History Recap / TheNostalgiaCriticS8E24

* ShoutOut: When Critic has Dirk fall for the [[SchmuckBait "Drink Me" trap]], he gets exasperated and asks if [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} Glados]] is running the place.
* JustForFun/XMeetsY: In-universe, Critic describes the difficulty of ''Dragon's Lair'' as like if ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]]'', the first NES ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'', and ''VideoGame/SilverSurfer'' were mashed up and you played them blindfolded as training for how hard the game is.

* XMeetsY: In-universe, Critic describes the difficulty of ''Dragon's Lair'' as like if ''[[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]]'', the first NES ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'', and ''VideoGame/SilverSurfer'' were mashed up and you played them blindfolded as training for how hard the game is.

Picking up from [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS8E23 the last review]], Critic is forced to play ''VideoGame/DragonsLair'' by Creator/DonBluth as punishment for making fun of his movies in the past.

* PokeThePoodle: Critic's "punishment" is just having to play ''Dragon's Lair'' under the threat of Don Bluth giving him more death glares. The Critic even admits that it doesn't sound that bad.

* PrecisionFStrike / AtomicFBomb: The Critic's incredulity towards, in the second game, having to pick up a butterfly at the same moment that fire is glowing, causes him to think that all of the first game's cruelty is condensed into a single "fuck you" moment. In response, he exclaims, "Well, guess what, 'fuck you' moment? '''''FUCK YOU!!!'''''"

* GuideDangIt / TrialAndErrorGameplay: Critic claims this is a flaw with the game, simply because it's not clear what you're supposed to do at some points (i.e. having to run away from the skulls as opposed to slashing them with your sword, which just gets you killed) and that the arcade games randomization of the levels makes it harder to memorize what you're supposed to do. He also criticizes ''Dragon's Lair II'' for using this for the items you have to collect, because you have to play through the entire game again to get them all before you reach the real ending. He particularly singles out the Beethoven sequence, because the butterfly you have to catch signals for you to grab it at the ''exact'' same moment the cat is breathing fire at you! It leads to the Critic giving an AtomicFBomb (see above).

* PrecisionFStrike / AtomicFBomb: The Critic's incredulity towards, in the second game, having to pick up a butterfly at the same moment that fire is glowing, causes him to think that all of the first game's cruelty is condensed into one "fuck-you" moment. In response, he exclaims, "Well, guess what, 'fuck-you' moment? '''''FUCK YOU!!!'''''"

* AtomicFBomb: The Critic gives one when he realizes that the one treasure he was missing in the second game with a butterfly that glows at the ''exact'' same time as a cat is breathing fire. (see GuideDangIt and TrialAndErrorGameplay below).
-->'''Critic:''' It's like the extended of cruelty of the first game is condensed down into a one single solitary "fuck you" moment. Well, guess what, "fuck you" moment? '''''FUCK YOU!!!'''''

* PrecisionFStrike: The Critic's incredulity towards, in the second game, having to pick up a butterfly at the same moment that fire is glowing, causes him to think that all of the first game's cruelty is condensed into one "fuck-you" moment. In response, he exclaims, "Well, guess what, 'fuck-you' moment? FUCK YOU!!!"

* BluntYes: The Critic asks Bluth if he realizes that his last video game review, that of ''Bart's Nightmare'', was a flop, and Bluth replies, "Yep."

* GuideDangIt / TrialAndErrorGameplay: Critic claims this is a flaw with the game, simply because it's not clear what you're supposed to do at some points (i.e. having to run away from the skulls as opposed to slashing them with your sword, which just gets you killed) and that the arcade games randomization of the levels makes it harder to memorize what you're supposed to do. He also criticizes ''Dragon's Lair II'' for using this for the items you have to collect, because you have to play through the entire game again to get them all before you reach the real ending. He particularly singles out the Beethoven sequence, because the butterfly you have to catch signals for you to grab it at the ''exact'' same moment the cat is breathing fire at you!

--> '''Critic:''' One of my favourite things is hearing Dirk's wide variety of cowardly screams.\\
'''Don:''' They're heard more often when you play!\\

* MakeMeWannaShout: Randy Savage and Segata Sanshiro get into a literal shouting match with each other near the end, and it unwittingly blows up Africa.

* SeriousBusiness: At the end, Randy Savage and Segata Sanshiro endorse the making of the Dragon's Lair movie, so much so that they engage in a fight that has nothing to do with what they are promoting. They both end telling the viewers to help fund the making of the film or face Bluth's death glare.

* TheManyDeathsOfYou: One of the main draws of the original games and of this retrospective.
--> '''Critic:''' One of my favourite things is hearing Dirk's wide variety of cowardly screams.\\
'''Don:''' They're heard more often when you play!

* RedHerring: Critic flips out at the part where Dirk has to choose between "two glowy things" (the command prompts) in a split second, and how picking the wrong one (the chain instead of the hole in the wall nearby) gets Kirk swept away in a flood.

** Early in the review, Critic references the last time he played a video game and how it blew up in his face, referring to the events and reception of the infamous ''[[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS4E33 Lets Play Barts Nightmare]]'' episode.

* HamtoHamCombat: The whole Randy Savage and Segata Sanshiro scene.

* PokeThePoodle: Critic's "punishment" is just having to play ''Dragon's Lair'' under the threat of Don Bluth giving him more death glares.

* GuideDangIt / TrialAndErrorGameplay: Critic claims this is a flaw with the game, simply because it's not clear what you're supposed to do at some points (i.e. having to run away from the skulls as opposed to slashing them with your sword, which just gets you killed) and that the arcade games randomization of the levels makes it harder to memorize what you're supposed to do. He also criticizes ''Dragon's Lair II'' for using this for the items you have to collect, because you literally have to play through the entire game again to get them all before you reach the real ending. He particularly singles out the Beethoven sequence, because the butterfly you have to catch signals for you to grab it at the ''exact'' same moment the cat is breathing fire at you!

'''Don:''' I can usually win this in about ten minutes.\\

* GuideDangIt / TrialAndErrorGameplay: Critic claims this is a flaw with the game, simply because it's not clear what you're supposed to do at some points (i.e. having to run away from the skulls as opposed to slashing them with your sword, which just gets you killed) and that the arcade games randomization of the levels makes it harder to memorize what you're supposed to do. He also criticizes Dragon's Lair II for using this for the items you have to collect, because you literally have to play through the entire game again to get them all before you reach the real ending. He particularly singles out the Beethoven sequence, because the butterfly you have to catch signals for you to grab it at the ''exact'' same moment the cat is breathing fire at you!

-->''(as Critic loses the fight against the Lizard King)''\\

'''Don:''' I can usually win this game in about ten minutes.\\

Picking up from [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS8E23 the last review]], Critic is forced to play VideoGame/DragonsLair by Creator/DonBluth as punishment for making fun of his movies in the past.

* CallBack: Early in the review, Critic references the last time he played a video game and how it blew up in his face, referring to the events and reception of the infamous ''[[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS4E33 Lets Play Barts Nightmare]]'' episode.

* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Don Bluth forces Critic to play Dragons Lair under the threat of giving more death glares as "punishment" for Critic making fun of his movies in the past.
* DeathGlare: Don Bluth threatens to give this to Critic again if he doesn't play the game. He even calls it a death glare. The ending has Randy Savage say to shill the Dragon's Lair Indiegogo campaign, or Bluth will give the audience the "death stare".
* DeadpanSnarker: Don Bluth pulls no punches in mocking the Critic while he's playing Dragon's Lair.

* KaizoTrap: Critic almost wins Dragons Lair II, [[YankTheDogsChain but he loses the game and his last life on it]] when he gets blindsided by the very last command prompt in the game. Don Bluth rubs it in his face by putting it at the top of his Top 11 Dragons Lair Deaths list.

* MindScrew: Critic likes Dragon's Lair II, but even he admits the game makes absolutely no sense at all.
* NintendoHard: While Critic is a big Don Bluth fan and likes the innovative elements of the game, his big beef with it is that its just way too hard.
* PokeThePoodle: Critic's "punishment" is just having to play Dragon's Lair under the threat of Don Bluth giving him more death glares.
* ProductPlacement: At the end of the review, the Critic shills the up and coming Indiegogo campaign for the Dragon's Lair movie project, complete with Randy Savage and Advertising/SegataSanshiro appearing to promote it!

* XMeetsY: He describes the difficulty of Dragon's Lair as like if [[VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink Zelda II]], the first NES [[VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game]], and [[VideoGame/SilverSurfer Silver Surfer]] were mashed up and you played them blindfolded as training for how hard the game is.

** Randy Savage and Segata Sanshiros cameo appearances also call back to the previous ''Conquest of the Commercials'' review.

* KaizoTrap: Critic almost wins Dragons Lair II, but he loses the game and his last life on it when he gets blindsided by the very last command prompt in the game. Don Bluth rubs it in his face by putting it at the top of his Top 11 Dragons Lair Deaths list.

* CallBack: Early in the review, Critic references the last time he played a video game and how it blew up in his face, referring to the events and reception of the infamous ''[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS4E33 Lets Play Barts Nightmare]]'' episode.

* CallBack: Early in the review, Critic references the last time he played a video game and how it blew up in his face, referring to the events and reception of the infamous ''Lets Play Barts Nightmare'' episode.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Randy Savage and Segata Sanshiro's cameo appearance and shouting match has virtually nothing to do with the rest of the review. A caption in-episode even admits its not relevant to whats being advertised at all.

* EvenBetterSequel: Critic believes that ''Dragons Lair II: Time Warp'' is a better put together game than the first one, mainly because the command prompts are more clear and common.