Escape from Singe's Castle, also known as Dragon's Lair Part II - Escape From Singe's Castle, is a 1987 video game from Software Projects. The game is sometimes referred to as Dragon's Lair II, but is not the official arcade sequel Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp.
| Escape from Singe's Castle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publisher(s) | Software Projects (8 bit, Europe), Electronic Arts (Commodore 64, USA), ReadySoft (16 bit) |
| Series | Dragon's Lair |
| Platform(s) | Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Mac OS, Apple IIGS |
| Release | 1987 (8-bit) 1989 (16-bit) |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
editPlayers control Dirk the Daring, the player character from Dragon's Lair, who has returned to the lair of Singe the dragon in order to claim a pot of gold. Singe has laid traps throughout his lair, forcing players to guide Dirk across a number of differently themed screens in order to steal the gold and escape.[1] In the 8 bit versions, there are eight different levels.
In the 16-bit version, Dirk is supposed to rescue Daphne again, this time from the Shapeshifter. Unlike the earlier 8-bit version, this is a cartoon-based interactive movie, like its predecessor, where the player is supposed to choose the correct movement for Dirk in the right time.[2]
Development
editBethesda Softworks developed the MS-DOS version of the game in 1989.[3][4]
An Apple IIGS version had reportedly been completed by ReadySoft and scheduled to be released in 1991 (manuals from other ports list detailed IIGS-specific loading instructions and features),[5] but was never publicly released. In 2022, decades later with the original ReadySoft port still missing or lost, Brutal Deluxe created and released a new Apple IIGS port based on the PC version.[6]
Reception
edit| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Amtix! | 94%[7] |
| Computer Gamer | 94%[8] |
| Zzap! | 90%[9] |
| Computer and Video Games | 80%[10] |
| Commodore User | 8/10[11] |
| Aktueller Software Markt | 9/11[12] |
| Amiga Computing | 85%[13] |
| The Games Machine | 80%[14] |
Allen L. Greenberg reviewed the ReadySoft game for Computer Gaming World, and stated that "Dragon's Lair II: Escape From Singe's Castle is an odd creature, an exceptional program which suffers from uninteresting game-play."[2]
References
edit- ^ Walker, Andy (April 1987). "Reviews - Escape From Singe's Castle - Dragon's Lair II". Crash. No. 39. Newsfield Publications Ltd. p. 120. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
- ^ a b Greenberg, Allen L. (March 1992). "As the Worm Turns - ReadySoft's Dragon's Lair II: Escape from Singe's Castle" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. Vol. 1, no. 92. p. 74. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 11, 2013.
- ^ "Bethesda A brief History". GamePro. March 1996. p. 71. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- ^ "Bethesda Softworks History". bethsoft.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ "Manual" (PDF). retro-commodore.eu. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Brutal Deluxe releases Dragon's Lair: Escape From Singe's Castle for Apple IIGS". Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". Amtix!. April 1987. pp. 76, 77. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". Computer Gamer. March 1987. pp. 10, 11. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". Zzap!. February 1987. pp. 78, 79. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". Computer and Video Games. July 1990. p. 62. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". Commodore User. February 1987. p. 67. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Action Games". ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (in German). March 1987. p. 6. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". Amiga Computing. May 1990. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Escape from Singe's Castle". The Games Machine. May 1990. pp. 36, 37. Retrieved February 3, 2024.