Despite the fact that it really wasn't much of a game, Dragon's Lair has remained in the public's consciousness like few other arcade games have. Dragon's Lair wasn't fascinating so much for what it was, but for what it represented: the possibility that video games could consist of more than simple graphics and sounds. Because it was so different than anything else at the time, it has had tremendous staying power, if only in the minds of nostalgic gamers.

Digital Leisure's DVD Video release of Dragon's Lair allows players to relive those heady days in 1983, but only briefly. Unless you somehow resign yourself to actually beating the game, there's about 30 to 45 minutes of entertainment contained on the disc. But apart from playing the actual arcade game, this version is about as good as it gets for fans of Dirk the Daring.

The game is surprisingly playable with the remote control on a standard DVD player, although it is easier when using a gamepad on the PlayStation 2 or Xbox with the Movie Playback Kit. Still, the action boils down to memorizing a correct sequence of moves and inputting them accordingly, a setup which is more frustrating than enjoyable. The ability to continue an infinite amount of times eases the difficulty somewhat, but the maddening nature of the gameplay is still ever-present.

The two key features that significantly enhance the package over the few minutes you'll spend trying to play the game are the "Watch" mode and the "History" section. Watch mode allows you to see the game's approximately ten minutes of animation without actually having to play. Without this addition, it's unlikely the vast majority of people would ever see Dirk rescue Princess Daphne. The History section will probably be the most fascinating for classic gamers, though, as it contains about 20 minutes of vintage interviews with Don Bluth and Rick Dyer, and some often humorous footage of '80s teens playing the game in arcades. ~ Skyler Miller, All Game Guide

The video quality is excellent and looks even better than the arcade version. ~ Skyler Miller, All Game Guide

There isn't much music or many sound effects, but those that are there are crisp and clear. ~ Skyler Miller, All Game Guide

It's fun to watch the animation and hear the original creators speak about their game. ~ Skyler Miller, All Game Guide

There's only about 30 to 45 minutes of content on the disc. ~ Skyler Miller, All Game Guide