Dungeon Explorer
Encyclopedia
Dungeon Explorer is an action role-playing game
released for the TurboGrafx-16
/PC Engine in 1989. It centered around the quest of several heroes to find the Ora Stone for the former king of Oddesia. When the alien race
that now rules the land invaded, the stone was hidden deep in the dungeon
s 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, and to kill the alien king, Natas: King Satan. The heroes progress through several different dungeons and fight fearsome bosses such as Bullbeast and Grimrose, and finally recover the Ora stone. Upon giving it to the king, however, the king reveals himself as Natas and steals the stone. Additionally, 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 and ushering in a time of peace.
, witch, bishop
, elf
, bard
, or gnome
. Special classes, like the Princess and Harmet, can also be unlocked as the game progresses. The classes vary primarily in their black and white potion abilities. For example, the Bishop's white potion heals nearby allies, whereas the Bard's black potion has the ability to change the music. The game supports up to five players simultaneously. All extra lives are shared between players. The game also features a password system that tracks the player's level, class, and four base stats (attack, strength, agility, and intelligence).
Dungeon Explorer is also considered a pioneer title in the action role-playing game genre with its co-operative
multiplayer gameplay, which allowed up to five players to play simultaneously.
Dungeon Explorer was released for the Nintendo
Wii
's Virtual Console
in Europe on December 8, 2006 and in North America on January 8, 2007. The game is rated E by the ESRB
and 3+ by the PEGI
. The Wii version can be played with 5 players, with at least one person using a GameCube controller. The game has also been released on the Japanese PlayStation Store
There was also a Mega-CD/Sega CD release which goes by the name of Dungeon Explorer but it is a different game altogether. Developed by Westone Co, Dungeon Explorer for the Mega-CD is more akin to the concept of Gauntlet
. Weapons and armor may be bought with the gold found in dungeons.
A rough sequel to the games, Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts
, which retains few of the gameplay elements of the original games, was also released for the Nintendo DS
and the Sony PSP
on February 19, 2008.
#163 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
released for the TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
/PC Engine in 1989. It centered around the quest of several heroes to find the Ora Stone for the former king of Oddesia. When the alien race
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
that now rules the land invaded, the stone was hidden deep in the dungeon
Dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
s 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, and to kill the alien king, Natas: King Satan. The heroes progress through several different dungeons and fight fearsome bosses such as Bullbeast and Grimrose, and finally recover the Ora stone. Upon giving it to the king, however, the king reveals himself as Natas and steals the stone. Additionally, 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 and ushering in a time of peace.
Overview
Players can play as a fighter, thief, warlockWarlock
The term warlock in origin means "traitor, oathbreaker".In early modern Scots, the word came to be used as the male equivalent of witch ....
, witch, bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, elf
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
, bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
, or gnome
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
. Special classes, like the Princess and Harmet, can also be unlocked as the game progresses. The classes vary primarily in their black and white potion abilities. For example, the Bishop's white potion heals nearby allies, whereas the Bard's black potion has the ability to change the music. The game supports up to five players simultaneously. All extra lives are shared between players. The game also features a password system that tracks the player's level, class, and four base stats (attack, strength, agility, and intelligence).
Dungeon Explorer is also considered a pioneer title in the action role-playing game genre with its co-operative
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
multiplayer gameplay, which allowed up to five players to play simultaneously.
Dungeon Explorer was released for the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual Console (Wii)
, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo eShop, online services that allow players to purchase and download games and other software for Nintendo's Wii home gaming console and the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming console, respectively.The Wii's...
in Europe on December 8, 2006 and in North America on January 8, 2007. The game is rated E by the ESRB
Entertainment Software Rating Board
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and...
and 3+ by the PEGI
Pan European Game Information
Pan European Game Information is a European video game content rating system established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games with logos on games boxes. It was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe and came into use in April 2003; it...
. The Wii version can be played with 5 players, with at least one person using a GameCube controller. The game has also been released on the Japanese PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
Sequels
A sequel to the game, Dungeon Explorer II, was later released for the TurboGrafx-CD console in 1993.There was also a Mega-CD/Sega CD release which goes by the name of Dungeon Explorer but it is a different game altogether. Developed by Westone Co, Dungeon Explorer for the Mega-CD is more akin to the concept of Gauntlet
Gauntlet (arcade game)
Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. It is noted as the first class-based multiplayer game. Released during the emergence of popularity of other role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, the game was a sensation, being one of the first true dungeon crawl...
. Weapons and armor may be bought with the gold found in dungeons.
A rough sequel to the games, Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts is a video game developed by Hudson Soft available for both the Sony PlayStation Portable and the Nintendo DS handheld game consoles....
, which retains few of the gameplay elements of the original games, was also released for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and the Sony PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
on February 19, 2008.
Reception
The game was reviewed in 1990 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#163 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.