Dragon Quest

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Not to be confused with DragonQuest.
This article is about the video game franchise. For the first game in the series, see Dragon Quest (video game). For other uses, see Dragon Quest (disambiguation).
"Dragon Warrior" redirects here. For other uses, see Dragon Warrior (disambiguation).

Dragon Quest
Xbox Series X/S
  • Stadia
    • First releaseDragon Quest
    May 27, 1986
    Latest releaseDragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
    December 1, 2023
    Spin-offs

    Dragon Quest,

    game designers Armor Project (Yuji Horii), Bird Studio (Akira Toriyama) and Sugiyama Kobo (Koichi Sugiyama) to its publisher Enix, with all of the involved parties co-owning the copyright of the series since then. The games are published by Square Enix (formerly Enix) since its inception, with localized remakes and ports of later installments for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch being published by Nintendo outside 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 numerous manga, anime and novels
    published under the franchise, with nearly every game in the main series having a related adaptation.

    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, the Dragon Quest games were released under the title Dragon Warrior in North America to avoid trademark conflict with the unrelated tabletop role-playing game DragonQuest. Square Enix did not register the Dragon Quest trademark for use in the United States until 2002.

    The basic premise of most Dragon Quest games is to play a hero (actually named "Hero" in spinoff fiction, but in some 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 of

    turn-based combat; recurring monsters, including the Slime, which became the series' mascot; a text-based menu system; and random encounters
    in most of the main series.

    While over the decades many different development companies worked on Dragon Quest, the series has had its creators since its inception, as scenario writer and game designer Yuji Horii, (and prior to their deaths,) character designer Akira Toriyama and music composer Koichi Sugiyama have 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 games Wizardry and Ultima. A core philosophy of the series is to make the gameplay intuitive 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

    Further information: List of Dragon Quest media

    Games

    The first installment of 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

    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 four Dragon Quest installments were released for the

    Dragon Warrior III in 1992. Dragon Quest IV was released in Japan in 1990 and in North America in 1992 as Dragon Warrior IV. A 2001 Japanese PlayStation remake of Dragon Warrior IV scheduled for the North American market was never released.[1][3] The Nintendo DS remake of Dragon Quest IV was 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 the

    MMORPG in the series, and the only numbered Dragon Quest game not released outside Japan.[13] Dragon Quest XI was released in Japan on July 29, 2017, and worldwide on September 4, 2018.[14]

    Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate was announced in 2021.[15] According to Horii, the game will have a darker tone, feature more meaningful choices, and overhaul the traditional Dragon Quest turn-based combat.[16] The game will also be the first mainline game released after Akira Toriyama's death on March 1, 2024.

    Spinoffs

    Main articles: Dragon Quest Monsters, Slime (series), and List of Dragon Quest media

    The franchise includes several spin-off games, including the Dragon Quest Monsters RPG. The series has also inspired arcade games such as the Japanese Dragon 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] The Mystery Dungeon and Itadaki Street series use characters and other elements from Dragon Quest games, 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 in Dragon Quest IV.

    Torneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon continues Torneko's story from Dragon Quest IV as 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 sequel Torneko: The Last Hope was released in Japan and the United States. The gameplay is similar to the first game, though Torneko: The Last Hope is 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 in Dragon Quest VIII; Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon follows Yangus on his adventures before he meets up with Hero in the aforementioned game.[29] The success of Torneko no Daibōken spawned the Mystery Dungeon series that has grown to include franchises beyond Dragon Quest.[30][31]

    When Enix took over the

    ASCII, did not contain elements from the Dragon Quest franchise.[34] The fourth game in the series, Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Special, included characters from the Final Fantasy franchise, and later versions would include characters from Mario.[35][36]

    Like the main series, Dragon Quest Monsters was originally released under the Dragon Warrior name 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 Journey in Japan) and Tara's Adventure (Iru's Adventure in Japan), named after the main player characters.[38] Each version has slight differences, such as the monster that appear in them.[39] Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart is a prequel to Dragon Warrior VII, following Keifer who is pulled into Torland and must find the six Orbs of Loto in order to return.[40] The release of Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker is the first spin-off title to be released in English using the Dragon Quest name;[41] its sequel Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 was released in North America on September 19, 2011.[42][43] There is also an Android title, Dragon Quest Monsters: Wanted!.[44]

    Dragon Quest has 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.

    DSiWare turn-based strategy game, 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 the Dynasty Warriors series by Koei 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 Builders for 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 Quest is a rhythm game developed for the Nintendo 3DS. Like the Theatrhythm Final Fantasy games before it, the game allows players to play alongside various songs from the Dragon Quest franchise.[55] In September 2019, Dragon Quest Walk, an augmented reality game, was released for Android and iOS mobile phones.[56]

    Other media

    Novels

    Beginning in 1988, the media franchise expanded into other media, with a number of anime, manga, and light novel adaptations. Following the success of a Dragon Quest III light 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's Mystery Dungeon game.[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; the Dragon Quest Perfect Collection series starting with Dragon Quest Perfect Collection 1990; and the first two Dragon Quest novels 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 for Dragon Quest VII. Starting with Shinsho Shousetsu Dragon Quest I in 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

    Dragon Quest manga began publication in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1989.[59] Based on the world of Dragon Quest, Riku Sanjo and Koji Inada's Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai (ドラゴンクエスト ダイの大冒険, Doragon Kuesuto: Dai no Daibōken, lit. Dragon Quest: The Great Adventure of Dai) was created as a two-chapter short-story entitled Derupa! 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 (ドラゴンクエスト列伝 ロトの紋章, Dragon Quest Retsuden: Roto no Monshō), Warriors of Eden, and Maboroshi no Daichi, were published in

    Yoichi Amano and supervision by Horii.[71]

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

    Anime

    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 ～勇者アベル伝説～, Doragon Kuesuto Yūsha Aberu Densetsu) was produced by Studio Comet and 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 on Dragon Quest III. The first 13 episodes of the series were translated into English by Saban Entertainment under the title Dragon Warrior. Due to its early time slot, it was not renewed. The series was released on DVD in 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 by Toei Animation. It ran for 46 episodes from October 17, 1991, to September 24, 1992.[74] A second anime adaptation of the same manga aired from October 3, 2020 to October 22, 2022.[75]

    On April 20, 1996, a film titled Dragon Quest Saga – The Crest of Roto was released.[76]

    A

    3DCG movie based on Dragon Quest V, Dragon Quest: Your Story, was released in Japan in August 2019.[77]

    Virtual reality

    Dragon Quest VR
    Composer(s)
    		Koichi Sugiyama
    SeriesDragon Quest
    Platform(s)HTC Vive
    ReleaseApril 27, 2018 - October 25, 2020
    Genre(s)Virtual reality action role-playing game
    Mode(s)Action arcade, multiplayer

    theme parks arcades.[78]

    The brief story that's loosely based off of Dragon Quest III began with players receiving a request from a king to embark on a journey along with their assistant Ohealia, a healslime and 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 powerful Zoma, a guest character who's 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 as

    65 x 39 foot playing field with each group of players divided into sperate teams. All players were required to wear a set of personal equipment provided by HTC Vive consisting of the headset with headphones and mics all powered by a MSI gaming laptop backpack, and special controllers specially 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:

    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 include Slimes, Drackies, Wondering Armors, Chimaera, Dragons, and a large Golem each 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 VR would 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 with UploadVR has 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

    Gameplay

    Main article: Gameplay of Dragon Quest
    A black screen with two moth-like creatures in the center and three white-bordered boxes around it. The box above the moth-like creatures has "Hero", "Brin", "Math", and "Viro" on the top, each with an H and an M under each of them, with Hr under "Hero", Sr under "Brin", Wz under "Math", and Pr under "Viro". A number is next to the letters on the right. The bottom left box displays "Hero" on the top and the options "Fight", "Run", "Parry", and "Item". The bottom right box contains the text "Masked Moth 2".
    Combat image from Dragon Quest III that depicts the typical battle layout and menu types that is seen in most Dragon Quest games

    In most Dragon Quest games, 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 the

    turn-based menu-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 gains experience points in order to reach new levels. When a character gains a new level, the statistics (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 most Dragon Quest games, 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;

    password 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 Quest features "puff puff" – a Japanese onomatopoeia for 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 – massage girls that the player can hire with text describing their actions in some of the games;[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]

    In

    Mage.[d] All the aforementioned games also include advanced classes such as the Sage. In addition, Dragon Quest VI and VII include monster classes.[93]

    In

    Dragon 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 previous Dragon Quest games, 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

    Monsters

    A blue, tear-drop shaped creature with large round black eyes, a wide mouth and a red tongue.
    An example of a slime

    The Dragon Quest series features several recurring monsters, including Slimes, Drackies, Skeletons, Shadows, Mummies, Bags o' Laughs, and Dragons.[95][96][97] Many monsters in the series were designed by Akira Toriyama.

    Several Dragon Quest games allow the player to recruit monsters to fight alongside them. In Dragon Quest IV, a Healer monster called "Healie" can be recruited for the first chapter. Dragon Quest V and VI monsters can be selected by the player to join the player's party and fight in battles.[1] In Dragon Quest VIII players can defeat and recruit monsters to fight in an arena.[98]

    The Slime, designed by Toriyama for use in Dragon Quest, has become the official mascot of the Dragon Quest series. 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 every Dragon Quest game and it is usually one of the first monsters the players encounter.[e] The Slime's popularity has netted it the Slime spin-off series on handheld consoles.[100][101]

    Erdrick

    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 the Dragon Quest series. The first three Dragon Quest games, 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 three Dragon Quest games is: Dragon Quest III, Dragon Quest, and Dragon Quest II.[105]

    In the first Dragon Quest game, the hero, the player character, is a descendant of Erdrick[90] who follows in his footsteps to reach the Dragonlord's Castle and confront him. In Dragon Quest II the heroes are also descendants of Erdrick,[103][104] exploring the expanded world of Torland that includes the continent of Alefgard. Erdrick's legend in the Dragon Quest series was completed in Dragon Quest III when 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" in Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest II. Playing Dragon Quest III with 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 of III in 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.

    In Dragon Quest XI, the player character is 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

    Torneko (トルネコ, Toruneko), known as Torneko Taloon in North American English localizations, is a recurring character who first appears in Dragon 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 or

    Torneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon, the inaugural entry of the long-running Mystery Dungeon video game series by Spike Chunsoft.[106] The character's other video game appearances include two direct sequels to Torneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon, the 2016 video game Dragon Quest Heroes II, and the Itadaki Street
    series.

    Zenithia

    Zenithia, also called Zenith Castle, Zenith, or Tenkū-jō (天空城, "Heaven Castle") in Japanese, is a floating castle that first appears in Dragon Quest IV; it is used as a descriptor for several elements in Dragon Quest IV, V and VI. Its appearance in all three games has led to the games being described as the Zenithia or Tenkū trilogy, despite different geographical layouts in each of the three games' worlds.[108][109] Horii explained that a trilogy was never the intention: "Each Dragon Quest title 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]

    In Dragon Quest IV Zenithia can be accessed by climbing the tower above the entrance to the world of darkness. In Dragon Quest V Zenithia 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. In Dragon Quest VI Zenithia 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 in Dragon Quest VI, Zenithia is the only part that remains, floating above the "real" world. In addition to the trilogy, a castle in the Dragon Quest III remakes is also called Zenith, although the layout differs from the castle in the Tenkū series.[111]

    Development and history

    The series' monsters, characters, and box art were designed by Toriyama.

    Level-5 and starting with Dragon Quest X, by Square Enix for the first time.[113]
    Horii's company, Armor Project, is in charge of the script and design of Dragon Quest games that were published by Enix and Square Enix.

    Origin

    Yuji Horii, the creator of Dragon Quest series

    In 1982 Enix sponsored a video game programming contest in Japan which brought much of the Dragon Quest team together, including creator Yuji Horii.

    Wingman 2 being his first. He says it took him five minutes to compose the original opening theme. His musical motifs from the first game have remained relatively intact.[118]

    The first six Dragon Quest stories 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-VI are based around a castle in the sky called Zenithia, referred to as the Tenku in Japan, meaning "heaven". Games in the main series from Dragon Quest VII onwards are stand-alone games.[119]

    The early Dragon Quest games were released under the title Dragon Warrior in North America to avoid trademark conflict with the pen-and-paper role-playing game Dragon Quest, which was published by

    video cassette tapes, and other video game software.[121][122] On October 8, 2003, Square Enix filed for a more comprehensive Dragon Quest trademark,[123] also in August 2, 2016.[124] Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King became the first Dragon Quest game released outside Japan, all previous games having used the Dragon Warrior title.[8]

    Dragon Quest was not as successful outside Japan, as it was eclipsed by another RPG series,

    PAL region, commonly referred to as the "Zenithia" or "Tenku trilogy".[108][126] With this announcement, all the main Dragon Quest games 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 main Dragon Quest games, publishing the first Dragon Quest game in North America, and published Dragon Quest IX worldwide outside Japan; the NDS version of Dragon Quest VI is published by Nintendo in North America.[6]

    Creation and design

    At the time I first made Dragon 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 Horii on the design of the first Dragon Quest[115]

    When designing Dragon 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 on Dragon Quest titles with Horii since Dragon 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]

    Akira Toriyama, the character designer

    Dragon Quest games have an overall upbeat feeling.

    hit points and 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 of

    super deformed manga style, the Dragon Warrior localization 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 for Dragon Warrior III and IV. 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 first Dragon Warrior game, saving and reviving characters who have died is performed by clergy in churches. Bishops wander around the over-world of Dragon Quest Monsters and can heal wounded characters. The final enemy in some of the Dragon Quest games is called the Demon Lord; for instance in Dragon Quest VII, the Demon Lord (known as Orgodemir in that particular game) is the final

    sidequest to battle against God. The first four Dragon Quest titles were subjected to censorship in their North American localizations, largely in keeping with Nintendo 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 since Dragon Quest VII.[135]

    For English releases, games usually include a number of British dialects, such as Polari and Cockney.[136]

    Music

    Classically trained composer Koichi Sugiyama scored the majority of Dragon Quest games until his death in 2021.

    The majority of Dragon Quest soundtracks were written and orchestrated by the classically trained composer

    Dragon Quest XII prior to his death in 2021.[139]

    The first album of music from the series was released in 1986 and was based on music from the first game,[140] followed by a Symphonic Suite album 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.[141] The original game's classical score was considered revolutionary for video game music.[142]

    Other compilations of Dragon Quest music have been released, including Dragon Quest Game Music Super Collection Vol. 1.

    London Philharmonic performed many of the soundtracks, including a compilation entitled Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest Complete CD-Box.[144] Some of the soundtracks include a second disc with the original game music, as with the Dragon Quest VI soundtrack.[145] In 2003 SME Visual Works released Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest Complete CD-Box, featuring music from the first seven Dragon Quest games.[144]

    Reception

    In 2006, readers of the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu voted on the hundred best video games of all time. Dragon Quest III was third, Dragon Quest VIII fourth, Dragon Quest VII ninth, Dragon Quest V eleventh, Dragon Quest IV fourteenth, Dragon Quest II seventeenth, Dragon Quest thirtieth, and Dragon Quest VI thirty-fourth.[146] In 2009, Horii received a special award at the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association Developers Conference for his work on the Dragon Quest franchise.[147]

    According to

    hardcore 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 transferred to North America until the 2005 release of Dragon Quest VIII.[120] Despite the first four games to be released in America generally receiving good reviews,[1] Nintendo had to give away copies of Dragon Warrior. However, those four games have been among the most sought-after titles for the NES, especially Dragon Warrior III and IV.[1][125] It was not until Dragon Warrior VII was released that Dragon Quest became critically acclaimed in North America,[120] although reception was still mixed.[125] The series gained more universal praise with Dragon Quest VIII, and began to sell better outside Japan and Dragon Quest IX sold over 1 million copies outside Japan.[125][148]

    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."[149] Unlike other modern, complex RPGs, Dragon Quest on the DS retains the simple gameplay from the first game that many critics find refreshing and nostalgic.[149][150] 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 various non-player characters the party meets. The stories avoid melodrama and feature relatively more simplistic characters than Final Fantasy's Squall Leonhart or Tidus, a source of contention. There are exceptions, however, such as Dragon 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 of Dragon Quest games, 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

    As of March 2022, the Dragon Quest series has sold over 85 million copies worldwide.

    game cartridges in Japan within a day[152] and 3 million in a week,[153] and it grossed ¥20 billion ($143 million) within a month[154] and $230 million by 1991.[155] Dragon Quest IV in 1990 sold out 1.3 million copies within an hour,[156] and Dragon Quest V sold over 1.3 million cartridges within a day.[157] The series had sold 10 million copies by 1990,[158] and 15 million units by 1993,[159] with the Dragon Quest sequels having grossed several hundred million dollars each.[160] 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) being Dragon Quest VII which sold over four million copies.[161] The remake of Dragon Quest VI sold 910,000 copies in Japan in the first four days after its release, an exceptional sales figure for a remake.[162]

    Legacy

    The original Dragon Quest game is often cited as the first console RPG.

    Guinness 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".[171]

    Dragon Quest is a cultural phenomenon in Japan.

    April Fool's Hoax, Google announced a "NES version" of its Google Maps service, which uses graphics and music based on the series.[178]

    There is an

    Japanese Diet, no law was ever passed. However, the Japanese release of every Dragon Quest title continued to be on a Saturday until the release of Dragon Quest X, which was released on Thursday, August 2, 2012.[8][179][180]

    Dragon Quest's music has been influential on various sectors of the performing arts. It was the first video game series to receive live-action ballet adaptations,[182] and musical concerts and audio CDs were produced based on the Dragon Quest universe.[114] Since 1987, the series' music has been performed annually in concert halls throughout Japan.[8] Early Dragon Quest concerts inspired Nobuo Uematsu's compositions for the Final Fantasy series.[183] "Lotto's Theme" was one of the video game music compositions selected for the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and was the first to be played.[184]

    The series is also represented in the 2018 crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate via downloadable content released 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) from Dragon Quest XI, Arusu (also known as Erdrick) from Dragon Quest III, Solo from Dragon Quest IV, and Eight from Dragon Quest VIII. Other elements from the series are also featured, such as Slimes and a stage based on Yggdrasil's Altar from Dragon Quest XI.[185][186]

    See also

    Notes

    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 to Dragon Quest in North America, Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior title. For this article, the title Dragon Quest is used in preference to Dragon Warrior except 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 games Dragon Quest IX and 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 in Dragon Warrior III and in Dragon Quest VI and Dragon Quest IX it changed to Priest; the Fighter class was changed in Dragon Quest VI and Dragon Quest IX to Martial Artist; the Jester class was originally known as Goof-off in Dragon Warrior III and was changed to Gadabout in Dragon Quest VI; the Warrior class was originally known as Soldier in Dragon Warrior III, and the translation for the Mage has alternated between Mage and Wizard, depending on the Dragon Quest title.
    5. ^ In every game except Dragon Quest VI the blue slime is encountered in the first overworld area with monsters—in Dragon Quest VII the first overland area has no monster encounters—the players explore.
    6. personal computer games, not video game console
      games.
    7. ^ This list was published in 1996, so "later installments" refers to Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI.

    Footnotes

    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

    • Belinkie, Matthew (December 15, 1999). "Video Game Music". Videogame Music Archive. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
    • Logas, Heather (April 2004). Agency: A Character-Centric Approach to Single Player Digital Space Role Playing Games.
      CiteSeerX 10.1.1.91.4550
      .
    • "Manga Dragon Quest e no Michi" [The Road to Dragon Quest]. ltsr's NES Archive. Retrieved January 10, 2011.

    External links

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dragon Quest (franchise).
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dragon_Quest&oldid=1218626832"