Once upon a time in an arcade far, far away, there was a classic game franchise known as
Dragon's Lair. It was the ultimate quarter muncher that tested dexterity, as well as commitment to learning patterns. It was also the best looking arcade game ever devised because it was entirely hand drawn animation from Don Bluth, the man behind
The Secret of NIMH and
Anastasia. Well, five years after the success of the first, Don Bluth made a true sequel in
Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp. Looking just as good as the first,
Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp improved upon the old classic while still making a beautifully animated experience for newcomers.
The music and soundtrack is wonderful even though it is brief. The entire experience is less than twenty minutes if you can perform the rhythm flawlessly. You will almost certainly replay sections over and over again and there are certain moments, like in the prehistoric age, where the music is bouncing and building and brilliant. But then there are some scenes, like "Through the Mirror," where it all feels scattered and loud. I know the animation took hundreds of hours to create and the color correction in high-def is remarkable, but I wish that the soundtrack and musical score would have had more attention the first time around.