Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - Heroes of the Lance Play

Summary

Heroes of the Lance feels like a nostalgic side‑scrolling trek through Krynn, where the eight Dragonlance heroes march in single file across the screen. When the current champion falls, the next in line steps forward, turning the whole party into a living set of extra lives. Goldmoon wields the mysterious Blue Crystal Staff, Sturm Brightblade embodies solemn knighthood, Caramon relies on brute strength, while his frail twin Raistlin supplies wizardry; Tanis leads with bow, Tasslehoff swings a hoopak sling, Riverwind fights with noble resolve, and Flint provides dwarf‑hard grit. Three of them grant special powers—healing, spellcasting, and trap removal—while the rest simply buffer the player’s progress. The game’s stats are ripped straight from the D&D rulebooks, a rare fidelity that even the DOS version’s reviewers praised for its graphics and audio. Yet the NES port, built by Natsume, earned a reputation for brutal difficulty, no save feature, and a spot on several “worst NES game” lists, making it a love‑hate relic for fans of classic D&D side‑scrollers.

Storyline

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – Heroes of the Lance follows eight brave adventurers as they trek through the shattered ruins of Xak Tsaroth. Their quest is to confront the ancient dragon Khisanth, guardian of the fabled Disks of Mishakal, and claim the relic for the good of the realm. The game’s narrative centers on this perilous journey and the battle to retrieve the sacred disks.

Edited by Maya Carter