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'{{about|the video game series|other uses|Dragon's Lair (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox video game series | title = Dragon's Lair | image = Dragons lair.jpg | caption = ''Dragon's Lair'' promotional poster | genre = [[Fantasy]], [[animation]] | developer = | publisher = [[Cinematronics]] | creator = [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]]<br>[[Don Bluth]] | artist = Don Bluth | writer = [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]] | composer = | platforms = {{unbulleted list |[[LaserDisc]]|[[Arcade cabinet|Arcade]]|[[PlayStation]]|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]|[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]|[[Sega CD]]|[[Game Boy Color|GBC]]|[[Philips CD-i|CD-i]]|[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]|[[GameCube]]|[[Nintendo DSi]]|[[Personal computer|PC]]|[[Commodore Amiga|Amiga]]|[[Nintendo Switch]]|[[TI-99/4A]]}} | first release version = ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' | first release date ={{date|1983}} | latest release version =''[[Dragon's Lair 3D: Return to the Lair]]'' | latest release date ={{date|2002}} }} '''''Dragon's Lair''''' is a video game franchise created by [[Rick Dyer (video game designer)|Rick Dyer]] and [[Don Bluth]]. The series is famous for its [[western animation]]-style graphics and convoluted decades-long history of being ported to many platforms and being remade into television and comic book series. The first game in the series is titled ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'', originally released for the [[arcade game|arcades]] in [[1983 in video gaming|1983]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/fun.games/05/18/dragons.lair/|title=Review: 'Dragon's Lair' returns on Blu-ray Disc|author=|date=May 18, 2007|website=CNN.com|accessdate=March 15, 2016}}</ref> by [[Cinematronics]]. It uses [[Interactive movie|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|last=|first=|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|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|last=|first=|date=May 2007|work=Retro Gamer|access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref> The first true sequel, ''[[Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp]],'' would only appear in 1991. While its graphics were once again praised, the poor controls and limited interactivity kept it from reaching the popularity of the original.<ref>{{Cite news|url=|title=Review Crew: Dragon's Lair II|last=|first=|date=December 1994|work=Electronic Gaming Monthly|access-date=}}</ref> The two main games in the series are considered gaming classics<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://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 constantly 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 series' forays into other media include a [[Dragon's Lair (TV series)|short-lived cartoon series]] that aired on [[ABC Studios|ABC]] in 1984 and a comic-book miniseries released in 2003. Plans for a feature-length film have existed since the 1980s and have resurfaced in 2015, when Bluth launched a crowd-funding campaign to secure funds for a ''Dragon's Lair'' movie pitch.<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> After an initially unsuccessful bid on [[Kickstarter]], a second [[Indiegogo]] campaign managed to reach its target in early 2016. ==Games== * ''[[Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]'' is a [[laserdisc video game]] published by [[Cinematronics]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7647 |title=Dragon's Lair |publisher=The International Arcade Museum |accessdate =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. 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> The success of the game 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 |date= |accessdate=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}} * ''[[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. Later, Readysoft made the [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], and [[personal computer|PC]] versions. The game is sometimes referred to as ''Dragon's Lair II'' but is not to be confused with the official arcade sequel ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp''. * ''[[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. * ''[[Roller Coaster (video game)#Legacy|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''. * ''[[Dragon's Lair III: The Curse of Mordread]]'' was made for Amiga, Atari ST, and PC in 1993, mixing original footage with scenes from ''Time Warp'' that were not included in the original PC release due to memory constraints. 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 |accessdate=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 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/pc/dragons-lair-3d-return-to-the-lair|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== Players had five controls: Up, Down, Left, Right, and Attack. Gamplay consisted of reacting to on-screen button prompts which would trigger pre-drawn success or failure animations, esentially a forerunner of the modern [[Quick Time Event]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/videos/2017/10/27/16537352/stranger-things-season-2-dragons-lair-history|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> A "perfect" run with no deaths would last no more than 12 minutes, although 22 minutes of footage was animated to include individual death scenes and game over screens, over 50'000 frames of animation.<ref> "Animator's Newsletter", Issue 8, Page 39, Spring 1984. </ref> In practice, the game would often freeze as the laserdisc searched for the correct scene to play, and the cabinets themselves were difficult for arcade owners to maintain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/videos/2017/10/27/16537352/stranger-things-season-2-dragons-lair-history|website=Polygon|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref> ==Characters== ===Dirk the Daring=== 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 him 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."<ref>''Retro Gamer'' 2, page 37.</ref> ===Princess Daphne=== {{main|Princess Daphne (character)}} 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 |publisher=Archive.org |date= |accessdate=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) |publisher=Archive.org |date= |accessdate=June 13, 2014}}</ref> ==Adaptations== 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 was voiced by [[Bob Sarlatte]] and the unseen storyteller that narrates each episode is voiced by [[Clive Revill]]. Changes in the TV series included the originally nameless Dragon being given the name Singe (voiced by [[Arthur Burghardt]]), Princess Daphne (voiced by [[Ellen Gerstell]]) now wore a long pink dress, and included 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]]). Several enemies from the original game also make their appearance as adversaries, such as 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. The show was generally run of the mill but boasted an unusual feature: to keep the show in the spirit of the game, before each commercial break the storyteller would ask what the viewer would do to solve the problem facing Dirk. After the commercial break, the outcomes of the various choices were 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. 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 were three issues that were previously unpublished. ===Film=== 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.<ref>Cawley, John. ''[http://www.cataroo.com/DBtvfeat.html Games on TV and The Big Screen]''</ref> On October 26, 2015, Bluth and Goldman started a [[Kickstarter]] campaign to create a teaser for an animated feature-length ''Dragon's Lair'' prequel film, their first feature film since ''[[Titan A.E.]]''<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/donbluth/dragons-lair-the-movie?ref=video |title=Dragon’s Lair: The Movie (Canceled) by Don Bluth & Gary Goldman — Kickstarter |website=Kickstarter.com |date= |accessdate=September 13, 2016}}</ref> The Kickstarter funding was canceled when not enough funds were made close to the deadline{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}, but an [[Indiegogo]] page for the project was created in its place.<ref name= "indiegogo">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dragon-s-lair-returns/x/12369452 |title=Dragons Lair Returns |website=Indiegogo.com |date= |accessdate=September 13, 2016}}</ref> On December 14, 2015, the Indiegogo campaign reached its goal of $250,000 to produce a teaser, 14 days after the campaign launched, and got more than twice the budget on January 16, 2016.<ref name = indiegogo/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://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 - Polygon |accessdate=September 13, 2016}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dragons-lair-movie-wont-depict-sexualized-version-/1100-6433325/ |title=Dragon's Lair Movie Won't Depict "Sexualized" Version of Princess Daphne - GameSpot |accessdate=September 13, 2016}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.digitalleisure.com/ Digital Leisure, License Holder of ''Dragon's Lair''] * [http://www.mobygames.com/game-group/dragons-lair-series-and-versions ''Dragon's Lair''] at [[MobyGames]] * [https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dragon-s-lair-returns-movie-cartoon ''Dragon's Lair Returns''] at [[Indiegogo]] * [http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair ''Dragon’s Lair''] at Classicgaming.cc * {{IMDb title|5248776|title=Dragon's Lair: The Movie}} {{Dragon's Lair}} {{Don Bluth}} [[Category:Dragon's Lair| ]] [[Category:Video game franchises]] [[Category:Interactive movie video games by series]] [[Category:Fantasy video games]] [[Category:LaserDisc video games]] [[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1983]]'