Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games by Matt Barton

Author:Matt Barton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Publisher: A K Peters Ltd
Published: 2008-03-03T05:00:00+00:00

The cute graphics of games such as Dragon Warrior are one of the distinguishing characteristics of the JRPG.

There are other oddities that can perhaps be summed up by the word kawaisa, a term used by Chris Kohler (author of Power Up!: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life) to describe a marked Japanese tendency towards cuteness. For instance, one of the most characteristic aspects of the Dragon Quest series is a cheerful smiling slime, which looks about as threatening as strawberry shortcake. For American gamers accustomed to serious CRPGs like Pool of Radiance, this style is often quite disconcerting. Such jarring juxtapositions of light and dark elements are common in Japanese popular culture; no doubt their lack would be sorely missed by Japanese gamers. In short, Americans unaccustomed to JRPGs might be put off, at least initially, by the abundance of cute and cuddly characters and creatures alongside more frightening visuals.

Dragon Warrior //

The second Dragon Warrior game for the NES arrived in 1990. This time, the main character is not alone but can recruit up to two other adventurers: a princess who wields magic and a prince with fighting and magical abilities. Combat is also more complex: up to six enemies can attack at once (all the battles in the former game are one-on-one). The mission is of the "kill the evil wizard" variety. The game also features a battery-backup system like the one seen in The Legend of Zelda.

Dragon Warrior ///

The third installment, released in 1992, offers even more innovations to the original model. This time, the player can name the main character and select a gender. Furthermore, it's now possible to recruit up to three other characters from six possible classes to form a party. These recruits can be swapped in and out as necessary. While most of the available classes are hardly unusual, the game does introduce a few novelties: merchants, who can appraise items; goof-offs, who enjoy tremendous luck; and sages, a prestige class with skills in fighting and magic. The goof-off is particularly unusual; the manual warns that he will only become more useless as the game progresses!

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