1991-08-05
King of Dragons is a fantasy hack 'n' slash from Capcom. It's notable for its extremely simple combat engine, which consists only of a normal attack, jumping, and a death-blow. It has RPG elements such as experience and permanent weapon upgrades. It also has a whopping 16 stages although they're relatively short.
Yoko Shimomura composed for this game. She also worked on Final Fight and the obscure Square RPG Live-a-Live. King of Dragons is strongly based on the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset and mythology. Capcom would later make two licensed D&D arcade brawlers.
Forget Shadow Over Mystara, this is the best D&D brawler from Capcom. Its RPG elements enhance the experience instead of dragging down the pace. Although the combat initially seems simplistic to a fault, the enemies are masterfully designed ensuring an intense, skill-based experience. The phenomenal, screen-filling boss battles are the highlight for me.
