Just picked up Dungeon Explorer for the Sega CD. Worthy entry into the series?

[PikachuWarrior]

I know the two DE games are on Turbo CD. Is the Sega CD version worth playing before the others?

[CrackTiger]

It's completely different from the Turbo versions. The only Dungeon Explorer related game that is similar to the Turbo games is Crystal Beans, which is basically just a butchered port of DEII. Playing the Turbo games first may give you the incentive to play through the Sega-CD and SFC games and make them more enjoyable.

[roflmao]

Th first DE actually came on a HuCard.  It's definitely worth hunting down.  It's cheap and lots of fun, especially if you can get a friend or four to play.  

US DE II is pretty pricey these days but the PCE version can still be had for under $20.  There's a lot of Japanese text, but I've been able to make it through a couple of dungeons without much trouble.

Both games have great music.  I've never played the Sega CD version and I've heard mixed reviews, but I'd play that bad boy now if I had it.

[turboswimbz]

I have the first DE on HUcard and the Sega CD version.  I would get the Turbo versions and play them first.  The Sega CD is okay at best, it really is just not as good as the other games.  The story is quite non-existant in the sega game so far. - your on a quest for treasure - and go randomly.

[jelloslug]

DE is one of my all time favorite TG-16 games.  Well worth a play through.

[fraggore]

tried to get into the sega cd version but just seems a bit crap i realy hate you have to eat food or you die its seperate to you energy bar that's a game breaker for me.

[Joe Redifer]

Sega CD Dungeon Explorer is more like Gauntlet, I think. But that doesn't mean it's a bad game. I had lots of fun with it.

[DragonmasterDan]

It's not a  bad game. I haven't played it in many many years. I remember it being super difficult.

[Aggie Tsubi]

It's different, but the Sega CD game is still very much worth playing. It's so freakin' tough, though. Be prepared to get your ass handed to you time and time again and flee for your life when you need to.

[A Black Falcon]

Unfortunately, the Sega CD Dungeon Explorer game isn't anywhere near as good as either one of the TG16/CD titles.  It has nice graphics and music, but the gameplay has some serious issues.  They dropped the first DE's "you level up by beating bosses" system with an experience-based one, but it's balanced badly, so exploiting it is not hard, and even if you don't the game just isn't as much fun as it should be because of the messed up balance.  There are also fewer characters to play as in SCD Dungeon Explorer; there are only six, and they're all male too.  No unlockable characters this time.  At least the game does have nice graphics and sound, four player multiplayer, and it is a new, exclusive title, but other than that... really, overall I'd rather play the first game on TG16 again, instead of the Sega CD game.

Tehe game is also odd in that it's a Japanese-developed game that was only released in the West... I know that in 1995 when it released the Sega CD was dying in Japan, but still, it's odd that it wasn't released at all.  I mean, the SCD did have a handful of releases that year in Japan, but not this one.  With other games like that it's easy to see why, because they're TGCD ports (Cobra 2, Snatcher, Lords of Thunder), but this one isn't a port.