Namco's 1987 fantasy-themed shmup Dragon Spirit is joining the Arcade Archives series on Nintendo Switch, it has been revealed.
Notable for fusing traditional shmup mechanics with dragons and other mythical beasts, the game shares similarities with another Namco classic, Xevious, in that the player has a standard shot for destroying air-based enemies as well as a bomb for taking out foes on the ground.
Dragon Spirit was famously ported to the PC Engine / TG-16 and spawned a 1989 sequel, Dragon Spirit: The New Legend, on the NES (this is included in Namco Museum Archives: Vol 1 on Switch). An arcade sequel entitled Dragon Saber followed in 1990, and this was also ported to the PC Engine.
The game will launch on the Switch eShop on March 3rd.
Comments 21
Hamster just keeps rolling along with these arcades
I think I downloaded this on the wii. It's pretty good. I like that your dragon gains an extra head when you get an upgrade.
A nice addition to the Switch arcade archive lineup. Also kinda odd how they advertised it as a NeoGeo game there, probably a mislabeled since they handle both brand the same way.
One word: Tutankham. I need Tutankham. Please make it happen.
I got addicted to this on the Turbo Grafx Mini.
I love this game! Played a lot of it at my local arcade.
Superb. I'll be getting this for sure. I just bought this week's Arcade Archives release, Dangerous Seed, also from Namco.
Last week's release Thunder Dragon 2 is absolutely brilliant by the way. A proper hidden gem that I never knew about until last week. The original isn't recommended though.
I beat the hell out of this game on my turbo grfx. This and blazing lasers were two great shmups on the turbo grfx.
Will definitely have to pick this one up. I miss this older style of shoot 'em up. The newer Cave-style games just aren't the same.
Unless they go on sale, I won’t buy any more Arcade Archive titles. I might make an exception for Qix.
@OorWullie I've also really enjoyed Thunder Dragon 2. I like Dragon Spirit on NES (I have it on Switch), but I've read the arcade original is really difficult. Sometimes I enjoy tough shooters, but sometimes I just can't enjoy them. I never know which way it will go with the challenging ones.
I also just got Libble Rabble on Switch and love it. Not a shoot em up, but such a charming and fun puzzle action something game.
Hamster is doing God's work, truly. Especially in light of recent subscription debates.
Love the PC-Engine port but have never played the original so I think I might be all over it!
One of my favourite games!
@BoilerBroJoe I prefer bulk collections at lower prices per game. Unless these carry over to future systems, I can no longer justify paying full price.
@Tandy255 Sometimes they include them on a collection too so yeah there's nothing wrong with waiting.
Already have the namco NES archives with it.
Finally, after this and upcoming Truxton, my nostalgia trip is complete as this is the very first shmup I ever played and one of the very first video games I played ever as a I kid back in the -87 (Truxton the second one)
It's a really great game with just amazing soundtrack. I enjoy the arcade original much more than the ports. I have the arcade version on x360 namco collection, but it doesn't run that great with a lot of extra slowdown, so it's great to get a better version of it.
@Tandy255 That's fair, but I'm sorta of getting tired of all the different game collections with all the different menus, and user interfaces and features. That's what made Virtual Console so good (and it would make NSO pretty great too, if you could actually buy the games). That said, I'm all for offering games in big bundles as well as individually.
@BoilerBroJoe I do really like how the Arcade Archives gives you access to the different regional ROMs such as for DK and DK Jr.
The Namco Arcade Pack at full price is about $3 a game. I think the Capcom Stadium games are about $2 for individual titles. I know that Hamster has to make a profit, but $8 is usually too much.
I would feel better if the purchases carried forward to Switch 2.0.
We also could use on Switch:
Martial Champion, Knuckle Heads, Metamorphic Force, Violent Storm, Mystic Warriors, Dragoon Might, Primal Rage 2 (revive that WB), Tenth Degree (revive that WB), Mace The Dark Age, maybe Kaiser Knuckle/Dan-Ku-Ga/Global Champion, Metamoqester/Oni The Ninja Master.
Dragon Saber I hope it's not too far behind. Steel Gunner needs to have motion controls.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...