Dragon Quest: The Definitive Thread

For some reason there isn't one of these already, so here's a thread for all things Dragon Quest. IMO this is debatably the best series of JRPGs available on consoles, right up there with Final Fantasy. They're #1A and #1B for me. It's hard to say which one is a better series, since FF usually caters more to story while DQ usually caters more to raw gameplay.

The first four games in the series were brought to the U.S. as Dragon Warrior before they started calling them all Dragon Quest worldwide, so the two names could be used interchangeably for the first four entries here. Here's a brief rundown for anyone new to this series or thinking about getting into it.

Feel free to post anything DQ-related in this thread, whether it's news on the upcoming DQ12, or conversation about the older games in the series, or questions, or whatever the case may be.


Dragon Quest 1 - The first and simplest one, but still a classic. Has versions on the NES/Famicom, Super Famicom, Game Boy Color, iOS/Android, and Switch. A 2D-HD version in the visual style of Octopath is probably on the way in the next few years. The best way to play this is debatable, though I'd go with the NES original just to see where it all began. It's a fairly short game and clocks in at about 6 hours, even for a first-time playthrough, so there's nothing to lose here.


Dragon Quest II - One of the weaker entries, and possibly the hardest game in the series, but a lot of NES players still have really fond memories of this epic. Has versions on the NES/Famicom, Super Famicom, Game Boy Color, iOS/Android, and Switch. Also probably getting a 2D-HD version in the next few years, pending the success of DQ3 and DQ1. The best way to play this is again debatable. The NES original is punishing, while the phone version is streamlined and rebalanced. I don't recommend the Switch version because of the terrible monster sprites. The SFC and GBC versions are solid, if you don't mind playing ROMs. However I'll give the nod to the phone version overall.


Dragon Quest III - The first truly great game in the series IMO, though still a bit primitive and rough around the edges. Utilizes a class system like FF1/FF3/FF5 and eschews character development and story in the service of gameplay, much like those three games. Has versions on NES/Famicom, Super Famicom, Game Boy Color (outstanding port), iOS/Android (also a great port), and Switch. Has a 2D-HD version already announced and on the way in the near future, likely followed by DQ1 and DQ2. An important thing to note is that the first 3 games in this series are a trilogy that function as a closed loop. DQ3 is the first chapter, chronologically, which is probably why it's the first one getting a 2D-HD remake. The recommended version for this is probably the upcoming 2D-HD version, but until that's out, the phone version is probably the way to go.


Dragon Quest IV - Just as good as DQIII, in a different way. This one focuses more on story than gameplay, and loses the open class system of DQIII in favor of set characters with set classes. It's a lot like comparing FF4 to FF3, in that regard. I used to think DQIII was the better game, but now I lean towards DQIV. It makes very good use of the classes, and with how customizable your party is, it's close enough to DQIII's class customization. The reason this gets compared to DQIII so much is because they were the last two on the NES. Available on NES/Famicom, Playstation (in Japan), Nintendo DS, iOS/Android. Fun Fact: Out of the first six games in the series, this is the only one that isn't playable on the Super Famicom. By the time they got around to it in the remake cycle, the Playstation was out already. Similarly, the Game Boy Color port cycle didn't get to this one in time so it ended up on the Nintendo DS. They skipped the GBA cycle entirely. Whether this gets a 2D-HD remake in the future seems to be up in the air, but given how often it got skipped over in the past during remake cycles, I'm not holding my breath.


The iOS/Android port is once again the best way to play this game, IMO. Basically an HD version of the Nintendo DS port, and man, it plays well.


Dragon Quest V - Debatably the best game in the series, depending on who you ask. Continues DQIV's M.O. of focusing on characters and story over gameplay. The gameplay is still solid, however. This is absolutely in the S-tier of this series along with 8 and 11. Available on Super Famicom, Nintendo DS, and iOS/Android.


Once again the phone port of this is probably the best way to play this game. It's the DS version with vastly sharper visuals and you can't beat the convenience of it. Some might not like the touchscreen controls, but I found it to be basically the same as holding a controller most of the time. The Super Famicom version is also worth a play if you can find a translated ROM. They've never released any version of the original SFC DQV in English, even though it would have been a license to print money in the 1990's (much like FF5).


Dragon Quest VI - This one is the most DBZ-esque Toriyama-designed game yet. It was originally released on the Super Famicom (and not released in the U.S. of course). The closest thing I can compare it to is Chrono Trigger, since it came out around the same era / tech level of the SFC hardware. That said, IMO it's nowhere near Chrono Trigger in fun level (though it IS much longer and much more content-rich). It's also a step down from DQV in story/characters and world design. They brought back classes for this one, to varying degrees of success, and that adds a lot to it. This was the beginning of the games slowing down a lot, which would continue into DQ7 before returning to normal in DQ8. For perspective, DQ5 can be beaten in about 15-20 hours while DQ6 is more like 40-50 and DQ7 is more like 80-100. So DQVI is a game that goes on a bit too long, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.


Again, the iOS/Android port is the best way to play this one, an enhanced version of the DS port. However, again, if you find a translated ROM, the SFC version has its own charm, especially if you like the Chrono Trigger look and unmistakable visuals of late-SNES hardware. This is the first game since DQ1 where I'm inclined to suggest playing the original rather than the superior later ports, but I say that as someone who grew up with CT and late-era SNES games and has deep nostalgia for their look.

That's it for the ones that I've played extensively, but I'll write something up for the rest of the series below.

Dragon Quest VII - The one game in the series that I actively don't like and have only played through once. There are people who swear by this game, though. By far the longest game in the series, and the slowest as well. Carries over DQ6's class system, though there's a lot of class bloat at this point and redundant abilities are everywhere. Also found the hero to be pretty boring compared to previous games. I personally bought this on Playstation in 2001, couldn't get into it, tried to play it again in 2004, got pretty far and lost interest, then finally gave it another shot in 2007 and got through the rest of the game. It was the first game I ever bought that took me years to actually play/finish, an exceedingly rare event. Available on Playstation, Nintendo 3DS, and possibly phones. The best way to play this is the 3DS version, which I'm told fixes a lot of the elements of the original that dragged. The only way I see myself ever playing this one again is if it gets some sort of HD console port.


Dragon Quest VIII - I never played this one at all, so I can't say much. It's pretty much unanimously agreed to be in the S-Tier along with DQ5 and 11. I'm just saving it for a rainy day. AKA waiting for it to get an HD port...it has to, right? Available on Playstation 2, 3DS, and I've heard that a phone version is available but isn't very good or optimized. The best way to play this is debatable, but most likely the original Playstation 2 version. Still holding out hope that this gets an HD port with DQ11-style visuals. Unfortunately that may have to wait until the earlier games get their 2D-HD ports.


Dragon Quest IX - Don't remember much about this one. Played it once in college. It has a customizable party like DQIII, and a lot of interesting content. However, it being a Nintendo DS game hampers it a bit, and the visuals are rough now. Has never gotten any kind of remake, unfortunately. All in all, it was a very middle of the road game for me, not great and not bad at all either. Not sure if there's much reason to play it here in 2021, though. Available on Nintendo DS.


Dragon Quest X - This one was never released outside of Japan, and is an MMO. That would be about all there is to say about it, but it was recently announced that it'll be getting a single-player version that might have a worldwide release. So there's a possibility DQX will still be a thing in the West in the not-distant future. This is one to keep a look-out for. Available (Japan-only) on Wii, Wii U, Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, and iOS/Android.


Dragon Quest XI - The closest thing we've ever gotten to a Chrono Break game. This combines the best elements of the Chrono series and the best elements of the Dragon Quest series. It's an outstanding game, to say the least, and by far the most advanced technologically. The only thing missing is a class system, but like DQIV it makes good use of the set classes that the various party members have. There's also plenty of in-class customization, similar to talent tree specs in WoW. Recently got an "S" version that includes a 16-bit version of the game that is also worth playing and a ton of fun. That version has DQ6-level late-SNES visuals and is basically an entirely new game packed-in for free, which somewhat lessens the blow of never getting DQX here. Available on Playstation 4, XBox Gamepass, and Switch.


Dragon Quest XII - Upcoming 12th game in the series. Nothing is known about it yet. Would like to have discussion of it in this thread, so I'll post here when more information becomes available.

There were also some spinoffs like Dragon Quest Monsters and Dragon Quest Builders that I never played, as well as the Dragon Quest Heroes titles which are fun beat 'em ups. Feel free to discuss any of them here, though it's worth noting that Builders 1 and 2 have their own threads already.

spronk said:

DQ XI S is on gamepass and a great experience on xbox, albeit crazy long. Only dragon quest game I've ever played, probably took me around 150 hours to finish and 100% achievements wise, thoroughly enjoyed it. Doesn't seem to be any continuity or anything, pretty standard JRPG tropes and I was never lost or confused.

Yakuza Like a dragon makes a lot of dragon quest references so a great game to play afterwards

i don't really have much interest in older DQ games, i though the tick tock 8 bit versions inside DQXI were not fun at all and I assume most of the older games are like that. will definitely play DQ 12 tho


has anyone watched the anime? I saw on a torrent site its up to like 45 episodes or some shit, thats a lot of TV

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Yeah, DQXI is its own self-contained story. They might connect XII to it, we'll see. 1-3 is a trilogy (3-1-2), 4 through 6 are supposed to be a trilogy but have a lot less connection to each other than 1-3, and after that they're pretty much all self-contained.

YMMV with the older ones, a lot of it really depends on how much nostalgia you have for RPGs from the 90's. The 16-bit version of DQXI did drag for the first few hours and I wasn't sure if I'd push through with it. Once it got going it ended up being a lot of fun, and by the end I liked it almost as much as the regular game. Not only is it 2D, it also plays very differently because the battles are firmly round-based like the old games rather than cycling character turns like regular DQXI. In some cases this makes battles harder, in other cases it makes them easier.

I also just finished a DQ3 character challenge in the android version: A party of Goof-Offs. That's the worst class in the game until level 20, when it transforms into the best class in the game (which you can normally only get 1 or 2 of, max, by finding a hidden item). It was an incredibly difficult run until I got everyone to level 20, then it eased up a bit though it still had challenges (the lack of melee DPS, mainly). Was a fun challenge and I recommend it for anyone who likes DQ and also likes weird hard-mode playthroughs like 4 Thieves / White Mages in FF1. I'd say a DQ3 Goof-Off party is harder than 4 White Mages, not sure about 4 Thieves because I haven't tried that in FF1 yet.


Here's where the pain begins. Protip for anyone who tries this challenge: Make sure you get all female characters who have the Sexy personality trait, since it boosts level-up numbers. I didn't do that with all of the characters and ended with lopsided stats between them.


Once they turn into Sages things get a lot better. This ended up being one of the more fun challenge runs I've played in a while.


Boom. I can't say enough good things about the phone ports of these games on here. They modernize the series without taking anything away from the originals (aside from visual nostalgia).

Did my own personal tier-list which won't be controversial at all. Basing this off of the original versions of the games, not the remakes.

Szlia Timewyrm and a few of the postgame super-bosses in DQ11S were insane. There was one in particular that was like, two bosses at once. I think it was the 2nd-to-last postgame fight. Took me like 7 attempts to beat that fight even with a completely maxed-out party. I remember the fights being harder in 2D mode, or maybe it was vice versa.

Hateyou said:

I think you should play through an entire game before you personally rank it. 7 isn’t E tier.

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I did play through all of DQ7. It took me six years, as mentioned above, and I found it to be excruciatingly slow, though there were elements I liked (the music, the stories). The thing about a tier list is that the bottom tier doesn't necessarily mean something is bad, it just means it's below the others in tier for me personally. So the games at the bottom of the list, 2 and 7, are still solid 7 out of 10 games.