Highlights
- Dragonlance, known for its high fantasy setting in Dungeons & Dragons novels, started as a setting for AD&D 1E and 2E created by Laura and Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis.
- Dragonlance has fewer video games compared to Forgotten Realms, but fans of D&D looking for a new setting should consider trying some of the best D&D titles set in Dragonlance.
- The Dragonlance video games, while imperfect, offer an immersive experience for hardcore Dragonlance fans, with accurate storytelling and notable improvements in gameplay mechanics in certain titles.
Although known for being the setting of high fantasy Dungeons & Dragons novels set in the world of Krynn, Dragonlance started as a setting developed by Laura and Tracy Hickman as well as Margaret Weis for AD&D 1E and 2E. Starring the Heroes of the Lance, Dragonlance chronicles their journey to save the world from the evil dragon queen Takhisis's threat while exploring the gods' absence.
With over 100 books on its belt, it’s no surprise that Dragonlance became one of the settings adapted as a Dungeons & Dragons video game. However, its slate of 9 games pale compared to almost 50+ in the more popular Forgotten Realms setting. Regardless of having fewer games, fans of D&D who want to explore a new setting may want to give some of the best D&D titles set in Dragonlance a shot.
8 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes Of The Lance (1988)
- Platforms: Famicon, NES
Despite its status as one of gaming’s worst NES titles, Dragonlance fans who want a “complete” tour of the campaign setting’s video games shouldn’t skip Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes Of The Lance. The game is a direct adaptation of the Dragons of Despair module and the first half of the Dragons of Autumn Twilight novel where the Heroes of the Lance attempt to find the Disks of Mishakal in the city of Xak Tsaroth.
Showcased as a traditional platformer, the game features all Heroes of the Lance outfitted with AD&D 2E skillsets. However, save for three characters with unique skills, the other heroes act simply as “extra lives” while the stats do little to improve the experience. While clunky mechanics and poor polish led to the game’s lackluster reception, its accuracy in terms of storytelling makes it a worthwhile first Dragonlance game for hardcore fans.
7 War Of The Lance (1989)
- Platforms: MS-DOS, Commodore 64, Apple 2
The War of the Lance remains the most pivotal aspect of the Dragonlance universe, as this is the conflict that pits the Heroes of the Lance against the overwhelming forces of the Dragon Highlords. Mediocre graphics of the 80s aside, War Of The Lance is a decent attempt to translate the “bigger picture” events outside the adventures of the Heroes of the Lance. The game not only lets players take turns building armies and fighting the opposing enemy force (be it an AI or another player), but gamers also need to create and break alliances.
Unfortunately, the lore-heavy nature of the game makes it difficult to appreciate as a title. This caveat is made worse by the fact that the Heroes of the Lance don’t affect the game in any capacity. Lastly, the lack of traditional 4X components such as trading and meaningful combat removes any hope of replayability.
6 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dragons Of Flame (1989)
- Platforms: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, FM Towns, Famicom, MS-DOS, PC-9801, ZX Spectrum
Gamers might be surprised to learn of Heroes of the Lance getting a sequel considering its poor reception, but Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dragons Of Flame is a slight improvement compared to its predecessor. This time exploring the second half of Dragons of Autumn Twilight and the AD&D module of the same name, Dragons of Flame tasks the Heroes of the Lance to go to the slave-mine of Pax Tharkas to free the slaves and defeat the red dragon Ember and his master, the Dragon Highlord Verminaard.
As with Heroes of the Lance, Dragons of Flame combat happens across a horizontal plane and acts as a traditional hack-and-slash title. Each of the Heroes of the Lance act as “lives” for players in the Dragonlance setting, some of which have special abilities such as spells. Slight improvement in graphics, an overworld with more components to see, as well as more maneuverability make Dragons of Flame a more bearable second half to the first Dragonlance story.
5 Shadow Sorcerer (1991)
- Platforms: Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS
Despite being released in the same year as the FPS RPG Eye of the Beholder, the overall experience in Shadow Sorcerer mixes a traditional RTS with survival management a la The Oregon Trail. Adapting the modules Dragons of Hope and Dragons of Desolation, players of Shadow Sorcerer control the Heroes of the Lance as they bring the refugees of Pax Tharkas to the Dwarven home of Thorbardin.
The game takes place in two fronts, with players being able to click parts of an open world to reveal a path in the fog of war, and the second half being a real-time environment should they trigger an encounter. Players control four Heroes of the Lance at a time, being able to pause at any moment to cycle through combat options as they fight numerous foes. The game’s inclusion of mechanics such as the refugees making their own decisions and even affecting the overall plot is a significant improvement from the two other titles.
4 Death Knights Of Krynn (1991)
- Platforms: Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, NEC PC-9801
Being the direct sequel to Champions Of Krynn, players can expect a similar gameplay loop with Death Knights Of Krynn. Set a year after Myrtani’s defeat, players are left with little respite at Gargath Outpost as the undead forces of Lord Soth attack the party. It’s now up to the player to once again defeat this threat, this time bringing the fight to Lord Soth’s home of Dargaard Keep.
As with the previous title Death Knights Of Krynn lets players create their own Dragonlance party using AD&D rules, with the option to transfer characters from Champions. However, the slightly more detailed sprites alongside a dungeon crawl system make for a more immersive experience. While side quests are present, their repetitive nature can make the game feel monotonous.
3 Champions Of Krynn (1990)
- Platforms: Amiga, Apple 2, Commodore 64, DOS, PC-98
Considered as the first in Strategic Simulation’s “Gold Box” series of AD&D titles, Champions Of Krynn is an RPG that adapts the first three modules of the Dragonlance series. Instead of being the Heroes of the Lance, players create their own party at the Inn of the Last Home before heading to the Hobgoblin capital of Throtl where they have to fight a Draconian named Myrtani.
Being the first of a series, Champions Of Krynn serves as a template for the rest of the games in the series. Players control their party in a cavalier projection view, with the game being an early version of a tactical RPG where characters can be positioned and fight after aiming. Compared to the similarly-made Secret Of The Silver Blades under the Forgotten Realms banner, Champions of Krynn has a more accessible interface.
2 DragonStrike (1990, 1992)
- Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, PC-9801, X68000, NES
Touted as the world’s first dragon flight simulator, DragonStrike makes for quite a departure from traditional fantasy games with its core concept. Set in the War of the Lance, players take the role of a Knight of Solamnia as they get assigned on various missions throughout their career as a dragon rider. Armed with the eponymous Dragonlance, players embark on a series of missions in 3D environments where they conduct aerial jousting against an assortment of flying enemies.
The original DragonStrike game in the Amiga had 40 levels, each of which progressing in difficulty and giving players access to different dragons. Meanwhile, its NES adaptation has a similar plot with a different ending, although this time only spanning 14 levels and a top-down perspective. While not as intensive as traditional flight simulators, DragonStrike is a worthwhile attempt at giving players an authentic Dragonlance experience involving the actual mythical weapon.
1 The Dark Queen Of Krynn (1992)
- Platforms: Amiga, MS-DOS, Macintosh
Strategic Simulations went all out in The Dark Queen Of Krynn, the last story in its three-part “Gold Box” series of AD&D RPGs set in the Dragonlance setting. Originally set in Caergoth where players are taskd by General Laurana to investigate the presence of evil creatures, much of the game takes place in the far continent of Taladas upon learning of a sinister plan by the Dark Queen, Takhsis, herself.
Similar to the previous two games, The Dark Queen Of Krynn uses dungeon crawling mechanics for exploration with turn-based tactics for combat. Players are once again able to import characters or create their own with a more intuitive character creation screen. The game also boasts 256 colors in the PC and Mac versions, with mouse integration giving players a more accessible experience. Unfortunately, bugs and poor level design may unnecessarily increase the difficulty of the title.