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Dragon's Lair

Dragon's Lair
Arcade, - 1983

Published by: Cinematronics

The version that started it all! Released in 1983 by Cinematronics, this animated adventure really made a difference to the video game industry. People would crowd around the machine as much to watch the action as to play. It was also one of the first games that cost $0.50 (two quarters) to play. Side view of arcade version Although a near breakthrough in technology Dragon's Lair was not without its problems. Arcade operators were frustrated with down times--the laser beam would go out of alignment very easily if players were at all rough with the machine. This is one of the reasons why there are very few original arcade machines in existence today. Operators would often convert the cabinet to something else once they had made their money back on the original cost. Many machines ended up becoming Space Ace or something else when upgrade kits became available.

Troubles aside, this game was still a wonder. People would comment "It's like watching a cartoon!" and that's because it was. It appeared to some that the most incredible graphics computer had been invented but this wasn't the case at all. Screen shot

The actual arcade units consisted of a Pioneer laser disc player, a television monitor, joystick, cabinet, computer control board and the actual laser disc itself. There were no fewer than 6 revisions of the motherboard and although no one seems quite sure what the actual differences between the versions are, you can recognize differences in the order and appearance of the screens. For example, in some versions the draw bridge screen never appears at all; the game starts you out with the burning ropes screen.
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"Dragon's Lair" is a registered trademark of Dragon's Lair LLC ©1983-2009. Character designs ©1983 Don Bluth. All audio visuals and concept © Don Bluth Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved, no infringement intended.

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