Dragon's Crown
A side-scrolling action RPG with six character classes.
Dragon's Crown is an action role-playing game from 2013, created by Vanillaware for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. Atlus handled publishing in Japan and North America, while NIS America released it in PAL territories. A PlayStation 4 version with enhanced graphics, Dragon's Crown Pro, came out from Atlus in 2018. The game presents a side-scrolling perspective, letting players pick from six character classes to fight through dungeons in a beat 'em up style, gathering loot by replaying areas. The story follows adventurers traveling through Hydeland as they search for the magical Dragon's Crown.
Director and lead artist George Kamitani first envisioned Dragon's Crown as a Dreamcast follow-up to Princess Crown, a 1997 Sega Saturn title. After Vanillaware found success with Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Kamitani revived the project. UTV Ignition Entertainment was originally set to publish it, but when that company left the gaming market, Atlus stepped in. Critics praised the gameplay and art style upon release, though they noted the story and repetitive elements as drawbacks. The game also sparked controversy over its exaggerated character designs and sexualized female characters. By September 2017, it had sold over one million copies.
Gameplay
Players explore dungeons in the kingdom of Hydeland from a two-dimensional side-scrolling viewpoint. The town at the kingdom's center serves as a hub, featuring establishments like the Adventurers' Guild for quests and skill unlocks, Morgan's Magic Shop for equipment repair and upgrades, Canaan Temple for resurrecting bone piles and receiving dungeon boons, and Lucain's Tower for tracking rune magic discoveries.
Outside town, nine dungeon environments offer two paths each—one unlocked after the first run—along with hidden areas. Players reach dungeons via a magical Gate or, later, by paying for stable transport. Two NPCs always accompany the player: the thief Rannie, who opens chests and doors, and the fairy Tiki, who points out hidden treasure. Movement is left to right, with standard enemies and boss monsters at each stage's end. All characters share basic moves like attacking, dodging, and jumping, similar to classic beat 'em ups. In single-player, bone piles found in dungeons can be resurrected in town as AI-controlled companions. Some dungeons allow players to pacify and ride larger animals,
- Developer
- Vanillaware
- Publisher
- Atlus (Japan/North America), NIS America (PAL regions)
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 (Dragon's Crown Pro)
- Release Year
- 2013
- Genre
- Action role-playing, beat 'em up
- Director
- George Kamitani
- Sales
- Over one million units by September 2017
Lore & Background
Director and lead artist George Kamitani originally planned Dragon's Crown as a Dreamcast sequel to the 1997 Sega Saturn title Princess Crown. Following Vanillaware's successes with Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Kamitani restarted the project. Originally set to be published by UTV Ignition Entertainment, that company's withdrawal from the gaming market led to Atlus taking up the project.
The storyline follows adventurers as they journey across Hydeland and become involved in the search for the magical Dragon's Crown. Players navigate environments from a side-scrolling perspective, choosing from six character classes to fight in the style of a beat 'em up and acquiring loot through repeated dungeon exploration. The game generated controversy for its exaggerated character designs and sexualized female characters.
Upon release, Dragon's Crown received positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay and art style, while the story and repetitive elements drew criticism. It had sold over one million units by September 2017.
Reader's Guide
Dragon's Crown stands as a notable entry in Vanillaware's catalog, blending classic beat 'em up mechanics with role-playing elements. Its side-scrolling dungeon exploration, six distinct character classes, and loot system drew praise, while the repetitive structure and controversial character designs sparked debate. The game's development history—from a scrapped Dreamcast sequel to a successful release under Atlus—reflects the persistence of director George Kamitani. The 2018 high-definition port Dragon's Crown Pro extended its lifespan on PlayStation 4. With over one million units sold by 2017, the game demonstrated commercial viability for a niche genre. Its legacy includes influencing later action RPGs and remaining a reference point for discussions on character design in video games.
Did You Know?
- Dragon's Crown was originally planned as a Dreamcast sequel to the 1997 Sega Saturn title Princess Crown.
- The game was originally set to be published by UTV Ignition Entertainment before that company withdrew from the gaming market.
- A high-definition port for PlayStation 4, Dragon's Crown Pro, was released by Atlus in 2018.
- The game had sold over one million units by September 2017.
More in Dark fantasy role-playing video games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record