<s>
Controlling	O
the	O
dragon	O
Amul	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
complete	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
nine	O
areas	O
to	O
rescue	O
the	O
princess	O
Alicia	O
from	O
the	O
demon	O
Zawell	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
to	O
Namco	O
's	O
own	O
Xevious	B-Application
,	O
Amul	O
has	O
a	O
projectile	O
weapon	O
for	O
destroying	O
air-based	O
enemies	O
and	O
a	O
bomb	O
for	O
destroying	O
ground	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hosoe	O
,	O
previously	O
a	O
graphics	O
artist	O
for	O
Namco	O
,	O
was	O
allowed	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
music	O
himself	O
due	O
to	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
composers	O
working	O
on	O
Genpei	B-Application
Tōma	I-Application
Den	I-Application
,	O
however	O
much	O
of	O
his	O
work	O
was	O
accidentally	O
wiped	O
from	O
the	O
hardware	O
midway	O
through	O
development	O
and	O
forced	O
him	O
to	O
start	O
over	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ishikawa	O
previously	O
created	O
character	O
artwork	O
for	O
Rolling	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
,	O
being	O
assigned	O
to	O
the	O
project	O
after	O
taking	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
enemy	O
designs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
dedicated	O
to	O
Shouichi	O
Fukatani	O
,	O
a	O
Namco	O
programmer	O
who	O
had	O
died	O
a	O
few	O
years	O
earlier	O
in	O
1985	O
and	O
worked	O
on	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
older	O
games	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Dig	B-Application
Dug	I-Application
and	O
Super	B-Application
Pac-Man	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
several	O
home	O
systems	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
Sharp	B-Device
X68000	I-Device
,	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
and	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
is	O
included	O
in	O
several	O
Namco	O
video	O
game	O
compilations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
arcade	O
version	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
was	O
met	O
with	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
for	O
standing	O
out	O
amongst	O
other	O
shooter	O
games	O
,	O
being	O
praised	O
for	O
its	O
Paleozoic	O
setting	O
,	O
graphics	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
two	O
sequels	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
New	I-Application
Legend	I-Application
(	O
1988	O
)	O
and	O
Dragon	B-Application
Saber	I-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
is	O
a	O
vertical-scrolling	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
controls	O
the	O
dragon	O
Amul	O
in	O
his	O
effort	O
to	O
rescue	O
the	O
princess	O
Alicia	O
from	O
the	O
serpent	O
demon	O
Zawell	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Amul	O
can	O
move	O
in	O
eight	O
directions	O
and	O
has	O
access	O
to	O
two	O
weapons	O
;	O
a	O
flame	O
projectile	O
to	O
destroy	O
air-based	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
bomb	O
to	O
destroy	O
ground-stationed	O
enemies	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
Namco	O
's	O
Xevious	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
player	O
makes	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
ninth	O
level	O
and	O
defeats	O
Zawell	B-Application
,	O
Princess	O
Alicia	O
will	O
be	O
seen	O
held	O
captive	O
behind	O
glass	O
,	O
which	O
shatters	O
as	O
she	O
yells	O
"	O
Amul	O
!	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
dragon	O
then	O
retransforms	O
into	O
human	O
form	O
and	O
embraces	O
Alicia	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
end	O
scene	O
is	O
shown	O
where	O
the	O
people	O
of	O
the	O
kingdom	O
are	O
celebrating	O
peace	O
and	O
prosperity	O
now	O
that	O
Zawell	B-Application
's	O
reign	O
of	O
terror	O
is	O
over	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
by	O
Namco	O
on	O
May	O
15	O
,	O
1987	O
,	O
later	O
licensed	O
to	O
Atari	O
Games	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
asking	O
Wonder	B-Application
Momo	I-Application
composer	O
"	O
Yudate	O
"	O
how	O
to	O
add	O
music	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
code	O
,	O
he	O
inserted	O
many	O
of	O
his	O
tracks	O
during	O
his	O
own	O
time	O
—	O
once	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
behind	O
the	O
game	O
found	O
out	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
automatically	O
assigned	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
composer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
development	O
,	O
Namco	O
was	O
low	O
on	O
composers	O
as	O
many	O
of	O
them	O
went	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
Genpei	B-Application
Tōma	I-Application
Den	I-Application
,	O
allowing	O
Hosoe	O
to	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
compose	O
the	O
music	O
himself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Graphics	O
were	O
created	O
by	O
Tatsuya	O
Ishikawa	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
produced	O
character	O
artwork	O
for	O
Rolling	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
—	O
after	O
taking	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
enemy	O
designs	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
assigned	O
him	O
as	O
the	O
lead	O
artist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
was	O
ported	O
to	O
several	O
home	O
consoles	O
and	O
computers	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
,	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
Amiga	B-Device
,	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
and	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
Namco	O
ported	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
Sharp	B-Device
X68000	I-Device
and	O
PC-Engine	B-General_Concept
,	O
the	O
latter	O
being	O
published	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
by	O
NEC	O
for	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
is	O
included	O
in	O
several	O
Namco	O
video	O
game	O
compilations	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Namco	O
Museum	O
Vol	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
5	O
(	O
1997	O
)	O
,	O
Namco	O
Museum	O
50th	O
Anniversary	O
(	O
2005	O
)	O
,	O
Namco	O
Museum	O
Virtual	O
Arcade	O
(	O
2008	O
)	O
and	O
Namco	B-Application
Museum	I-Application
Essentials	I-Application
(	O
2009	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
conversion	O
was	O
digitally	O
re-released	O
onto	O
the	O
Wii	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
in	O
2007	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2009	O
exclusively	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
3	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
is	O
scheduled	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
under	O
the	O
Arcade	B-Application
Archives	I-Application
label	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
courtesy	O
of	O
Hamster	O
Corporation	O
(	O
the	O
current	O
rights	O
owner	O
of	O
Nihon	O
Bussan	O
's	O
,	O
UPL	O
's	O
,	O
and	O
NMK	O
's	O
games	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
fourth	O
highest-grossing	O
table	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1987	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
was	O
met	O
with	O
a	O
positive	O
response	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
who	O
praised	O
its	O
graphics	O
,	O
music	O
and	O
Paleozoic	O
setting	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
standing	O
out	O
among	O
other	O
similar	O
games	O
during	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
&	O
Video	O
Games	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
addictive	O
gameplay	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
saying	O
it	O
lives	O
up	O
to	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Galaxian	B-Application
and	O
Galaga	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
conversion	O
,	O
IGN	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
vibrant	O
graphics	O
,	O
unique	O
setting	O
and	O
challenge	O
,	O
recommending	O
the	O
title	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
Xevious	B-Application
and	O
other	O
similar	O
vertical-scrolling	O
shooters	O
,	O
while	O
Eurogamer	O
liked	O
its	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
one-hit	O
player	O
kill	O
and	O
colorful	O
visuals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
unfavorably	O
compared	O
it	O
to	O
Super	B-Device
Star	I-Device
Soldier	I-Device
,	O
only	O
recommending	O
it	O
to	O
hardcore	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Famitsu	O
awarded	O
the	O
PC-Engine	B-General_Concept
port	O
the	O
"	O
Gold	O
Hall	O
of	O
Fame	O
"	O
award	O
for	O
its	O
gameplay	O
and	O
strategy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
game	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
New	I-Application
Legend	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
in	O
1989	O
and	O
published	O
outside	O
Japan	O
by	O
Bandai	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
second	O
sequel	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Saber	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
arcades	O
in	O
1990	O
,	O
running	O
on	O
the	O
Namco	O
System	O
2	O
arcade	O
board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Subtitled	O
After	O
Story	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
,	O
this	O
game	O
adds	O
two-player	O
co-operative	O
play	O
,	O
charging	O
shots	O
and	O
new	O
enemy	O
types	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
PC-Engine	B-General_Concept
version	O
was	O
released	O
a	O
year	O
later	O
in	O
1991	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Japan-only	O
Namco	O
Museum	O
Encore	O
compilation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC-Engine	B-General_Concept
conversion	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Wii	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
in	O
2008	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
in	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Amul	O
appears	O
as	O
a	O
playable	O
character	O
in	O
the	O
WonderSwan	B-Operating_System
Color	I-Operating_System
role-playing	O
game	O
Namco	B-Application
Super	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
,	O
alongside	O
Princess	O
Alicia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
players	O
in	O
the	O
Family	B-Application
Stadium	I-Application
series	O
would	O
be	O
named	O
after	O
Amul	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
a	O
webcomic	O
adaptation	O
of	O
Dragon	B-Application
Spirit	I-Application
was	O
created	O
for	O
ShiftyLook	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
Namco	O
Bandai	O
Games	O
that	O
focused	O
on	O
reviving	O
older	O
Namco	O
game	O
franchises	O
for	O
use	O
in	O
comics	O
and	O
animations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
arrangement	O
of	O
the	O
Area	O
1	O
music	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
available	O
as	O
a	O
track	O
in	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
