BetweenDragon QuestandFinal Fantasy,Final Fantasyis a more recognizable brand in North America.Dragon Quest’spopularity is getting better though as it seems like sales forDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakehave been great. There could be a newfound surge in the series after this for those looking for the next hit.
It may even promptSquare Enix to make more remakesin the style ofDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. For now, let’s take a look at some easy to get intoDragon Questgames that are not as intimidating or hardcore as a lot of the mainline titles are. Their ease of use will be ranked along with their quality.
7Theatrhythm Dragon Quest
An Introduction To Classic Music
Theatrhythm Dragon Questis actually a game that was never released outside of Japan. It’s just likeTheatrhythm Final Fantasywhich was released in North America, several times in fact. Players can create a party from heroes in theDragon Questseriesand then go through iconic music and fight battles in the process. It’s one of the more active rhythm games around and it’s a great way to become familiar with the characters and music from the series which may entice players to actually pick up a “normal” entry.
Fortune Street is one of many entries in the broader Itadaki Street series in Japan. It’s best to think of these games as RPG versions ofMonopoly.Fortune Streetis the only game in the franchise to be released outside of Japan for a Western audience.
It probably helped that it was a crossover betweenMariocharacters andDragon QuestcharacterssinceMariois big in North America. It’s a good party game to pop out on the Wii and for those interested, there have been several crossovers withFinal Fantasytoo with the latest beingItadaki Street: Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Princeis the latest game in theDragon Quest Monstersspinoff series which can easily be likened toPokemon. This entry stars Psaro, an antagonist fromDragon Quest 4: Chapters of the Chosenmaking this game a prequel. As Psaro, players can travel across wide open areas and befriend monsters to fight for them in turn-based battles. They can even nurture what skills these monsters can learn. It’s a good game to get into as it’s more about the mechanics than a complex storyandPokemonfansshould feel at home.
Dragon Quest Heroes 2is a spinoff from theDynasty Warriorsseries.These Musou-style gamesfling hundreds of enemies at players which they can hack and slash to pieces. It’s a more refined experience than the first entry, offering players gear, side quests, a bigger world to explore, and great cameos. Its attention to detail will make any fan swoon and newcomers will enjoy the simplistic action. There’s also co-op for those who like to enjoy their action RPGs with friends.
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skieswas the first mainline entry in the series to heavily feature multiplayer. It has a pretty straightforward story too, getting players more integrated with the mechanics and world than the lore. Players can customize a character from their looks to their Vocation and then meet up with others over a wi-fi connection on the DS. One of the cooler elements was an online store and a way to important rare maps from other games. It was ahead of its time and may be hard to play now, but for those who have their DS still lying around, this is a must-play experience for the system and theDragon Questseries.
Dragon Quest Builders 2, likeDragon Quest Heroes 2, is a more refined experience than the first game. It’s best to describeDragon Quest Builders 2likeMinecraft. Players can create their character and then jump into a massive open world to explore at their leisure. It’s recommended to follow the story though as it will unlock a variety of things from new regions to mechanics.
Players can fight monsters with action combat and build cities through crafting. It’s a more robustexperience than Minecraftso fans of that series should give this a shot.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakeis easily the best recommendation for new players to jump into the series for a few reasons. First, it’s the newest and readily available on most platforms. Second, there’s an addeddifficulty inDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakewhich is rare for the series. The easiest setting makes it a more forgiving experience which is great as jumping into a hardcore RPG like this can be intimidating. Lastly, it’s a reminder of a bygone era where stories were simple and players were given the keys to explore a big world and experiment with job classes through the Vocation system. It’s a very freeing experience for nostalgic RPG fans.
