Play Dragon's Lair on nes Online

Game Overview

So, the NES version of Dragon's Lair is nothing like the arcade original—instead of quick-time events, you get a classic side-scroller where you control Dirk the Daring directly. Same damsel in distress, same dragon, but now you're actually playing instead of just pressing buttons at the right moment.

You'll spend most of your time chucking knives and fireballs at bats, snakes, and the occasional Lizard King (who, by the way, steals your gold—rude). The platforming's pretty brutal—one wrong jump into a pit or spike, and it's instant death, even if your life bar isn't empty yet. And those dark areas? You've got a candle meter to light them up, but good luck remembering where to use it.

The weirdest part is the elevator sections. You hop between platforms mid-ride, and if you pick wrong, you might loop back to earlier levels. Sometimes you land in the Lizard King's throne room to reclaim stolen treasure, which feels oddly satisfying. The PAL version's a bit juicier with extra enemies and boss fights, but either way, it's a tough little relic from the NES era.