Dragon's Lair for PSP

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

We're truly in a golden age of Dragon's Lair home ports.

Thanks to the frame-by-frame HD re-master several years back and the ease of quality video file compression, we're seeing great port after great port of the Don Bluth laserdisc classic.

Following in the footsteps of the iOS, DS and DSi Ware releases - the recently released PSP (PSN Download only - $7.99) version is no exception.

Great video quality, accurate gameplay, audio and scoring, and a decent file size (under 300MB) makes it a great option for PSP owners looking to take Dragon's Lair on the go.

Nice to see that Digital Leisure has finally hit a consistent stride where quality is concerned.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

thanks for the info. I'm sure Dragon's Lair would look great on the PSP, but personally I don't think anything will surpass the GBC version of the great granddaddy of all FMV games.

I personally like when animation is turned into sprites and forced to animate as such. I guess that's why I love the Sega CD version of Time Gal so much.

http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/time-gal-review-sega-cd/

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

thanks for the info. I'm sure Dragon's Lair would look great on the PSP, but personally I don't think anything will surpass the GBC version of the great granddaddy of all FMV games.

I personally like when animation is turned into sprites and forced to animate as such. I guess that's why I love the Sega CD version of Time Gal so much.

http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/time-gal-review-sega-cd/

The GBC version is a techincal feat indeed. While it's far from arcade authentic, it's a blast to play on the GBC/GBA.

I've always much prefered it to the god-awful Sega CD era of PC and console ports when Digital Leisure seemed to be intent on re-imagining the move sets for each room and using unauthentic level branching and audio effects.

Thankfully we're past that. Like I said, this is truly a golden age of arcade authentic laserdisc ports.

[Baloo]

How many ports of this game do we really need though?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

How many ports of this game do we really need though?

Eh *shrug* it's really in the same realm as something like Pac-Man and Space Invaders: an iconic classic from the golden age of arcade gaming with a very dedicated fan base.

Now that technology has caught up to the point where we can have arcade perfect ports on iPhones and DSes expect to see it on every console and portable that Digital Leisure can easily port it to.

As one of those fans who cut my teeth on the arcade original, after suffering through 20 years of imperfect, mostly shitty ports I can't find much of a reason to complain.

If they keep bringing it to devices I own, I'll probably keep buying it.

I'm sure there are die-hard Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Myst, Frogger, Bejeweled etc. etc. fans that do the same for their favorite games each time that they're ported and re-ported to a new platform.

[thegamezmaster]

I first bought this for my dsi wanting one on a handheld. Then saw it was available for the psp so I downloaded it for the psp and took the ds copy back. Not only is it $13 cheaper but it's a much better translation. Love it.

[Flashback2012]

Eh *shrug* it's really in the same realm as something like Pac-Man and Space Invaders: an iconic classic from the golden age of arcade gaming with a very dedicated fan base.

Now that technology has caught up to the point where we can have arcade perfect ports on iPhones and DSes expect to see it on every console and portable that Digital Leisure can easily port it to.

As one of those fans who cut my teeth on the arcade original, after suffering through 20 years of imperfect, mostly shitty ports I can't find much of a reason to complain.

If they keep bringing it to devices I own, I'll probably keep buying it.

I'm sure there are die-hard Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Myst, Frogger, Bejeweled etc. etc. fans that do the same for their favorite games each time that they're ported and re-ported to a new platform.

You've hit the proverbial nail on the head. As a die-hard Pac-Man fan, I've bought the game many times over on multiple consoles and in several different iterations. I've done the same for a few other game franchises as well.

I was stoked to see the Wii compilation of the Bluth games and I really need to get off my duff and pick it up. As far as a PSP version goes, I'm quite happy the game is available for the platform but it would have been nice to see a UMD release as well as the digital copy (though I imagine the cost to profit ratio for such wouldn't be very financially sensible for Digital Leisure or whomever the rights holder is).

[Rev. Link]

I was just going to ask about the Wii version. I've been thinking about getting it myself. Is it a good port?

Plus, I really want to track down that GBC version now!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I was just going to ask about the Wii version. I've been thinking about getting it myself. Is it a good port?

Plus, I really want to track down that GBC version now!

Just make sure it's the GBC ONLY game, not the god awful GB platformer.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Is the GB Platformer a port of the NES one or the SNES one?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Is the GB Platformer a port of the NES one or the SNES one?

It is it's own unique version of hot garbage GB platforming.

[Gameguy]

Is the GB Platformer a port of the NES one or the SNES one?
It's a port of a ZX Spectrum game, Roller Coaster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_Coaster_(video_game)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

It's a port of a ZX Spectrum game, Roller Coaster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_Coaster_(video_game)

Hah! That's awesome, never knew that.

And now that you mention it, it does feel a lot like a Spectrum game.

[Wraith Storm]

Is the GB Platformer a port of the NES one or the SNES one?

The Gameboy version is released by CSG Imagesoft, the same guys that released the awesome (I thought it was fantastic) nes version. Although the gameboy version is completely different, it is just as good.

For whatever reason the developers took the successful hit Spectrum game Roller Coaster, re-drew the graphics, threw Dirk in the game and called it Dragons Lair: The Legend. So it may not really be an original Dragons lair game, but its still a fun one.

This Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_Coaster_(video_game)#Dragon.27s_Lair:_The_L egend) can fill you in on the details. I really like Roller Coaster and I also find Dragons Lair: the Legend a ton of fun.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm177/Archaictear8x/Rollercoasterscreen.gifhttp://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm177/Archaictear8x/DragonsLairTheLegendScreen.png


It is it's own unique version of hot garbage GB platforming.

Blasphemy! @_@

[Wraith Storm]

Looks like GameGuy beat me to it! :)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Blasphemy! @_@

Okay.

As a port of a ZX Spectrum game it's forgivable, and likely a quality interpretation of that game. (Which I'm pretty sure I have on a Spectrum collection.)

But to claim that the NES, GB or SNES "platformer" versions of Dragon's Lair are on any level acceptable as some type of quality parity to the actual LaserDisc game is absurd.

Also, while you're certainly entitled to your opinion of the NES version, I believe it's widely regarded as a poorly made, overly difficult/needlessly frustrating game that has very little to do with the original save the aesthetics of controlling Dirk and going through a castle.

[Rev. Link]

The Gameboy version is released by CSG Imagesoft, the same guys that released the awesome (I thought it was fantastic) nes version. Although the gameboy version is completely different, it is just as good.

Not sure if trolling...

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Not sure if trolling...

For every notoriously bad, critically panned game out there, you know there are people that love them.

[Wraith Storm]

Okay.
But to claim that the NES, GB or SNES "platformer" versions of Dragon's Lair are on any level acceptable as some type of quality parity to the actual LaserDisc game is absurd.

No. I wasn't trying to claim that the Nes and Gameboy versions were better than the original. I can't even really compare them as they are all very different games. I just really appreciate how each game took a different approach to bringing Dragons Lair home. Although, I can't speak for the SNES version as I have never played it.


Also, while you're certainly entitled to your opinion of the NES version, I believe it's widely regarded as a poorly made, overly difficult/needlessly frustrating game that has very little to do with the original save the aesthetics of controlling Dirk and going through a castle.

Yeah. It seems the game gets a lot of hate. But I have always really enjoyed it. I remember the day my brother bought it and I must have sat in front of the TV for 30 minutes before I got past the drawbridge (I couldn't imagine having the patience to do this with a new game these days).

Regardless, that first screen was unlike anything I had ever played before or since. It played out like a real time puzzle. EVERY step actually mattered. EVERY action you made either rewarded you one step further or resulted in death. There was little to no room for error. It was the video game equivalent of a math equation. You literally had to take the game ONE step at a time and that didn't gel with too many people. But I like puzzles and I like NES Dragons Lair.


Not sure if trolling...
... ok


For every notoriously bad, critically panned game out there, you know there are people that love them.
Yep! If my Bullet Witch sig doesn't express this then I don't know what will.

[thegamezmaster]

I was just going to ask about the Wii version. I've been thinking about getting it myself. Is it a good port?

Plus, I really want to track down that GBC version now!

I've got the Wii version, the PSP version, and the original GBC copy and IMHO their all great. The Wii version is one of the best I've played on a home console. The PSP is awesome for a handheld.

[Edmond Dantes]

So, what about Dragon's Lair II and Space Ace?

It seems like Dragon's Lair 1 gets ported left and right, but its sequels never follow.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

So, what about Dragon's Lair II and Space Ace?

It seems like Dragon's Lair 1 gets ported left and right, but its sequels never follow.

Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II are currently available on Wii on the 3 game disc, Space Ace recently dropped on PS3's PSN , and Dragon's Lair II Time Warp will be following in the near future.

I also expect both Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II to make their way to the PSP via PSN and the DSi via the DSi Ware shop as well.

Digital Leisure is setting them up and knocking them down. Staggering them out is probably the best to spread sales evenly across financial quarters.

[Edmond Dantes]

Were those two ever released on vanilla Blu-Ray, like Dragon's Lair was?

(I'd rather have a version I could play in a player or a PS3, to be honest)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Were those two ever released on vanilla Blu-Ray, like Dragon's Lair was?

(I'd rather have a version I could play in a player or a PS3, to be honest)

Yes, all three are available individually on Blu-Ray.