Random thoughts on Dragon's Lair

[RTSDaddy2]

Ok, it's late out here and I was't quite sure where this should go.

At any rate, when I was a kid, I loved Dragon's Lair, but I royally stunk at it.  I never could play more than three scenes at a time, and I hated throwing money at it when that's all I could accomplish.  Eventually, I gave up.

Enter my own cabinet, Daphne, and Digital Leisure's 20th anniversary DVDs.  I've been playing that thing almost exclusively since I got Daphne configured, and now I've got rooms beat that seemed unreachable to me 25 years ago...and I've not lost a penny!

Question for those familiar with the game...how long does it take to get to the Dragon (or is that like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? See - I TOLD you it's late down here!  )?

[JackTucky]

I was able to beat it in the arcade.

Once I got it on my cab, I couldn't get past the fire dudes that attack you.

I searched for a walkthrough, er, cheated.

I bet a game could be completed in less than 30 minutes.

Art

[Bones]

I think the amount of time to learn it in the arcade was different because you could watch people play and start remembering the moves.

[CheffoJeffo]

Question for those familiar with the game...how long does it take to get to the Dragon (or is that like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? See - I TOLD you it's late down here!  )?

According to an article on the subject in Joystick (NOV83) magazine, you have to get through all of the scenes, including the mirrored scenes to reach the Dragon's Lair.

I have a scan of that issue (includes tricks and tips for beating DL) if you are interested.

Cheers.

[Bones]

I used to be able to get through Dragons Lair. I suppose a winning game took about 15 minutes.

[Stingray]

I used to be able to play it all the way to the end too. I honestl have no idea how long it took, but it really didn't seem all that long at the time.

I need to play it at home one of these days and see how much of it I can remember. I'm betting it won't be very much.

-S

[Jabba]

Google is your friend...

http://www.thecomputershow.com/computershow/walkthroughs/dragonslairwalk.htm

[Skadar]

According to an article on the subject in Joystick (NOV83) magazine, you have to get through all of the scenes, including the mirrored scenes to reach the Dragon's Lair.

I recall that was the criteria as well.  According to KLOV, "It has been comfirmed from a video taped game that it takes about 12 minutes to complete the game if you know all the moves."

I enjoy playing it myself and still have never finished the game.  However, the other day I successfully passed the Lizard King segment for the first time ever.  Even 25 years late it was pretty cool.

[Havok]

I always sucked at that game. However, I'm going to pick up the DVD and try again!

[ChadTower]

I tried that... most DVD players respond so slowly that the game is unplayable.

[clanggedin]

I always get to the spinning poles and die. That's as far as I get. I still love playing the game though.

[RTSDaddy2]

Skadar, I know your joy - I just SAW the lizard king for the first time about a week or so ago, and finally figured out how you beat him as well!

I have seen - and conquered - the Giddy Goons, Blacksmith, and I was estatic the first time I got through the dadgum electric horse scene - that thing use to fry Dirk all the time in the arcade when I played it!

[Stingray]

I was estatic the first time I got through the dadgum electric horse scene - that thing use to fry Dirk all the time in the arcade when I played it!

That was the scene that gave me the most trouble too. I wasted a lot of quarters on that one.

-S

[Skadar]

Dragon's Lair means a lot to me because it visualizes very well the Dungeons & Dragons experience in my mind.  I played a lot of casual D&D in the 80s and when I saw Dragon's Lair I was like... holy crap that's it.  Not necessarily goony Dirk... but the sets and scenery and monsters were pretty much right on target.

Some of the scenes are more special to me than others.  Here are some of my favorites:

1) The Blacksmith.  Damn I love those glowing, flying weapons.  And they sound cool too.  And this is where we see Dirk's most professional sword handling with that ninja-esque move after deflecting the spear.  It finishes brilliantly with the climactic clash of powerful weapons as the statue comes to life.  Just awesome.

2) The Lizard King.  All around great.  Chasing a floating pot of gold... classic.  The amusing sounds made by the Lizard King.  The attempted mace-to-head smashings.  And then the final back and forth swordfight that ends with Dirk scooping up some well-earned gold.  Sweet.

And not so favorite:

1) The Billiard Balls.  This scene wrecks the atmosphere of the game IMO.  It's like suddenly we are not in a castle anymore.  It looks like something out of Space Ace.  The only good thing about this scene is the "Ba Ba Bada Ba" that Dirk sings when he runs out.

2) Ye Olde Rapids.  While I actually love the look of these scenes, they are too long and too repetitive.  The one redeeming factor is that I read somewhere that the Dirk-noises in this scene sound like a Muppet having sex.  Now I can't get that out of my mind and it cracks me up every time.

[StephenH]

These Links should give you some info:

http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/games/related/walkthru/lair/easy.asp


http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/games/related/sequence.asp