History VideoGame / DragonSlayer

Not to be confused with the 1981 movie ''Film/{{Dragonslayer}}''.

''Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes'' started its own sub-series, "The Legend of Heroes", which dropped "Dragon Slayer" from the title since the third game, ''[[VideoGame/GagharvTrilogy The Legend of Heroes III: The White Witch]]''.

The VideoGame/TrailsSeries is a spinoff/SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Legend of Heroes'' series, which began with ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''. Two [[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] series based off of the first couple of games[[note]]a one-off based off of ''Xanadu'' produced by Creator/ToeiAnimation, and a 2-episode series based on ''The Legend of Heroes'' by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] were released in 1988 and 1992. In the mean time, ''VideoGame/TokyoXanadu'' is also a spinoff ''and'' spiritual successor of the ''Dragon Slayer'' series.

The VideoGame/TrailsSeries is a spinoff/SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Legend of Heroes'' series, which began with ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''. Two [[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] series based off of the first couple of games[[note]]a one-off based off of ''Xanadu'' produced by Creator/ToeiAnimation, and a 2-episode series based on ''The Legend of Heroes'' by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] were released in 1988 and 1992. In the mean time, The VideoGame/TokyoXanadu series is also a spinoff ''and'' spiritual successor of the Dragon Slayer series.

''Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes'' started its own sub-series, "The Legend of Heroes", which dropped "Dragon Slayer" from the title since the third game, [[VideoGame/GagharvTrilogy The Legend of Heroes III: The White Witch]].

The VideoGame/TrailsSeries is a spinoff/SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Legend of Heroes'' series, which began with ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''. Two [[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] series based off of the first couple of games[[note]]a one-off based off of ''Xanadu'' produced by Creator/ToeiAnimation, and a 2-episode series based on ''The Legend of Heroes'' by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] were released in 1988 and 1992.

The VideoGame/KisekiSeries is a spinoff/SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Legend of Heroes'' series, which began with ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''. Two [[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] series based off of the first couple of games[[note]]a one-off based off of ''Xanadu'' produced by Creator/ToeiAnimation, and a 2-episode series based on ''The Legend of Heroes'' by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] were released in 1988 and 1992.

* {{Action RPG}}: The ''Dragon Slayer'' series was the TropeMaker and first TropeCodifier of the Action RPG genre.

* PortingDisaster: The Game Boy version: Take a multi-hour game that takes longer than 4 AA batteries will last, leave out any kind of save system, and slow down player movement. Et voila! A game that is [[UnwinnableByDesign Unwinnable by (unintentional) Design]] without the Game Boy wall socket adapter.

* PortingDisaster: The Game Boy version: Take a multi-hour game that takes longer than 4 AA batteries will last, leave out any kind of save system, and slow down player movement. Et voila! A game that is [[UnwinnableByDesign Unwinnable by (unintentional) Design]].

''Dragon Slayer'' may look archaic to modern players, but back in 1984, when it was first released on the [[UsefulNotes/{{PC88}} NEC PC-8801]], many players must have agreed with the intro screen which proclaimed it to be "a new type... unlike any other game you have played on your computer." For this, ''Dragon Slayer'' was one of the very first {{Action RPG}}s, and it set the precedent for many future games in the genre by Creator/{{Falcom}} and other companies.

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

* {{Action RPG}}: The ''Dragon Slayer'' series was the TropeMaker and TropeCodifier of the Action RPG genre.

The VideoGame/KisekiSeries is a spinoff/SpiritualSuccessor of ''The Legend of Heroes'' series, which began with ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''.
Two [[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] series based off of the first couple of games[[note]]a one-off based off of ''Xanadu'' produced by Creator/ToeiAnimation, and a 2-episode series based on ''The Legend of Heroes'' by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] were released in 1988 and 1992.

Two [[[[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] series based off of the first couple of games[[note]]a one-off based off of ''Xanadu'' produced by Creator/ToeiAnimation, and a 2-episode series based on ''The Legend of Heroes'' by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] were released in 1988 and 1992.

A 2 episode [[AnimeOfTheGame OVA]] based off of the first couple of games[[note]]produced by Creator/NakamuraProductions (with assistance from Creator/AnimeR).[[/note]] was released in 1992.

----

''Dragon Slayer'' may look archaic to modern players, but back in 1984, when it was first released on the [[{{PC88}} NEC PC-8801]], many players must have agreed with the intro screen which proclaimed it to be "a new type... unlike any other game you have played on your computer." For this, ''Dragon Slayer'' was one of the very first {{Action RPG}}s, and it set the precedent for many future games in the genre by NihonFalcom and other companies.

The concept of role-playing in ''Dragon Slayer'' is quite rudimentary: there are no {{NPC}}s, and the player character appears to be a generic adventure hero. The game consists of tile-based levels called "phases." In each phase you start out at your house, wandering around trying to find first a sword, then coins, potions to increase magical power and various useful items which can only be carried one at a time. You can gain experience from fighting the endless waves of increasing tougher monsters, which eventually lets you use spells and move diagonally but does not make you stronger in combat. What does increase your strength is finding orbs by unlocking chests and bringing them home one at a time. The objective of each phase is to kill the dragon's three heads and recover the four crowns it guards.

Ports of ''Dragon Slayer'' were made for various systems, with many of the monsters redrawn as entirely different creatures. The {{MSX}} version was produced by Creator/{{Square|Soft}} in their pre-''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' years. The GameBoy version was made by Epoch (who had earlier ported it to their ill-fated SuperCassetteVision console); this version was the first to feature smooth (but painfully slow) scrolling, and was followed on the same platform by a GaidenGame produced without Falcom's involvement. Finally, a VideoGameRemake for the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn appeared in the Falcom Classics collection, featuring substantially improved graphics and music and considerably lowered difficulty.

''Dragon Slayer'' was the start of a long series of games. Most of these were {{Non Linear Sequel}}s, bearing as little relation to each other as they did to the original, and many of these games had sequels of their own and later remakes which dropped "Dragon Slayer" from their titles. Therefore, here is a list of all subsequent NihonFalcom games that carried the ''Dragon Slayer'' name:
* ''DragonSlayerIIXanadu''
** ''{{Faxanadu}}''

* ''[[LegacyOfTheWizard Dragon Slayer IV: Drasle Family]]''

* ''[[KisekiSeries Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes]]''
* ''[[KisekiSeries Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II]]''

* ''[[DragonSlayerIIXanadu The Legend of Xanadu]]''
* ''[[DragonSlayerIIXanadu The Legend of Xanadu II: The Last of Dragon Slayer]]''

* {{Metroidvania}}: ''DragonSlayerIIXanadu'' was the UrExample of this genre. Later ''Dragon Slayer'' games also used a Metroidvania format, including ''{{Faxanadu}}'', ''LegacyOfTheWizard'' and ''{{Sorcerian}}''.

* PublicDomainSoundtrack: An ear-piercing version of Antonin Dvorak's Slavonic Dance op. 46 no. 2 (or a hyperspeed version of Dvorak's op. 46 no. 7 in the GameBoy version).

* TyrannosaurusRex: Oddly, it's the second weakest enemy in the {{PC88}} version.

Ports of ''Dragon Slayer'' were made for various systems, with many of the monsters redrawn as entirely different creatures. The {{MSX}} version was produced by {{Square}} in their pre-''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' years. The GameBoy version was made by Epoch (who had earlier ported it to their ill-fated SuperCassetteVision console); this version was the first to feature smooth (but painfully slow) scrolling, and was followed on the same platform by a GaidenGame produced without Falcom's involvement. Finally, a VideoGameRemake for the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn appeared in the Falcom Classics collection, featuring substantially improved graphics and music and considerably lowered difficulty.

Ports of ''Dragon Slayer'' were made for various systems, with many of the monsters redrawn as entirely different creatures. The {{MSX}} version was produced by {{Square}} in their pre-''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' years. The GameBoy version was made by Epoch (who had earlier ported it to their ill-fated SuperCassetteVision console); this version was the first to feature smooth (but painfully slow) scrolling, and was followed on the same platform by a GaidenGame produced without Falcom's involvement. Finally, a VideoGameRemake for the SegaSaturn appeared in the Falcom Classics collection, featuring substantially improved graphics and music and considerably lowered difficulty.

''Dragon Slayer'' may look archaic to modern players, but back in 1984, when it was first released on the [[{{PC88}} NEC PC-8801]], many players must have agreed with the intro screen which proclaimed it to be "a new type... unlike any other game you have played on your computer." For this ''Dragon Slayer'' was one of the very first {{Action RPG}}s, and it set the precedent for many future games in the genre by NihonFalcom.

Ports of ''Dragon Slayer'' were made for various systems, with many of the monsters redrawn as entirely different creatures. The {{MSX}} version was produced by {{Square}} in their pre-''FinalFantasy'' years. The GameBoy version was made by Epoch (who had earlier ported it to their ill-fated SuperCassetteVision console); this version was the first to feature smooth (but painfully slow) scrolling, and was followed on the same platform by a GaidenGame produced without Falcom's involvement. Finally, a VideoGameRemake for the SegaSaturn appeared in the Falcom Classics collection, featuring substantially improved graphics and music and considerably lowered difficulty.

* ''Dragon Slayer Jr.: Romancia''

* ''Dragon Slayer VII: Lord Monarch''
* ''[[DragonSlayerIIXanadu Dragon Slayer VIII: The Legend of Xanadu]]''

* ''Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes''
* ''Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II''

* ''Dragon Slayer VIII: The Legend of Xanadu''
* ''The Legend of Xanadu II: The Last of Dragon Slayer''

* AWinnerIsYou

* BedsheetGhost: They steal stuff.

* ClownCarGrave

* DynamicDifficulty: Gravestones will produce harder and harder enemies.

* EverythingTryingToKillYou
* HeartContainer: Coins.

* PlayerHeadquarters

Not to be confused with the 1981 movie ''{{Dragonslayer}}''.

Ports of ''Dragon Slayer'' were made for various systems, with many of the monsters redrawn as entirely different creatures. The {{MSX}} version was produced by {{Square}} in their pre-''FinalFantasy'' years. The GameBoy version was made by Epoch, who released their own GaidenGame; it was the first to feature smooth (but painfully slow) scrolling. Finally, a VideoGameRemake for the SegaSaturn appeared in the Falcom Classics collection, featuring substantially improved graphics and music and considerably lowered difficulty.

* NotSoFastBucko: After killing the dragon, there's more challenge left than you would think.