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Dragon Buster

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NES

Originating in the arcades, Dragon Buster is an action platform game composed out of several large levels, each one containing various stages: a cave, a tower, a castle, etc. The player's goal in every level is to reach the final stage where the protagonist faces the level boss. There are often s...

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Developer
TOSE

Released on
1987

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Action

Publisher
Namco

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Originating in the arcades, Dragon Buster is an action platform game composed out of several large levels, each one containing various stages: a cave, a tower, a castle, etc. The player’s goal in every level is to reach the final stage where the protagonist faces the level boss. There are often several ways to reach the final stages, and not all stages are necessary to visit. Equipped with a sword, the player character moves through platform stages, clearing them of diverse monsters, collecting power-ups and trying to stay in good health until the level boss, since it is impossible to heal between the stages. The hero’s life meter (called “vitality” in the game) is the first introduction of such a feature to action games.

Dragon Buster

Overview & History

Released by Namco for the Famicom in late 1985 and later ported to the NES, Dragon Buster is a pioneering side-scrolling action-RPG that laid the foundational blueprint for the metroidvania and platforming genres. Developed during the golden age of arcade conversions, it broke away from single-screen limits by introducing an interconnected world map. Players step into the armored boots of Prince Rider, a valiant knight on a perilous quest to rescue Princess Christina from the clutches of the wicked dragon, Celia. Unlike traditional linear adventures, the game innovated by featuring multiple branching paths across twelve distinct chapters, allowing players to choose their own routes to each castle lair.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Gameplay alternates between an overhead map navigation screen—where players guide Rider across varied terrain while avoiding roaming monsters—and side-scrolling action stages. Inside the dungeons, forests, and caves, Rider must battle a menagerie of beasts including skeletons, goblins, and bats to accumulate vital experience points that permanently increase his maximum health. The ultimate goal of each chapter is to find the hidden Crown, defeat the area boss, and free the captive princess. Rider commands a versatile moveset; he wields a trusty broadsword for melee strikes and possesses a unique double-jump ability that lets him easily clear perilous chasms and bypass aggressive foes. Uniquely, the game also tracks Rider's physical health dynamically, forcing players to manage healing magic potions and wisely avoid taking unnecessary damage during frantic swordplay and platforming sequences.