Legacy of the Wizard
A 1987 open-world action RPG featuring a family of unique characters.
Legacy of the Wizard, known in Japan as *Dragon Slayer IV: Drasle Family*, is an action role-playing platform game from 1987. It was developed and published by Nihon Falcom for the MSX2, with a Nintendo Entertainment System port handled by Namco in Japan in July 1987 and by Broderbund internationally in 1989. As the fourth game in the Dragon Slayer series, it is one of only five entries to be released outside Japan. The game is recognized as an early open-world, non-linear action RPG, blending action-RPG mechanics with what would later be called Metroidvania-style action-adventure elements.
The story follows the Drasle family—whose name is short for "Dragon Slayer," though the credits list their surname as Worzen—as they try to destroy an ancient dragon named Keela, who is magically trapped inside a painting in an underground labyrinth. To succeed, they must find the Dragon Slayer, a magical sword protected by four hidden crowns. Players use each family member's unique abilities to recover the crowns and defeat Keela. As with many games of its time, the plot is mostly explained in the instruction manual.
The Drasle family includes six members across three generations, plus a pet that looks like a small dinosaur. Players control these characters one at a time, sending them into a vast cavern filled with traps, puzzles, and monsters. They must find the four crowns while periodically returning to the family home on the surface to switch characters and get a password. Each character—father, mother, son, daughter, and pet—has distinct strengths and weaknesses. For instance, the father has the strongest attack but cannot jump as high as others, while the mother is weaker but is the only one who can use certain magical items needed to find one crown. By exploiting these traits, players explore the huge dungeon, fighting four bosses to claim the crowns.
The dungeon has five main sections: four contain a boss guarding a crown, and the fifth holds the final boss. Each section has unique features and background music, and was designed with a specific character in mind. Crowns cannot be obtained without using each family member's skills, so every character must be used at some point. For example, one area might be blocked by bricks that only a mattock can destroy, requiring the character who wields it. Once all four crowns are collected, the young boy can use their m
- Developer
- Nihon Falcom
- Publisher
- Nihon Falcom (MSX2), Namco (Famicom/NES Japan), Broderbund (NES international)
- Release Year
- 1987 (MSX2, Famicom), 1989 (NES international)
- Platforms
- MSX2, Famicom/NES, mobile phones (2008), Namcot Collection (2020)
- Genre
- Action role-playing platform game
- Series
- Dragon Slayer
- Notable For
- Early open-world non-linear action RPG with Metroidvania elements
Lore & Background
The game chronicles the Drasle family's attempt to destroy an ancient dragon named Keela, magically entrapped in a painting within an underground labyrinth. To succeed, they must find the Dragon Slayer sword, protected by four hidden crowns. The story is explained almost entirely in the game's instruction manual. The family consists of six members plus a pet dinosaur-like creature, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. The father Xemn has the highest attack power but cannot jump high; the mother Meyna is the only one who can use certain magical items; the son Roas is the only one who can wield the Dragon Slayer; the daughter Lyll can jump highest and use the mattock; the pet Pochi is immune to monster damage; and the grandparents Jiela and Douel provide password functions.
Reader's Guide
Legacy of the Wizard is significant as an early open-world, non-linear action RPG that influenced the Metroidvania genre. Its design requires players to switch between characters with distinct abilities to navigate a vast labyrinth, solve puzzles, and defeat bosses. The game's five major sections each have unique music and are tailored to specific characters. The player must use each family member at some point to acquire the four crowns and ultimately defeat Keela. The game was reviewed positively by Computer Entertainer in 1989 (7 out of 8 stars) and later called a 'hidden gem' by 1Up in 2005. Its legacy includes being one of the few Dragon Slayer games localized outside Japan and its inclusion in the 2020 Namcot Collection.
Did You Know?
- The game is sometimes misattributed to Quintet due to a credit reference, but composer Yuzo Koshiro confirmed this is coincidence as Quintet formed two years later.
- The family name 'Drasle' is an abbreviation for 'Dragon Slayer', though characters are given the last name 'Worzen' in the credits.
- The pet Pochi is actually a monster from the dungeon and is immune to monster damage, allowing it to stand on enemies' heads.
- Only five games in the Dragon Slayer series were localized outside Japan, and this is one of them.
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