Dungeon Explorer (1989 video game)
Dungeon Explorer | |
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Dungeon Explorer
Dungeon Explorer garnered positive reception from critics during its initial release and is considered a pioneer title in the action role-playing game genre due to its co-operative multiplayer gameplay for up to five players, but has been met with a more mixed response from reviewers in recent years. It was followed by four sequels: Dungeon Explorer II (1993), Dungeon Explorer for Sega CD and Crystal Beans from Dungeon Explorer (1995), as well as Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts (2007).
Gameplay
Dungeon Explorer is an action role-playing game with
The players explore towns or fields to find a dungeon, which hosts a
Synopsis
Dungeon Explorer centers on the quest of several heroes to find the Ora Stone for the king of Oddesia.[1] When the alien race that now rules the land invaded, the stone was hidden deep in the dungeons of the land by the King to keep it safe. Now, however, the king wants the players to recover the stone, which can bring life, light, and happiness to kill the alien king Natas.[3] The heroes progress through several different dungeons, fight fearsome beasts, and finally recover the Ora stone. Upon giving it to the king, the latter reveals himself as Natas and steals the stone. A guard named Judas also betrays the heroes, but is defeated by them. The adventurers then chase and confront Natas, killing him and taking back the Ora stone, ushering in a time of peace.
Development and release
Dungeon Explorer was created by most of the same team that would work on several projects such as later entries in the Megami Tensei series, with Kazutoshi "Boo" Ueda and Yōsuke "HotRice" Niino acting as
Dungeon Explorer was first released for the TurboGrafx-16 in Japan by Hudson Soft on March 4, 1989, and later in North America by NEC on November 15 of the same year.
Reception
Publication | Score |
---|---|
ACE | 890/1000[10] |
Aktueller Software Markt | 9/12[11] 11/12[11] |
Computer and Video Games | 94%[12] |
Dragon | [13] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 28/40[6] |
Famitsu | 29/40[7] |
HobbyConsolas | 84/100[14] |
Tilt | 15/20[15] |
Power Play | 75/100[16] |
The original PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 releases of Dungeon Explorer were met with a positive reception from reviewers upon release.[7][17][18] Public reception was also positive; readers of PC Engine Fan voted to give the game a 23.66 out of 30 score, ranking at the number 60 spot in a poll, indicating a popular following.[19] ACE and Computer and Video Games' Julian Rignall praised the visual presentation for its small but detailed animated sprites, atmospheric imaginative backdrops, stereo soundtrack, challenging but addictive gameplay, as well as the multiplayer mode.[10][12] Both Peter Braun and Manfred Kleimann of Aktueller Software Markt commended its audiovisual presentation, gameplay and length but criticized certain shortcomings of the game.[11] Dragon's three reviewers gave the title a perfect rating in 1990, referring it as a greatly expanded version of Gauntlet. They noted its combination of arcade-style action with role-playing game elements due to character-specific abilities and magic, as well as the freedom to search regions without requiring previous dungeon victories.[13]
Retrospective coverage
Retrospective reviews for Dungeon Explorer have been more mixed.
Legacy
A sequel to the game, Dungeon Explorer II, was later released for the
In 2007, two related games, again different from the original titles, were released to coincide with the release of the original Dungeon Explorer on the Wii's Virtual Console. Both Dungeon Explorer: Meiyaku no Tobira and Dungeon Explorer: Jashin no Ryouiki were released for the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS respectively on November 15, 2007. Both games were localized but released as Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts.[32][33]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Dungeon Explorer manual (TurboGrafx-16, US)
- ^ a b c d "Dungeon Explorer". TurboForce. No. 1. Sendai Publishing. June 1992. pp. 16–17.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kalata, Kurt (December 13, 2009). "Dungeon Explorer". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ a b c d Atlus (1989). Dungeon Explorer (TurboGrafx-16). NEC. Level/area: Staff.
- ^ "ゲームデザ イナー大全集". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 151. ASCII Corporation. November 8, 1991. pp. 85–100. (Translation by Shmuplations. Archived 2020-05-20 at the Wayback Machine).
- ^ a b c Harris, Steve; Semrad, Ed; Nauert, Donn; Stockhausen, Jim (November 1989). "Review Crew - Dungeon Explorer". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 4. Sendai Publishing. p. 12.
- ^ a b c "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ダンジョンエクスプローラー (PCエンジン)". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 69. ASCII Corporation. March 3, 1989. p. 14.
- All Media Network. Archivedfrom the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- All Media Network. Archivedfrom the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- ^ a b Rignall, Julian (July 1989). "Screen Test - Dungeon Explorer: PC Engine out-Gauntlets Gauntlet". ACE. No. 22. EMAP. p. 56. Archived from the original on 2016-03-26. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ a b c Braun, Peter; Kleimann, Manfred (August–September 1989). "Konsolen - "Rollenadvencade"". Aktueller Software Markt (in German). No. 34. Tronic Verlag. p. 70.
- ^ a b Rignall, Julian (June 1989). "PC Engine - Mean Machines: Dungeon Explorer". Computer and Video Games. No. 92. Future Publishing. pp. 90–91. Archived from the original on 2016-04-03. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ a b Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (November 1990). "The Role of Computers - Reviews - Dungeon Explorer" (PDF). Dragon. No. 163. TSR, Inc. p. 49. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ Hobby Consolas(in Spanish). No. 22. Hobby Press. pp. 120–121.
- ^ a b Huyghues-Lacour, Alain (November 1989). "Rolling Softs - Dungeon Explorer (Console NEC, carte Hudson soft)". Tilt (in French). No. 71. Editions Mondiales S.A. p. 87.
- ^ a b Hengst, Michael (August 1989). "Videospiele-Tests: Dungeon Explorer". Power Play (in German). No. 17. Future Verlag. p. 60.
- ^ Nauert, Donn (February–March 1991). "TurboPlay Rates the Games - Dungeon Explorer". TurboPlay. No. 5. Larry Flynt Publications. p. 26.
- ^ "TurboPlay Rates the Games - Volume 2: Dungeon Explorer". TurboPlay. No. 11. Larry Flynt Publications. February–March 1992. p. 27.
- ^ "PC Engine All Catalog '93 10月号特別付録 - ニュートピアII". PC Engine Fan (in Japanese). Vol. 6, no. 10. Tokuma Shoten. October 1, 1993. p. 47.
- ^ Bohn-Elias, Alexander (February 1, 2007). "Retro auf Raten - Wii Virtual Console – Teil 2: Mit Siebenmeilenstiefeln in Richtung 16Bit - TurboGrafx-16". Eurogamer (in German). Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- )
- ^ Reed, Kristan (January 24, 2007). "Virtual Console: TurboGrafx-16 - PC-Ingenuity?". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- CBS Interactive. Archivedfrom the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- ^ Birnbaum, Mark (February 22, 2007). "Dungeon Explorer Review - Some short-lived, shoot 'em up fun". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- Nintendo Life. Nlife Media. Archivedfrom the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- RPG Vault. IGN. Archived from the originalon 6 December 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- ^ "ダンジョンエクスプローラーII (PCエンジン) - ファミ通.com". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Game Linkage. 2020. Archived from the original on 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
- ^ Lagan, Jack (September–October 1993). "Reviews (Duo/TG-16) - Dungeon Explorer II". DuoWorld. No. 2. Larry Flynt Publications. pp. 14–15.
- ^ Kalata, Kurt (December 17, 2008). "Crystal Beans From Dungeon Explorer". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
- ^ "News • Previews Internationales: Dungeon Explorer (Megadrive - Hudson)". Joypad (in French). No. 39. Yellow Media. February 1995. p. 39.
- ^ "Finals - Sega CD - Dungeon Explorer". Next Generation. No. 5. Imagine Media. May 1995. p. 95. Archived from the original on 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
- ^ Kalata, Kurt (17 December 2008). "Dungeon Explorer (DS)". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
- ^ Kalata, Kurt (18 December 2008). "Dungeon Explorer (PSP)". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-09.