View source for Software:Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)

{{Infobox video game
| collapsible = 
| state = 
| italic title = 
| title = ''Dragon's Lair''
| image = Dragons lair.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster
| developer = [[Company:RDI Video Systems|Advanced Microcomputer Systems]]
| publisher = {{vgrelease|NA|[[Company:Cinematronics|Cinematronics]]|EU|[[Company:Atari, Inc.|Atari Europe]]|JP|Universal<ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005) |date=13 October 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |page=15 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n16}}</ref> }}
| series = ''[[Software:Dragon's Lair|Dragon's Lair]]''
| platforms = {{Unbulleted list|[[Software:Arcade game|Arcade]]|Various}}
| genre = [[Software:Interactive film|Interactive film]]
| modes = [[Software:Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Software:Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]{{Efn|name="Modes"|Up to 2 players with alternating turns.}}
| director = Don Bluth
| producer = {{Unbulleted list|Don Bluth|Gary Goldman|John Pomeroy|Rick Dyer}}
| designer = Don Bluth
| programmer = {{Unbulleted list|Michael Knauer|Vince Lee}}
| artist = 
| writer = Rick Dyer
| composer = Chris Stone
| arcade system = Z80 processor on a proprietary motherboard<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7647 | title = Dragon's Lair - The International Arcade Museum | access-date = 2012-05-16 | publisher = International Arcade Museum}}</ref>
}}
'''''Dragon's Lair''''' is an [[Software:Interactive film|interactive film]] [[Software:Interactive film#LaserDisc games|LaserDisc video game]] developed by [[Company:RDI Video Systems|Advanced Microcomputer Systems]] and published by [[Company:Cinematronics|Cinematronics]] in 1983, as the first game in the ''[[Software:Dragon's Lair|Dragon's Lair]]'' series.<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 =5 Oct 2013}}</ref> In the game, the protagonist Dirk the Daring is a knight attempting to rescue Princess Daphne from the evil dragon Singe who has locked the princess in the foul wizard Mordroc's castle. It featured animation by ex-[[Company:The Walt Disney Company|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 success of the game sparked numerous home [[Porting|ports]], sequels and related games. In the 21st century it has been [[Software:Video game remake|repackaged]] in a number of formats as a retro or historic game.

== Gameplay ==
[[File:ARC Dragon's Lair.png|thumb|left|Arcade version screenshot]]
The game is "on rails", meaning the narrative is predetermined and the player has very limited influence on its progression.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retroist.com/2016/09/10/read-dragons-lair-storybook/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914230541/http://www.retroist.com/2016/09/10/read-dragons-lair-storybook/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-09-14 |title=32 Years Later I Get To Read This Dragon's Lair Storybook! |author=VicSage |date=2016-09-10 |website=The Retroist |access-date=2018-09-04 |quote=While it certainly has plenty of Players who seem to rail against the game...well...being a game on rails}}</ref> The game consists almost entirely of animated cutscenes. The player does not control the character's actions directly, but controls his reflexes, with actions determined by selecting a direction or pressing a button in order to clear each quick time event, with different [[Software:Full motion video|full motion video]] segments showing the outcomes. The game consists of a sequence of challenges played in a random order. Some scenes are played more than once before reaching the end, some of which are flipped or mirrored such that the opposite actions (e.g. left instead of right) are required.

== Plot ==
The [[Glossary of video game terms#attract mode|attract mode]] of the game displays various short vignettes of gameplay accompanied by the following narration: "Dragon's Lair: The fantasy adventure where you become a valiant knight, on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon. You control the actions of a daring adventurer, finding his way through the castle of a dark wizard, who has enchanted it with treacherous monsters and obstacles. In the mysterious caverns below the castle, your odyssey continues against the awesome forces that oppose your efforts to reach the Dragon's Lair. Lead on, adventurer. Your quest awaits!"
Comedic aspects of the game include bizarre-looking creatures and humorous death scenes, and the portrayal of the player character as a clumsy, easily scared and reluctant hero.

== Development ==
''Dragon's Lair'' began as a concept by Rick Dyer, president of Advanced Microcomputer Systems (which later became RDI Video Systems). A team of game designers created the characters and locations, then choreographed Dirk's movements as he encountered the monsters and obstacles in the castle. The art department at AMS created [[Storyboard|storyboard]]s for each episode as a guide for the final animation. Dyer was inspired by the text game ''[[Software:Colossal Cave Adventure|Adventure]]''. This game gave rise to an invention he dubbed "The Fantasy Machine". This device went through many incarnations from a rudimentary computer using paper tape (with illustrations and text) to a system that manipulated a videodisc containing mostly still images and narration. The game it played was a [[Software:Adventure game#Graphic adventure|graphic adventure]], ''The Secrets of the Lost Woods''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090804024201/http://www.awn.com/mag/issue1.1/articles/dyer.html Interview with Rick Dyer] from Animation World Network</ref> The game's concept as an interactive movie LaserDisc game was inspired by [[Company:Sega|Sega]]'s ''[[Software:Astron Belt|Astron Belt]]'', which Dyer saw at the 1982 AMOA show.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XiM0ntMybNwC&pg=PA128 |title = The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to Playstation and Beyond|isbn = 9780313338687|last1 = Wolf|first1 = Mark J. P.|year = 2008|page = 128| publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}</ref>

Attempts to market ''The Fantasy Machine'' had repeatedly failed. Allegedly, an [[Company:Ideal Toy Company|Ideal Toy Company]] representative walked out in the middle of one presentation. Dyer's inspiration allegedly came during his viewing of ''The Secret of NIMH'', whereby he realized he needed quality animation and an action script to bring excitement to his game. He elected to take a reserved but unscripted location from ''The Secrets of the Lost Woods'' known as ''The Dragon's Lair''.

The game was animated by veteran Disney animator and ''The Secret of NIMH'' director Don Bluth and his studio. The game had a development budget of US$3 million<ref>{{cite web|first=Jay|last=Arnold|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90089955/the-daily-advertiser/|title=Video Game Executives Begin To Create More Exciting Arcade Games|newspaper=The Daily Advertiser|page=125|date=August 21, 1983|accessdate=December 5, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and took seven months to complete. Since the studio could not afford to hire any models, the animators used photos from ''Playboy'' magazines for inspiration for the character Princess Daphne.<ref>[http://hollywood-animated-films.suite101.com/article.cfm/dragons_lair_movie "Dragon's Lair movie?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113085009/http://hollywood-animated-films.suite101.com/article.cfm/dragons_lair_movie |date=2010-01-13 }} from Suite101</ref> The animators also used their own voices for all the characters instead of hiring voice actors in order to keep costs down, although it does feature one professional voice actor, Michael Rye, as the narrator in the attract sequence (he is also the narrator for ''[[Software:Space Ace|Space Ace]]'' and ''[[Software:Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp|Dragon's Lair II]]''). The voice of Princess Daphne was portrayed by Vera Lanpher,<ref>{{IMDb name|id=0487033|name=Vera Pacheco Filmography}}</ref> who was head of the [[Cleanup (animation)|clean-up]] department at the time.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091217134714/http://www.donbluth.com/flm/behindscs.html Behind the Scenes] from DonBluth.com</ref> Dirk the Daring's voice belongs to film editor Dan Molina, who later went on to perform the bubbling sound effects for another animated character, Fish Out of Water, from 2005's Disney film ''Chicken Little'', which he also edited. Dirk shrieks or makes other noises on numerous occasions but speaks words only twice. First, he mutters "Uh, oh" when the platform begins to recede during the fire-swinging sequence, then he exclaims "Wow!" when first entering the ''Dragon's Lair'' and seeing the slumbering Princess Daphne. The music and many sound effects were scored and performed by Chris Stone at EFX Systems in Burbank. Bryan Rusenko and Glen Berkovitz were the recording engineers. The 43 second "Attract Loop" was recorded in a straight 18-hour session. Featured instruments, all keyboards, were the E-mu Emulator and [[Engineering:Memorymoog|Memorymoog]].

The original LaserDisc players shipped with the game ([[Company:Pioneer Corporation|Pioneer]] LD-V1000 or PR-7820) often failed. Although the players were of good quality, the game imposed unusually high strain: LaserDisc players were designed primarily for playing movies, in which the laser assembly would gradually move across the disc as the data was read linearly. However, ''Dragon's Lair'' required seeking different animation sequences on the disc every few seconds—indeed, less than a second in some cases—as dictated by gameplay. The high amount of seeking, coupled with the length of time the unit was required to operate, could result in failure of the LaserDisc player after a relatively short time. This was compounded by the game's popularity. As a result, the LaserDisc player often had to be repaired or replaced. The life of the original player's gas laser was about 650 hours; although later models had solid state lasers with an estimated life of 50,000 hours, the spindle motor typically failed long before that. It is rare to find a ''Dragon's Lair'' game intact with the original player, and conversion kits have been developed so the units can use more modern players. The original USA 1983 game used a single side [[Engineering:NTSC|NTSC]] LaserDisc player manufactured by Pioneer; the other side of the disc was metal backed to prevent bending. This made the disc heavier than a typical laser disc, which accelerated the failure of the spindle bearings of the player motor.  The European versions of the game were manufactured by [[Company:Atari, Inc.|Atari]]<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Dragon's Lair |others=The Arcade Flyer Archive |year=1983 |url=https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=flyer&db=videodb&id=329&image=2 |page=2 |type=arcade flyer |publisher=[[Company:Atari, Inc.|Atari Ireland]]}}</ref> under license and used single side [[Engineering:PAL|PAL]] discs manufactured by [[Company:Philips|Philips]] (not metal backed).

A prototype made its debut at Chicago's Amusement Operators Expo (AOE) in March 1983.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Adlum |first=Eddie |title=The Replay Years: Reflections from Eddie Adlum |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1985 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=134-175 (168-70) |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/168}}</ref> The complete laserdisc and ROM sets of this preview demo version have not survived to this day. The European arcade version of ''Dragon's Lair'' was licensed to Atari Ireland (as was ''Space Ace'' later). The cabinet design was therefore different from the Cinematronics version. The main differences were that the LED digital scoring panel was replaced with an on screen scoring display appearing after each level. The Atari branding was present in various places on the machine (marquee, coin slots, control panel and speaker grill area), and the machines featured the cone LED player start button used extensively on Atari machines. Although licensing for this region was exclusive to Atari, a number of Cinematronics machines were also available from suppliers mostly via a [[Social:Grey market|gray import]]. The original Fantasy Machine was later released as a prototype video game console known as [[Engineering:Halcyon (console)|Halcyon]]. Dirk the Daring also appeared in the 1993 [[Engineering:Game Boy|Game Boy]] puzzle game, ''Franky, Joe & Dirk: On the Tiles'', along with Franky from ''[[Software:Dr. Franken|Dr. Franken]]'' and Joe from ''Joe & Mac''.

== Reception ==
=== Arcade ===
''Dragon's Lair'' initially represented high hopes for the then-sagging arcade industry, fronting the new wave of immersive LaserDisc video games. A quote from ''Newsweek'' captures the level of excitement displayed over the game: "''Dragon's Lair'' is this summer's hottest new toy: the first arcade game in the United States with a movie-quality image to go along with the action&nbsp;... The game has been devouring kids' coins at top speed since it appeared early in July. Said Robert Romano, 10, who waited all day in the crush at Castle Park without getting to play, 'It's the most awesome game I've ever seen in my life{{'"}}.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Mini-Movies Make the Scene|magazine=Newsweek|date=8 August 1983|page=79|author1=McGuigan, Cathleen |author2=McAlevey, Peter}}</ref> Arcade operators at its release reported long lines, even though the game was the first video arcade game to cost 50 cents.<ref name="herald-journal">{{Cite news|title=Local Amusement Facilities Planning To Get Dragon's Lair |newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |date=August 18, 1983 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eGEsAAAAIBAJ&pg=5541,4215855&dq=dragon%27s+lair&hl=en }}</ref> Operators were also concerned, however, that players would figure out its unique predefined game play, leading them to "get the hang of it and stop playing it".<ref name="lakeland">{{Cite news|title=The lair of the new |author=Turner, Steve |newspaper=The Ledger |date=August 5, 1983 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AZIsAAAAIBAJ&pg=5842,1502522&dq=dragon's+lair&hl=en }}</ref> By July 1983, 1,000 machines had been distributed, and there were already a backlog of about 7,500.<ref name="lakeland" /> Lifetime sales exceeded 16,000 cabinets.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Steven |last=Kent |title=The Rise and Fall of Arcades (Part 2) |magazine=Next Generation |issue=40|publisher=Imagine Media |date=April 1998|page=34}}</ref> By the end of 1983, ''Electronic Games'' and ''Electronic Fun'' were rating ''Dragon's Lair'' as the number one video arcade game in USA,<ref name="Spokesman-Review">{{Cite news|title=Ace dragon slayer may make a killing as video-tips writer |author=Clark, Doug |newspaper=The Spokesman-Review |date=January 15, 1984 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DxASAAAAIBAJ&pg=5287,7677330&dq=dragon's+lair&hl=en }}</ref> while the arcade industry gave it recognition for helping turn around its 1983 financial slump.<ref name="Gadsden">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9aUfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1426,2440647&dq=dragon's+lair&hl=en |title=Laser disc arcade games could become wave of the future |newspaper=Gadsden Times |date=Feb 18, 1984 |access-date=2013-03-11}}</ref> ''Dragon's Lair'' received recognition as the most influential game of 1983, to the point that regular computer graphics looked "rather elementary compared to top-quality animation".<ref name="milwjournale2">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QdUVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5949,153804&dq=dragon's+lair&hl=en |title=Graphics are lure in Dragon's Lair |newspaper=The Milwaukee Sentinel |date=Feb 1, 1984 |access-date=2013-03-11}}{{Dead link|date=July 2020}}</ref>

The game topped the monthly US ''RePlay'' charts for upright [[Software:Arcade cabinet|arcade cabinet]]s from September 1983<ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=September 1983}}</ref> through November 1983,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=October 1983}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1983}}</ref> and topped the US ''Play Meter'' arcade charts for [[Software:Amusement arcade|arcade locations]] (such as ShowBiz Pizza Place) from September 1983<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Top Arcade Games |magazine=Video Games |date=November 1983 |volume=2 |issue=2 |page=82 |url=https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_2_Number_02_1983-11_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n81/mode/1up}}</ref><ref name="November">{{cite magazine |title=Play Meter's Equipment Poll: Top Videos |magazine=Play Meter |date=November 15, 1983}}</ref> through January 1984<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Top Arcade Games |magazine=Video Games |date=February 1984 |volume=2 |issue=5 |page=82 |url=https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_2_Number_05_1984-02_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n81}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Top Arcade Games |magazine=Video Games |date=March 1984 |volume=2 |issue=6 |page=82 |url=https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_2_Number_06_1984-03_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n81}}</ref> and again in March 1984.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Top Arcade Games |magazine=Video Games |date=May 1984 |volume=2 |issue=8 |page=82 |url=https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_2_Number_08_1984-05_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n81}}</ref> It was listed by ''Cash Box'' magazine as America's third highest-grossing arcade game of 1983, below ''[[Software:Ms. Pac-Man|Ms. Pac-Man]]'' and ''[[Software:Pole Position|Pole Position]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Cash Box Jukebox/Games Survey |magazine=Cash Box |date=October 29, 1983 |page=46 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_20/page/54 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref> By February 1984, ''Dragon's Lair'' was reported to have earned over {{US$|32 million|long=no}} ({{US$|{{inflation|US|32|1983}} million|long=no}} adjusted for inflation) for Cinematronics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97132412/the-los-angeles-times/|title=Video File|newspaper={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}}|page=63|date=February 21, 1984|accessdate=March 8, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Dragon's Lair'' on their October 1, 1984 issue as being the eleventh most-successful upright/cockpit arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=245|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 October 1984|page=35|lang=ja}}</ref>

One element of the game that was negatively received was the blackout time in between loading of scenes, which Dyer promised would be eliminated by the forthcoming ''Space Ace'' and planned ''Dragon's Lair'' sequel.<ref name="milwjournale2" /> By the middle of 1984, however, after ''Space Ace'' and other similar games were released to little success, sentiment on ''Dragon's Lair's'' position in the industry had shifted and it was being cited as a failure due to its expensive cost for a game that would "lose popularity".<ref name="dispatch">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dE0gAAAAIBAJ&pg=4563,3357073&dq=dragon's+lair&hl=en |title=Video Games Fizzle Out |date=Jul 28, 1984 |access-date=2013-03-11}}</ref> Arcade owners were also displeased with the mechanical unreliability of the LaserDisc drive.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Disc-Based Arcade Games: The Few, the Proud|journal=Next Generation|issue=10|publisher=Imagine Media|date=October 1995|page=27}}</ref>

In 1995, Flux magazine rated the arcade version 47th on its Top 100 Video Games writing: "A somewhat frustrating movement-timing factor, but still fun to play and watch."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=April 1995 |title=Top 100 Video Games |url=https://archive.org/details/flux-issue-4/page/n29/mode/2up |journal=Flux |publisher=Harris Publications |issue=4 |pages=30}}</ref> In 2001, GameSpy ranked ''Dragon's Lair'' as number 7 on the list of "Top 50 Arcade Games of All-Time".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/115/1151159p23.html |title=GameSpy's Top 50 Arcade Games of All-Time |website=GameSpy |access-date=2013-03-11}}</ref> It was one of only three video games (along with ''[[Software:Pong|Pong]]'' and ''[[Software:Pac-Man|Pac-Man]]'') put in storage at the Smithsonian Institution.<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=2011-08-14 |archive-date=2009-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127183910/http://www.thocp.net/software/games/golden_age.htm#PacMan |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Ports===
The home conversions received mixed reviews. The Commodore 64/128 version of the game was reviewed in 1988 in ''Dragon'' #133 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.<ref name="Dragon133">{{cite journal|title=The Role of Computers|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser |first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk|journal=Dragon|issue=133|date=May 1988|pages=46–52}}</ref>

''GameFan''  reviewed the [[Engineering:Sega CD|Sega CD]] version, scoring it 297 out of 400.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Halverson |first1=Dave |last2=Rickards |first2=Kelly (K. Lee) |last3=Cockburn |first3=Andrew |magazine=Diehard GameFan |publisher=DieHard Gamers Club |title=Viewpoint |volume=1 |issue=12 |pages=21–3 |date=November 1993 |issn=1092-7212 |url=https://archive.org/details/GamefanVolume1Issue12/page/n20}}</ref> ''GamePro'' reviewed the Sega CD version in 1994. They commented that the controls require such precise timing that the game can be very frustrating, and criticized the lack of replay value and grainy video quality, but were positive in their assessment of the game, asserting that "''[[Software:Time Gal|Time Gal]]'', ''[[Software:Road Blaster|Road Avenger]]'', and ''[[Software:Sewer Shark|Sewer Shark]]'' are all coy imitators of the best LaserDisc arcade game there ever was... ''Dragon's Lair''!"<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Lawrence of Arcadia|title=ProReview: Dragon's Lair|magazine=GamePro|issue=67|publisher=IDG|date=April 1994|page=40}}</ref> In 1994, ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' gave the Sega CD version a 6.2 out of 10, criticizing that "pinpoint accuracy" was required to complete the game, making it too frustrating.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Dragon's Lair Review|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=55|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=February 1994|page=42}}</ref>

''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' gave the [[Engineering:3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]] version a 7 out of 10, praising the superior graphics and short load times.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Dragon's Lair Review|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=57 |publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=April 1994|page=44}}</ref> They gave the CD-i version a 7.5 out of 10, with all four of their reviewers agreeing it to be the best home version of the game to date.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Dragon's Lair|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=61|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=August 1994|page=36}}</ref> ''Next Generation'' reviewed the CD-i version of the game, rating it two stars out of five. Though they concurred that it was an arcade-perfect conversion, they concluded that "People who like the stand-up version or enjoyed any of Don Bluth's other titles [...] will be in heaven, otherwise it's probably best avoided."<ref name="NG">{{cite magazine |title=Finals|magazine=Next Generation|issue=2|publisher=Imagine Media|date=February 1995|page=94}}</ref>

== Home versions ==
Various home computer adaptations of ''Dragon's Lair'' were released during the 1980s and 1990s, but because of (at the time) high memory consumption due to the detailed animation of the games, not all scenes from the original game were included. Reviewers of the home computer versions differed widely in their appraisal of the game, with one Amiga magazine awarding 92% due to the unprecedented audio-visual quality,<ref name="amiga1">{{cite web|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_34795 |title=Dragon's Lair review from ST Amiga Format 9 (Mar 1989) - Amiga Magazine Rack |publisher=Amr.abime.net |access-date=2011-08-14}}</ref> while another magazine gave the same version a score of only 32%, on account of the "wooden" gameplay.<ref name="amiga2">{{cite web|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_9494 |title=Dragon's Lair review from CU Commodore User Amiga-64 (Mar 1989) - Amiga Magazine Rack |publisher=Amr.abime.net |access-date=2011-08-14}}</ref> This led to ''[[Software:Escape from Singe's Castle|Escape from Singe's Castle]]'', a pseudo-sequel where Daphne is kidnapped at the moment of Dirk's victory by a shapeshifter, forcing him to venture even further into the castle to save her again. The game was made up of unused scenes from the LaserDisc version, though some portions (such as the lizard king and mud men) were shortened. The 8-bit versions were created by Software Projects, while ReadySoft handled the 16-bit versions. These used video compression and new storage techniques, but came on multiple [[Floppy disk#8-inch and 5¼-inch disks|{{frac|5|1|4}}-inch]] and [[Floppy disk#3 1⁄2-inch disk|{{frac|3|1|2}}-inch floppy disks]].

In late 2002, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original arcade release, [[Company:Digital Leisure|Digital Leisure]] produced a special edition DVD box set containing ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Space Ace'' and ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp''. All the scenes from the original arcade releases were included and optionally the player could select new scenes that were animated in 1983, but not included in any previous ''Dragon's Lair'' release. The games were also updated to include higher quality video, authentic scene order and a new difficulty selection to make it more challenging. Digital Leisure worked with a small independent game developer, Derek Sweet, to release a CD-ROM 4-disc box set for Windows-based PCs.

In late 2006, Digital Leisure released ''Dragon's Lair HD'', which features an all-new high-definition transfer from the original negatives (as opposed to just sourcing the LaserDisc). The original mono soundtrack has also been remastered into Dolby Digital 5.1 sound (on PCs that can support it). On April 9, 2007, a Blu-ray version of ''Dragon's Lair'' was released. This uses the same HD transfer as the aforementioned PC release, but went through a 6-month process to clean and remaster the image. ''Dragon's Lair'' Blu-ray is the first title to fully utilize [[BD-J]] technology.<ref>{{cite web |last=Nelson |first=Carl |url=http://www.hardcoreware.net/dragons-lair-blu-ray-java-review/ |title=Dragon's Lair – The first full Blu-Ray Java title reviewed |publisher=Hardcoreware.net |date=2007-04-04 |access-date=2011-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411065407/http://www.hardcoreware.net/dragons-lair-blu-ray-java-review/ |archive-date=2010-04-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2013, ''Dragon's Lair'' was released on Steam via [[Software:Steam (service)#Steam Greenlight|Steam Greenlight]]. This iteration of ''Dragon's Lair'' features 720p remastered video, remastered game footage, and bonus content.

''Dragon's Lair'' led to the creation of numerous video game [[Porting|ports]] for home systems. Since some original sequences did not fit in the ports for those systems, they were re-released only in a virtual sequel called ''[[Software:Escape from Singe's Castle|Escape from Singe's Castle]]'':
* A [[Software:Nonlinear gameplay|nonlinear]] arcade interpretation of ''Dragon's Lair'' and ''Escape from Singe's Castle'' with elements of platform and puzzle was made by Software Projects for 8-bit machines in 1986.
* A side-scrolling [[Software:Platform game#Cinematic platform game|cinematic platformer]] adaptation of the game was also made for the [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|Nintendo Entertainment System]], titled ''[[Software:Dragon's Lair (1990 video game)|Dragon's Lair]]''.
* The Game Boy version (entitled ''Dragon's Lair: The Legend'') in particular has almost nothing to do with the source game aside from Dirk as the protagonist, Mordroc as the villain, and saving Princess Daphne as the objective. In fact, the game is a port of a five-year-old [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]] game, ''[[Software:Roller Coaster (video game)|Roller Coaster]]'', the result being a platform game where Dirk has to negotiate a series of thinly-disguised fairground rides. The later Game Boy Color version [[Software:Dragon's Lair (Game Boy Color video game)|of the same name]], however, is a relatively faithful rendition of the original game.
* Another platformer adaptation of the game was also made for the [[Engineering:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], also titled ''Dragon's Lair''.
* ''The Dragon's Lair Deluxe Pack'' was released for home computers containing all the FMVs for all three games. Though it contains all the video including some scenes cut from the North American version of the game, the gameplay was reported as lackluster.
* ReadySoft ported and released ''Dragon's Lair'' for the [[Engineering:Macintosh|Macintosh computers]] on CD-ROM in 1994. A [[Engineering:Sega CD|Sega CD]] version was also released.
* [[Software:List of emulators#Multi-system emulators|DAPHNE]], an emulator for LaserDisc-based games, can emulate the original 1983 version. DAPHNE requires the ROM files plus the original LaserDisc to run. Alternatively, an [[MPEG-2]] video stream and [[Software:Ogg|Ogg]] [[Software:Vorbis|Vorbis]] audio stream can be substituted for the LaserDisc. These streams can be generated from the original LaserDisc or from Digital Leisure's 2002 DVD.
* In July 2010, the [[Software:IOS|iOS]] version was released by [[Company:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]] on Apple's App Store. The game's graphics have been cleaned up for the [[Engineering:IPhone|iPhone]] screen.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101222071104/http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/dragons-lair/id341833414 iTunes]</ref>
* In early 2019, HarmlessLion released ''Dragon's Lair'' under a license from Digital Leisure for the TI-99/4A home computer. It was released as a 128MB cartridge playable on the stock console.<ref>[https://atariage.com/forums/topic/287760-dragons-lair-is-sold-out/ AtariAge Forums]</ref>
* In March 2022, Brutal Deluxe, in celebrating their 30th anniversary, ported ''Dragon's Lair'' to the [[Engineering:Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]] computer, using resources from ReadySoft's Amiga, Atari ST and PC DOS versions from decades earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brutaldeluxe.fr/products/apple2gs/dragonslair/|title=Brutal Deluxe Software - Dragon's Lair}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brutaldeluxe.fr/products/apple2gs/dragonslair1/index.html|title=Brutal Deluxe Software - Escape from Singe's Castle}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! Year
! Platform
! Media
! Developer
! Publisher
! Notes
|-
|| {{dts|1983}} || [[Software:Arcade game|Arcade]] || [[LaserDisc]] || [[Company:RDI Video Systems|Advanced Microcomputer Systems]] || [[Company:Cinematronics|Cinematronics]] || Original release
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|1984}} || [[Engineering:Coleco Adam|Coleco Adam]] || [[ROM cartridge|Cartridge]] || || Coleco ||
|-
| Coleco Adam || [[Floppy disk#8-inch and 5¼-inch disks|5{{frac|1|4}}" Floppy disk]] || || Coleco ||
|-
|rowspan="4"| {{dts|1986}} || Amstrad CPC || Cassette || || Software Projects ||
|-
| Amstrad CPC || 5{{frac|1|4}}" Floppy disk || || Software Projects ||
|-
| [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]] || [[Physics:Magnetic tape data storage#Cartridges and cassettes|Cassette]] || || Software Projects ||
|-
| [[Engineering:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]] || Cassette || || Software Projects ||
|-
|rowspan="6"| {{dts|1987}} || ZX Spectrum || Cartridge || || Software Projects || Budget release
|-
| Amstrad CPC || Cassette || || Software Projects || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| Amstrad CPC || 5{{frac|1|4}}" Floppy disk || || Software Projects || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| ZX Spectrum || Cassette || || Software Projects || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| Commodore 64 || Cassette || || Software Projects || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| Commodore 64 || 5{{frac|1|4}}" Floppy disk || || Amazing Software || Republished version includes both cassette versions on a single floppy disk
|-
|rowspan="3"| {{dts|1989}} || [[Engineering:Amiga|Amiga]] || [[Floppy disk#3 1⁄2-inch disk|3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk]] || Visionary Design Technologies || ReadySoft ||
|-
| [[Engineering:DOS|DOS]] || 5{{frac|1|4}}" Floppy disk || || Sullivan Bluth / Merit Software ||
|-
| DOS || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || || Sullivan Bluth / Merit Software ||
|-
|rowspan="4"| {{dts|1990}} || [[Engineering:Atari ST|Atari ST]] || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || ReadySoft || ReadySoft ||
|-
| Macintosh Plus/SE || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || || ReadySoft ||
|-
| Amiga || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || Visionary Design Technologies || ReadySoft || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|Nintendo Entertainment System]] || Cartridge || Motivetime || [[Company:Sony Imagesoft|CSG Imagesoft]] || Platformer
|-
| unreleased || [[Engineering:Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]] || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk|| ReadySoft || ReadySoft || Was to be released as ''Dragon's Lair'' (1990) and ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle'' (1991)
|-
|rowspan="6"| {{dts|1991}} || [[Engineering:Game Boy|Game Boy]] || Cartridge || Motivetime || CSG Imagesoft || Platformer, released as ''Dragon's Lair: The Legend''
|-
| Atari ST || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || ReadySoft || ReadySoft || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| DOS || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || ReadySoft || ReadySoft ||
|-
| DOS || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || ReadySoft || ReadySoft || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle'' (includes some non-original arcade levels)
|-
| DOS || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || ReadySoft || ReadySoft || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
| [[Engineering:Macintosh|Macintosh]] || 3{{frac|1|2}}" Floppy disk || || ReadySoft || Released as ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle''
|-
|rowspan="4"| {{dts|1993}} || [[Engineering:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]] || Cartridge || Motivetime || [[Company:Data East|Data East]] || Platformer, Published by Konami as ''Dragon's Magic'' in Japan
|-
| [[Engineering:Sega CD|Sega CD]] || [[CD-ROM]] || Epicenter Interactive || ReadySoft ||
|-
| DOS || CD-ROM || || ReadySoft ||
|-
| [[Engineering:3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]] || CD-ROM || || ReadySoft ||
|-
| unreleased || [[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]] || Cartridge || style=white-space:nowrap | Eden Entertainment Software || [[Company:Sega|Sega]] / [[Company:Taito|Taito]] || Was to be released as ''Dragon's Lair: The Adventure Continues''.<ref name="CVG153">{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:CVG_UK_153.pdf&page=16|title=CVG CES News USA (Turbocharged Gaming): All Quiet On The Sega Front? - Mega Drive|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=153|publisher=EMAP|date=August 1994|page=16}}</ref><ref name="SA">{{cite web|last=Nolan|first=Mark|url=http://segaage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=49&threadid=52638|title=The Summer of Protos! MrMark and Beaglepuss Release Protos All Summer!|work=SegaAge|publisher=Bucket Head Media, LLC.|date=September 15, 2011|access-date=2020-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814170410/http://segaage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=49&threadid=52638|archive-date=2018-08-14|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|1994}} || Macintosh || CD-ROM || ReadySoft || ReadySoft ||
|-
| [[Engineering:CD-i|CD-i]] || CD-ROM || || ReadySoft ||
|-
|| {{dts|1995}} || Atari Jaguar CD || CD-ROM || ReadySoft || ReadySoft ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|1997}} || [[Software:Windows 95|Windows 95]] || CD-ROM || || [[Company:Digital Leisure|Digital Leisure]] || Released as ''Deluxe Pack'' (also contained ''Space Ace'' and ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp'')
|-
| [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Windows]] || [[Engineering:DVD|DVD]] || || Digital Leisure || <ref>{{cite magazine |title=Dragon's Lair Goes DVD |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=102|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=January 1998|page=28}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|1998}} || [[Engineering:DVD player|Home DVD players]] || DVD || || Digital Leisure ||
|-
|| [[Software:Windows 98|Windows 98]] || DVD || || Digital Leisure ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| {{dts|2000}} || Game Boy Color || Cartridge || [[Company:Backbone Entertainment|Digital Eclipse]] || [[Company:Capcom|Capcom]] ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| {{dts|2001}} || [[Software:Windows XP|Windows XP]] || CD-ROM || || Digital Leisure || Arcade authentic
|-
|rowspan="5"| {{dts|2002}} || Home DVD players || DVD || || Digital Leisure || Released as ''20th Anniversary Pack''
|-
|| Macintosh || DVD || || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[Engineering:GameCube|GameCube]]
| style=white-space:nowrap | GameCube Optical Disc || Dragonstone || [[Company:Ubisoft|Ubisoft]] || Remake as ''Dragon's Lair 3D''
|-
| [[Engineering:Xbox (console)|Xbox]] || DVD || Dragonstone || Ubisoft || Remake as ''Dragon's Lair 3D''
|-
| Windows || CD-ROM || Dragonstone || Ubisoft || Remake as ''Dragon's Lair 3D''
|-
|| {{dts|2003}} || Windows XP || CD-ROM || || Digital Leisure || Released as ''20th Anniversary Pack''
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|2004}} || [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]] || DVD || Dragonstone || [[Company:THQ|THQ]] || Released as ''Dragon's Lair 3D - Special Edition''
|-
|| GameCube || GameCube Optical Disc || Dragonstone || THQ || Released as ''Dragon's Lair 3D - Special Edition''
|-
|| {{dts|2005}} || [[Software:Mobile game|Mobile Phone]] || Download || MMJ Games || Starwave ||
|-
|| {{dts|2006}} || Windows XP || DVD || || Digital Leisure || High Definition [[Windows Media Video|WMV]]
|-
|rowspan="5"| {{dts|2007}} || [[Engineering:Blu-ray|Home Blu-ray players]] || [[Engineering:Blu-ray Disc recordable|BD-R]] || Infinite HD || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[Engineering:PlayStation 3|PlayStation 3]] || BD-R || Infinite HD || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[HD DVD|Home HD DVD players]] || [[HD DVD]] || Infinite HD || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[Engineering:Xbox 360|Xbox 360]] || HD DVD || || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| Windows || DVD || || Digital Leisure || ''20th Anniversary Pack'' released on 1 DVD instead of 4 disks
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|2009}} || [[Engineering:IPhone|iPhone]] || Download || Digital Leisure || Electronic Arts ||
|-
| Nintendo DSi (DSiWare)|| Download || [[Company:Code Mystics|Code Mystics]] || Digital Leisure ||
|-
|rowspan="4"| {{dts|2010}} || [[Engineering:Wii|Wii]] || Wii Optical Disc || Digital Leisure || [[Company:Destineer|Destineer]] || Released as ''Dragon's Lair Trilogy'' (includes ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp'', and ''Space Ace'')
|-
| [[Engineering:IPad|iPad]] || App Store || Digital Leisure || Dragon's Lair LLC ||
|-
| Nintendo DS || DS Game Card || Code Mystics || Destineer ||
|-
| PlayStation Network || Download || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure ||
|-
|rowspan="3"| {{dts|2011}} || [[Engineering:PlayStation Portable|PSP]] || Download || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]] || Download || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| {{wipe|Nintendo 3DS}} || Download || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure ||
|-
|| {{dts|2012}} || Xbox Live Arcade || Download || Digital Leisure || [[Company:Microsoft Studios|Microsoft Studios]] || [[Engineering:Kinect|Kinect]]-enabled version with [[Engineering:Xbox 360 controller|Xbox 360 controller]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://playxbla.com/dragons-lair-for-xbla-with-a-secret/ |title=Dragon's Lair for XBLA! With a Secret! |publisher=playxbla.com |access-date=2012-03-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714005337/http://playxbla.com/dragons-lair-for-xbla-with-a-secret/ |archive-date=2012-07-14 }}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|2013}} || Windows || Download ([[Software:Steam (service)|Steam]]) || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[Software:MacOS|macOS]] || Download (Steam) || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure
|-
|rowspan="2"| {{dts|2017}} || [[Software:Linux|Linux]] || Download (Steam) || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure ||
|-
| [[Engineering:PlayStation 4|PlayStation 4]] || Download (PSN) || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure || Released as ''Dragon's Lair Trilogy'' (includes ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp'', and ''Space Ace'')
|-
|rowspan="3"| {{dts|2019}} || [[Engineering:Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch]] || Download (eShop) || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure || Released as '' Dragon's Lair Trilogy'' (includes ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp'', and ''Space Ace'')
|-
| TI-99/4A || Cartridge || HarmlessLion || HarmlessLion || Limited run of cartridges produced under a license from Digital Leisure
|-
| [[Engineering:Xbox One|Xbox One]] || Download ([[Xbox Games Store|Xbox Store]]) || Digital Leisure || Digital Leisure || Released as ''Dragon's Lair Trilogy'' (includes ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp'', and ''Space Ace'')
|-
|rowspan="1"|{{dts|2022}} || [[Engineering:Apple IIGS|Apple IIGS]] || Download || Brutal Deluxe || Brutal Deluxe || Released as ''Dragon's Lair'', ''Dragon's Lair: Escape from Singe's Castle'', ''Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp''
|}

== Cultural references ==
''Dragon's Lair'' appears in the ''Stranger Things'' episode "Chapter One: MADMAX" (2017).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/come-on-stranger-things-no-one-ever-got-that-far-in-d-1819983547|title=Come on, Stranger Things, no one ever got that far in Dragon's Lair|website=The A.V. Club|date=30 October 2017 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''Dragon's Lair'' (TV series) (1984–85)

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0125065|title=Dragon's Lair}}
* [http://www.classicgaming.cc/classics/dragons-lair/ ''Dragon's Lair''] at Classicgaming.cc
* {{KLOV game|id=7647}}
* {{MobyGames|id=/dragons-lair}}
* [http://www.cataroo.com/DBlair1.html Detailed info on ''Dragon's Lair'' from Cataroo]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20000930155414/http://www.pixelpower.on.ca/dl/ Syd Bolton's ''Dragon's Lair'' page with detailed information on each version]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070723032930/http://www.thedoteaters.com/p2_stage6.php The Dot Eaters Article] featuring a history of ''Dragon's Lair'' and the 80's laser game craze
* [http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/ Dragon's Lair Project]

{{Dragon's Lair}}

[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:MacOS games]]
[[Category:Mobile games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]

{{Sourceattribution|Dragon's Lair (1983 video game)}}