{{Short description|Upcoming video game}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox video game |title = Dragon Hopper |image = Virtual Boy Dragon Hopper cover art.jpg |caption = Preliminary North American cover art |developer = Intelligent Systems |publisher = Nintendo |platforms = Virtual Boy |released = 2026 |genre = Action-adventure |modes = Single-player }} {{nihongo foot|'''''Dragon Hopper'''''|ドラゴンホッパー|''Doragon Hoppā''|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is an upcoming action-adventure video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. It was originally scheduled with a 1996 release date exclusively for the Virtual Boy. Along with Japan System Supply's ''Bound High!'', it would have been one of the first second-generation titles for the system if not for its discontinuation, leading to the game's cancellation. The game will receive its first official release in 2026 as part of the Nintendo Classics service, under the name '''''D-Hopper'''''.
Players control the young dragon prince Dorin as he embarks on a journey through the land of Faeron rescuing fairies and elemental spirits from enemy captivity in order to free his jailed loved ones and defeat a corrupt prime minister. ''Dragon Hopper'' was showcased on various trade shows and previewed in video game magazines but it was ultimately shelved due to the failure of the Virtual Boy itself, despite being completed for release.
== Gameplay and premise == thumb|left|Screenshot of ''Dragon Hopper''. The Virtual Boy uses a red-and-black color scheme for its games. ''Dragon Hopper'' is a top-down action-adventure game similar to ''The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening'' and ''Virtual Boy Wario Land'' where players take control of young dragon prince Dorin, the protagonist, who lives in the kingdom of Celestia with his family and girlfriend Diana until all but Dorin are captured by a corrupt prime minister. Dorin falls into a hole that leads him to the land of Faeron, where he must climb back up to stop the prime minister through multi-level maze-like stages of varying themes.<ref name="DH1"/><ref name="DH13"/><ref name="DH2"/><ref name="DH7"/><ref name="DH9"/>
Players have the ability to make Dorin jump onto staggered floors floating above the main playfield.<ref name="DH1"/><ref name="DH13"/><ref name="DH2"/><ref name="DH7"/><ref name="DH9"/> Dorin does not get hurt from high falls, though there are obstacles that hurt him if he lands on them. Players explore the levels collecting scattered items, interact with non-player characters, and defeat monsters to progress. Each stage also hosts hidden warps to a magic shop, where players can spend earned Star Coins on new magic spells or enter a bonus room.<ref name="DH2"/>
At the end of each stage, a boss must be fought in order to progress further on the adventure. After doing so, an elemental spirit grants hints and new abilities to Dorin. Through the journey, Dorin is attended by a small fairy who provides help to the player. With battery-backed memory, a special feature called "Element of Discovery" allows Dorin to wander through each level in search of a star that transports him to the next level.<ref name="DH9"/>
== History == ''Dragon Hopper'' was first revealed alongside ''Bound High!'' to the attendees of Shoshinkai 1995 and later in video game magazines in 1996, with plans to reach store shelves during summer of the same year. It went by the name ''D-Hopper''.<ref name="DH1">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s004038002|title=Pak Watch - Dragon Hopper|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=83|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=April 1996|page=101|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611030651/http://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s004038003|archive-date=2015-06-11|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DH2">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s003022003|title=In The Red - Red or Dead - Virtually Here|magazine=Total!|issue=53|publisher=Future plc|date=May 1996|page=38|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713191930/http://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s003022003|archive-date=2017-07-13|url-status=live}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} The game was showcased along with ''Bound High!'' in a playable state at the show floor of E3 1996,<ref name="DH9">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s003023001|title=The Second Coming|magazine=Total!|issue=56|publisher=Future plc|date=August 1996|page=9|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713185952/http://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s003023001|archive-date=2017-07-13|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DH3">{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:Edge_UK_034.pdf&page=8|title=Cutting Edge - E<sup>3</sup>: Nintendo rekindles Mario's magic|magazine=Edge|issue=34|publisher=Future plc|date=July 1996|page=8}}</ref><ref name="DH4">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_4_Issue_07/page/n33|title=E3 Expo Los Angeles - 1996 Software Lineup|magazine=GameFan|volume=4|issue=7|publisher=Shinno Media|date=July 1996|page=32}}</ref><ref name="DH5">{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:MAN!AC_DE_1996-07.pdf&page=24|title=Electronic Entertainment Expo E3 - 16-bit Das Finale|magazine=MAN!AC|issue=33|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=July 1996|page=24|lang=de|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131195648/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:MAN!AC_DE_1996-07.pdf&page=24|archive-date=2019-01-31}}</ref><ref name="DH6">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s004041002|title=E3 - Only The Beginning: Virtual Boy|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=86|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=July 1996|page=18|access-date=9 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530080004/https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s004041002|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> with a scheduled release date of 26 August 1996 in both the United States and Japan.<ref name="DH8">{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1996-07.pdf&page=20|title=Messe - E3 Expo Los Angeles '96 - L.A. Messe|magazine=Video Games|issue=56|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=July 1996|page=20|lang=de|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131195648/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1996-07.pdf&page=20|archive-date=2019-01-31}}</ref><ref name="SP46">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superplay_Issue_46_1996-08_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n9/mode/1up|title=Super Express - Virtual Boy Games Explosion!|magazine=Super Play|issue=46|publisher=Future Publishing|date=August 1996|page=10}}</ref><ref name="DH11">{{cite magazine|title=Reporte Especial: Expo E3 Los Angeles '96 - Dragon Hooper|magazine=Club Nintendo|issue=56|publisher=Editorial Televisa|date=1996|page=43|lang=es}}</ref><ref name="DH12">{{cite magazine|title=Este Mes En El Barrio...|magazine=Club Nintendo|issue=57|publisher=Editorial Televisa|date=1996|page=61|lang=es}}</ref> It received previews from publications such as ''Nintendo Power'' magazine,<ref name="DH13">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s050198001|title=Informacion Virtual - Dragon Hopper|magazine=Club Nintendo|issue=59|publisher=Editorial Televisa|date=1996|page=20|lang=es|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530075007/https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s050198001|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DH7">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s004041003|title=Preview: Dragon Hopper - Virtual Boy|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=86|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=July 1996|pages=26–27|access-date=9 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530023735/https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s004041003|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DH10">{{cite magazine|last=Eggebrecht|first=Julian|author-link=Julian Eggebrecht|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s001007002|title=Reportage - Virtual Boy - Die rot-schwarze 3D-Revolution?|magazine=Total!|issue=41|publisher=X-Plain-Verlag|date=October 1996|pages=58–61|lang=de|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713204900/http://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s001007002|archive-date=2017-07-13|url-status=live}}</ref> but was eventually cancelled due to Nintendo discontinuing the Virtual Boy for being a critical and commercial failure.<ref name="DH14">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_091_February_1997#page/n28/mode/1up|title=ProNews: Nintendo Kills the Virtual Boy|magazine=GamePro|issue=101|publisher=IDG|date=February 1997|page=27|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707033430/https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_091_February_1997#page/n28/mode/1up|archive-date=2018-07-07}}</ref><ref name="DH15">{{cite magazine|last=Moore|first=Jason|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s034133001|title=The Lost Big Brother: Virtual Boy|magazine=Retrogames|issue=22|date=2004|access-date=9 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530123435/https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s034133001|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DH17">{{cite web|last=Ciolek|first=Todd|url=http://www.1up.com/features/creative-compelling-canceled-lost-games|title=Creative, Compelling, and Canceled: Lost Games that Could Have Shaken the System|publisher=1UP.com|date=6 August 2012|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416121952/http://www.1up.com/features/creative-compelling-canceled-lost-games|archive-date=2015-04-16|url-status=dead}}</ref> Until its eventual 2026 release, the only remaining proof of its existence were various screenshots taken by several gaming magazines and gameplay footage, while no prototypes containing a ROM image of the game were found.<ref name="DH16">{{cite magazine|last=Moore|first=Jason|url=https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s034140002|title=World of Nintendo - Faceball Discovered for Virtual Boy|magazine=Retrogames|issue=23|date=Summer 2004|access-date=9 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530084920/https://www.planetvb.com/modules/articles/?s034140002|archive-date=30 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DH18">{{cite web|last=Ciolek|first=Todd|url=http://www.1up.com/features/missing-notable-games-lost-to-time|title=Among the Missing: Notable Games Lost to Time|publisher=1UP.com|date=15 October 2012|access-date=2019-09-09|archive-url=https://archive.today/20151026024831/http://www.1up.com/features/missing-notable-games-lost-to-time|archive-date=2015-10-26|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="DH19">{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Za3dAmtBKU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/0Za3dAmtBKU |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|work=YouTube|date=17 January 2017|first=El Roh|last=Rodríguez|title=Nintendomania - Tips, noticias y Reviews (6min 38sec)|access-date=2019-09-09}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.esrb.org/ratings/1840/Dragon+Hopper/|title=Dragon Hopper|work=Entertainment Software Rating Board|publisher=Entertainment Software Association|date=2019|access-date=2019-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928230413/https://www.esrb.org/ratings/1840/Dragon+Hopper/|archive-date=28 September 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 27 January 2026, 30 years after its original intended release window, Nintendo announced that the game would be officially released for the first time on the Nintendo Classics service later that year, under the English name of "D-Hopper".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Romano|first=Sal|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2026/01/virtual-boy-nintendo-classics-overview-trailer|title=Virtual Boy – Nintendo Classics 'Overview' trailer|website=Gematsu|date=27 January 2026|access-date=27 January 2026}}</ref>
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.planetvb.com/modules/games/?u004g ''Dragon Hopper''] at Planet Virtual Boy
{{Virtual Boy}} {{Intelligent Systems}} {{Portal bar|1990s|Japan|Video games}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragon Hopper}} Category:Upcoming video games scheduled for 2026 Category:Action-adventure games Category:Nintendo Classics games Category:Virtual Boy games Category:Video games about dragons Category:Fantasy video games Category:Intelligent Systems games Category:Nintendo games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Previously unreleased video games