King of Dragons

"Rare treat"

Capcom had a knack for creating some of the greatest side scrollers of the history of the genre. The most popular they produced would be Final Fight, but they had a great idea in The King of Dragons, whose potential was never fully realized. In the similar vein of the Dungeon and Dragons arcade, you have a selection of several characters, ranging from an Elf Archer to a Dwarven Axe master. Each character has special abilities, whether it is speed or strength. In The King of Dragons, Capcom has delivered a rare treat for gamers fortunate enough to play this game.

Graphics 6/10
The graphics of this game are average Capcom. The backgrounds are colorful, and some are interactable, such as the boss in stage two when the floor falls out. Great attention was paid during upgrades of equipment, as the equipment is visibly upgraded on your character. Character sprites, although small, are detailed and colorful, and animations flow in concert together. The graphics, although standard, submit a classic feel for dungeon mayhem.

Sound 5/10
The sounds one hears throughout this game are minimal. The music blares, the groans of the dead are clear, but one will notice that all the characters have the same exact war cry. This is an easy flaw to overlook, but it does get annoying at times, especially when you're in areas where dying is a sure thing. Several sounds are recycled, such as blocking sounds, but they do the game justice. Music is recycled as well, but hardly noticeable unless you just live to point out flaws in games. :)

Controls 9/10
The control scheme of the game is simple. Attack. Jump. Extra Joy. Yep. It's that simple. The controls are precise, and I found myself not having to press a button multiple times for the game to register what I was doing. This makes the game a bit more fun to play, knowing that you will not have to press a button two to three times to register your command.

Fun Factor 9/10
The amount of fun a person could have with this game is limitless. All of the characters in the game gain levels, which provides hours of play time, however the game does get old when you have to play through the same levels time and time again. It is one of those games that you beat, leave alone for a while, then pick it up and it is fun again. It's that good.

Overall 8/10
What could one say about a side scrolled beat em up? The King of Dragons always delivers with action, and with the three modes of difficulty, provides excellent replay value. The only sad thing is the game seems to be over before it began, leaving your level 8 Elf Archer thirsting to gain that next level. But that is a battle for a different day, or afternoon!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/08/04