Breakthrough Gaming: How To Get Into The Dragon Quest Games
There are few series that have revolutionized video games quite like Dragon Quest. Debuting all the way back in 1986, the first Dragon Quest made its mark by distilling the complex mechanics of early RPGs such as Wizardry and Ultima into a form that even casual gamers could enjoy. Featuring the artwork of the legendary Akira Toriyama, Dragon Quest took Japan by storm and birthed a whole new approach to the RPG. Whether you’re exploring the Viridian Forest in the first generation Pokemon games or changing your classes in Metaphor, you can feel the influence of Dragon Quest.
That’s all history now, of course. The important question is, nearly 40 years and 11 mainline games later, why should you care about Dragon Quest?
Truthfully, most Dragon Quest games don’t pack must-see storylines or innovative gameplay you can’t get anywhere else. Instead, the best Dragon Quest games are remarkable because they nail the basics of what makes turn-based RPGs so fun. They feature hidden items around every corner, surprisingly methodical battle mechanics, weapons that can fundamentally change how each character attacks…I could go on. At the same time, Dragon Quest games rarely feel overwhelming. With easy-to-grasp mechanics and typically episodic storylines, Dragon Quest games are perfect palate cleansers after you’ve strained your brain conquering heady games like Metaphor: ReFantazio.
If you’ve never played Dragon Quest before, where should you start? On one hand, every game is mostly standalone, with the first three games in the series featuring the most direct links between them. That is to say, you won’t miss out on any critical lore no matter where you start. On the other hand, depending on your tastes in RPGs, you’ll want to prioritize certain entries over others to really see what makes this series so special. To help you start your journey, here are the games I recommend you take a look at first.
The best overall game to start with: Dragon Quest XI
Play it on: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Pros
Dragon Quest XI is the most recent mainline Dragon Quest game as of writing (barring any ports or remakes), and coincidentally it’s a near-perfect starting point for the series. While Dragon Quest games often revel in retro sensibilities, Dragon Quest XI features a vibrant 3D world full of modern amenities. There are no random battles, cities are colorful spaces that capture the beauty of Akira Toriyama’s art, and each party member is customizable thanks to the game’s version of skill trees. Dragon Quest XI is a sprawling game with a ton of replay value, so you’ll get a ton of bang for your buck, too.
I could go on about why Dragon Quest XI is a great game, but then Kotaku happens to be the home of probably the most famous Dragon Quest XI review on the English-speaking side of the internet, so you should probably just click here to watch that. From one Tim to another, I approve this message.
Cons
Truthfully, I don’t have a ton of criticism for Dragon Quest XI that doesn’t extend to the series as a whole. I will say that some of the bonus content in Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition does feel like filler and can be tedious. I’d still recommend the Definitive Edition over the vanilla release since it contains some really handy quality of life improvements, but the new stuff doesn’t have quite as much heart as the main game content.
If you like Dragon Quest XI
Dragon Quest VIII is a fan-favorite entry in the series and offers the closest overall experience to Dragon Quest XI. It’s technically a great starting point under normal circumstances too, but unfortunately it’s locked to the PS2, 3DS, and a mobile port that plays pretty rough out-of-the-box. If you have the means to play it, knock yourself out.
The best mid-generation game to start with: Dragon Quest V
Play it on: iOS, Android, Nintendo DS
Pros
While the quality of video games stories is often open to interpretation, I’m here to argue that Dragon Quest V (1992) has the best narrative of any game in the Dragon Quest series. It’s not so much that Dragon Quest V is a gripping tale full of twists and turns you’ve never seen anywhere else. Rather, it’s because the game is a beautiful reflection of our journeys through life, and the people we choose to share our adventures with. It’s a quest that spans the innocence of childhood all the way into the challenges of parenthood, and every step of the way feels human and relatable, despite the game’s fantasy setting.
It’s not just a reflective narrative that makes Dragon Quest V great. Dragon Quest V uses its life-spanning framework as a tool to start simply at the outset and introduce deeper game mechanics as you go. You can also catch and recruit monsters to use as party members, which is wildly innovative for the game’s time. Remember, Dragon Quest V originally came out in 1992, almost four years before Pokemon would change the world in 1996. Dragon Quest V embodies so much of what makes Dragon Quest great while offering so much more, making it a perfect starting place for those who have love for ‘90s and 2000s era RPGs.
Cons
If you don’t have love for ‘90s and 2000s era RPGs, Dragon Quest V can take some time to get used to. You’ll contend with random encounters in dungeons and on the world map alike, and the game can feel incredibly linear at times. It’s a little hard to play this one these days too, as you’ll need to play the mobile port if you’re not sitting on the Nintendo DS cart. While the mobile port is generally quite good, some may feel turned off by the prospect of playing a game with their thumb in portrait mode.
If you like Dragon Quest V
Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI were all remade courtesy of ArtePiazza (the team behind the 2023 remake of Super Mario RPG), so each game shares the same “vibe” even if they each have some fundamental differences. I’d specifically recommend Dragon Quest IV for fans of Dragon Quest V, as it also features a unique narrative that follows the game’s supporting heroes before the protagonist takes center stage. If you want an even simpler, but still engrossing RPG to start the series with, I’d actually recommend starting with Dragon Quest IV
Beyond that, I’d point Dragon Quest V fans towards Dragon Quest VIII and XI, but we’ve already talked about those games.
The best retro game to start with: Dragon Quest III
Play the HD-2D Remake of Dragon Quest III on: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Older ports of Dragon Quest III: Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Pros
As the game that sparked the rumors about how the Japanese government outlawed Dragon Quest games from debuting on school days, Dragon Quest III is arguably one of the most important games ever made. Even today, few games capture the feeling of a grand, epic adventure like Dragon Quest III. Not only does it feature a surprisingly robust class system, it implements captivating cross-class mechanics that I can only suspect influenced the Job system in Final Fantasy games. Yet, despite its surprising depth for a game that came out in 1988, Dragon Quest III is still impeccably approachable. Whether you explore the world for secret weapons and armor, or fight monsters until your levels are sky high, any player can carve their own path to victory.
Few games capture the sense of childlike wonder and curiosity that Dragon Quest III evokes. The world is vast and spans several distinct set pieces, ranging from cursed pyramids to ghost ships. And while there is a set path to follow to complete the main storyline, Dragon Quest III always feels driven by your own curiosity. It’s up to you to figure out where you want to go next, how to get the key item that lets you access a new part of the world, and whether or not you’re ready to challenge the dungeon or boss battle that stands in front of you. It’s RPG gaming distilled to its purest form.
Cons
As revolutionary as Dragon Quest III is, it is also very much a product of its time. Dungeon design is basic, as most caves or towers devolve into winding pathways or small mazes. Random encounters are also very frequent, so you should expect to spend most of your time mowing down common enemies. Players who like to perfect their builds may also feel frustrated by how vague certain mechanics are, such as how each party member’s personality affects their stats. Even in the updated HD-2D Remake of Dragon Quest III, these quirks are still present.
That same curiosity-driven design that drives Dragon Quest III also means that the overarching story that it does tell is paper thin. There are occasional dramatic moments, but they never tug at the heartstrings or evoke a sense of urgency to your quest. You’ll create all your party members at the outset of your journey too, so almost all character development is relegated to how willing you are to roleplay in your head.
This is all admittedly retro RPG 101 stuff, so those with old school sensibilities should feel at home with Dragon Quest III. By the same token, if you didn’t start gaming in the ‘80s or ‘90s, Dragon Quest III may take some getting used to.
If you like Dragon Quest III
Funny enough, the most equivalent experience to Dragon Quest III is Dragon Quest IX on the Nintendo DS. It’s of course a more modern game, but it’s the only other mainline Dragon Quest game in which you play around with a class system and create your own party of heroes from the outset. Unfortunately, this one’s hard to get your hands on since it was never ported to any other systems.
The other class-driven Dragon Quest games are Dragon Quest VI and VII. Dragon Quest VII isn’t easy to play these days either, as it’s locked to the PlayStation and 3DS for English-speaking audiences. On the other hand, Dragon Quest III is actually a prequel to Dragon Quest I and II, and those games at least preserve the NES-era sensibilities of Dragon Quest III. In fact, that leads us to our final starting point.
The game to play if you must start at the beginning: Dragon Quest I
Play it on: Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
An HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest I + II will launch in 2025
Pros
Honestly, I love Dragon Quest I. On one hand, it is exceedingly simple. Your main character is the only party member, battles have little strategy beyond attacking and healing, and the world map is hilariously small. Yet those are all reasons why Dragon Quest I is so great. It is the RPG reduced to its most basic form, and in that we see why the genre is inherently fun. Leveling up is always satisfying, and getting enough gold to buy a strong new weapon feels like a huge accomplishment. You’re always driven to become strong enough to fight more powerful enemies that subsequently award more experience points and gold.
Admittedly, Dragon Quest I can feel like a grindy slog if you play the original NES version. But all versions of Dragon Quest I available on modern consoles rebalance the game and highlight key items that you might otherwise miss without a guide. This also compresses the runtime of Dragon Quest I to about 8 hours, meaning you can easily finish it in a weekend. I’m not here to tell you that Dragon Quest I is somehow the best game in the series. But it is a game that I love to replay every couple years, and frankly I’m looking forward to running it again when Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake come out in 2025.
Cons
I mean, read the above. If the loop of fighting monsters until you’re strong enough to fight stronger monsters doesn’t trigger the pleasure centers in your brain, then Dragon Quest I won’t do a whole lot for you. This is not a game you play for creative world building or a gripping story. Heck, the plot is literally “save the princess from the dragon.” While the upcoming HD-2D remake may at least offer some eye candy for you to enjoy, you’d probably be better off playing something like Octopath Traveler II if you don’t have a taste for NES-era gaming.
Also, some modern ports of Dragon Quest I streamline the game a little too much. For example, the iOS version outright reveals the location of key items that were designed to be uncovered following a series of riddles. This may not bother you that much, but it does create a disconnect when you’re uncovering clues about how to find a rare treasure that you already grabbed four hours ago.
If you like Dragon Quest I
Well, Dragon Quest II is a direct continuation of Dragon Quest I, so that’s the most logical game to play next. And honestly, if you’ve already started with the beginning of the series, then you might as well play them all sequentially. This will let you appreciate the evolution of Dragon Quest in real time, especially as each game becomes (slightly) more complex than the last. Playing every Dragon Quest game in chronological order is a huge time commitment, but it’s a great experience if you have the determination to see it through.
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