Dragon Crystal

Platform	Game Gear / Master System
Genre	Classic Roguelike
Release Year	1990
Rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⚝
Added	2025-Jun-21

The rare console roguelike that (mostly) adheres to the Berlin Interpretation. Dragon Crystal is a simple but well-thought run through a randomly generated dungeon in a turn based manner.

Most of the mainstays of a roguelike are here: you have to figure out what potions, scrolls, etc are. Equipment can be cursed and attach itself to your character while conveying no benefits. You have time pressure from a (pretty strict) food system. Levels and experience are present but mostly downplayed in favor of armor and weapons.

The music gets samey over time (though it does change every 10 floors), traversing the dungeon can get frustrating and stairs can be well-hidden, and later-game enemies have some rude gimmicks like permanent stat and level drains. For the most part you should try to dive straight to the exit once they start showing up.

Otherwise, the menu system is well designed for a controller, the game is fair, easy to intuit, fast to play, and well-balanced. There's no final boss; simply finding a chalice on level 30 will net you a completion, but that's fine. Just getting there is "boss" enough.