We can assist you in your search for the top Dragon Quest games. By now, the franchise has accrued years and entries! With the help of well-known Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Square Enix (formerly Chunsoft and Enix) released Dragon Quest in 1986. More than 35 years later, the series features twelve major games and numerous more spin-offs. It's difficult to decide where to invest your hard-earned money with so many options available—mainline entries, Builders, Jokers, Monsters, and even Treasures!
It's almost time to dive into the remainder of this fantastic guide, but not before perusing our vast collection of excellent Switch and mobile material. Check out our guides to thebest Switch RPGs,best Switch adventure games,best Switch survival games, bestSwitch strategy games, and battle your friends with our list of thebest Switch fighting games if you're looking for ideas for your next gaming obsessions.
Into our finest Dragon Quest games guide, let's ride with honour.
Dragon Quest III
For any enthusiastic new fans of Dragon Quest, this may be the ideal spot to start. Although Dragon Quest III is the third game in the series technically, it is the first chronologically since it introduces Erdrick and sets the scene for the first two games. This game goes significantly beyond the first few, offering you the flexibility to personalise your group using a class system. It's also a timeless epic role-playing game story!
You may play this game on the Switch, your phone, or, if you're patient, Square Enix is working on an HD-2D remake in the vein of Octopath Traveller and Live A Live. Originally published on the NES and then again on the SNES.
Dragon Quest VIIIAlthough Dragon Quest VII, the preceding PS2 game, was the first to use 3D graphics, fans like Dragon Quest VIII for its completely 3D settings and configurable camera, which considerably expanded the franchise's universe. It still has a lot of devoted fans since it has so many explorable landscapes, walk-in villages, and breathtaking fights.A court jester curses the King of Trodain and the people living in his castle, transforming the King into a troll, the princess into a horse, and the rest of the people into plants. This is how the journey starts. Strange spell, but persevere. As a guard for Trodain, the mute protagonist embarks on a heroic mission to bring peace back to the region. A fairly pricey 3DS remake is available if you'd want to play this game!
Dragon Quest IXDragon Quest IX shrinks the series after its PS2 expansion. Square Enix published this game for the DS because of the console's phenomenal (2009) sales at the time. This post has a crazy narrative about a train that can fly across the sky, a big magical tree, and the heavens themselves (as usual). Additionally, it's the first game in the series to include multiplayer, letting others join your fight group.Even though some people lament the relative drop in visuals, Dragon Quest IX is still one of the most visually stunning games on the DS and has a 3D art style. In addition, the series is well suited for a portable device, and the touch screen feature lets the game remove portions of the clumsy upper screen user interface in addition to providing convenient touch screen controls. Though a little more difficult to locate these days, it's unquestionably one of the series' best moments.Dragon Quest XI
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a grand reimagining of the Dragon Quest brand, set almost ten years after its predecessor, whereas Dragon Quest X is an online-focused game similar to Final Fantasy XIV. In addition to the PS4 and Xbox versions, Square Enix has developed Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age, an updated edition for the Switch.The enhanced version adds many quality-of-life enhancements along with a full orchestral soundtrack in favour of the previous version's midi music. With all the charm, elegance, and RPG deliciousness of the original series packed into a contemporary packaging, Dragon Quest XI follows the Luminary on a mission to bring Ygdrassil, the world tree, back to life. In addition, the campaign is rather long and lasts much into the credits; in fact, many fans see the "ending" as only the halfway point.Additionally, the game includes a 3DS entry, and the improved Switch version lets you replace the stunning polygons and eye-catching graphics with a pixelated checkpoint experience. This is how the whole game may be played, maintaining the original design from the first three entries. The Dragon Quest hero from the title is so well-liked that he even appears in Super Smash Bros Ultimate!
Builders of Dragon Quest 2
With an abundance of spin-offs available, the Dragon Quest series doesn't hesitate to go into new territory. But one of the greatest draws inspiration from an unexpected source: Minecraft! A block-building role-playing game that strikes a balance between construction, customisation, and resource management while maintaining the familiar RPG aesthetics is the Dragon Quest Builders series.Dragon Quest Builders 2 improves upon the first game in a number of significant ways, transforming an already excellent concept into an absolutely amazing addition to the Dragon Quest series and the 'building' genre. Bring back the grandeur of a whole island, travel the globe, and invite friends to join your expanding community. It's also playable on the Switch, where you may play a long, free sample before making a purchase that saves your progress. Try it out right now!Treasures from Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest Treasures, a prequel to Dragon Quest XI, is another variant on the standard format; it depicts party member Erik's early years as a thief. Living aboard a longship with a group of Vikings, Erik and his sister Mia engage in a life of crime. Eventually, Erik and Mia ventured out on their own with the intention of finding riches and encountering monsters.This game is still an RPG, but it mixes a collactathon with aspects from the Pokémon-like Dragon Quest Monsters series. Erik and Mia alternately explore a large open area and utilise the money they get from finding treasure to bring a town back to its former splendour. It's a heartfelt post, and getting to know the DQXI characters further is a pleasure. However, maybe don't play this first!
Do the Dragon Quest games have to be played in order?
No, the Dragon Quest games do not have to be played in sequence. Although there are some connections between the original Dragon Quest 1, Dragon Quest 2, and Dragon Quest 3, the series is mostly an anthology, much like Final Fantasy. Although Dragon Quest 3's tale complements the others without giving anything away, it is essentially a predecessor. Basically, just relax and choose whatever game you choose; however, we suggest that you begin with Dragon Quest XI or Dragon Quest VIII.
What is the number of Dragon Quest series available?
From its initial name of Dragon Warrior in the West to Dragon Quest VIII on the PlayStation 2, Dragon Quest has a convoluted and complex history. It also features other entries that deviate from the primary role-playing game aspects, each with a devoted following! The primary spin-offs that you should be aware of are:
Builders for Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest Builders 1 and 2, a mix of Dragon Quest and Minecraft, are enjoyable games that combine deep RPG gameplay with customisation and construction. Though the second one is superior, both are worthwhile reading.
Monsters in Dragon Quest
Similar to the traditional GB games, Dragon Quest Monsters is a spin-off game inspired by Pokémon that involves gathering creatures. Due to its substantial expansion over the original, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker on the DS could be a good place for beginners to start. But Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 (say that five times) has not yet been released outside of Japan by Square Enix. Fortunately, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, a brand-new title, will soon be available on Switch.
Wars of Dragon Quest
This entry may be of interest to you if you're looking for some tactical action. A straightforward DSi game called Dragon Quest Wars imitates many of the Advance Wars and Fire Emblem tactical strategies. Even though it's not nearly as deep, Dragon Quest charm makes it entertaining to play.
Hearts of Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest Heroes, one of the action-packedest iterations of the series, borrows elements from hack-and-slash series such as Dynasty Warriors. When faced with adversaries, you may use combinations to completely destroy your opponents on the screen.Treasures of Dragon QuestTreasures, the newest game in the Dragon Quest spin-off series, is an RPG in which the main objectives are to locate treasure, make money, and make friends with monsters. It's a bit of a strange duck since it could easily be a Monsters entry with a few changes, but the collecting features help to distinguish it.Well, phew! We hope that this information about the top Dragon Quest games helps any ardent role-playing gamers discover something new. Check out our guides to the top games if you feel like you need more. Animal Crossing-like games for the Switch and smartphone, along with the greatest Play games similar to Minecraft on Switch and mobile devices.