Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara is widely considered a crown jewel of CAPCOM’s mid‑90s CPS‑2 era.
This is an original Japanese B1 poster issued in 1996 by CAPCOM to promote Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara, CAPCOM’s officially licensed arcade sequel created in partnership with TSR (the original publisher of D&D). Posters of this kind were produced in very limited quantities for Japanese arcades/operators and were never sold commercially, making authentic survivors extremely scarce today.
The artwork is absolutely breathtaking: a cinematic, high‑fantasy illustration of a towering dragon emerging from a volcanic inferno as adventurers charge in—capturing the game’s epic tabletop‑meets‑arcade spirit in one unforgettable image. Along the bottom border, the poster showcases the playable party/classes rendered in crisp character art (the classic D&D lineup, including Fighter, Cleric, Elf, Dwarf, Thief, and Magic‑User/Wizard), anchored by the bold CAPCOM logo and the prominent TSR emblem—an important authenticity detail, reinforced by the printed licensing text (“DUNGEONS & DRAGONS… and the TSR logo… used under license.”) and the ©1996 copyright line.
Artist note (identification): the main painted illustration is signed “Easley” within the artwork (visible on the right-side wooden structure), strongly suggesting the work of legendary TSR fantasy illustrator Jeff Easley—one of the most celebrated artists in classic D&D history. Whether you collect arcade ephemera, D&D memorabilia, or fantasy illustration, this poster presents as a genuine wall‑worthy piece.
Shadow Over Mystara (1996) is revered for blending traditional belt‑scrolling brawler action with RPG depth—branching routes, secret areas, character builds, spells and items, and multiple endings—creating a true co‑op “adventure campaign” experience in arcade form. It remains a fan favorite for its dense sprite work, signature CAPCOM combat feel, and authentic D&D atmosphere.
Condition:
This poster presents very strongly with rich, dramatic color and excellent overall display impact. Please note: the reverse shows visible moisture staining along the lower-left area (with associated waviness), and there is a small split/tear near the lower border visible in the close-up imagery. Minor handling/wear consistent with age and original arcade use may be present—please see the additional photos provided (front and back) for full detail.
As with nearly all arcade promotional posters, print runs were very small compared with film posters, and survival rates are extremely low—especially for licensed crossover pieces like this (CAPCOM × TSR).
Provenance:
This is an original Japanese-market, non-commercial B1 arcade promotional poster for Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara (1996), sourced from private arcade ephemera holdings. It was produced strictly for promotional display and not for public retail sale.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
A Certificate of Authenticity is included.
