Dragons Crown is an action role-playing game structured like a traditional side-scrolling beat 'em up where players move their characters across the screen into the background or foreground attacking enemies. Players may choose between one of six characters--Fighter, Amazon, Elf, Sorceress, Wizard, and Dwarf--who must travel though a number of environments using standard attacks as well as magic spells to defeat enemies.Each character has their own specific strengths and weaknesses such as attack power, movement speed, special attacks, and selection of magic, with the characters' growth throughout the game also being customizable by the player.
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During gameplay, players may come across items which can be used to aid characters, as well as equipment and weapons which can increase a character's statistics and battle strength. The title features branching paths in every level which are traveled based on the player's decisions during gameplay, such as choosing to steal an item from a boss character, running instead of engaging an enemy, or searching for secrets, which will lead to alternate areas. Quests may also be undertaken by players which hold specific objectives for each dungeon, which all come with their own rewards.
The game features an online mode over Sony's PlayStation Network which allows up to four players to experience the game simultaneously. When a player's character runs out of lives during online play, another player may gather their bones to trade into special merchant characters who can bring that character back as an AI-controlled partner. Players may also communicate using an in-game pop-up system which can quickly convey simple messages such as "thank you" to another person.
The PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions of the game were designed to be identical and compatible with the same save data, which can be freely transferred between both systems. In addition, the PlayStation Vita version uses its touchscreen for item management in place of the PlayStation 3's DualShock analog stick.
The game takes place in a fantasy world where vast labyrinths and catacombs lie beneath civilization. Magic-users seeking a legendary treasure known as the "Dragon's Crown" have used their sorcery to link each of the ruins together in order to search for it, which they plan to use for a sinister purpose. Players must take up the role of one of six adventurers to keep the crown out of their hands, as well as search for treasure of their own.
