#me playing dragon quest on my dragon quest ds next to my dragon quest 11 sylvando corkboard while watching a video essay about dragon quest

[goblinroleplay]

hes so babygirl i need to woobify him NEEOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!

[glassmarcus]

Dragon Quest 4‘s JRPG vibes

So weirdly enough, I had never touched a true Dragon Quest game until this year. Sure I've played the first Dragon Quest Heroes, checked out the Dragon Quest Builders demo, watched like 5 episodes of the Dragon Quest: Adventures of Dai reboot, and played a few matches as The Hero in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, but I never experienced a numbered entry. I’m not sure if you've heard, but Dragon Quest is a bit of a big deal. Even if you don't make full eye contact with the franchise, It's pretty hard to avoid seeing it in your periphery. Dragon Quest was always something that I assumed was up my alley, but I don't want to get sucked in to playing 11 games that aren't all necessarily accessible. So I avoided its gaze. But upon the passing of franchise artist, Akira Toriyama, my attention towards the series became harder to divert.

It was never a question of if I would engage with main line Dragon Quest, but to what degree I would. First of all, its character art is helmed by the GOAT himself, so I was magnetized towards it by default. I'm willing to give everything Toriyama had a hand in a shot. If my Xbox Series S had the ability to play games that aren't Sonic Unleashed, I would have already played Blue Dragon by now. But even beyond wanting to celebrate Toriyama's legacy and appreciating his craft, Dragon Quest was always an inevitability due to its DNA being a part of every Japanese Role Playing Game that came after it. The curiosity is too strong for me to resist.

When the first entry in the series was on sale on the Nintendo Eshop, I pounced at the chance to try it out. My first reaction to this purchase was "Wait, this isn't the NES version". It seemed to be some mobile rerelease of the original game. I didn't research this, I just know in my soul that's what it was. The graphics looked a bit more modern and I assumed there were quality of life additions that would make my journey smoother while still evoking the soul of the original. So I started playing it, and seeing it in motion really caught me off guard. When you combine the constant idle movement of the sprites with the mediocre art, this game becomes profoundly ugly. I was having trouble keeping my dinner down with how ugly it was. I'm talking Greek tragedy where the goddess of beauty gets jealous of someone levels of ugly. My face was scrunched up for the next hour after seeing it. I came to this series because of the art, I wasn't going to subject myself to this much of a downgrade. I had no choice but to accept my loss of 3 dollars and drop the playthrough.

I decided to not trust Dragon Quest 2 and 3 on the Eshop and jump straight to Dragon Quest 4: Chapters of the Chosen. Still seeking Quality of Life improvements, I gravitated towards the DS remake. And I was elated to see that this version of the game isn't a hideous chimera of conflicting art directions. It looks good for the most part and the sprite art for Toriyama's designs really shine in the battles. The overworld sprites leave a bit to be desired but I'm sure the original wasn't much better in that regard. Again, not researching this at, it’s just a gut feeling I have.

Going into a popular old school JRPGs such as this, I expected to get closer to the roots of the conventions I've come accustomed to. With Dragon Quest 4, it wasn't just the norms that I saw start to blossom, but the more fringe ideas as well. Dragon Quest 4 has a very odd structure. It's set up like a 5 act saga and it adds such grandeur to the whole journey. And what makes it so different is that the first 4 acts are basically nothing but set up. Each act follows a different group of main characters and their own mini adventures. They're vignettes, but they are also well connected in that they increasing build toward the main scenario in act 5. Each story in Dragon Quest 4: Chapters of the Chosen acts as its own tutorial on how to play a JRPG

Chapter 1 is the base essence of the gameplay loop: Hit creatures that are weaker than you, so that you can get stronger and have more creatures that are weaker than you that you can hit. You play as a knight who can only attack and defend as options. And you won't be defending in this part of the game. It's quite dull, but I will admit there is a satisfaction to just slugging it out with the boss of the chapter after leveling up to the point in which you can do so.

Chapter 2 adds far more to the basics with party management and magic. In this part of the game you follow the adventures of a Tsarevna and her two vassals. I'm not sure how it works in the original, but in this version you have full control over each party member's actions and those actions are far more varied than just attacking. This is where the battles become even slightly interesting as you have to manage party members hp and mp and figure out which roles they will play in fights.

Chapter 3 introduces an important aspect of all RPGs, the economy. This vignette is about a merchant trying to start his own business, and the only way to do that is by completing quest and selling inventory. Gameplay wise, it's similar to chapter 1 as you only control one character without any magic. But the task you do outside of battles are far more complex and require exploration and knowledge of the world.

Chapter 4...doesn't really have a strong identity of its own. You play as 2 sisters who are both magic users so you aren't doing anything particularly new. The only lesson it serves to teach is how vital item use can be mid battle, as that lesson acts as the bouncer for the real game that comes afterwards.

Chapter 5 is where the game opens up for you to fully explore. It takes a hell of a long time to get going, but I respect the structure. It's very similar to how Mother 3 introduces its party members before chapter 4 starts. I have little doubt that Mother 3 derived its structure from Chapters of the Chosen, unless there's some other older RPG that takes this vignette approach. I'm no expert on the roots of RPG history, I really only know the bullet points. Regardless, I love seeing connections of mechanics and tropes throughout time.

I played this game mainly for research purposes and I walked away with many mixed conclusions on it. It was pretty much exactly the experience I sought out. Dragon Quest 4 has Immaculate JRPG vibes. It feels like an adventure where anything can happen and it can only achieve this by being unhinged. A lot of modern RPGs have a fair level curve where you can usually beat any enemy you encounter and can avoid the ones you can't beat. Dragon Quest plays by different rules. Every area of this game is a potpourri of monsters of varied strength and composition. Some encounters might be cake walks, others might be marathons. You'll be fighting a couple of weak healing slimes in one battle and then pulling up to a hardened gang of shamans who can Insta-kill you in the next. It is frustrating, but the friction the game provides does a lot to sell this dangerous, yet wondrous dungeon delving world.

The disorganized balancing is but a small piece to the Dragon Quest puzzle. This opposition to the player is baked into every mechanic in the game. Dragon Quest 4 is game composed almost exclusively out of monkey paws. There are a lot of really strong spells your party members can use against monsters and it adds a lot to strategies you can build in fights. But the down side of this is that enemies can use any of these spells, so those same ones can be used against you. I know spamming sleep magic is effective because I've seen the results on both the sending and receiving end.

And it's not just the spells being symmetrical in availability that acts as a double edged sword. The effects of those spells follow that same internal logic. Spells can miss you seemingly at random, but your spells can just as easily fail. Even the ability to resurrect party members isn't guaranteed on both sides. My favorite example has to be the bounce spell. It reflects spells back at the caster and can be a great counter to magic attacks. It is not however, a good counter to healing magic, as that is also reflected. Characters with this buff cannot be healed sometimes. When you cast bounce, you need to be sure your character doesn't need anymore buffs afterwards and that you have plenty of healing items to use instead. It adds this risk and reward to the spell and ends up being far more interesting than if the spell only worked with damaging spells.

Keeping up to date with the best equipment available is vital to your success in this game, so it's only natural that the most brutal double edge sword can be a literal double edge sword. Cursed items are an RPG staple. Them being present in Chapters of the Chosen is no surprise, but the commitment to the permanency is still appreciated. You will get a debuff if you have a cursed weapon, and you will not be able to unequip them. There may be some way to cleanse the curse, probably at a church or something, but when I encountered it I didn't know how and just had to adapt and accept that my tank would always go last in the turn order.

The adaptation to the brutal old RPG design sensibilities is what makes this game enjoyable. If there was no memorable adversity, I would have just been bored. Modern RPGs, hell, even just slightly later RPGs than this one, have more interesting battle mechanics and satisfying traversal. They don't really need this kind of design to be fun and would probably just get in the way. If Octopath Traveler pulled some of the shit this game pulled, I would have never gotten through it. I know this for certain because the secret final boss feels like some early JRPG bullshit and I never actually beat it because the 60 hours of game prior to that were relatively friction-less. I feel like there's a balance between mechanical smoothness and roughness that I want games to have.

I don't think Dragon Quest 4 comes close to hitting this balance, but I still had fun with it. I don’t know if it is good or bad, but it's funny and charming, which I think are all I really require to like a game. its consistency in its mechanics and indifference to the player feels brutal, but that only strengthens the contrast from the surface level coziness of the setting. That dissonance is where I think the essence of classic JPRGs comes from. If this story had a dark and grim tone, but was mechanically the same, I wouldn't fuck with it. But it's a colorful world filled with goofy Akira Toriyama Monsters. So when I get jumped by a gang of Giant Slimes and get party wiped, I can’t help but smile along with them.

[clownkiwi]

actually, if im gonna be honest, even though i've had dragon quest 9 & 6 on my ds, as well as dragon quest 1 on my phone, ive never finished any of the games

i just, never had

like, i mainly used dragon quest 9 to make more and more characters and customize their armour & weapons & classes, but ive never finished it

and even funnier shit??? i found out my best friend alao had dragon quest 9 for his ds, but i never even knew until recently!!! like, in the past few years that is

and like, when i heard that dragon quest 10 was an mmorpg, i was very excited about that!!! like, i liked dragon quest 9 a lot, the fact that the next game was an mmo was really exciting for me!!! sadly, it never came out in the west i think (unlike final fantasy 11 & 14, which the servers for final fantasy 11!!! aee still up!!!!!!), and that really sucks, but when i heard dragon quest 11 was coming out for 3ds & switch, that made me a lil bit excited

i still didnt get dragon quest 11 yet, i only played the demo on my tv and like. not only was it cathartic playing a dragon quest game with voice acting, but one that felt like it was my dragon quest 9 game but bigger, it was just

tbh, i havent really thot abt dragon quest in a long time, esp considering that i got like. 2 dragon quest games for my bday, just because i thot they looked similar to dragon ball z, which was a thing a lot of kids in my school liked

[postgamecontent]

The Summer of Adventure: Chrono Cross

Original Release Date: November 18, 1999 (JPN)

Original Hardware: Sony PlayStation

Chrono Cross is a game that just about every fan of JRPGs has an opinion on. Put in the unenviable position of having to follow up on what many consider to be the best game of all-time in the genre, Chrono Cross chose to take one of the most difficult routes possible. It is undeniably a continuation of the events of the first game, with its main plot serving to tie up one of the loose ends from Chrono Trigger. At the same time, it doesn't seem to be bound by that game at all. At times, it even appears to treat it with contempt. I want to say that Chrono Cross would have been better off as a stand-alone game, but I'm not sure it could have drawn out the same level of emotion from players had it gone that way. Chrono Cross was praised to an almost ridiculous degree when it first launched, but the backlash on it in the years that followed was one of the biggest I've seen in my whole time in the hobby. What's the deal?

Chrono Trigger released with a bang in 1995, riding on the back of a dream team of talents including Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, and famed Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama. Its excellent graphics, progressive mechanics, and compelling time travel hook made it an instant winner. Even with more than 20 years down the road, the game is considered to be one of the finest JRPGs and Super NES games. Some would even put it on their short list of the best games of all time. I have friends who make a yearly playthrough of the game a priority, squeezing the game's finite contents for every last drop of enjoyment possible. It's been ported to multiple platforms including the Sony PlayStation, the Nintendo DS, and iOS.

Its sequel would face different circumstances. That dream team had moved on to other things, leaving the less flashy staff members who had shouldered a fair portion of the load of the first game, albeit behind the scenes. The director's chair was occupied by Masato Kato, a well-known game writer who helped pen the stories for Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 7, and Xenogears. This was only his third turn as a director, with previous credits on Ninja Gaiden 3: The Ancient Ship of Doom and the Japan-only Satellaview visual novel Radical Dreamers. Perhaps notably, Chrono Cross is also the last game he directed. Naturally, he also provided the story for the game. The game was produced by Hiromichi Tanaka, who would soon take point on Final Fantasy 11. The character designs were provided by Nobuteru Yuki, best known for his work on the anime series Escaflowne.

Considerable talent, to be sure, but the change in directors, designers, artists, and producer made for a game that looked and played almost entirely differently from its predecessor. Besides Kato, the one big returning name was composer Yasunori Mitsuda, the man who had worked himself sick in his composing debut on the first game. Having put a few more games under his belt, Mitsuda was ready and able to deliver a stunning soundtrack that I still think is one of the greatest of all-time. While Chrono Cross had a whole new look and a more confident sound, it was still a great-looking game with some very progressive ideas of its own. One box that would remain unchecked, however, was the time travel motif. There is a little bit of time travel in the story, but you're not the one doing it. Instead, Chrono Cross focuses on crossing between parallel worlds. It's an interesting concept that plays well to Kato's strengths as a writer.

Interestingly, Chrono Cross was the third kick at the can for a sequel to Chrono Trigger. The first, Radical Dreamers, covers part of the same narrative ground. Released only in Japan and exclusively through the Satellaview download service for the Super Famicom, Radical Dreamers introduces some characters that would reappear in slightly altered forms in Chrono Cross, along with a short scenario that would also show up in the latter game. This was only ever meant as a side project, largely existing simply because Kato was annoyed by the loose ends the plot of Chrono Trigger had left. The next potential candidate was the game that would become Xenogears. Initially pitched as an idea for Final Fantasy 7 before another idea won out, it then was planned as a follow-up to Chrono Trigger. After a lot of disagreements, it ended up being its own thing, though it's not hard to spot the connections between it and Chrono Cross.

It was after Xenogears wrapped that Square officially put together a team to create a new Chrono game. The creative talents involved have given some conflicting reasons for the game's dramatic departure from the original game, but the gist seems to be that they didn't feel like rehashing things. They felt doing time travel again would be a cop-out, that a new cast would appeal to potential new players, and that it was important to take full advantage of the new hardware they were working with. As both Tanaka and Kato have strongly asserted, the game's title is not Chrono Trigger 2, so fans probably should not have expected a direct sequel. That kind of feels like a post-hoc excuse to me, but it is what it is.

The game released in late 1999 in Japan, but its overseas release would end up coming in August of 2000, not too far ahead of the PlayStation 2 launch. As a highly-anticipated sequel and the culmination of the Summer of Adventure marketing campaign, Chrono Cross came out of the gates like a rocket. The reviews from critics were nearly unanimous in praising the game, with some publications breaking the safety glass on their rarely-used perfect scores to really underline the point. I distinctly recall a major backlash towards American magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly because one of their three reviewers dared to give the game a score of 9.5 out of 10 instead of a perfect score. Given the many shared circumstances between Chrono Cross and Legend of Mana, it's interesting how different the initial reception to each was. But for however much Chrono Cross diverged from Chrono Trigger, it was still quite recognizable in broad strokes. I think that's what saved it from the more immediate negative response its stablemate received.

That said, the negative response did eventually come. It felt like the bigger a fan a person was of Chrono Trigger, the worse they would eventually see Chrono Cross as. Cross had a different, less optimistic tone to it. Rather than focusing on a handful of characters, it chose to spread the love across a huge cast, hoping to fully sell both its world and its high concept. The story broke one of those unwritten rules of fiction. If you give the audience a "happily ever after" ending, revoke it at your own peril. That's just what Chrono Cross did, and it didn't even make a particularly big deal about it. Chrono and Marle died off-screen a long time ago in some random attack from the Porre Army. Lucca's death is an important plot point, but it also happens before the events of the game. Robo at least gets a significant end, but he too does not survive. Ayla, Frog, and Magus don't even appear in the game, with the latter's absence being particularly preposterous as this entire game orbits around his sister, Schala.

Just in case you think you can delude yourself into thinking the main three aren't really dead, their ghosts actually appear a few times during the course of the game. In short, it was all for naught. Nobody from the main cast of Chrono Trigger got a happy ending, as far as anyone can tell. Heck, you didn't even really save the world. This didn't sit well with many players. Others were put off by the lack of time travel, perhaps expecting there would be some instances later in the game. Even those who could get around these attachments to the plot and characters of the first game were faced with an experience that was almost antithetical to Chrono Trigger.

That game was a fairly light, fast-paced, moderately linear game that wore its messages on its sleeves. Chrono Cross, by comparison, is kind of depressed with existence. The pace is slower, the tone is darker, and the messages are muddier. Although the finished game was heavily pared down from the original plan, it probably could have done with a few more editing passes. For every really interesting, thought-provoking point in the game, there are at least two bits that don't seem to have much purpose at all. Maybe that's intended, though.

Cross serves as a fascinating counter-point to Trigger in some ways, however. In the latter, your intervention is, as usual for the genre, undoubtedly a good thing. Apart from the early set-up where Marle almost writes herself out of existence, your time-hopping shenanigans never have a negative effect on things, at least as far as you can see. Your presence makes the world a better place, even though you are breaking virtually every fundamental law of nature in doing so. The game ends without addressing this particular karmic debt, and that's fine. It doesn't have to. It's not that type of game.

Chrono Cross has something else to say, though. The premise sees your character Serge traveling to a parallel dimension where he was killed at a young age. After 10 years, this other dimension has a ton of differences compared to your home dimension. The kicker is that many of them make for a better world. Some people are worse off, mind you. But the key is that your existence doesn't make things better for everyone. Indeed, Serge not dying has downright ruined some people thanks to that trusty old Butterfly Effect. One of the more enjoyable aspects of the game is in seeing how people's lives are going in each dimension. At any rate, Serge's death is a good thing for some people. A fact that becomes all the more painful when you discover that Serge was really meant to die. His continued existence comes through unnatural means, and even poses something of a threat to the world order.

This isn't just told to the player, either. There are a number of situations in the game where you have the option to make an active choice versus just passively letting things play out. In some of those cases, your decision to act makes things much worse for everyone, while inaction ends up with the desired result. Like many of Kato's other stories, Chrono Cross eventually ends up being a little bit too on-the-nose with its theme, with a primary antagonist literally named FATE. From a personal point of view, fighting fate is a good thing for Serge. It keeps him alive. But in many ways, it's a purely selfish act of self-preservation. It only accidentally has a good result. Of course, this is all the work of a seriously convoluted plan on the part of Balthasar, the Guru of Time. It seems that pesky old Lavos is still alive and threatens to merge with the missing Schala. Balthasar set all of the events of the game in motion to bring Serge to the point that he could defeat Lavos, preventing it from becoming a Time Devourer and eating all of time and space.

Like the first game, Chrono Cross has multiple endings. The best one involves trying to squeeze out a puzzle-like sequence of special attacks on the final boss, a sequence that you may or may not pick up on from the clues. Should you manage to pull that off, you'll save Schala and be treated to a somewhat bizarre ending where she ponders the meaning of life in the face of evolution and survival of the fittest. It's pretty clearly Kato talking at this point, mind you. Schala concludes that although individual lives may seem to be meaningless if they aren't significant in the evolutionary sense, every being does its part to lead up to those significant examples. Thus, every life is an important part of the chain, so life isn't meaningless after all. Phew, thanks for sorting that one out.

She then signs her letter off in Kid's distinct Australian accent, indicating that her memories have been combined with those of her clone. She promises to find you again someday, sometime. The credits then roll, as a woman who is supposed to be Schala can be seen wandering around various locations in modern-day Japan. It's apparently meant to signal to the player that their very own Kid might be out there somewhere, searching for them. It really only works if you live in Japan, though, since the locations they picked are probably not going to strike a chord with anyone else. To be honest, this is a game full of good ideas and compelling situations, but its main plot ends up collapsing on itself in a way that is highly characteristic of Square games from this era.

This was only my second time playing the game, if you can believe it. I really enjoyed it the first time, but I was definitely high on hype. I wasn't sure how I would end up feeling about it after so many years had passed. I've seen my opinions of Square games I once held sacred turn around in big ways before, and I worried that this might be one of them. At the beginning of the game, as I was enjoying the music, brightly-colored sights, and interesting set-up, I felt that I had perhaps underestimated Chrono Cross. The further in I played, however, the more it started coming back down to Earth. There are too many inconsequential characters, the storyline loses its coherence partway through, and the battle system takes a little too long to sort through in basic skirmishes. This is also a game that virtually demands a guide, and even with one, you're not able to see everything in one playthrough. That's fine, but I don't know that I really want to play this again for a long while. Even the first time, when I was absolutely in love with it, I moved on to other things after getting the best ending.

Being a little older and more experienced, I can certainly appreciate some of the ideas the development team tried to apply to the mechanics. That final boss "puzzle" is pretty bad, but in most other respects, I think the element system that governs skills and item use is quite clever. It's a little too restrictive early on, but I like the idea of forcing players to choose carefully what they want in their toolbox. It's a good idea to have a diverse set of skills ready, but if you want to take advantage of field effects, you have to stack certain elements. You might also want to set up a custom set of elements for individual bosses in order to exploit their weaknesses. The only real down point is that this involves a lot of micromanagement that quickly becomes tiresome and isn't totally necessary. I suspect most players will just roll with a general load-out of elements and only change out individual pieces now and then.

I'm always interested in how games try to circumvent grinding. It's been an issue virtually since the inception of the RPG genre, and it's honestly debatable as to whether it's something that needs to be addressed. If players like it, why not give them the option? I guess the problem is that while grinding is often the path of least resistance, it's not fun for everyone. Since it's the most mindless thing to do, people will opt to do it in lieu of trying to reconsider their strategies, even if they don't enjoy it. That leads to people coming away with a poor impression of a battle system that probably would have thrilled them if they had played it without grinding. I think the Japanese focus on intricate combat systems naturally results in designers trying to crack this particular nut.

Chrono Cross's approach is to put in hard gates on growth that are connected to your progress in the story. You're given a star ranking that determines how far your party members can grow. Your stats will only see so many gains until you earn a new star by clearing a story boss of some sort. There are other incentives to battling enemies, such as giving you drops that you can use to create new equipment, but you can't simply grind your way past a tough boss. You have to plan your way through it. Luckily, one of the other unique quirks of Chrono Cross assists with that. You can run from any encounter, up to and including the final boss. No, it doesn't make sense from a narrative standpoint, but it makes this one of the fairer RPGs around. Go in, see what elements will serve you best, and if you don't have them, escape.

I think it's that desire to pick away at the accepted standards of the genre that ties the game to its predecessor more than anything. Unfortunately, that's the least likely thing to be appreciated by fans looking for more of the thing they liked before. On top of that, the desire to push the genre in new directions doesn't always work out the way a game's creators might hope for. I don't think anything in Chrono Cross went spectacularly badly, but not many of its innovations proved to be influential. That goes hand-in-hand with its weaker reputation compared to that of Chrono Trigger.

While Chrono Cross isn't entirely forgotten, it does seem like the series as a whole is finished. Chrono Trigger probably has a lot of re-releases in its future, but I'm less confident that Chrono Cross will show up again as anything other than a PSN download. Even Kato's attempt to tie the two games together more strongly in the Nintendo DS port of Chrono Trigger failed to re-ignite interest in Cross. I suppose that speaks to the difficult balancing act that sequels have to pull off. If a game rehashes too much, it will never escape the shadows of those that came before it. On the other hand, if the developer either fails to or chooses not to recognize the qualities that fans appreciated in the original game, history can be swift with the write-off there, too.

It's often the case that when I replay a game, I come away with greater clarity concerning my feelings about it. But even after making my way through Chrono Cross again, I find it hard to nail the game down. I kind of love it. I also kind of hate it. I wish they had cut the fat off it as much as they had with Chrono Trigger. Some of the themes it brings up are brilliant, but others seem like so much belly-button fluff. I think it's a more interesting, more challenging game than Chrono Trigger tried to be. That it failed in many of its ambitions doesn't affect the respect I have for that particular approach. Some small part of me, however, would have been far happier with a safe sequel in this case. 

Previous: Threads of Fate

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[liquidmetalslime]

Dragon Quest: Where to Start

Introduction

The “where do i start” question is asked quite frequently on /r/dragonquest and the main FB fangroup, so i assumed i’d make my own list.

I’m gonna compile each game that has been released outside of Japan into this post and give their most important features of each version available -at least- in English so anyone can see the differences and choose according to their needs or preferences. 

Note 1: To mark in which languages is available each release, i’m gonna put these next to its platform: (E) = English; (F) = French; (G) = German; (I) = Italian; (S) = Spanish. “EFIGS” may only apply to the EU version, though.

Note 2: Some things might not be 100% accurate, I’m just a slime, sluurp 🙇🏻🙏. 

Note 3: Games with only one version available in English (or Multi-5) will get this message in the recommendation: “There’s only a version.”. Games in which you can choose the gender of the main characters will include this sentence in its info: “In this game, you can choose the gender of the main character.”.

Note 4: Reminder about the Roman numerals (just in case): I = 1, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4, V = 5 , VI = 6, VII = 7, VIII = 8, IX = 9, X=10 and XI = 11.

Note 5: The post-2006 releases use lots of puns, jokes, and accents. It’s a characteristic of the series, as are the title alliterations (ie: Chapters of the Chosen, Luminaries of the Legendary Line, etc), the black and white menus, or the classic main theme, etc. Most of the post-2010 releases use visible encounters as well. As for now, there seems to be no turning back.

I’ll be skipping games that require fan-translation (I only mention them, but I highly prefer officially released titles). 

↳ Aside from this, i am aware US Gamer made a similar list (click here). 

⚠️ BEWARE: This post is HUGE. ⚠️

What is Dragon Quest? 

Dragon Quest is a JRPG franchise developed by Enix (now Square Enix). The series is very traditional, in various aspects, the most notorious being the turn-based encounters and the encouragement to explore every corner. The main staff behind the series is: Yuji Horii (Scenario), Akira Toriyama (Art) and Koichi Sugiyama (Music). DQ first started 31 years ago in Japan, in May of 1986. A few years later, in 1989, it was first released in North America, but due to copyright issues with “Dungeons & Dragons”, Enix had to change the name to “Dragon Warrior”. After the Square Enix merger in 2003, they could finally solve the naming issue and, starting with the eighth entry in the main series, in 2005, DQ was finally getting called “Dragon Quest” in North America. One year later, in 2006, the series was introduced in Europe with that same game, Dragon Quest VIII (prior to that, only one spinoff had came to Europe). Since then, many remakes, re-releases, and spinoffs came to the West, even with some years of silence between 2011 and 2014. In 2017 we’re getting Dragon Quest VIII for 3DS (in January) and Dragon Quest Heroes II for PS4 and Steam (in April). ---

It should be noted DQ is a very special JRPG series, and most of its narrative comes from NPCs or books. This series really encourages the player to explore everything and to talk to everyone. That might be the only way to get clues of what to do next. Aside from that, in the games that it’s available, the Party Chat feature is also one of the most reliable features you’ll find in these games. Party chat lets your party members give you their opinions and comment on lots of different things that happen in the game -from the reaction they get after talking to a NPC, to their reaction after an important cutscene-, and they might also give you tips and remind you of what you have to do next. Aside from that, it’s a great tool to see the personalities of your characters.  That said, do not come to this series expecting lots of pre-rendered cutscenes and lots of flashy action, this series is not about that (there is some, of course, but not as many as in other JRPGs). As i said a bit earlier, DQ is very special for other things too. The combat is always turn-based in the main series (except in the MMO) and the dialogue is usually full of puns and jokes. Unlike many other series, almost all the games have the same quality and its a highly consistent series, due to the main creators always being the same (Mr Yuji Horii, Mr Koichi Sugiyama and Mr Akira Toriyama). What you need to know about the other works of these three gentlemen: Horii created one of the games that inspired Hideo Kojima that videogames could offer interesting stories (”The Portopia Serial Murder Incident”); Sugiyama has been composed many classic music and worked on various 70s Japanese tv shows such as “The Return for Ultraman”; and AKira Toriyama is a worldwide known manga artist, mainly for his two masterpieces: Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball.

↳ For more information about the series, check its Wikipedia article.

Where to start? @liquidmetalslime’s choices

NOTE: Okay, let me be clear, in this block i’ll talk about what are the best entry points IN MY OPINION, as the title clearly say.

To start playing the series, the best three entry points in the main series are IV (4) , VIII (8) and XI (11). The first one can be played in English on NES and Mobile and in Multi-5/EFIGS on DS. The second one can be played in English and French on Mobile and EFIGS on PS2 and 3DS. The third one will be available on PS4 and PC in Multi-5 later this year; sometime in the future also on Switch.

- IV is divided in chapters and features a highly likeable cast -specifically a certain Tsarevna. Each chapter is unique and follows a specific set of characters, who will later meet in the fifth and longest chapter. This story is quite tragic and is best enjoyed on the remakes of the game, since these remakes include a sixth chapter that gives an insight in the motives that drove the villain to do what he did. If you want to play in English and get its best version to date, the mobile (iOS/Android) version is the one. If you want to play using physical buttons or in French, German, Spanish or Italian, the (EU) DS release is for you. The DS/Mobile remakes use lots of puns and accents (the NES version doesn’t), and that can be bothersome until you get used to it, but it’s worth it (and I personally love it, except in the first chapter while playing in English. I didn’t have any issue while playing in Spanish). This is the one that gave me an obsession made me a DQ fan.

- VIII on the other hand, focuses a lot more on a major plot and its characters. Due to that, it is the easiest DQ to jump in if you already like other JRPG series. Given its artstyle and big scale of its world, it gives a great sense of adventure (its actually not that big, but it feels huge). As IV, VIII’s characters are regarded as some of the best in the whole series, specially Yangus and Trode. As in IV, the remake gives us some more information about the villain and his motives. If you value content and quality of life improvements over looks, the 3DS version is the definitive version. Otherwise, if you prefer prettier graphics, go for the PS2 version. The 3DS version is what i consider its best version to date, and its the easiest to find nowadays, besides the Mobile port. 

- XI is an interesting title because despite being full of throwbacks and -maybe- connections to the older games,  it introduces many quality-of-life improvements into the usual mechanics of the series. On top of that, has a killer soundtrack, composed with brand new songs (which some will say that are weaker) and a whole lot of classic songs from all the main games. And to round up the package, it also has gorgeous graphics. The cast is likeable, the story is interesting, the gag moments are nice, the sad moments are touching (i personally thought Horii couldn’t outdo himself after V, but boy i was wrong). It has a lot to like, and little to dislike. The real shame about this game is that we -apparently- won’t be getting the 3DS version.

Aside from these three games, the other main titles might be a good point to start too, but some might have give some trouble, for example:

I and II: (Terribly) Outdated. II is also the hardest game in the whole series, and its NES version is quite unbalanced at the final parts of the game.The devs even admitted in an interview that they couldn’t balance it properly because they couldn’t delay the game.

III and VII: These are better enjoyed if you have played some of the previous games, for example III is better enjoyed with knowledge of I and II (of their story, i mean), and VII with knowledge of what to expect from the game (how DQ’s narrative usually works, how the battles work, etc) as well as knowing a bit about VI’s mechanics.

V: Probably the top of the series, but I feel it’s not as DQ-newbie-friendly as IV and VIII. Still a solid game.

VI: Love it or hate it experience. 

IX: It’s quite different from the other games since it focuses a lot more on character customization (there are no pre-made characters, besides some that are acquired in some postgame DLC quests), so it might give a wrong idea of what the series is like. It is a lovely game, though. 

Other notes:

III, VI, VII and IX (and X, but that’s Japan-only for now) use class systems.

Outside the main series, in my opinion, the best entry points might also be:

- Dragon Quest Monsters 1 and 2 (better known as Dragon Warrior Monsters 1 and 2). Charming monster collecting games. The first one features Terry, originally from DQVI, on his quest to win the Starry Night Tournament, while the second one features two original characters (Tara & Coby) on a quest to save their new island. DQM2/DWM2 comes in two versions. In one you play as Tara and in the other as Coby. Might be a bit outdated, but they’re quite fun games. I feel like they’re better than the other monster-catching games of that era, at least technically.

- Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2. The most recent Monsters game we got. Has a quite deep synthesis system and it’s quite intuitive. Also has a large amount of beasts. Could feel a bit clunky and slow to play nowadays, though.

- Dragon Quest Builders. Easy to play and with really charming aspects. Has a long story and huge replay value, as each time the player can build their base differently. It has been called “the Minecraft for those who don’t like Minecraft”, due to it being more guided that the mentioned game. It has some connections to the first three games in the series, but can be enjoyed without previous knowledge of the series. If you had to choose a DQ spinoff, choose this one. Don’t think of it as a “Minecraft with DQ skins”. There’s a Minecraft mod for that, this is quite different.

Games & Releases: Versions that have been released in the West

In this huge block, we’re gonna look at each game, its western releases (trying to cover both NA-only and NA/EU/AUS releases), the features each re-release (if any) has in comparison to the first English/Western version, and my recommendations for each game.

Dragon Quest I

Info: Old JRPG with very simple mechanics. It is the first console JRPG out there (almost a year and a half earlier than Final Fantasy 1!). The story is quite simple (save the princess and defeat the bad guy) and the gameplay is very bare bones, but still an enjoyable game. It’s also really short, can be beaten in about 6 hours if you’re fast.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest I · II (SFC), 1993; Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Collection (Wii), 2011. [There is a fantranslation for the SFC remake.]

- Dragon Warrior for NES (E)

Old DW translation. (Besides DW glossary, it uses a lot of Old English.)

The graphics might be too outdated for some.

Quite grindy.

- Dragon Warrior 1 · 2 for GBC (E)

Remade DW translation.

Enhanced (yet simpler) graphics.

Better balancing.

There is a prologue scene.

- Dragon Quest I for iOS and Android (E)

New DQ translation (still uses Old English, but with the newer DQ glossary).

Brighter, more colorful world, but poorly upscaled graphics. (Because its a port of an old mobile port they did in the mid 2000s, but fitted into a way higher screen)

Even better balancing.

No prologue scene.

My recommendation: “Dragon Quest I” for iOS and Android (E).  Why?: It’s simply the best version: better graphics, music, translation and balancing (meaning less grinding). 

The Mobile port is the only version available in Europe, btw.

Dragon Quest II

Info: Second game in the series. Adds extra two party members there can be various monsters on battle, there’s also a ship and a waaaay bigger world (the world of DQ1 is just a small part of the one in DQ2). That said, it is worth noting the original version of this game was quite rushed and the end-game areas are quite unbalanced. The story is quite simple too: An evil mage named Hargon plans on destroying the world and starts by attacking the kingdom of Moonbrooke. The princes of Midenhall and Cannock reunite with their lost cousin from Moonbrooke to stop Hargon.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest I · II (SFC), 1993; Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Collection (Wii), 2011.  [There is a fantranslation for the SFC remake.]

- Dragon Warrior II for NES (E)

Old DW translation. (Besides DW glossary, it uses a lot of Old English.)

The graphics might be too outdated for some.

Quite grindy, specially in end-game areas. (Enix admitted they couldn’t balance the last areas of the game due to time constrains.)

- Dragon Warrior 1 · 2 for GBC (E)

Remade DW translation.

Enhanced (yet simpler) graphics.

Better balancing.

New intro scene.

- Dragon Quest II Luminaries of the Legendary Line for iOS and Android (E)

New DQ translation.

Brighter, more colorful world, but poorly upscaled graphics. (Same reason as DQ1-Mobile).

Even better balancing.

Prologue scene.

Limitations to avoid players venture into the most dangerous dungeon unprepared.

My recommendation: “Dragon Quest II Luminaries of the Legendary Line” for iOS and Android (E). Why?: It is the best version: better looks, sound, translation and balancing.

The Mobile port is the only version available in Europe, btw.

Dragon Quest III

Info: First DQ game to feature a class system, which was supported by a personality system thus making almost every character unique. This game also features some big plot twists and even larger areas to explore. DQ3 also ends the Erdrick/Loto trilogy. The story follows the offspring of a great hero (Ortega) and their quest to finish what their disappeared father started: to defeat the evil Baramos. In this game, you can choose the gender of the main character. (Note: And the gender of any character you create.)

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest III (SFC), 1996; Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Collection (Wii), 2011.  [There is a fantranslation for the SFC remake.]

- Dragon Warrior III for NES (E)

Old DW translation. (Besides DW glossary, it uses a bit of old english.)

The graphics might be too outdated for some.

- Dragon Warrior 3 for GBC (E)

Remade DW translation.

Enhanced (yet simpler) graphics.

Pachisi/T’n’T minigame.

Monster animations.

2 bonus dungeons: the one added in the SFC remake and a brand new one.

Monster medals.

- Dragon Quest III Seeds of Salvation for iOS and Android (E)

New DQ translation. (There are some areas that still use Old English).

No Pachisi/T’n’T minigame, nor Monster Animations nor Monster Medals.

Brighter, more colorful world, but (somewhat) poorly upscaled graphics.  (Same reason as DQ1-Mobile).

1 bonus dungeon: the one added in the SFC remake.

My recommendation: This is a hard choice, but it is between “Dragon Warrior 3” for GBC (E) and “Dragon Quest III Seeds of Salvation” for iOS and Android (E).  Why?: The GBC version has a lot more content, but the Smartphone version has a newer DQ-style translation and better graphics. Many will say the SFC remake is better, but i love monster medals and the official translations 🤷‍♀️

The Mobile port is the only version available in Europe, btw.

Note about the Erdrick Trilogy (I - III): This trilogy is better enjoyed when played in order (DQ -> DQII -> DQIII).

Dragon Quest IV

Info: First game of the Zenithian trilogy (which is loosely connected). First -and only- DQ game to be told in chapters so far. Each one follows different people, and in the fifth, they all meet to fulfill their roles al the chosen ones. Here, instead of having generic characters with classes, we have set (and very charismatic) characters who learn a specific sets of spells and skills. In this game, you can choose the gender of the main character.

The overall story focuses on a demon who loves a lovely elf and hates human for how they treat elves, monsters and dwarves. The party must stop this demon, Psaro, from awakening the demon lord and destroying the world.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest IV (PS1), 2001.

- Dragon Warrior IV for NES (E)

Old DW translation.

Completely 2D.

- Dragon Quest IV: (The) Chapters of the Chosen for DS (EFIGS)

New DQ translation.

Prologue chapter.

No party-chat. (It was added in the Japanese remake, and was mostly translated by the release date, but SQEX decided to not put it for some reason)

2.5D, since it uses DQVII’s PS1 style.

- Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen for iOS and Android (E)

DQ translation.

Prologue chapter.

Has party chat.

2.5D.

My recommendation: Depends, but choose one from the latter two.  Why?: If you want to play in French, Spanish, Italian or German, go for the DS release. If you want to enjoy the party chat feature, for for the Smartphone release. The party chat seems pointless but it actually gives a lot of characterization to the party members.

Dragon Quest V

Info: Second game of the Zenithian trilogy. In this particular game, the story follows a young man through his (painful) life: from his childhood to his adulthood. DQ5 was one of the first games ever to let players recruit monsters to join their team (which, some years after its release, and after the success of Pokémon, inspired the birth of “Dragon Quest Monsters”). It also allows choosing a wife (well, it forces the player to choose one, since it is related to the plot): Bianca, the childhood friend; Nera, the sweetheart from a good family; or Debora, the passionate sister of Nera. This game has probably the best story in the whole series.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest V (SFC), 1992; Dragon Quest V (PS2), 2004. [There are fantranslations for these two titles.]

- Dragon Quest V: (The) Hand of the Heavenly Bride for DS (EFIGS)

- Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride for iOS and Android (E)

Some slight tweaks.

The two versions of this game we got are quite similar, except some small balancing and changes of MP cost. Both feature DQ-style localization (it’s the same for both versions), a new bride not present in the original SFC release nor PS2 remake (Debora), a few more monsters of newer games (like DQVIII’s Jailcat) and some other tweaks.

My recommendation: Doesn’t matter. Why?: Both are pretty much the same, choose according to your wallet or control preferences. I’d choose DS though, since the mobile port can be buggy in some phones (and due to multi-5 too).

The NES version only released in North America, btw.

Dragon Quest VI

Info: Third and last game of the Zenithian trilogy (First, chronologically). In this game the party travels between two worlds: reality and dream world. There are two extra “worlds”: underwater and the dread realm. In this game, there’s a class system quite different from III, since the classes of VI aren’t tied to the character’s level but to the number of battles won, with 8 levels of mastery (8 stars = mastered the class).

The story is about a group of young people who are off to fight the evil demon who rules the dreams and treats the land (Murdaw). But there’s more, the game is about traveling between worlds and solving problems and fighting the Dreadfiends.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest VI (SFC), 1995. [There is a fantranslation for this title.]

- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation / Reverie for DS (EFIGS)

- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation for iOS and Android (E)

Better balanced and a few tweaks.

The two versions of the game we got are pretty similar, so there’s only these two differences: controls and enhanced balancing (for example, Terry joins with a few more classes mastered). Both feature the same graphic style, the same DQ-style translation and the same music.

My recommendation: Doesn’t matter. Why?: Both are pretty much the same, choose according to your wallet or control preferences. I’d choose DS though, since the mobile port can be buggy in some phones (and due to multi-5 too). The SFC version is objectively better (better atmosphere, much prettier graphics, can recruit monsters like in V), but it doesn’t have an official translation and the fan-translation covers 95% of it (but you can beat the main story, though).

Note about the Zenithian Trilogy (IV - VI): This trilogy, unlike Erdrick’s trilogy, is loosely connected. Only a few elements connect the games, so they can be played as individual experiences. A few details in VI imply the cronological order is different from the release order.

Dragon Quest VII

Info: Longest entry in the series. It is also the only DQ game with time-travel so far. The story is divided in islands, each of which is unlocked after completing a small puzzle made of shards/fragments. This game features the class system from VI, but extended.

The story starts in the only island in the world, but with the help of Prince Kiefer and Maribel, the player unravels the mysteries of an eerie abandoned shrine, which transports them into another island in the past. The party must solve the problems of the islands in the past to save the islands in the present, and learn what happened with the world and how can they fix it. 

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest VII (iOS/Android), 2015.

- Dragon Warrior VII: Warriors of Eden for PS1 (E)

Old DW translation.

2.5D.

Only an NPC can help you find shards/fragments.

Better puzzles at the beginning.

- Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past for 3DS (EFIGS)

New DQ translation.

Fully 3D.

There are many ways to find fragments: a radar, a fairy npc, a menu option... 

Dumbed down puzzles at the beginning.

Faster class mastering and better balanced class system (making the monster classes relevant).

Traveller tablets / free DLC tablets.

The JP version of the 3DS remake uses orchestral soundtrack, but the Western version doesn’t. It can be restored with a hacked 3DS, apparently. The Western release also added some lag in the menus. 

My recommendation: “Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past” for 3DS (EFIGS). Why?: Firstly because of the multi-5 text, but also for the QoL improvements, specifically the faster class mastering and fragment radar.

Btw, the 3DS version is the only one in Europe.

Note: There is a patch for the 3DS that adds the orchestral soundtrack. (You need a CFW on your 3DS.)

Dragon Quest VIII

Info: First fully-3D (non-remake) game of the series. It had various changes: firstly, the story focused on a main plot. Secondly, each character had a few learning paths, which could be followed by allocating Skill Points, earned by leveling up, and that at certain milestones would teach them new skills, spells and passive bonuses. Other changes include the Monster Arena (which plays a bit like the Dragon Quest Monsters arenas), having orchestral music ingame and voice acting (these two things were only present in the western PS2 version), having the alchemy pot and some more innovations. 

The story follows a young guard and a bandit, who are helping a cursed king and his daughter to catch the culprit of their curse. They follow him around the world, finding some interesting partners along the way.

Versions and features:

- Dragon Quest VIII: (The) Journey of the Cursed King for PS2 (EFIGS)

Voice acting.

Orchestrated music.

“Beautiful” but slow menus.

Pink super saiyan. (This was introduced in the western releases to get the attention of DBZ fans.)

Pretty graphics.

- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King for iOS and Android (EF)

Instant alchemy.

Portrait mode only.

No voice acting nor orchestrated music.

- Dragon Quest VIII: (The) Journey of the Cursed King for 3DS (EFIGS)

New playable characters, scenarios (& optional endings), items, and dungeons (one is post-game, the other is optional before ending the game).

Instant alchemy.

Voice acting.

No orchestral soundtrack. (It’s present in the JP version, and afaik it can be restored with a CFW 3DS.)

Classic DQ menus.

Alternative outfits for everyone, not just 2 characters.

New camera mode & quests.

There are some small changes made by SQEX Japan so the game would keep the same rating it got on the PS2 years ago (For All Ages). Nothing game changing.

Free DLC items.

Some re-balancing.

Speed-up option for battles.

On New 3DS, the C-stick can be used to rotate the camera. (There is no performance improvement on N3DS.)

My recommendation: “Dragon Quest VIII: (The) Journey of the Cursed King” for 3DS (EFIGS). Why?: The improvements, QoL enhancements and new features make it worth it despite it being inferior graphically to its PS2 original release. The music change doesn’t affect you a lot if you do not play using headphones. Also, the “censorship” is irrelevant since Jessica is 17 and the two other scenes don’t change that much anyway. If that’s your main concern, I may suggest you check your priorities, my dude. 🤷‍♂️

Note: There are patches for the 3DS version that give Jessica her PS2 outfits and put the orchestral soundtrack in. (You need a CFW on your 3DS.)

Dragon Quest IX

Info: In some aspects this game is a throwback to Dragon Quest III. The player can customize the party, their aspect and their equipment. It mixes DQIII’s classes and VIII’s skill trees. As VIII, it also has (instant) alchemy. This is the first main DQ game that allows playing with friends (up to 4, in local multiplayer). Unlike almost all the other games (except I and III), there aren’t set characters in this game*.  In this game, you can choose the gender of the main character. (Note: And the gender of any character you create). IX has tons of throwbacks and cameos from the other heroes (as Inn Guests and costumes) and villains (as Bosses) from the main series and a character from DQ Swords.

*There ARE some set characters, but to be able to get them you need to have access to the DLC quests (the DS and Wii servers are dead right now, so you need to edit your file or connect with someone who has them unlocked) and have beaten the main story.

The story in this game follows a young celestrian (a guardian angel, basically) in their quest to find out what happened to their realm. They must travel around the world, helping as many people as possible while getting clues of what or who is responsable for the fall of their land.

Versions and features:

- Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies for DS (EFIGS)

My recommendation: There is only the one version of this title. Its best enjoyed with friends, and/or if you like roleplaying/creating your own characters.

Dragon Quest XI

Info: Return to the classic formula after the multiplayer-focused IX and X. 

The story focuses on a boy, who is the reincarnation of a Hero, who is acused of being “the demon’s child”. He has to escape and unravel the mysteries regarding this “demon’s child / hero’s child” controversy with a cast of great characters.

The most interesting part about this title was how it was made in three different styles: 2D, “chibi” 3D and full-scale 3d. The first one, tries to emulate the graphics of the original DQ6 and the SFC remake of DQ3; the second one tries to go for the aesthetic of DQ9 and the remake of DQ7; and the third one gives us the logical step after DQ8. The first two modes are only present on the Japan-only 3DS version, while the later is present in all the UE4 versions (PS4, PC and probably Switch). As each of them tries to emulate a different era of the series, there are gameplay mechanics that change. For instance, when playing in 2D mode (3DS), the items won’t have an image when looking at the inventory. Meanwhile, they will while playing in 3D (3DS). Or the way boomerang works: in the 3DS version, they hit from left to right, like in previous titles; while on the UE4 versions the player can choose which enemy it should hit first. (Since the 3DS version is staying Japan-only i’ll avoid making more comparisons to it.)

Official site

Versions and features: - Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (3DS, 2017)

- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for PS4

- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for PC / Steam

Same version as on PS4

Probably more resolution and fps

Probably mods

- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for Switch 

???

Nobody knows anything about it so far, except it’s confirmed for all regions.

My recommendation: Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for PS4 or PC. Why?: So far, we’re only getting “one version” on two platforms, so it’s up to the player to decide their platform of choice. I’d personally choose PS4 because the game was designed with a PS4 in mind.  If you can read japanese, the 3DS version is also a great option. I personally prefer it to the UE4 version.

And that’s all for the main series.

Dragon Quest X is a MMO for Wii, Wii U, PC, 3DS and Mobile, which will be soon available for PS4 and Switch in Japan. There are no plans for a Western release of this game for now. (There is a western localization campaign, started on October 2016. @imutone recently started a complementary campaign to send physical letters to SQEX. Here’s the latest update on the campaign. Make sure to join it!)

Now, lets move to the Spinoffs:

Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland

Info: Inspired by DQV’s monster recruitment feature and Pokémon’s success, this was the first attempt to make a Monster-Catching DQ game. It features Terry and Milly (called Milayou in the old DWM translation) from DQVI as the protagonists (Note: Only Terry is playable, Milly is a secondary character). 

In this game, you have to travel worlds to get stronger monsters to be able to win in the Starry Night tournament, which grants a wish to its winner, and save your kidnapped sister.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest Monsters 1 · 2 (PS1), 2002; Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland 3D (3DS), 2012. [There is fantranslation for this remake.]

- Dragon Warrior Monsters for GBC (E)

Randomly generated dungeons.

All monsters can follow you, up to 3 at a time.

3 vs 3 battles.

Hundreds of DQ monsters, either from DQI-VI or new.

My recommendation: There is only the one version available for us.

Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Tara’s Adventure / Coby’s Journey

Info: In this sequel, they went the monster catching Pokémon way: two versions with exclusive monsters. Each version offers a protagonist: The young Tara, or her older brother Coby. This game offered monster trade.

In these games, you have to travel between worlds to save your new home, an island, while becoming a better monster master.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest Monsters 1 · 2 (PS1), 2002; Dragon Quest Monsters 2 (3DS), 2014.

- Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 for GBC (E)

Comes in two packages: Tara’s Adventure and Coby’s Journey. In the first one you play as a girl (Tara) and in the other as a boy (Coby). They’re sibilings.

Set worlds. (Not randomly-generated as in DQM1.)

All monsters can follow you (all have sprites), up to 3 at a time.

3 vs 3 battles.

Hundreds of DQ monsters, either from DQI-VII or new.

Local multiplayer.

My recommendation: There is only the one version available for us.

There was DQM game for GBA, Caravan Heart, which was Japan-only. Quite different from the first two DQM/DWM games, but as DQM1/DWM1, it has a child version of a character of the main series as the protagonist: Kiefer from VII. [There is a fantranslation for this game.]

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker

Info: This is a reboot of the DQM formula. Coming after the Japan-only DQM Caravan Heart that mixed DQVII’s monster hearts with the DQM formula, Joker tried something new, but in a similar direction of the GBC classics. In this game, the young monster scout must get stronger to become a master monster scout and also unfold the mystery of the Incarnus, a singular monster.

Versions and features:

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker for DS (EFIGS)

Monster from DQI-VIII, or new.

3 vs 3 battles.

New and updated mechanics (the skill system is inspired by VIII’s).

Local and Wifi multiplayer (Note: As of 2014, Nintendo shut down the DS and Wii servers).

My recommendation: There is only the one version of this game.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2

Info: Carries over many mechanics from Joker, but improves them. The biggest improvement is in the UI, which later became the base for all the 3DS DQM games and remakes. The story follows a young monster scout whose airship crushes into a mysterious island and how he and his team of monsters unfolds the mystery of the island to get back to civilization.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest Joker 2 Professional (DS), 2011. [There is a fantranslation for this title.]

- Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 for DS (EFIGS)

Over 300 monster, mostly from DQI-IX, or new.

3 vs 3 battles.

DQMJ’s mechanics and UI updated and vastly improved.

Local and Wifi multiplayer (Note: As of 2014, Nintendo shut down the DS and Wii servers).

(Local) Connectivity with DQVI and IX for DS for special monsters from those games.

My recommendation: There is only the one version available for us.

There’s a third Joker game for 3DS, called “Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 3” in Japan, released in April 2016. Said game got a “Professional” version with various enhancements and new monsters in early February 2017. As of March 2017, none of the 3DS DQM games has been announced for the West. 

Dragon Quest: Torneko no Daibouken 2

Info: Second DQ Mystery Dungeon game, and as the first one (which only released in Japan), it follows the famous merchant from DQIV: Torneko Taloon. 

In this title, players must outthink enemies who are often faster or stronger than them, efficiently using weapons and magic when the odds are against them. What's more, in order to succeed they will also test the limits of Torneko's insatiable appetite.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest: Torneko no Daibouken 2 (GBA), 2001.

- World of Dragon Warrior: Torneko: The Last Hope for PS1 (E)

Play as Torneko.

It is the only Mystery Dungeon game set in the DQ universe we got.

This game uses randomly-generated dungeons.

My recommendation: There is only the one version available for us.

There were two other games of this series available in Japan: one for SFC (which was the first DQ spinoff and the first Mystery Dungeon game ever created) and another for PS2 and GBA. There is a fourth DQ Mystery Dungeon game, which doesn’t focus on Torneko anymore, but on the childhood of DQVIII’s Yangus and Red. This is Japan-only too.

Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime

Info: This is the second entry of the “Slime MoriMori” series. It got its American release in 2005. There are tank battles aside from the regular “slime vs the world” fights. This was the last DQ game to get released in America but not in Europe.

It is an action game in which we control a Slime called Rocket, who has to fight the Plattypunks to save the slime town of Boingburg. 

Versions and features:

- Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime for DS (E) [Trailer]

Play as a slime (named Rocket)!

Tank Battles.

Lots of puns.

My recommendation: There is only the one version.

The other games in this subseries are Japan-only, as well as its manga. The first game (GBA) doesn’t have tank battles, and the third one (3DS) replaces them with ship battles.

Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors 

Info: First person on-rails action game. The Wii’s nunchuck works as your shield and the Wiimote acts as your Sword. All the major characters are named after swords, like Claymore or Fleurette. In this game, you have to save the kingdom of Avalonia from an evil demon named Xiphos.

Versions and features:

- Dragon Quest Swords for Wii (EFIGS) [Trailer]

On rails.

Use the Wiimote as your sword and the Nunchuk as your shield.

Likeable support cast.

My recommendation: There is only a version of this game.

Dragon Quest Wars

Info: A small turn-based strategy game for DSi. Think of it as a light mix of chess and Fire Emblem (not really, but its not 100% chess either).

Versions and features:

- Dragon Quest Wars for DSi (EFIGS) [Trailer]

Multiplayer: Up to 4 players.

Use some DQ monsters as your units.

My recommendation: There is only one version of this game. As the DS servers got shut down in 2014, so the only way to get it nowadays is using a 3DS.

Honestly? I wouldn’t recommend spending a cent on this. 

Fortune Street / Boom Street

Info: First “Itadaki Street” game to release outside Japan. This is the second game in the Itadaki Street series to mix Dragon Quest with Super Mario Bros. The gameplay is a bit of a mix of Mario Party, DQ’s Treasures n' Trapdoors (T’n’T) and the classic boardgame Monopoly.

Versions and features:

- Fortune Street / Boom Street for Wii (EFIGS) [Trailer]

Play as characters from the main series like Slime, Dragonlord, Alena or Patty; and characters from the Super Mario Bros universe such as Peach, Luigi, Donkey Kong or Waluigi.

Multiplayer up to 4 players.

Wifi modes. (Note: As of 2014, Nintendo shut down the DS and Wii servers).

My recommendation: There is only the one version.

Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below

Info: First entry in the action-based Heroes subseries. It is a collaboration with Dynasty Warriors creator Tecmo Koei. This was also the first DQ for a gaming device to come West between 2011 and 2015, quite an honor!  In this game, you can choose the gender of the main character. (Note: You can choose between Luceus and Aurora, but the one you don’t choose is still playable, the one you choose will be always in your party).

It a mix of Dragon Quest mechanics with Dynasty Warrior mechanics: parties of 4 characters, MP, tension, tons of enemies, just a handful of attacks per character... Story-wise is a quite simple light vs darkness story. 

Monsters who were peaceful have started attacking humans. The player, the captain of the kingdom’s army have to find out why, battling hordes of monsters in the way.

Versions and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest Heroes (PS3), 2015.

- Dragon Quest Heroes for PS4 (EFIGS) [Trailer]

Stable framerate.

Can’t get all the preorder bonuses.

- Dragon Quest Heroes for PC (EFIGS) [Trailer]

Better settings.

Unstable framerate.

My recommendation: The PS4 version. Why?: It was made with the PS4 in mind and has stable framerate. Also, Tecmo Koei’s PC ports are rather infamous...

Dragon Quest Heroes II

Info: Second entry in the action-based Heroes subseries. Doesn’t have any connection with the first one, and fixes or adds what the people wanted in the first game, like a worldmap, (online) multiplayer, or less tower-defense missions.

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twin Kings and the Prophecy's End (PS3, PSV), 2016.

Confirmed versions for the West:

- Dragon Quest Heroes II for PS4 and Steam (EFIGS) [Trailer] (Note: Western release dates: PS4: April 25th in NA and April 28th in EU; Steam: April 22nd in both.)

My recommendation: Still not out in the West, but the PS4 version. Why?: Firstly, Tecmo Koei PC ports are infamous for a reason; secondly, the PS4 version was the main version in Japan (and the one i have already played and enjoyed); and thirdly, because its the only one that has a physical release and that reversible cover is rather cool.

In May 2016, Square Enix released a sequel in Japan called “Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twins Kings and Ending of the Prophecy” for PS3, PS4 and PSV. It includes some upgrades from the feedback they got from the first game, including: having a world map, having multiplayer and being able to have more than four skills per character. On the 1st December 2016, Best Buy leaked its localization. On the 8th of the same month, Square Enix announced the western release dates for the PS4 version: April 25th (NA), and April 28th (EU). A Steam version is also releasing on April 25h (both NA & EU) Square Enix announced on February 22nd 2017. [The Vita version isn’t profitable for SQEX, so they will skip localizing it.] (x). The games’s director hinted to a third game on the PlayStation Awards 2016. (x)

Dragon Quest Builders

Info: “What if you mixed Dragon Quest and Minecraft and got a legit good game?”. In this game, you can choose the gender of the main character. (Note: you can change it and any character customization option anytime you want from the setting accessed from the main menu)

At the last part of DQ1 the player is given a choice. One option lets you continue and the other gives you a game over. DQB explores that option, the story in which the Dragonlord won. You, a builder chosen by the goddess Rubiss, must rebuild the land of Alefgard. 

Versions available and features:

- Japan-only releases: Dragon Quest Builders: Revive Alefgard (PS3), 2016.

- Dragon Quest Builders for PS4 (EFIGS) [Trailer]

High quality graphics.

Better draw distance.

Better share options (can make videos and up to 4 image in tweets).

- Dragon Quest Builders for PSV (EFIGS) [Trailer]

Digital only (it is only about 270mb, though. The Asian physical release includes English.).

Portability.

Poor sharing options (screenshots with Start + PS Button. If you share it with the twitter app, you can only choose 1 image. If you want to share more than 1 at a time, you have to transfer your screenshots to your computer).

- Dragon Quest Builders for Switch (EFIGS) (*Releases in Spring 2018)

Its more akin to the PS4 version than the PSV version.

Has some exclusive content, like the DQ1 cartdrige work table and the Sabercub mount.

Portable.

My recommendation: Depends on your tastes. Why?: One is great for its portability (Vita) and the other looks way better and has better sharing methods (PS4).

On August 2016, Square Enix stated there were possibilities of this game getting a Nintendo Switch version. (x). (They announced it officially on the 14th of September of 2017. Will release next spring in all regions.) On September of the same year, they said a sequel was being considered. (x). Later, in the PlayStation Awards, they hinted to a sequel again. (x) 

Dragon Quest Builders 2 was announced for Switch and PS4 on the 6th of August of 2017, with no release window announced so far.

Definitive version of each game (TL;DR)

Summarizing, this is the list of definitive versions of each DQ game -that got official western releases- again, in my opinions:

Main series:

Dragon Quest I: Mobile

Dragon Quest II: Mobile

Dragon Quest III: GBC OR Mobile (more content vs newer translation)

Dragon Quest IV: DS OR Mobile (more languages vs english party chat)

Dragon Quest V: DS OR Mobile (they have different prices and buttons)

Dragon Quest VI: DS OR Mobile (they have different prices and buttons)

Dragon Quest VII: 3DS

Dragon Quest VIII: 3DS

Dragon Quest IX: DS

Spinoffs:

Dragon Warrior Monsters: GBC

Dragon Warrior Monsters 2: GBC (Any version)

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker: DS

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2: DS

Torneko: The Last Hope: PS1

Rocket Slime: DS (This one didn’t release in EU)

Dragon Quest Swords: Wii

Fortune Street / Boom Street: Wii

Dragon Quest Wars: 3DS (DSi can’t access the internet any more)

Dragon Quest Heroes: PS4

Dragon Quest Builders: PS4 or PSV (higher resolution vs portability)

Dragon Quest Heroes 2: PS4 or Steam (unless the PC port is a bad port)

Soooooo, where should i start? (TL;DR 2)

Choose one of these, but i highly recommend VIII on 3DS.

Dragon Quest IV: DS OR Mobile (more languages vs english party chat)

Dragon Quest VIII: 3DS

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2: DS

Dragon Quest Builders: PS4 or PSV (higher resolution vs portability)

Special thanks

Thanks to my SO (♥︎), @imperial-scrolls-of-honor, @hawelo92, @imutone and @moguel for their help / corrections / suggestions.

Thanks to Yuji Horii, Koichi Sugiyama, Akira Toriyama, Koichi Nakamura, Noriyoshi Fujimoto, and all the staff that has worked or works in this marvelous series. And also thanks to Nintendo and Square Enix, who worked hard to bring these games to the West.

[rainyphilosopher]

My Favorite Video Games

I’m gonna be talking about my favorite video games, what I grew up with and how they changed my life into the wonderful beardo that I am today. So I’m gonna start off by saying that I’m not really an Xbox player, I’ve never owned any Xbox stations or any Xbox games I always found that Xbox was more along the lines of first-person shooters and sports games and that’s not really my cup of tea.

I’m more into JRPGs and stuff like that. It really started back when I was 16 years old and I played a ton of basketball back then like I thought I was gonna go pro because I was so good. But then I wound up breaking my ankle and I had to sit for 6 weeks and I thought what the hell am I gonna do for 6 weeks– so I got a PlayStation. And with that PlayStation, I got Final Fantasy VII and then my whole life changed.

This was the first JRPG that I’ve ever played and I just absolutely fell in love with it. I played it, I beat it all, I put in 100 hours for the first time I played and then I played it 3 more times. I beat the game four times! Putting in 100 hours each time at least! I even got Aeris to level 100 with her final limit break before the end of disk one. That’s how hardcore I was. I am a level grinder. I will get everyone to as high level as humanly possible so I can just beat the rest of the storyline very easily. I don't see anything wrong~ with a little game and grind~ From Final Fantasy VII, my love of Final Fantasy grew so I wound up playing FF8, FF9, FF10, and FF10-2 Couldn’t play 11 because that was online and I’m not a fan of online games. Played FF12, I’ve played 13, 13-2 and I’m finishing up 13-3 now as well.

I’ve played both Final Fantasy Tactics and then I went back and played FF4, 5, and 6. I like Final Fantasy. In fact, before coming to Korea, one of my dreams– because I noticed that I love to play the games– but the dialogue and the storytelling is sometimes quite stupid. So I thought that maybe one day I’d move to Japan, I’d learn Japanese, and I’d start working for Square Enix and then I’d fix all their terrible dialogue. And I’d fire their voice actors because FF10– Whoa Titus, you are annoying. It’s still a fun game. It’s my second favorite Final Fantasy.

After FF7, I really got into Metal Gear Solid as well. I think I’ve played just about every single Metal Gear Solid except for the virtual mission things that aren’t real story lines. I haven’t played Revengeance yet but that’s next on my hit list. Outside of that, one of my favorite games of all time was Shadow of the Colossus. I pretty much played that whole thing in one sitting. I didn’t step away from the TV until I had finished the very last boss. Seriously one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played in my entire life and if you haven’t played it yet, they have a remastered version for the PS3 Definitely pick that up because it is just–it’s just gorgeous. More along the lines of JRPGs, I really also got into–fairly recently, Ninokuni. Last year I played that all It had all of the charm and all of the wonder and the magic. I’m pretty sure it’s partly created by the people at Studio Ghibli and I love all Studio Ghibli movies as well so this definitely had that feel for me. One of my favorite video game experiences of all time.

Very similar to Ninokuni, I also wound up playing Dragon Quest 8. This was definitely Martina’s least favorite game that I’ve ever played. *Hums Dragon Quest battle song* Did you explain why I don’t like it? because I was writing an essay for the university for one of my final year courses and all I hear is: *Hums Dragon Quest battle song* Oh no! The Metal King Slime ran away. See, I was a very good university student so I made sure that I finished all of my essays as soon as the topics were handed out because I was very diligent so I could spend the rest of my time playing video games. I don’t really play that many racing games either.

The only racing game that I really got into was Burnout Revenge that was super fun Only because I didn’t really care about winning the game as much as knocking people into cliffs and making them explode in slow motion in ripito fifito sipa slow motion. Man, I wish I knew that song when I played that game when I was younger. One racing game I am very very serious about though is Mario Kart Seriously you will never ever ever beat me in Mario Kart Give me Toad and you’re done for I am god tier level Mario Kart player. I don’t lose, that’s it. -That’s a lie. -Shut it! You’re supposed to be sick! Another game that I take very seriously is Super Smash Bros.

Except I only got into it with the Gamecube version, I didn’t play the Nintendo64 version. And then I really got into it for the Wii because they had Snake in there and I played with Snake all the time and I was incredibly cheap except I only lost when I played online because they got all the kirbys! I played against three different kirbys! And by three, I mean three! and they would all suck me in and they would walk off the cliff and they would spit me out and they’d fly away and I wouldn’t be able to get back and they were so cheap! Also when it come to Super Smash, I don’t play a lot of fighting games.

The only other game that’s I played a lot that’s really for fighting is Marvel vs. Capcom 2 again, I’m pretty much god level at that. Get me Cable, Guile and Rogue and you’re dead. Dead do you hear me?! You don’t have a chance Remember when we went to Japan and you played against people live and they killed you No! I beat them in Japan as well! Nobody beats me at Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Nobody. I do play some games with Martina as well. We really got into Super Mario Galaxy together. Of course, I’d be Mario and she’d be the little star thing that would get all the star bits and freeze all the enemies for me.

That was one of our most precious bonding moments for video games. I never really got into Zelda but I do want to get into it more. The only time that I actually played it was for the Nintendo DS for the Phantom Hourglass. I loved that game. I never played any of the older ones. But now with the Wii, I’m really waiting for Hyrule Warriors as soon as I’m finished playing Child of Light, which is a super fun game as well. I’m probably gonna get into the Windwaker HD remake because I heard that’s a really fun game too Another very big game that Martina and I play together is Katamari. We played it for PS2. We played it for the PS3. We played it on the PS VITA as well. We love that game, we play it together all the time. BAAAAA~ In fact you might notice the references that we make to Katamari in our ‘How to Eat Ramen Like a Pro’ video because it’s a really big factor in our lives. In fact, for the cosplay convention that we just went to, I really wanted to dress up as Katamari but I didn’t know how to pack a gigantic ball in a suitcase like that so maybe next time, if it’s like a local cosplay convention, I’ll do Katamari.

I have to be the King of the Cosmos and I’ll wear those tights. In fact, we like that game so much that we actually play the soundtrack when we drive to work sometimes. *gasp* I forgot about Skyrim! It’s not really a JRPG. Martina got me that game for my birthday a couple years ago and that’s how I spent my birthday. We didn’t go out for dinner or anything she’s just like, “Here’s a game, play it’ And that’s all I did for my birthday and it was really great. It’s probably one of my favorite games ever. Again, I’m a level grinder so I haven’t actually advanced at all in the main storyline of that game. I’m level 100 in alchemy, one hand wielding, dual wielding, blocking, destruction magic, speechcraft as well.

I don’t even know about the main chants or anything, I just level grind a whole lot. Anyhow, so that’s it for this week’s TL;DR. I’m gonna talk about a few more of my favorite games in our blog post so make sure you click on the link here if you’d want to geek out with me over video games as well. I know it’s not as popular as the manga and anime topic that Martina did last time but I’m sure we got a few gamers here that who are interested as well. In fact the next major tattoo that I plan on getting, I’m planning on getting a whole sleeve from here down to here, full of my favorite video game characters and also some comic characters so I’m not necessarily sure who I’m gonna put in there yet so if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear what you think.

Or if you have any favorite video games that you grew up with, let me know because I’m sure there are a whole ton that I forgot. Those are the main ones that stuck in my head but let me know and then we could all squeal together over our favorite video games. For the TL;DR that Martina did by herself about animes, mangas, and manhwas, we had an amazing comment section there. It felt like we were with our people. I think we had something like 70 thousand million billion comments about everybody’s favorite animes. Martina wound up asking you a question about a manga that she couldn’t remember the name for, the answer was Black Alice. Thank you to the 7,000 people who gave that answer. If you want to have a gigantic reading list that will last you for the rest of your life, make sure you check out the comments for both the blog post and the Youtube video because there are so many awesome recommendations from people who are really passionate about the topic as well.

Now if you don’t mind, now that I’m done filming I’m gonna go back to playing Child of Light which is a really really gorgeous game. Like wow. That is some beautiful artwork there. So I’m gonna stop talking because I wanna go play. Goodbye. I’m gonna stop..