcade version of ''Time Warp'' that were not included in the original home conversions. Additionally, it features a newly produced "Blackbeard the Pirate" stage that was originally intended to be in the arcade game, but was never completed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.d-l-p.com/community/forums/archives/default.asp?Action=View&MessageID=22033&Archive=Yes&Keywords= |title=Dragon's Lair Project Message Board |publisher=D-l-p.com |date=January 23, 2002 |access-date=August 14, 2011 |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708215836/http://www.d-l-p.com/community/forums/archives/default.asp?Action=View&MessageID=22033&Archive=Yes&Keywords= |url-status=dead }}</ref> An Apple IIGS version was released in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brutaldeluxe.fr/products/apple2gs/dragonslair3/ |title=Brutal Deluxe releases Dragon's Lair III for Apple IIGS |accessdate=2024-09-11}}</ref>
* '''''[[Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair]]''''' is a 2002 [[action-adventure game]] developed by [[Dragonstone Software]] for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[GameCube]] and [[PlayStation 2]]. It is a re-imagining of the original ''Dragon's Lair'' and follows a similar story, as Dirk must enter Mordroc's castle to rescue Princess Daphne from a dragon. The game features many of the characters and locations from the 1983 arcade game, along with new puzzles, rooms, and enemies. The game uses [[cel-shaded animation|cel shading]] to mimic the distinctive style of the original. Don Bluth produced two new animated sequences for the opening and ending of the game. It received mixed reviews upon release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/dragons-lair-3d-return-to-the-lair/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair|website=Metacritic|language=en|access-date=October 29, 2018}}</ref>

===Spin-offs===
* ''[[Dragon's Lair (1990 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' is a 1990 [[platform game]] developed by MotiveTime and published by [[Sony Imagesoft|CSG Imagesoft]] in North America, [[Elite Systems]] in Europe and [[Epic/Sony Records]] in Japan for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. Its plot is identical to that of the original arcade game.
* ''[[Dragon's Lair: The Legend]]'' is a 1991 [[platform game]] developed by [[Elite Systems]] and published by [[Sony Imagesoft|CSG Imagesoft]] in North America, Elite Software in Europe and [[Epic/Sony Records]] in Japan for the [[Game Boy]]. This game is actually a port of Elite's 1985 [[ZX Spectrum]] game ''[[Roller Coaster (video game)|Roller Coaster]]''.
* ''Dragon's Lair'' is a 1992 platform game developed by MotiveTime and published by [[Data East]] in North America, [[Elite Systems]] in Europe and [[Konami]] in Japan for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. Its plot is identical to that of the original arcade game.
* ''Franky, Joe & Dirk: On the Tiles'' is a 1993 [[puzzle video game|puzzle game]] developed by Audio Visual Magic and published by Elite Systems, released exclusively in Europe. It is a sliding block puzzle game featuring characters from previous Elite-published games: Franky from ''[[Dr. Franken]]'', Joe from ''[[Joe & Mac]]'' and Dirk the Daring from ''Dragon's Lair''.

== Other media ==
=== TV series ===
=== TV series ===
The game led to the creation of a short-lived television cartoon series, ''[[Dragon's Lair (TV series)|Dragon's Lair]]'' by [[Ruby-Spears Productions]], where Dirk the Daring is voiced by [[Bob Sarlatte]] and the unseen storyteller that narrates each episode is voiced by [[Clive Revill]]. Changes in the TV series include the originally nameless Dragon being given the name Singe (voiced by [[Arthur Burghardt]]), Princess Daphne (voiced by [[Ellen Gerstell]]) wears a long pink dress, and includes some exclusive characters like Princess Daphne's father King Ethelred (voiced by [[Fred Travalena]]), Dirk the Daring's horse Bertram (vocal effects provided by [[Peter Cullen]]), Dirk the Daring's squire Timothy (voiced by Michael Mish), and Dirk the Daring's rival Sir Hubert Blunt (voiced by [[Peter Cullen]]). Enemies include the Lizard King, the Phantom Knight, the Giddy Goons, and the Mudmen. Thirteen half-hour episodes were produced and aired on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] network from September 8, 1984, to April 27, 1985. It was last aired on the [[USA Cartoon Express]] between the late '80s and the early '90s. To keep the show in the spirit of the game, before each commercial break the storyteller asks what the viewer would do to solve the problem facing Dirk. After the commercial break, the outcomes of the various choices are shown before Dirk acts on the correct idea (with the occasional exception) to save the day. Don Bluth had no involvement in the TV series.
The game led to the creation of a short-lived television cartoon series, ''[[Dragon's Lair (TV series)|Dragon's Lair]]'' by [[Ruby-Spears Productions]], where Dirk the Daring is voiced by [[Bob Sarlatte]] and the unseen storyteller that narrates each episode is voiced by [[Clive Revill]]. Changes in the TV series include the originally nameless Dragon being given the name Singe (voiced by [[Arthur Burghardt]]), Princess Daphne (voiced by [[Ellen Gerstell]]) wears a long pink dress, and includes some exclusive characters like Princess Daphne's father King Ethelred (voiced by [[Fred Travalena]]), Dirk the Daring's horse Bertram (vocal effects provided by [[Peter Cullen]]), Dirk the Daring's squire Timothy (voiced by Michael Mish), and Dirk the Daring's rival Sir Hubert Blunt (voiced by [[Peter Cullen]]). Enemies include the Lizard King, the Phantom Knight, the Giddy Goons, and the Mudmen. Thirteen half-hour episodes were produced and aired on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] network from September 8, 1984, to April 27, 1985. It was last aired on the [[USA Cartoon Express]] between the late '80s and the early '90s. To keep the show in the spirit of the game, before each commercial break the storyteller asks what the viewer would do to solve the problem facing Dirk. After the commercial break, the outcomes of the various choices are shown before Dirk acts on the correct idea (with the occasional exception) to save the day. Don Bluth had no involvement in the TV series.


=== Comic Books ===
=== Comic books ===
A comic book miniseries based on the game, but incorporating elements from the cartoon series as well, like Dirk's horse Bertram, was released in 2003 by [[CrossGen]], concurrent with a miniseries based on ''Space Ace''. [[Arcana Studio]] published the entire comic book series in 2006, as there are three issues that were previously unpublished.
A comic book miniseries based on the game, but incorporating elements from the cartoon series as well, like Dirk's horse Bertram, was released in 2003 by [[CrossGen]], concurrent with a miniseries based on ''Space Ace''. [[Arcana Studio]] published the entire comic book series in 2006, as there are three issues that were previously unpublished.


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* [https://www.mobygames.com/game-group/dragons-lair-series-and-versions ''Dragon's Lair''] at [[MobyGames]]
* [https://www.mobygames.com/game-group/dragons-lair-series-and-versions ''Dragon's Lair''] at [[MobyGames]]
* [http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair ''Dragon’s Lair''] at Classicgaming.cc
* [http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair ''Dragon’s Lair''] at Classicgaming.cc
* {{IMDb title|5248776|title=Dragon's Lair: The Movie}}
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q123537015|title=Dragon's Lair: The Movie}}


{{Dragon's Lair}}
{{Dragon's Lair}}
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[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Interactive movie video games by series]]
[[Category:Interactive movie video games]]
[[Category:Fantasy video games]]
[[Category:Fantasy video games]]
[[Category:LaserDisc video games]]
[[Category:LaserDisc video games]]

Latest revision as of 18:17, 6 November 2024

This article is about the video game series. For the first game in the series, see Dragon's Lair (1983 video game). For other uses, see Dragon's Lair (disambiguation).
Dragon's Lair
Genre(s)
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Creator(s)
Platform(s)
First releaseDragon's Lair
June 19, 1983
Latest releaseDragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair
November 18, 2002

Dragon's Lair is a video game franchise created by Rick Dyer. The series is notable for its film-quality animation by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth, and complex decades-long history of being ported to many platforms. It has also been adapted into television and comic books.

The first game in the series, Dragon's Lair, was originally released for arcades in 1983 by Cinematronics.[1] It leveraged LaserDisc technology, offering greatly superior graphics compared to other contemporary video games.[2] While many home ports were released in the following years, developers often had to make severe compromises to make the game work on the target platforms of the era, such as splitting it into two halves.[3] A sequel, Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp, had started development as early as 1984, but would only see release in arcades in 1991. While its graphics were once again praised, its limited interactivity compared to the newer generation of arcade games was considered outdated, and kept it from reaching the same popularity of the original.[4]

The two first games in the series are considered gaming classics,[5] and are frequently re-released on each new generation of consoles, often bundled alongside the 1984 LaserDisc game Space Ace.[6]

The franchise has since expanded into other media, including a short lived animated series that aired on ABC in 1984 and a comic-book miniseries released in 2003. Plans for a feature-length film have existed since the 1980s and resurfaced in 2015, when Bluth launched two crowd-funding campaigns.[7] While the Kickstarter campaign was unsuccessful,[8] the Indiegogo campaign reached its target in early 2016.[9]

Gameplay

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Most games in the Dragon's Lair series are interactive films where the player controls Dirk the Daring, in a quest to save Princess Daphne. The game presents predetermined animated scenes, and the player must select a direction on the joystick or press the action button in order to clear each quick time event, with different full motion video segments showing the outcome.[10] A perfect run of the 1983 arcade game with no deaths lasts no more than 12 minutes. In total, the game has 22 minutes or 50,000 frames of animated footage, including individual death scenes and game over screens.[11]

Characters

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Dirk the Daring

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Dirk the Daring is the main protagonist of the first game and subsequent franchise. As a knight of the kingdom, Dirk was entrusted with the rescue of Princess Daphne from Mordroc and Singe because all other knights were killed. He becomes heir to the throne upon saving Princess Daphne; following her rescue, Dirk and Daphne are married. In both games, Dirk is voiced by sound editor Dan Molina. Retro Gamer included Dirk on their list of top 50 game characters in the category "Top Ten Forces of Good" and called him "without a doubt, the epitome of the heroic knight".[12]

Princess Daphne

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Princess Daphne
Dragon's Lair character
First appearanceDragon's Lair (1983)
Created byRick Dyer
Designed byDon Bluth
Voiced byVera Lanpher (Dragon's Lair, Dragon's Lair II)
Ellen Gerstell (television series)
Darcy Harvier (Dragon's Lair 3D)

In the games, Princess Daphne is the beautiful daughter of King Aethelred and an unnamed queen. She serves as the series' damsel in distress. A beautiful maiden coveted by many princes and knights, her heart belongs to the kingdom's champion, Dirk the Daring.[13][14]

Design and portrayal

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Princess Daphne was originally created by Rick Dyer's Advanced Microcomputer Systems (AMS, later RDI Video Systems) team, then completely redesigned by the ex-Disney artist and animator Don Bluth. Bluth took his inspiration from photographs from the producer Gary Goldman's collection of old issues of Playboy magazine, ultimately putting Daphne "in a very-revealing one piece 'thong' bathing suit with a sheer veil that partially covered her".[15] Due to the limited budget's constraints, Daphne's in-game vocals were supplied by the head of AMS' Clean-up Department, Vera Lanpher.[16]

For Dragon's Lair II, where Daphne has experienced more than a dozen births, Bluth said "he thought it would be interesting if Daphne looked just as beautiful as ever; there's absolutely no sign she's been through anything".[17] Professional voice actress Ellen Gerstell voiced the character in the cartoon, wherein her attire is a less-revealing dress.

Reception

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Princess Daphne was met with mostly positive reception and greatly contributed to the success of the game, which was then ported to various home platforms and followed by several sequels, remakes and spin-offs. She has been cited by multiple publications as one of the most attractive characters in video game history.[18][19][20][21][22] UGO included her on their 2010 list of top 50 "video game hotties": "When the game was released, Daphne was the best-looking video game heroine around, so we still have a bit of a soft spot for her today".[23] Including her at the 14th place on a similar list in 2012, Larry Hester of Complex opined Daphne "might be the finest damsel in distress ever. Sorry, Peach, Disney-style cel animation wins again".[24]

Back in 1983, JoyStik's Joe Mendsky wrote "Daphne may look like the closest thing to a porn star in the annals of the video game, but she's not dumb. She's seen the line of quarters across the floor at the Denver arcade".[25] Nearly three decades later, Complex said of her that there has "only ever really been one reason to play Dragon's Lair",[26] and stated: "Never mind that the gameplay was nothing more than a quarter-sucking game of trial-and-error and memorization. And, oh, God: Princess Daphne and her little sheer black dress. Jesus Christ. She was way too sexy. Our little brains exploded".[27] Ranking her as the 14th "hottest video game girl of all time" in 2013, Steve Jenkins of CheatCodes.com wrote: "Don Bluth's animated portrayal of Daphne, the princess who just can't seem to keep out of trouble, was the real attraction in this game… and attractive she was. (...) Princess Daphne's love of shear(sic!) clothing, plunging necklines, and her eternal 'damsel in distress' neediness made 50 cents a bargain to spend some quality time with her".[28] Writing about the reason Dragon's Lair became so popular, Nikola Suprak of Hardcore Gamer stated: "Years of playing video games has made me very familiar with the 'save the princess' motif, which makes me extremely suspicious about Daphne's princess credentials. There is a far greater chance that she is just a stripper with the stage name Princess than an actual princess, because if actual princesses dressed like she did the royal weddings wouldn't be so boring to watch".[29]

Jon M. Gibson of GameSpy called Daphne "the epitome of a damsel in distress".[30] Rob Mead of ST Format wrote "Daphne has to be the dippiest woman on the planet. She's gone and got herself kidnapped again. Can you believe it? The woman is a victim. She might as well walk around with the words 'Kidnap me' tattooed on her forehead".[31] Charlie Barratt of GamesRadar included her among the seven "damsels you DON'T want to save", arguing that "underneath the skimpy leotard and fluttering eyelashes, Daphne's no deeper than a cardboard cutout. No smarter than a blow-up doll bimbo. Nothing more than salacious and cynical bait for your hard-earned quarters (and Dragon's Lair swallowed a LOT of quarters)".[32] Glamour model Tara Babcock ranked the "beyond beautiful" Daphne as the 16th "hottest video game" and wrote that "her half-naked, yet regal appearance, flowing blonde hair, big eyes with batting lashes and cute, ditzy appearance ... has been the subject of much controversy over 'sexism' in gaming!"[33]

Daphne's voice was described by Earl Green of Classic Gamer Magazine as "a high pitched voice that could cause harm to small pets".[34] Green also wrote that "those of us who were entering adolescence at the time never quite forgave the TV show for covering Princess Daphne up, even though a vast improvement was made in giving her more personality and more intelligence, rather than the original game's helium-voiced ditzy blonde".[35] Reviewing Dragon's Lair 3D in 2002, GameSpot's Ryan Davis wrote Daphne "sounds just as squeaky and ditzy as she did in 1983".[36] Kristan Reed of Eurogamer wrote it "remains as simultaneously amusing and irritating as ever".[37]

Singe

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Singe is a dragon who kidnaps Daphne.

Games

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Release timeline
1983Dragon's Lair
1984–1986
1987Escape from Singe's Castle
1988–1989
1990Dragon's Lair (NES)
1991Dragon's Lair: The Legend
Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp
1992Dragon's Lair III: The Curse of Mordread
Dragon's Lair (SNES)
1993Franky, Joe & Dirk: On the Tiles
1994–2001
2002Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair

Main series

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Spin-offs

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Other media

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TV series

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The game led to the creation of a short-lived television cartoon series, Dragon's Lair by Ruby-Spears Productions, where Dirk the Daring is voiced by Bob Sarlatte and the unseen storyteller that narrates each episode is voiced by Clive Revill. Changes in the TV series include the originally nameless Dragon being given the name Singe (voiced by Arthur Burghardt), Princess Daphne (voiced by Ellen Gerstell) wears a long pink dress, and includes some exclusive characters like Princess Daphne's father King Ethelred (voiced by Fred Travalena), Dirk the Daring's horse Bertram (vocal effects provided by Peter Cullen), Dirk the Daring's squire Timothy (voiced by Michael Mish), and Dirk the Daring's rival Sir Hubert Blunt (voiced by Peter Cullen). Enemies include the Lizard King, the Phantom Knight, the Giddy Goons, and the Mudmen. Thirteen half-hour episodes were produced and aired on the ABC network from September 8, 1984, to April 27, 1985. It was last aired on the USA Cartoon Express between the late '80s and the early '90s. To keep the show in the spirit of the game, before each commercial break the storyteller asks what the viewer would do to solve the problem facing Dirk. After the commercial break, the outcomes of the various choices are shown before Dirk acts on the correct idea (with the occasional exception) to save the day. Don Bluth had no involvement in the TV series.

Comic books

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A comic book miniseries based on the game, but incorporating elements from the cartoon series as well, like Dirk's horse Bertram, was released in 2003 by CrossGen, concurrent with a miniseries based on Space Ace. Arcana Studio published the entire comic book series in 2006, as there are three issues that were previously unpublished.

Film

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In the 1980s, a film version of Dragon's Lair was planned, with Alan Dean Foster involved in shaping the story. The project fell apart due to low interest from other studios.[47]

In 2015 and 2016, Bluth and Goldman crowdfunded US$731,172 for a 10-minute teaser for an animated feature-length Dragon's Lair prequel film, their first feature film since Titan A.E.[8][9][48] Bluth and Goldman have announced that the film will provide more backstory for Dirk and Daphne and that Daphne will show that she is not a "blonde airhead".[49]

In March 2020, a live action film adaptation was approved by Netflix after one year of negotiations. Ryan Reynolds was in talks for the lead role. Reynolds, Roy Lee, Trevor Engelson, Bluth, Goldman, and former Bluth collaborator John Pomeroy are producers, with Dan and Kevin Hageman as writers.[50]

References

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  1. ^ "Review: 'Dragon's Lair' returns on Blu-ray Disc". CNN.com. May 18, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  2. ^ "Enter The Dragon's Lair" (PDF). Games Magazine. February 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  3. ^ "Conversion Capers" (PDF). Retro Gamer. May 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  4. ^ "Review Crew: Dragon's Lair II". Electronic Gaming Monthly. December 1994.
  5. ^ Service, Marc Saltzman Gannett News. "CNN.com - New 'Dragon's Lair' disappoints - Feb 13, 2003". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  6. ^ Harris, Craig (October 27, 2010). "Dragon's Lair Trilogy Review". IGN. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  7. ^ "Dragon's Lair creators turn to Kickstarter to raise money for Dragon's Lair: The Movie". Polygon. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Dragon's Lair: The Movie (Canceled) by Don Bluth & Gary Goldman — Kickstarter". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Dragons Lair Returns". Indiegogo.com. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  10. ^ Simone de Rochefort (October 27, 2017). "Something out of science-fiction: A short history of Dragon's Lair". Polygon. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  11. ^ "Dragon's Lair". Animator's Newsletter. No. 8. Spring 1984. p. 39. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  12. ^ Retro Gamer 2, page 37.
  13. ^ "Amtix Magazine Issue 17". March 1987. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  14. ^ "Computer Gamer - Issue 18 (1986-09) (Argus Press) (UK)". September 1986. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  15. ^ "The making of... Dragon's Lair". Retro Gamer 24.
  16. ^ Langshaw, Mark (2014-08-30). "Dragon's Lair retrospective: How the quick time event was born - Gaming Feature". Digitalspy.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  17. ^ "Computer Games - Vol 3 No 1 (1984-04) (Carnegie Publications) (US)". April 1984. Archived from the original on 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  18. ^ "Top 20 Girls of Gaming - Gallery 1 - EN". Download.CHIP.eu. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  19. ^ "Top 10 Sexiest Outfits". ScrewAttack's Top 10. ScrewAttack.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-25. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  20. ^ "Babe of the Week: Out-of-Work Babes Gallery and Images - GameDaily". Archived from the original on 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  21. ^ "40 Hot But Forgotten Female Video Game Characters". Complex. Archived from the original on 2012-12-29. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  22. ^ "25 nhân vật nữ khiến các game thủ nam "mất tập trung" nhất | Đánh giá - Phóng sự | Thanh Niên Game". Game.thanhnien.com.vn. Archived from the original on 2015-04-12. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  23. ^ UGO Team (2011-10-27). "Princess Daphne - Hottest Girls in Games". UGO.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-28. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  24. ^ "47. Princess Daphne The 50 Hottest Video Game Characters". Complex. 2012-06-27. Archived from the original on 2014-01-18. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  25. ^ "Joystik Magazine (November 1983) Volume 2 Number 2". November 1983. Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  26. ^ "Arcade Classic "Dragon's Lair" Getting Kinect-ed On XBLA May 18". Complex. 2012-04-28. Archived from the original on 2012-06-23. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  27. ^ "Dragon's Lair 10 Arcade Cabinets That Will Make You Miss Your Childhood". Complex. 2014-02-09. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  28. ^ "Top 25 Hottest Video Game Girls of All Time | Page 13 of 26 | CheatCodes.com Extra". Cheatcodes.com. 2013-10-21. Archived from the original on 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  29. ^ "Never Forget: Dragons Lair ‹ Hardcore Gamer". Hardcoregamer.com. 7 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  30. ^ "GameSpy: Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair - Page 1". Xbox.gamespy.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  31. ^ "ST Format - Issue 045 (1993-04) (Future Publishing) (UK)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-20. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  32. ^ "Page 7 - The Top 7... Damsels You DON'T Want to Save". GamesRadar. 2008-01-28. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  33. ^ "Tara's G-Spot - Games that hit the spot, according to Tara Babcock - 20 HOTTEST VIDEO GAME BABES BY TARA BABCOCK". www.impulsegamer.com. 2008-08-02. Archived from the original on 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  34. ^ "Classic Gamer Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 5 (2000-09) (Classic Gamer) (US)". September 2000. Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  35. ^ "Classic Gamer Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 4 (2000-06) (Classic Gamer) (US)". June 2000. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  36. ^ Davis, Ryan (2003-01-08). "Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  37. ^ Reed, Kristan (2004-03-17). "Dragon's Lair 3D: Special Edition". Eurogamer.net. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  38. ^ "Dragon's Lair". The International Arcade Museum. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  39. ^ Landau, Francesca (April 1984). "New Concept in Arcade Video Gaming" (PDF). Starburst. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  40. ^ "History of Computing: Video games - Golden Age". Thocp.net. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  41. ^ "Dragon's Lair - Smithsonian Institution". Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  42. ^ "Cinematronics "Dragon's Lair" model L-D arcade video game - Smithsonian Institution". Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  43. ^ "Brutal Deluxe releases Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle for Apple IIGS". Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  44. ^ "Dragon's Lair Project Message Board". D-l-p.com. January 23, 2002. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  45. ^ "Brutal Deluxe releases Dragon's Lair III for Apple IIGS". Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  46. ^ "Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair". Metacritic. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  47. ^ Cawley, John. Games on TV and The Big Screen
  48. ^ "Dragon's Lair creators turn to Kickstarter to raise money for Dragon's Lair: The Movie - Polygon". Polygon. 26 October 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  49. ^ "Dragon's Lair Movie Won't Depict "Sexualized" Version of Princess Daphne - GameSpot". Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  50. ^ Kit, Borys (March 27, 2020). "Ryan Reynolds in Talks to Tackle Live-Action Adaptation of '80s Video Game 'Dragon's Lair' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
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