Dragon's Lair: Love Conquers All

It's the nineteenth day on our trip through the 32 Game Endings of Christmas! Today we're checking out Dragon's Lair, the very first laserdisc game. This interactive cartoon was a big hit at the arcade, spawning countless ports (including a few that weren't cartoons at all). Now is your chance to see how this classic ends without memorizing the beats of the story. See why Princess Daphne was worth saving when you read today's episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!

Previously On Dragon's Lair: The beautiful Princess Daphne has been kidnapped by Singe the Dragon and locked away deep inside Mordroc the Wizard's castle. It's up to Dirk the Daring to overcome the obstacles and win back the most gorgeous woman in the land. Welcome to Dragon's Lair, the 1983 laserdisc game featuring the art of famed animator Don Bluth. Your job is to help Dirk win back the girl any way you can. Unfortunately, this means memorizing a series of quick time events while watching a cartoon. If you can do that, you'll make your way to the dragon and save the girl.

So far you've managed to take Dirk past the drawbridge, past the sliding stairs, under the room filled with tentacles and through the room of fire. And that's just the beginning. You've seen lava fields, sword wielding goons, snakes, bats, a phantom knight, a round cage and, of course, the lizard king. And this is all before you come face-to-face with the dragon. Princess Daphne better be worth it.

How It Ended: At long last, Dirk the Daring has finally made it to, well, the dragon's lair. All around him are gold coins, gems, necklaces, rings and every other type of jewelry you can imagine. But there's no time to line your armor with money, you have a job to do. Thankfully Princess Daphne has been kept in a protective bubble, so she's still one piece. Don't expect the same hospitality from the dragon; he looks hungry for a Dirk-sized snack.

Singe chases Dirk all around the room. Just as it starts to look bad for our hero, Dirk grabs the powerful flaming sword and slays the dragon once and for all. Now he is free to grab the key, save the girl and get his freak on. Sadly we aren't around to see much of the celebration, as the game ends with a giant kiss and a heart-shaped transition. At least we don't have to listen to Daphne's breathless baby talk all the way home.

How It Should Have Ended: After the heartfelt embrace and sexy smooch, Dirk sits Princess Daphne down for a serious lecture. He explains that when a young girl goes out wearing nothing but a see-through bathing suit, she tends to get the wrong kind of attention. Toss on the sparkly shall and she doesn't even stand a chance. Dirk then enrolls her in some self-defense classes at the local gym and buys her a stun gun. With newfound confidence, Daphne stops acting like a little girl and becomes a real woman. And finally, at long last, the two sweethearts can live happily ever after.