Dragon Quest,[a]previously published asDragon Warriorin North America until 2005,[b]is a series ofrole-playing gamescreated by Japanesegame designerYuji Horii(Armor Project), character designerAkira Toriyama(Bird Studio), and composerKoichi Sugiyama(Sugiyama Kobo) and published bySquare Enix(formerlyEnix). Since its inception, development of games in the series have been outsourced to a plethora of external companies untilthe tenth installment,with localized remakes and ports of later installments for theNintendo DS,Nintendo 3DS,andNintendo Switchbeing published byNintendooutside of Japan. With its first game published in 1986, there are eleven main-series games, along with numerous spin-off games. In addition, there have been numerousmanga,animeandnovelspublished under the franchise, with nearly every game in the main series having a related adaptation.

Dragon Quest
Genre(s)Role-playing
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Square Enix (formerlyEnix)
Creator(s)Yuji Horii
Artist(s)Akira Toriyama
Composer(s)Koichi Sugiyama
Platform(s)
First releaseDragon Quest
May 27, 1986
Latest releaseDragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
December 1, 2023
Spin-offs

The series introduced a number of features to the genre and has had a significant impact on the development of other role-playing games. Installments of the series have appeared on various computers, consoles, handheld devices, and mobile phones. Early in the series, theDragon Questgames were released under the titleDragon Warriorin North America to avoid trademark conflict with the unrelatedtabletop role-playing gameDragonQuest.Square Enix did not register theDragon Questtrademark for use in the United States until 2002.

The basic premise of mostDragon Questgames is to play a hero (actually named "Hero" in spinoff fiction, but in all games, the player is able to name their hero) who is out to save the land from peril at the hands of a powerful evil enemy, with the hero usually accompanied by a group ofparty members.Common elements persist throughout the series and its spinoff games:turn-based combat;recurring monsters, including theSlime,which became the series' mascot; a text-based menu system; andrandom encountersin most of the main series.

All games in the series as of 2024 involve scenario writer and game designerYuji Horii,and prior to their deaths, character designerAkira Toriyamaand music composerKoichi Sugiyamahave handled their respective roles on most games in the series. The original concepts, used since the first game, took elements from the Western role-playing gamesWizardryandUltima.A core philosophy of the series is to make thegameplayintuitive so that players can easily start playing the games. The series features a number of religious overtones which were heavily censored in the NES versions outside of Japan.

Media

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Games

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Thefirst installmentof the franchise was released in Japan on May 27, 1986, titled with the name"Dragon Quest"followed by a Roman numeral. Since 1986, the franchise has featured eleven games within the main series, as well as several spin-off games, and also two animated productions.

Main series

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Release timeline
1986Dragon Quest
1987Dragon Quest II
1988Dragon Quest III
1989
1990Dragon Quest IV
1991
1992Dragon Quest V
1993–1994
1995Dragon Quest VI
1996–1999
2000Dragon Quest VII
2001–2003
2004Dragon Quest VIII
2005–2008
2009Dragon Quest IX
2010–2011
2012Dragon Quest X
2013–2016
2017Dragon Quest XI
TBADragon Quest XII

The first fourDragon Questinstallments were released for theFamicomandNintendo Entertainment Systemin Japan and North America, respectively. The first two installments were released in Japan on the Famicom and ported that same year to theMSX;all four games have been remade for newer systems.Dragon Questwas first released in Japan on May 27, 1986, and in North America asDragon Warriorin August 1989.[1][2]Dragon Quest II Akuryō no Kamigamiwas released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990 asDragon Warrior II.Dragon Quest III Soshite Densetsu e...was released in Japan in 1989 and North America asDragon Warrior IIIin 1992.Dragon Quest IVwas released in Japan in 1990 and in North America in 1992 asDragon Warrior IV.A 2001 JapanesePlayStationremake ofDragon Warrior IVscheduled for the North American market was never released.[1][3]The Nintendo DS remake ofDragon Quest IVwas released in North America, Europe, and Australia under its original translated title; the European release removed the number from the title.[1]

Two games were released for theSuper Famicom:Dragon Quest Vin 1992 andDragon Quest VIin 1995; both have been re-released on newer systems.[1]Dragon Quest Vwas originally scheduled for release in North America but was canceled amid rumors that Enix had given up on the American market. No official reason was ever given.[1][4]The Nintendo DS remakes were released in North America withDragon Quest Valso being released in Europe and Australia, the latter without the numbering.[5][6]One game was released for the PlayStation:Dragon Quest VII: Eden no Senshi-tachiin 2000 in Japan and 2001 in North America under the titleDragon Warrior VII.[1]Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed Kingwas released for thePlayStation 2in 2004 in Japan,[1]2005 in North America, and 2006 in Europe and Australia,[7]again without the number in the title for Europe.Dragon Quest VIIIwas the first game in the series to be released in North America under the title ofDragon Quest,and the first European release of a main series game.[8][9]Dragon Quest IX,the only game in the series initially released on the Nintendo DS, was originally released in 2009 in Japan, and in 2010 in North America, Europe, and Australia.[10]Dragon Quest Xwas announced for theWiiin December 2008.[11]In September 2011, Square Enix announced thatDragon Quest Xwould also be released on theWii U,withNintendo 3DSconnectivity.[12]It is the firstMMORPGin the series, and the only numberedDragon Questgame not released outside Japan.[13]Dragon Quest XIwas released in Japan on July 29, 2017, and worldwide on September 4, 2018.[14]

Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fatewas announced in 2021.[15]According to Horii, the game will have a darker tone, feature more meaningful choices, and overhaul the traditionalDragon Questturn-based combat.[16]Dragon Quest XIIwill also be the first mainline title released after the deaths of series music composer Koichi Sugiyama and character designer Akira Toriyama who had been involved with the series since its inception.

Spin-offs

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The franchise includes several spin-off games, including theDragon Quest MonstersRPG. The series has also inspiredarcade gamessuch as the JapaneseDragon Quest: Monster Battle Road,where players compete for real-life cards with monster data that the arcade game issues to the players through a slot on its front. The latter is the only spin-off series to have none of its titles released outside Japan.[17][18][19][20][21][22]TheMystery DungeonandItadaki Streetseries use characters and other elements fromDragon Questgames, and the Mystery Dungeon series has gone on to spawn its own franchise.[23]

In 1993, Chunsoft developed a SNES game that included Torneko (a.k.a. Torneko Taloon), a character that first appeared inDragon Quest IV.[24]TheroguelikegameTorneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeoncontinues Torneko's story fromDragon Quest IVas he attempts to make his store famous, venturing into mysterious dungeons to retrieve items to stock his store with. The game was successful in Japan.[25]In 2000 the direct sequelTorneko: The Last Hopewas released in Japan and the United States. The gameplay is similar to the first game, thoughTorneko: The Last Hopeis considered easier to play.[26]The game sold enough copies in Japan to allow development of the second direct sequel on the PlayStation 2,Fushigi no Dungeon 3 Torneko no Daibouken.[27]The second and third Torneko games have had remakes for the Game Boy Advance (GBA).[28]A later game featured Yangus, a character who first appeared inDragon Quest VIII;Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeonfollows Yangus on his adventures before he meets up with Hero in the aforementioned game.[29]The success ofTorneko no Daibōkenspawned theMystery Dungeonseries that has grown to include franchises beyondDragon Quest.[30][31]

When Enix took over theMonopoly-inspired video game seriesItadaki Street,theDragon Questfranchise became an integral part of the game in its second version,Itadaki Street 2: Neon Sain wa Bara Iro ni.[32][33]The firstItadaki Street,released byASCII,did not contain elements from theDragon Questfranchise.[34]The fourth game in the series,Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Special,included characters from theFinal Fantasyfranchise, and later versions would include characters fromMario.[35][36]

Like the main series,Dragon Quest Monsterswas originally released under theDragon Warriorname in the US.[37]The next game,Dragon Warrior Monsters 2,is the only game to be split into two versions,Cobi's Journey(Ruka's Journeyin Japan) andTara's Adventure(Iru's Adventure in Japan), named after the mainplayer characters.[38]Each version has slight differences, such as the monster that appear in them.[39]Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heartis a prequel toDragon Warrior VII,following Keifer who is pulled into Torland and must find the six Orbs ofLotoin order to return.[40]The release ofDragon Quest Monsters: Jokeris the first spin-off title to be released in English using theDragon Questname;[41]its sequelDragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2was released in North America on September 19, 2011.[42][43]There is also anAndroidtitle,Dragon Quest Monsters: Wanted!.[44]

Dragon Questhas also produced a number of smaller spin-off titles. In two of them, players use their special controllers as a sword, swinging it to slash enemies and objects.Kenshin Dragon Quest: Yomigaerishi Densetsu no Kenis a stand-alone game in which the controller is shaped like a sword, and a toy shield contains the game's hardware.[45]Dragon Quest Swordsfor the Wii uses themotion sensingWii Remoteas a sword.[46][47]Another spin-off title,Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest,uses the game's popular slime monster as the protagonist,[48]and its sequel,Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime,has been translated into English.[49]There is also a downloadableDSiWareturn-based strategygame,Dragon Quest Wars[50]and other titles have been released in Japan for cellphones.[51][52]Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below,a PlayStation 3 and 4 game featuring the gameplay of theDynasty Warriorsseries byKoei Tecmo,was released in Japan on February 26, 2015, and in North America and Europe in October 2015 as a PlayStation 4 exclusive. It later had a sequel that released on May 17, 2016, in Japan, and later came out in North America and Europe in April 2017 to the PlayStation 4 as well as PC.[53][54]Dragon Quest Buildersfor the PS4 was released in 2016. It later had a sequel release on July 12, 2019, for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.Theatrhythm Dragon Questis arhythm gamedeveloped for the Nintendo 3DS. Like theTheatrhythm Final Fantasygames before it, the game allows players to play alongside various songs from theDragon Questfranchise.[55]In September 2019,Dragon Quest Walk,anaugmented realitygame, was released forAndroidandiOSmobile phones.[56]

Other media

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Novels

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Beginning in 1988, the media franchise expanded into other media, with a number ofanime,manga, andlight noveladaptations. Following the success of aDragon Quest IIIlight novel, Enix began publishing more volumes starting from the first game in sequential order. Enix published titles from every main series game previously released by March 23, 1995, as well as the first Torneko'sMystery Dungeongame.[57]The titles are written from a second-person perspective; the reader determines the next course of action and the stories have multiple endings.[58]

Other printed titles released in 1989 include:Dragon Quest Monsters Story;Dragon Quest Item Story;theDragon Quest Perfect Collectionseries starting withDragon Quest Perfect Collection 1990;and the first twoDragon Questnovels by Takayashiki Hideo. All of these works have had additional titles published for different games by different authors: Hideo wrote the first four volumes spanning the first three games; Kumi Saori authored ten volumes comprising the next three games; and Hiroyuki Domon wrote three volumes forDragon Quest VII.Starting withShinsho Shousetsu Dragon Quest Iin 2000, a new series by all three authors began publication. The authors wrote new stories for their respective series, three stories for Hideo, nine for Saori, and three for Domon; with the latter's works featuring illustrations by Daisuke Torii. Several standalone titles and audiobook titles have also been released.[57]

Manga

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Dragon Questmanga began publication inWeekly Shōnen Jumpin 1989.[59]Based on the world ofDragon Quest,Riku SanjoandKoji Inada'sDragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai(ドラゴンクエスト ダイ の đại mạo 険,Doragon Kuesuto: Dai no Daibōken,lit. Dragon Quest: The Great Adventure of Dai)was created as a two-chapter short-story entitledDerupa! Iruiru!.Its success led to the three-chapter sequel,Dai Bakuhatsu!!!,which set the framework for a later serialization spanning 37 volumes.[59][60][61]

Several manga based on the games have been published. The longest-running of these,Dragon Quest Biography: Emblem of Roto(ドラゴンクエスト liệt vân ロト の văn chương,Dragon Quest Retsuden: Roto no Monshō),Warriors of Eden,andMaboroshi no Daichi,were published inMonthly Shōnen Gangan.Emblem of Roto,byChiaki Kawamataand Junji Koyanagi, with art byKamui Fujiwara,consists of twenty-one volumes published between 1991 and 1997. In 2004Young Ganganran a mini-series calledEmblem of Roto Returns.It takes place betweenDragon Quest IIIandDragon Quest I.[62]It was adapted into a comic CD in 1994, and an anime movie based on the manga was released in Japan on April 20, 1996.[63]As of 2019, the series has sold 21million copies, including 400,000 copies sold overseas.[64]Warriors of Edenconsists of eleven volumes, with art by Fujiwara. The series is a retelling ofDragon Quest VIIwith some minor changes.[65]Maboroshi no Daichiconsists of ten volumes. The series is a retelling ofDragon Quest VIwith some minor changes.[66]Other shorter manga series have been released including several based on other games, some official4komastrips, and a manga about the making of the originalDragon Questgame.[67][68]Dragon Quest: Souten no Soura(ドラゴンクエスト trời xanh の ソウラ,Doragon Kuesuto Sōten no Soura,lit."Dragon Quest: Blue Sky Soura" ),authored by Yuuki Nakashima and supervised by Yūji Horii, is a sidestory ofDragon Quest X.It was serialized between February 2013 and October 2022, with 19 volumes released through 2022.[69]Hiro Mashimadrew the one-shotDragon Quest XI S Tōzoku-tachi no Banka(ドラゴンクエストXI S đạo tặc たち の bài ca phúng điếu),based onDragon Quest XI,for the October issue ofV Jump,which was released on August 21, 2019.[70]A manga adaptation ofDragon Quest TreasurestitledDragon Quest Treasures: Another Adventure Fadora no Takarajimawill begin serialization inV Jumpin November 2022. It is written by Masaki Hara with illustrations byYoichi Amanoand supervision by Horii.[71]

The Road to Dragon Questis a manga about the creators ofDragon Quest,published by Enix. The single-volume manga was released in 1990 and produced byIshimori Productions.It focuses on the creation of the series and features series creator Yuji Horii, programmerKoichi Nakamura,composer Koichi Sugiyama, artist Akira Toriyama, and producer Yukinobu Chida.[72]

Anime

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There are three major television series that were adapted from the games.Dragon Quest: Legend of the Hero Abel(ドラゴンクエスト ~ dũng giả アベル vân nói ~,Doragon Kuesuto Yūsha Aberu Densetsu)was produced byStudio Cometand aired from December 2, 1989, to April 5, 1991, 43 episodes were broadcast before the series ended. It was supervised by Horii, with a story loosely based onDragon Quest III.The first 13 episodes of the series were translated into English by Saban Entertainment under the titleDragon Warrior.Due to its early time slot, it was not renewed. The series was released onDVDin Japan in October 2006, with its nine volumes selling about 90,000 units by February 2007.[73]

A second anime series,Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai,based on the manga of the same name, was produced byToei Animation.It ran for 46 episodes from October 17, 1991, to September 24, 1992.[74]Asecond anime adaptation of the same mangaalso produced by Toei Animation aired from October 3, 2020, to October 22, 2022.[75]

On April 20, 1996, a film titledDragon Quest Saga – The Crest of Rotowas released. It was produced byNippon Animation.[76]

A3DCGmovie based onDragon Quest V,Dragon Quest: Your Story,was released in Japan in August 2019.[77]

Virtual reality

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Dragon Quest VR
Developer(s)Namco Bandai Real Entertainment
Publisher(s)Namco Bandai Real Entertainment
Artist(s)Akira Toriyama
Writer(s)Yuji Horii
Ryutaro Ichimura
Composer(s)Koichi Sugiyama
SeriesDragon Quest
Platform(s)HTC Vive
ReleaseApril 27, 2018 - October 25, 2020
Genre(s)Virtual realityaction role-playing game
Mode(s)Action arcade,multiplayer

Dragon Quest VR[ja](ドラゴンクエストVR) was avirtual realityteam-basedonlyarcade-styleroleplaying game first released at VR ZONE SHINJUKI inTokyo'sShinjukudistrict, then later hosted at VR ZONEOSAKAon September 13, 2018, and finally MAZARIA inSunshine City, Ikebukuro, Tokyoon July 12, 2019, a series of thenBandai Namco-owned virtual realitytheme parkarcades.[78]

The brief story that's loosely based onDragon Quest IIIbegan with players receiving a request from a king to embark on a journey along with their assistant Ohealia, aHealslimeand character exclusive to this title only, who acted as a guide and narrator throughout the experience with the main goal for each team (to which multiple can play at the same time in each of their own sessions, all as a team in one session, or a combination of the between)[79]to fight through a series of battles in increasing difficulty before facing the powerfulZoma,a guest character who is also the main antagonist from the same game and was responsible for terrorizing the land.

Gameplay took place in open arenas (such as forests, caves, and, castles) in-game while players working in teams of four astwo warriors, a mage, and a prieststood and moved around in a65 x 39 foot playing fieldwith each group of players divided into sperate teams. All players were required to wear a set of personal equipment provided byHTC Viveconsisting of theheadsetwith headphones and mics all powered by aMSIgaming laptopbackpack,andspecial controllersspecially modeled and fitted to represent each class, a small modeled sword and shield for the warriors, and small wands and gloved controllers for the mage and priest.[80]Weapons, armor, skills, and spells were set for each class by default and were determined by each of said class:

  • Warriorswere the frontline fighters. Players as this class would wielded a sword used for attacking foes in their main hand and a shield used to block incoming attacks in their off-hand. They would engage in melee dealing damage up-close using their strength to overwhelm their foes and could tank damage that would otherwise be directed to their allies. When a warrior was under the "Oomph" spell's effect they grow longer in size being able to deal more damage as well as being able to hit more targets with a single swing each attack but also gaining a larger hitbox making them a much easier target for foes to hit.
  • Magesused attack spells and a support spell that increased the attack power of allies. Players as this class wielded a staff in their main hand and a special glove controller allowing them to access a spell type selection system in-game on their off-hand. Players as this class would raise their hand forward with the glove to which three magic circles each representing spells will appear in front of them. They would then select one of the spells with their staff, then raising and lowering it to cast the spell in the direction of the target. The spells werethe ice spell "Crack", the fire spell "Frizz", and "Oomph", which doubles the target's attack power for a certain period of time.Players could charge their spells by keeping their staff raised for a short then lowering it to cast a stronger version such as Crack being cast as "Crackle", and Frizz as "Kafrizz".
  • Priestshealed and revived allies, and used an offensive spell. Players as this class wielded a cane in their main hand while also wearing a similar glove controller in the off-hand. Their spells were cast in the same way as a mage with a different set of spells to choose from, the resurrection spell "Kazing", a revival spell "Heal", and the tornado attack spell "Woosh". Players could also cast Heal on themselves by touch the light at the tip of the staff with their gloved hand, method that was changed from a previous one due to an update (holding their cane up and swinging it down). However, Kazing could not be used in this same manner as they were the only class that could revive downed players. Like the mage, raising the cane for a short time when using Woosh will cause it to become the powerful version "Swoosh".

Each player given their own class could take only a set amount of damage before going down. If the player was at critical health their screen turned black and white, and if damaged further, they would enter a downed state and would be displayed as a pillar of light on the screen to notify fellow players. The game ended in one of two ways, if all players were defeated to which they appeared in front of the king admonished them for their failure or congratulated them on their success.

Enemies iconic to the series that players faced off against includeSlimes,Drackies, Wondering Armors, Chimaera, Dragons, and a large Golemeach with their own strengths and weaknesses that players could exploit to win battles efficiently. Each enemy also had their own unique attacks and behaviors.[81]

Dragon Quest VRwould be discontinued on March 9, 2019, before the closure of VR ZONE SHINJUKI itself on April 1 in the same year,[82]with the experience also ending at VR ZONE OSAKA on October 25, 2020,[83]and MAZARIA on August 31, 2020, on each respective day.[84]Prices for the one-time experience fee was 3,200 yen and a separate facility entrance fee was required. The experience took approximately 15 minutes.[85]

Yuji Horii in an interview withUploadVRhas expressed the possibility of future titles based on the franchise being released in or with VR support commercially at a later time and date.[86]

Common elements

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Gameplay

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Combat image fromDragon Quest IIIthat depicts the typical battle layout and menu types that is seen in mostDragon Questgames

In mostDragon Questgames, players control a character or party of characters that can walk into towns and buy weapons, armor, and items to defeat monsters outside of the towns: on theworld mapor in a dungeon. However, in the originalDragon Quest,there was only one character walking on the map. In most of the games, battles occur throughrandom monster attacksand improving the characters'levelsrequires players togrind.[87]The series uses cursed items, difficult dungeons where players need to use their resources wisely to complete them, and difficultBossbattles.[88]When the party encounters monsters the view switches perspective and players are presented with several options on amenu;theseturn-basedmenu-driven battles have become a staple of the series.[89]Players use the menus to select weapons, magic, and other items used to attack and defeat the monsters, or can attempt to flee the fight; though characters cannot flee during a Boss battle. Once the party defeats the monsters by winning the battle, each party member gainsexperience pointsin order to reach new levels. When a character gains a new level, thestatistics (stats)of the character are upgraded.[90]Winning battles also rewards players with gold which can be used to purchase items. In addition to the experience points and gold awarded for successfully defeating monsters, occasionally, items will be dropped as well that are added to the player's inventory.

In mostDragon Questgames, players must visit a church (known as a House of Healing in the NES translations) and talk to a priest or nun to save the games' progress;[91]inDragon Warrior,players had to talk to a king to save their progress,[90]though the first twoDragon Questtitles for Famicom use apassword save system.If the party dies in battle the group loses half of its gold and warps to the nearest save location where the hero is revived;[1]players must then pay a priest or nun to revive their party members.

Dragon Questfeatures "Puff Puff"– massage girls that the player can hire with text describing their actions in some of the games; it is a pun on a Japaneseonomatopoeiafor a girl rubbing her breasts in someone's face, which can also be used for the general term of a girl jiggling her own breasts.[1]in later games gags were used since breasts could not be displayed. The text descriptions were removed from some North American translations.[c][1][92]

InDragon Quest III,Dragon Quest VI,Dragon Quest VII,andDragon Quest IX,severalcharacter classescan be chosen for the party members.[1]Each game has its particular set of classes with typical options, including theCleric,Fighter,Jester,Thief,Warrior,andMage.[d]All the aforementioned games also include advanced classes such as the Sage. In addition,Dragon Quest VIandVIIinclude monster classes.[93]

InDragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen,a new collectible item known as mini medals, resembling small gold coins with a five-pointed star in the middle, was introduced; they have nothing to do with winning the game, but they can be traded with a certain character for items. Players collect them throughout the game, primarily by opening chests, breaking pots and barrels, and searching in sacks and drawers. Horii introduced them as he wanted to have something players collected that were similar to the crests and orbs in the previousDragon Questgames, but did not want to repeat the necessity for players having to collect a certain number of them before they could complete the game.[94]

Characters

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Monsters

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An example of a slime

TheDragon Questseries features several recurring monsters, includingSlimes,Drackies, Skeletons, Shadows, Mummies, Bags o' Laughs, and Dragons.[95][96][97]Many monsters in the series were designed byAkira Toriyama.

SeveralDragon Questgames allow the player to recruit monsters to fight alongside them. InDragon Quest IV,a Healer monster called "Healie" can be recruited for the first chapter.Dragon Quest VandVImonsters can be selected by the player to join the player's party and fight in battles.[1]InDragon Quest VIIIplayers can defeat and recruit monsters to fight in an arena.[98]

The Slime, designed by Toriyama for use inDragon Quest,has become the officialmascotof theDragon Questseries. Series designer Yuji Horii cited the monster as an example of Toriyama's skills, claiming it took "[artistic] power to take something like a pool of slime and use his imagination to make it a great character."[99]A Slime is a small blue blob, shaped like a water droplet, with a face. It has appeared in everyDragon Questgame and it is usually one of the first monsters the players encounter.[e]The Slime's popularity has netted it theSlimespin-off series on handheld consoles.[100][101]

Erdrick

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Erdrick, known as Loto(ロト,Roto)in Japanese and in the North American remakes of the Game Boy Color versions of the first three games,[1]is the title given to a legendary hero in theDragon Questseries. The first threeDragon Questgames, all connected to the legend of Erdrick, comprise the Erdrick or Loto trilogy. Also known as Arusu, he is known as the hero who freed the Kingdom of Alefgard from the darkness.[102][103][104][105]The chronological order of the first threeDragon Questgames is:Dragon Quest III,Dragon Quest,andDragon Quest II.[105]

In the firstDragon Questgame, the hero, theplayer character,is a descendant of Erdrick[90]who follows in his footsteps to reach the Dragonlord's Castle and confront him. InDragon Quest II,the heroes are also descendants of Erdrick;[103][104]they explore the expanded world of Torland that includes the continent of Alefgard. Erdrick's legend in theDragon Questseries was completed inDragon Quest IIIwhen the King of Alefgard bestowed the "Order of Erdrick", the country's highest honor, upon the hero at the end of the game. Two of the player character's three highest-level armaments are named "Erdrick's Sword" and "Erdrick's Armor" inDragon QuestandDragon Quest II.PlayingDragon Quest IIIwith the name "Erdrick" is impossible in the original release, as the game prompts the player to choose a different name for the hero. This is because the status ofIIIin the chronological order as a prequel of the first two titles is presented as a plot twist. The Game Boy Color remakes prevent the use of the name "Loto" for the same reason.

InDragon Quest XI,theplayer characteris a warrior chosen by the world tree Yggdrasil to save the world of Erdrea from a being of pure evil known as "Calasmos". After Calasmos is defeated at the end of the game, Yggdrasil bestows him the title of Erdrick.

Torneko

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Torneko(トルネコ,Toruneko),known as Torneko Taloon in North American English localizations, is a recurring character who first appears inDragon Quest IV.A traveling merchant, Torneko's usual goal is to expand the inventory of his shop by procuring rare items, often by traversing dungeons and fighting monsters on his own or with his family.[106][107]

The character's popularity with players led to further appearances oreaster egg referencesin subsequent mainline sequels, as well as a starring role in 1993'sTorneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon,the inaugural entry of the long-runningMystery Dungeonvideo game series bySpike Chunsoft.[106]The character's other video game appearances include two direct sequels toTorneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon,the 2016 video gameDragon Quest Heroes II,and theItadaki Streetseries.

Zenithia

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Zenithia, also called Zenith Castle, Zenith, orTenkū-jō(Không trung thành,"Heaven Castle" )in Japanese, is a floating castle that first appears inDragon Quest IV;it is used as a descriptor for several elements inDragon Quest IV,VandVI.Its appearance in all three games has led to the games being described as the Zenithia orTenkūtrilogy, despite different geographical layouts in each of the three games' worlds.[108][109]Horii explained that a trilogy was never the intention: "EachDragon Questtitle represents a fresh start and a new story, so it seems too much of a connection between the games in the series. It could be said that the imagination of players has brought the titles together in a certain fashion. "[110]

InDragon Quest IV,Zenithia can be accessed by climbing the tower above the entrance to the world of darkness. InDragon Quest VZenithia has fallen into a lake south of Lofty Peak (Elheaven in the original release), until the Golden Orb is returned leaving the castle able to move freely in the sky. InDragon Quest VIZenithia is sealed by Demon Lord Dhuran, and a large hole is left in its place in the "Dream World". When the Dream World returns to its natural state inDragon Quest VI,Zenithia is the only part that remains, floating above the "real" world. In addition to the trilogy, a castle in theDragon Quest IIIremakes is also called Zenith, although the layout differs from the castle in theTenkūseries.[111]

Development and history

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The series' monsters, characters, and box art were designed by Toriyama.[8]Themusicfor theDragon Questseries was composed byKoichi Sugiyama.[112]In the past, mainDragon Questgames have been developed byChunsoft,Heartbeat,ArtePiazza,Level-5and starting withDragon Quest X,by Square Enix for the first time.[113]Horii's company, Armor Project, is in charge of the script and design ofDragon Questgames that were published by Enix and Square Enix.

Origin

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Yuji Horii,the creator ofDragon Questseries

In 1982, Enix sponsored a video game programming contest in Japan which brought much of theDragon Questteam together, including creator Yuji Horii.[112]The prize was a trip to the United States and a visit to AppleFest '83 in San Francisco, where Horii discovered theWizardryvideo game series.[1]The contest winners Koichi Nakamura and Yukinobu Chida, together with Horii, released the Enix NES gameThe Portopia Serial Murder Case.Music composer Sugiyama, known for composing jingles and pop songs, was impressed with the group's work and sent a postcard to Enix praising the game.[114]Enix asked him to compose music for some of its games. The group then decided to make arole-playing video gamethat combined elements from the western RPGsWizardryandUltima.[f][115]Horii wanted to introduce the concept of RPGs to the wider Japanese video game audience. He chose the Famicom because, unlike arcade games, players would not have to worry about spending more money if they got a "game over",and could continue playing from asave point.[116]Horii used the full-screen map ofUltimaand the battle and statistics-orientedWizardryscreens to create the gameplay ofDragon Quest.[1]Dragon Ballcreator and manga artistAkira Toriyama,who knew of Horii through the manga magazineWeekly Shōnen Jump,was commissioned to illustrate the characters and monsters to separate the game from other role-playing games of the time.[115]The primary game designs were conceived by Horii before being handed to Toriyama to re-draw under Horii's supervision.[117]When Horii first createdDragon Questmany people doubted that a fantasy series with swords and dungeons, instead of science fiction elements, would become popular in Japan; however, the series has become very popular there.[9]Since then Horii has been the games' scenario director.Dragon Questwas Sugiyama's second video game he had composed for,Wingman 2being his first. He says it took him five minutes to compose the original opening theme. His musicalmotifsfrom the first game have remained relatively intact.[118]

The first sixDragon Queststories are divided into two trilogies. The first three games of the series tell the story of the legendary hero known as Roto (Erdrick or Loto in some versions).Dragon Quest IV-VIare based around a castle in the sky called Zenithia, referred to as theTenkuin Japan, meaning "heaven". Games in the main series fromDragon Quest VIIonwards are stand-alone games.[119]

The earlyDragon Questgames were released under the titleDragon Warriorin North America to avoid trademark conflict with the pen-and-paper role-playing gameDragon Quest,which was published bySimulations Publicationsin the 1980s until the company's 1982 bankruptcy and acquisition byTSR, Inc.TSR continued publishing the line as an alternative toDungeons & Dragons(D&D) until 1987.[120]On July 23, 2002, Square Enix registered theDragon Questtrademark in the United States for use with manuals,video cassette tapes,and other video game software.[121][122]On October 8, 2003, Square Enix filed for a more comprehensiveDragon Questtrademark,[123]also on August 2, 2016.[124]Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed Kingbecame the firstDragon Questgame released outside Japan, all previous games having used theDragon Warriortitle.[8]

Dragon Questwas not as successful outside Japan, as it was eclipsed by another RPG series,Final Fantasy.[120][125]Because of Enix's closure of its North American branch in the mid-1990s,Dragon Quest VandDragon Quest VIwere not officially released in North America. No games were released in Europe prior to the spin-offDragon Quest Monsters.With the merger of Square and Enix in 2003,Dragon Questgames were released in numerous markets.[9]In May 2008 Square Enix announced localizations of the Nintendo DS remakes ofDragon Quest IV,V,andVIfor North America and thePAL region,commonly referred to as the "Zenithia" or "Tenku trilogy".[108][126]With this announcement, all the mainDragon Questgames at the time had been released outside Japan. The ninth installment was released in Japan for Nintendo DS on July 11, 2009. The North American version was released on July 11, 2010, while the European version came out on July 23, 2010. The tenth installment of the main series was released for the Wii.[127]Nintendo has been a major publisher outside Japan for the mainDragon Questgames, publishing the firstDragon Questgame in North America, and publishedDragon Quest IXworldwide outside Japan; the NDS version ofDragon Quest VIis published by Nintendo in North America.[6]

Creation and design

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At the time I first madeDragon Quest,computer and video game RPGs were still very much in the realm of hardcore fans and not very accessible to other players. So I decided to create a system that was easy to understand and emotionally involving, and then placed my story within that framework.

Yuji Horiion the design of the firstDragon Quest[115]

When designingDragon Quest,Horii play-tests the games to make certain the controls feel right. This includes going into meticulous details such as how fast a page opens or the way a door opens. According to Horii, "... little things like here and there the controls not feeling right and such can really grate the players' nerves if the tempo isn't right." He believes players should be able to control the game unconsciously, which is not easy to accomplish.[128]Horii tries to design the games in such a way that players never need to read a manual nor play through a tutorial in order to figure out how to play the game,[129]and tries to create good storylines with short dialogues.[130]Ryutaro Ichimura, who has worked onDragon Questtitles with Horii sinceDragon Quest VIII,has implemented Horii's suggestions even when it is not obvious why his ideas will work. "[A] lot of the time when he [Horii] points these things out, we cannot see them at first, but eventually you get it."[128]

Dragon Questgames have an overall upbeat feeling.[88]The typicalDragon Questplot involves the player controlling a party of heroes to defeat an ultimate evil villain, who usually threatens the world in some way. The plot-line often consists of smaller stories that involve encounters with other characters.[1]This linear plot-line is intentional, to help ease the generally high learning curve RPGs have for those unaccustomed to them.[116]The gameplay is designed to allow players to decide when, and whether, to pursue certain storyline paths.[131]To ensure players continue to enjoy playing the game, no storyline path is made without some kind of reward and, to help ease players who may be apprehensive about whether they are on the right path, the distance the character has to travel to get rewarded is reduced at the beginning of the game. While the player never starts the game in a wholly non-linear way,[128][132]they usually allow players to explore anopen worldin anon-linearmanner following an early linear section of the game.[132]Early character levels start players off with morehit pointsand a substantially increasing growth at later levels, although the effective bonuses of every additional level decreases.[132]

While Toriyama would later become more widely known with the success ofDragon Ball Zin North America, whenDragon Questwas released he was relatively unknown outside Japan. While theDragon Questhero was drawn in asuper deformedmanga style, theDragon Warriorlocalization had him drawn in the "West's template of a medieval hero".[133]The trend continued through the first four games, although the artwork for weapons and armor began using more of Toriyama's original artwork forDragon Warrior IIIandIV.However, while the booklets' artwork was altered, the setting and poses remained virtually identical.[133]

The games always feature a number of religious overtones; after the firstDragon Warriorgame, saving and reviving characters who have died is performed by clergy in churches. Bishops wander around the over-world ofDragon Quest Monstersand can heal wounded characters. The final enemy in some of theDragon Questgames is called the Demon Lord; for instance inDragon Quest VII,the Demon Lord (known as Orgodemir in that particular game) is the finalBoss,and there is asidequestto battle against God. The first fourDragon Questtitles were subjected to censorship in their North American localizations, largely in keeping withNintendo of America's content guidelines at the time that placed severe restrictions on religious iconography and mature content. When these games were remade for the Game Boy Color, most censorship was removed.[134]The translated versions of the games have largely followed the originals sinceDragon Quest VII.[135]

For English releases, games usually include a number of British dialects, such asPolariandCockney.[136]

Music

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Classically trained composerKoichi Sugiyamascored the majority ofDragon Questgames until his death in 2021.

The majority ofDragon Questsoundtracks were written and orchestrated by the classically trained composerKoichi Sugiyama.In the mid-1980s, Sugiyama, who was already a well-known composer of television shows, anime, and pop songs at the time, sent a feedback questionnaire from an Enix game to the company, and, upon seeing Sugiyama's feedback, producer Yukinobu Chida contacted him to confirm that "he wastheSugiyama from television. "Upon confirmation, Chida asked Sugiyama to compose a score forDragon Quest.[137]Sugiyama had previously composed a video game score forWingman 2.[138]Sugiyama stated it took him five minutes to compose the original opening theme, and noted the difficulty in adding a personal touch to the short jingles, but that his past experience with creating music for television commercials helped. According to Sugiyama, the composer has between three and five seconds to catch the audience's attention through music. The theme and other jingles forDragon Questhave continued to be used throughout the series.[138]He went to compose a total of over 500 tracks for the series.[139]Sugiyama was also composing forDragon Quest XIIprior to his death in 2021.[140]

The first album of music from the series was released in 1986 and was based on music from the first game,[141]followed by aSymphonic Suitealbum for each game in the main series. The original soundtrack's "eight melodies" approach set the template for most RPG soundtracks released since then, hundreds of which have been organized in a similar manner.[142]The original game'sclassicalscore was considered revolutionary for video game music.[143]

Other compilations ofDragon Questmusic have been released, includingDragon Quest Game Music Super Collection Vol. 1.[144]TheLondon Philharmonicperformed many of the soundtracks, including a compilation entitledSymphonic Suite Dragon Quest Complete CD-Box.[145]Some of the soundtracks include a second disc with the original game music, as with theDragon Quest VIsoundtrack.[146]In 2003 SME Visual Works releasedSymphonic Suite Dragon Quest Complete CD-Box,featuring music from the first sevenDragon Questgames.[145]

Reception

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In 2006, readers of the Japanese gaming magazineFamitsuvoted on the hundred best video games of all time.Dragon Quest IIIwas third,Dragon Quest VIIIfourth,Dragon Quest VIIninth,Dragon Quest Veleventh,Dragon Quest IVfourteenth,Dragon Quest IIseventeenth,Dragon Questthirtieth, andDragon Quest VIthirty-fourth.[147]In 2009, Horii received a special award at theComputer Entertainment Supplier's Association Developers Conferencefor his work on theDragon Questfranchise.[148]

According toSatoru Iwata,former President of Nintendo,Dragon Quest'swidespread appeal is that it is "made so that anyone can play it...and anyone can enjoy it depending on their different levels and interests." According to him,Dragon Questis designed for anyone to pick up without needing to read the manual in order to understand it. Ryutaro Ichimura, producer at Square Enix, who has played the game since he was a child, says theDragon Queststorylines allow players to experience a moving sense of achievement where they take the role of a hero saving the world.[131]Horii believes the ability to appeal to larger audiences ofcasual gamers,while not alienating the morehardcore gamers,is due to being able to lower the initial hurdle without making it too easy. Iwata and Ichimura believe it is because the games are created in a way that allows both groups to pursue their own goals; casual gamers can enjoy the storyline and battles, but for those who want more there is still content for them to pursue.[128]

Although the series is extremely popular in Japan, the success in Japan was not replicated in North America until the 2005 release ofDragon Quest VIII.[120]Despite the first four games to be released in America generally receiving good reviews,[1]Nintendo had to give away copies ofDragon Warrior.[citation needed]However, those four games have been among the most sought-after titles for the NES, especiallyDragon Warrior IIIandIV.[1][125]It was not untilDragon Warrior VIIwas released thatDragon Questbecame critically acclaimed in North America,[120]although reception was still mixed.[125]The series gained more universal praise withDragon Quest VIII,and began to sell better outside Japan andDragon Quest IXsold over 1 million copies outside Japan.[125][149]

One of the main aspects of the series that critics point out, either positively or negatively, is that the series "never strays from its classic roots."[150]Unlike other modern, complex RPGs,Dragon Queston the DS retains the simple gameplay from the first game that many critics find refreshing and nostalgic.[150][151]Points of contention are its battle system, comparatively simplistic storylines, general lack of character development, simplistic primitive-looking graphics (in earlier titles), and the overall difficulty of the game. These arguments are countered by noting its strength in episodic storytelling with the variousnon-player charactersthe party meets. The stories avoid melodrama and feature relatively more simplistic characters thanFinal Fantasy'sSquall LeonhartorTidus,a source of contention. There are exceptions, however, such asDragon Quest V,which has been praised for its unique, emotional storytelling. Battles are also simple and finish quickly. As for difficulty, Yuji Horii is noted as a gambler. The lack of save points and the general difficulty of the battles were included with the intention of adding a sense of tension. Because of this added difficulty, the punishment for the party's death was toned down compared to other games by simply going back to where you had last saved, with half of your gold on hand.[1]When asked about criticism ofDragon Questgames, Horii says he does not mind, it means the critics played the game and he would rather know their concerns than remain ignorant.[129]

Sales

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As of March 2022, theDragon Questseries has sold over85 millioncopies worldwide.[152]Dragon Quest IIIset sales records in 1988 by selling1.1 milliongame cartridgesin Japan within a day[153]and3 millionin a week,[154]and it grossed¥20 billion($143 million) within a month[155]and$230 millionby 1991.[156]Dragon Quest IVin 1990 sold out1.3 millioncopies within an hour,[157]andDragon Quest Vsold over1.3 millioncartridges within a day.[158]The series had sold10 millioncopies by 1990,[159]and15 millionunits by 1993,[160]with theDragon Questsequels having grossed several hundred million dollars each.[161]As of 2007, all games in the main series, along with three spin-offs, had sold over a million copies each in Japan, with the highest-selling single release (not including remakes) beingDragon Quest VIIwhich sold over four million copies.[162]The remake ofDragon Quest VIsold 910,000 copies in Japan in the first four days after its release, an exceptional sales figure for a remake.[163]

Legacy

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The originalDragon Questgame is often cited as the first console RPG.GameSpotcalled it the most influential role-playing game of all time, stating that nearly all Japanese RPGs since then have drawn from its gameplay in some shape or form.[164]Next Generationsaid it was "probably the first ever 'Japanese style' RPG", and listed the series collectively as number 56 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time". They commented, "While never as ambitious as Square'sFinal Fantasyseries, later installments ofDragon Warrior[g]can't be beaten for sheer size (if you only had enough cash to buy you one game that had to last you a month, you bought aDragon Warriortitle). "[165]In response to a survey,Gamasutracites Quinton Klabon ofDartmouth Collegeas statingDragon Warriortranslated theD&Dexperience to video games and set the genre standards.[166]Games such asMother,Grandia,Lunar,Atelier,Shin Megami Tensei,Rune Factory,Story of Seasons,Breath of FireandLufia & the Fortress of Doomwere inspired by variousDragon Questtitles.[167]Dragon Quest III'sclass-changing system would shape other RPGs, especially theFinal Fantasyseries,[125]and its day-night cycles was also a "major innovation" for console RPGs according toGameSpot.[168]Dragon Quest IV's"Tactics" system, where the player can set theAIroutines forNPCs,is seen as a precursor toFinal Fantasy XII's "Gambits"system.[169]Dragon Quest Vis cited as having monster recruiting and training mechanics that inspired monster-collecting RPGs such asPokémon,DigimonandDokapon.[1][170]Dragon Quest Vwas unique in that it made pregnancy, and who the player chose as the mother, a crucial aspect of the plot.[171]The real world and dream world setting ofDragon Quest VIis considered an influence on the later Square RPGsChrono CrossandFinal Fantasy X.[1]TheDragon Questseries was recognized byGuinness World Records,with six world records in theGuinness World Records Gamer's Edition.These records include "Best Selling Role Playing Game on the Super Famicom", "Fastest Selling Game in Japan", and "First Video Game Series to Inspire a Ballet".[172]

Dragon Questis a cultural phenomenon in Japan.[173]According to Ryutaro Ichimura and Yuji Horii,Dragon Questhas become popular enough that it is used as a common topic for conversation in Japan,[174]and is considered by the Japanese gaming industry as Japan's national game.[129]William Cassidy ofGameSpyclaims that "the common wisdom is that if you ask someone from Japan to draw 'Slime,' he'll draw the onion-like shape of the weak enemies from the game."[120][175]With the Japanese release ofDragon Quest IXin January 2009, a new eatery inspired by the series called Luida's Bar was opened inRoppongi,a well-known nightlife hotspot inMinato, Tokyo.This was notable due to the usual center of Tokyo's gaming culture beingAkihabararather than Roppongi. The venue provides a meeting location for fans of the series: styled in the fashion of a Medieval public house like its virtual counterpart, its food is directly inspired by both items and monsters found in the games. It was described by a Western journalist as a cross between aDisneylandresort and amaid café[176][177]Dragon Questalso served as the inspiration for a live-action television drama.Yūsha Yoshihikoinitially aired in July 2011, with a sequel series being produced and released the following year.[178]For its 2012April Fool's Hoax,Googleannounced a "NES version" of itsGoogle Mapsservice, which uses graphics and music based on the series.[179]

There is anurban myththat the release ofDragon Quest IIIcaused a law to be passed in Japan banning the sale ofDragon Questgames or video games in general except on certain days such as weekends or national holidays.[8][180][181]WhenIIIwas released in Japan, over 300 schoolchildren were arrested fortruancywhile waiting in stores for the game to be released.[182]The rumor claims there was a measurable dip in productivity when aDragon Questgame was released and although muggings ofDragon Questtitles became so widespread that there were hearings in theJapanese Diet,no law was ever passed. However, the Japanese release of everyDragon Questtitle continued to be on a Saturday until the release ofDragon Quest X,which was released on a Thursday, August 2, 2012.[8][180][181]

Dragon Quest'smusic has been influential on various sectors of the performing arts. It was the first video game series to receive live-action ballet adaptations,[183]and musical concerts and audio CDs were produced based on theDragon Questuniverse.[114]Since 1987, the series' music has been performed annually in concert halls throughout Japan.[8]EarlyDragon Questconcerts inspiredNobuo Uematsu's compositions for theFinal Fantasyseries.[184]"Lotto's Theme" was one of the video game music compositions selected for theopening ceremonyof the2020 Summer Olympicsin Tokyo, and was the first to be played.[185]

The series is also represented in the 2018 crossoverfighting gameSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateviadownloadable contentreleased in July 2019. Unlike most of the game's roster, the "Hero" is not a single playable character but rather a character slot shared by four separate, albeit functionally identical, main protagonists from the series: Eleven (also known as The Luminary) fromDragon Quest XI,Arusu (also known as Erdrick) fromDragon Quest III,Solo fromDragon Quest IV,and Eight fromDragon Quest VIII.Other elements from the series are also featured, such asSlimesand a stage based on Yggdrasil's Altar fromDragon Quest XI.[186][187]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Japanese:ドラゴンクエスト,Hepburn:Doragon Kuesuto
  2. ^Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights toDragon Questin North America,Dragon Questhas been used by sources to refer to games released solely under theDragon Warriortitle. For this article, the titleDragon Questis used in preference toDragon Warriorexcept when talking about those specific North American releases.
  3. ^The original NES games and the DS remakes have this removed while the PS1 and PS2 gamesDragon Quest IXand GBC remakes include this.
  4. ^Most of the basic classes have undergone name changes in their English translation. The Cleric class underwent several name changes. It was originally known as the Pilgrim inDragon Warrior IIIand inDragon Quest VIandDragon Quest IXit changed to Priest; the Fighter class was changed inDragon Quest VIandDragon Quest IXto Martial Artist; the Jester class was originally known as Goof-off inDragon Warrior IIIand was changed to Gadabout inDragon Quest VI;the Warrior class was originally known as Soldier inDragon Warrior III,and the translation for the Mage has alternated between Mage and Wizard, depending on theDragon Questtitle.
  5. ^In every game exceptDragon Quest VIthe blue slime is encountered in the first overworld area with monsters—inDragon Quest VIIthe first overland area has no monster encounters—the players explore.
  6. ^WhileWizardryandUltimaare under the broad category of role-playing video games, they arepersonal computer games,notvideo game consolegames.
  7. ^This list was published in 1996, so "later installments" refers toDragon QuestIV, V, and VI.

Footnotes

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Notes
  • Chunsoft.Dragon Warrior(Nintendo Entertainment System). Nintendo.
  • Chunsoft.Dragon Warrior II(Nintendo Entertainment System). Enix.
  • Chunsoft.Dragon Warrior III(Nintendo Entertainment System). Enix.
  • ArtePiazza.Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen(Nintendo DS). Square Enix.
  • ArtePiazza.Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride(Nintendo DS). Square Enix.
  • ArtePiazza.Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation(Nintendo DS). Nintendo.
  • Heartbeat/ArtePiazza.Dragon Warrior VII(PlayStation). Enix.
  • Level-5.Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King(PlayStation 2). Square Enix.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Level-5/Square Enix.Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies(Nintendo DS). Nintendo.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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Further reading

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