Dragon 32 - Retro Computer Museum

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR Motorola MC6809E
@ 0.895 MHz
Advanced 8-bit CPU

MEMORY 32 KB RAM
16 KB ROM
Microsoft Extended BASIC

GRAPHICS Motorola MC6847 VDG
256×192 (graphics)
9 graphics modes
8 colors + CSS variant

SOUND 6-bit DAC
1 channel sound
Via MC6847 VDG chip

STORAGE Cassette interface
Optional floppy disk
Cartridge port

I/O 2× joystick ports
Parallel printer port
Serial port
Expansion bus

EVOLUTION TIMELINE

1982 - Dragon Data Founded
Company established in Port Talbot, Wales to manufacture affordable home computers. Dragon 32 launched at £199. Based on TRS-80 Color Computer design.

1983 - Dragon 64 Released
Upgraded model with 64KB RAM launched. Improved graphics capabilities and additional features. Price remained competitive against rivals.

1983 - Financial Troubles
Despite initial sales success, cash flow problems emerge. Competition from Sinclair and Commodore intensifies. Dragon Data struggles to maintain market position.

1984 - Company Collapse
Dragon Data goes into receivership. Eurohard S.A. in Spain acquires rights and continues limited production. Short but memorable run ends.

1985-1987 - Spanish Production
Eurohard produces Dragon 200 and 200-E models. Primarily for Spanish market. Eventually ceases production as 16-bit era begins.

NOTABLE GAMES & SOFTWARE

DUNGEONS OF DAGGORATH

1982 | DynaMicro

First-person dungeon crawler with real-time combat. Atmospheric sound effects created tension. Revolutionary for its time. Influenced later RPGs significantly.

DONUT DILEMMA

1983 | Microdeal

Fast-paced arcade action where you collect donuts while avoiding enemies. Colorful graphics and addictive gameplay. One of the Dragon's most popular titles.

BUZZARD BAIT

1983 | The Edge

Innovative action game with unique mechanics. Guide your character through challenging levels. Showcased the Dragon's graphical capabilities well.

CUTHBERT SERIES

1983 | Microdeal

Series of platform games featuring Cuthbert the character. Included "Cuthbert Goes Walkabout" and others. Charming and challenging gameplay.

RAMPAGE

1988 | Activision

Arcade conversion where you play as giant monsters destroying cities. Impressive port considering hardware limitations. Multiplayer fun.

PHANTOM SLAYER

1982 | Med Systems

Text adventure with basic graphics. Hunt the phantom through a mansion. Classic adventure gaming that pushed imagination.

THE MOTOROLA 6809 - TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

While the Dragon 32 had a short commercial life, it featured one of the most elegant 8-bit processors ever designed.

Advanced Architecture

The Motorola 6809 was arguably the most sophisticated 8-bit CPU. It featured two 8-bit accumulators that could function as a 16-bit register, two index registers, hardware multiply, and an advanced instruction set. Many consider it the pinnacle of 8-bit processor design.

Programming Paradise

The 6809's clean architecture made assembly language programming a joy. Position-independent code was easy to write. The processor influenced later designs, including the 68000 series used in the Amiga and Atari ST.

Microsoft Extended BASIC

The Dragon's BASIC implementation was one of Microsoft's best 8-bit offerings. It included advanced graphics commands and was more capable than many competitors. Programs could achieve impressive results with relatively simple code.

CULT FOLLOWING & LEGACY

Despite its commercial failure, the Dragon 32/64 developed a devoted following that persists today.

Welsh Pride

The Dragon was a source of national pride in Wales. A Welsh company competing with global giants deserved respect. The dragon logo symbolized Welsh determination and innovation.

TRS-80 CoCo Compatibility

The Dragon's architecture was nearly identical to the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer. This meant a large library of compatible software existed. Cross-platform development was common, extending the Dragon's software library significantly.

Modern Revival

Dragon enthusiasts continue to develop new software and hardware. Emulators preserve the Dragon experience for new generations. Annual meets and online communities keep the dragon's fire burning. FPGA recreations allow perfect hardware simulation.

What Could Have Been

With better marketing and financial backing, the Dragon could have been a major player. Its technical specifications were competitive, and the 6809 processor was superior to the Z80 and 6502 in many ways. The Dragon 32 remains a "what if" story in computing history—a brilliant machine that deserved better.