I know, they are really well told (even in the English version). I'm really curious what stories there are still that I haven't yet seen. But I have to catch up to my old progress first. But really, after Dharma Temple I don't remember the game as well as before it since I rarely ever played beyond this and my furthest playthrough was also my first and that was over ten years ago.
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Dragon Quest Community Thread: Come in! Would you like a Puff-Puff?
- Thread starter Jucksalbe
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I know, they are really well told (even in the English version). I'm really curious what stories there are still that I haven't yet seen. But I have to catch up to my old progress first. But really, after Dharma Temple I don't remember the game as well as before it since I rarely ever played beyond this and my furthest playthrough was also my first and that was over ten years ago.
terrisus
Member
Thanks for the details Aeana, I really appreciate it.
I didn't realize that about 5, that there was an extra character slot between versions. I think I can manage fine either way, but would have been nice to have that extra character slot.
Other than that though, and especially considering my preference for the graphics of the SFC versions over the DS one, it sounds like that's the way to go (especially for 6).
Lack of interest in Dragon Quest?! Blasphemy!!
Don't hold back. With the Steam releases the popularity of the series seems to increasing quite a bit, so there should be a chance for a community like that.
I've told my story here many times, but I might as well do it again.
I first got into this series with DQ2. I was with my dad at a shop and I wandered off to look at some games. I wasn't super-into RPGs at the time. I had played a few and I liked them, but I was mainly a platformer/sidescrolling action kind of gal at that point. But then I saw this on the shelf:
Something about this art really drew my attention. It's so very cute but ominous at the same time. I was so drawn into it that I begged my dad to get it for me and the rest is history. I know DQ2 isn't most people's favorite, but I loved it, even with the insane 52-character passwords the JP version had. I was really hooked for life after that. So yeah, I may never have gotten into DQ (or at least not until later) were it not for Toriyama's art.
I first got into this series with DQ2. I was with my dad at a shop and I wandered off to look at some games. I wasn't super-into RPGs at the time. I had played a few and I liked them, but I was mainly a platformer/sidescrolling action kind of gal at that point. But then I saw this on the shelf:
Something about this art really drew my attention. It's so very cute but ominous at the same time. I was so drawn into it that I begged my dad to get it for me and the rest is history. I know DQ2 isn't most people's favorite, but I loved it, even with the insane 52-character passwords the JP version had. I was really hooked for life after that. So yeah, I may never have gotten into DQ (or at least not until later) were it not for Toriyama's art.
If you go back and look at pre-release Dragon Quest 9 threads, you'll see a bunch of me talking to myself because nobody else cared.
Magicpaint
Member
I know you aren't a fan of DQVI DS but I must disagree
Much, much better flow in battles for one. It's really hard to go back to the pace of the original after the DS game and all the updated UI and stuff. The SFC version of DQVI has slooooow attack animations (which is understandable, as it was the first attempt) and the DS game just plays much better and has much better enemy sprites and spell effects. Exploring the world map and traversing between the two worlds was also made more manageable. There are many tweaks like that that make it a more modern experience. A lot of locations are significantly upgraded in my opinion, too (and a couple downgraded though). Music, I think, is 50/50. I prefer some DS tunes but prefer some SFC ones. I think people who think the stories aren't memorable in the DS version won't find much in the SFC version to change their mind. In my experience these comments come from people expecting DQVI to have a linear storyline like DQV. If anything the DS version is even more compelling since it has a robust party chat feature. But DQVI is just a structurally different game.I think the biggest disappointment is that it's just not much of a remake and even takes out some content but it's a much more refined experience in my opinion. It's also an easier game (especially near the beginning) but most of the remakes usually tone the difficulty down :\
That reminds me, since most people probably never saw it, take a look at this wonderful intro from the Wii anniversary collection.
I know you aren't a fan of DQVI DS but I must disagree
I think the biggest disappointment is that it's just not much of a remake and even takes out some content but it's a much more refined experience in my opinion. It's also an easier game (especially near the beginning) but most of the remakes usually tone the difficulty down :\
I disagree with this, because I've seen people who played the DS version and didn't like it much come away much more impressed with the SFC version.
The music in the SFC version is all arranged by Hitoshi Sakimoto and has a really nice dreamy sound to it, which you don't get at all in the DS version.
One day I'll sit down and play the SFC version of 6, and see what I think about it. The DS version having a faster pace and being overall faster makes me think I'll probably lean towards it, but who knows, this may be a Persona 1.
By the way, Aeana, I've always wondered. What was your first RPG?
I absolutely love this.
By the way, Aeana, I've always wondered. What was your first RPG?
I absolutely love this.
Magicpaint
Member
I find it weird though? Pacing is something every remake improves on by moving quicker. Why is this a negative for DQVI? Part of why I'm not a huge fan of replaying DQVIII is because of how slow both the scenarios and battles play out. That the vignettes are delivered in quicker bits is actually a positive to me. But I'll take your word for it.
As for the music, I half agree. There's some of that dreamy atmosphere you speak of missing but that's replaced by livelier environment music which suits DQ music generally. For example, I prefer the more dynamic sounding town music in the DS version to the straightforward approach in the SFC version.
Town music is one of the examples I use for superiority of the SFC soundtrack! Inviting Village (SFC) just sounds much more unique and interesting than Inviting Village (DS)I find it weird though? Pacing is something every remake improves on by moving quicker. Why is this a negative for DQVI? Part of why I'm not a huge fan of replaying DQVIII is because of how slow both the scenarios and battles play out. That the vignettes are delivered in quicker bits is actually positive to me. But I'll take your word for it.
As for the music, I half agree. There's some of that dreamy atmosphere you speak of but that's replaced by livelier environments which suits DQ music generally. For example, I prefer the more dynamic sounding town music in the DS version to the straightforward approach in the SFC version.
Magicpaint
Member
Haha! I think that's the perfect music piece to show off the strengths of each versions' music! I think I prefer the DS version. It sounds more like the Symphonic Suite version which I guess is why I prefer it. I think DQ music is at its best when it has more instruments involved in a piece and the DS version has more of that going on than the SFC version, I think (?); I'm far from a music connoisseur so I never have the right words to properly articulate what I feel but I think the DS version sounds more dramatic. I'd say the SFC has a more mystic element to it. Overall I still think the music was wonderfully adapted for the SFC.
My first RPG was Wizardry. The first RPG I beat on my own was Megami Tensei 2, and that was the game that set me off on my fervor of playing every RPG I could possibly find. That was around the same time I first got DQ2 as mentioned above. A little bit later than other people my age, but I definitely caught up quickly.
Start by going for the best hybrid abilities. Warrior <-> dancer = sword dance. Shepherd <-> cleric OR bard <-> warrior = kabuff (bard<->warrior is warsong which is free to use). Mage <-> mariner = lightning. And try to learn wool guard on the hero or Maribel at some point.
turnbuckle
Member
Put me in the camp of favoring the SFC version of VI a lot more. But to be fair, I would often speed up the game while in battles. Maybe that is why I felt like the encounter rate in the DS version was too high? I dunno what it really was about the DS version but it felt like a bit of a chore. Also uglier and inferior soundtrack to the SFC version. I adored the SFC version.
Really need to get around to playing the ps2 version of V
Really need to get around to playing the ps2 version of V
haha, is it really that bad? I almost bought it yesterday
Listening to both of these one next to another, it's hard for me to decide which I like more. I like the echo and depth in the SFC version more, but I like the instrumentation and overall sound quality more in the DS version.
Might want to NSFW that, but then again who is watching anime at work?
...No one answer that.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
This thread got posted while I was asleep, I guess. There's more first-day interest in it than I thought there'd be.
I'm also plugging through DQ7 (sorry, DW7), which is the only English DQ release I hadn't played before. What sucks is that I put it down for another game that I didn't enjoy much, and it's getting to be around the time when it gets a little crazy with respect to studying/writing papers/grading, so I can't dump a lot of time into it yet. It sucks, because I really liked how the sidestories are told. I should just put it on my PSP instead, since at least that way, I can get through it faster and I can bring it around with me.
I picked up the SFC versions of V and VI at a very unexpected place, so I guess I might as well go all the way and get my own copy of DQ4 NES and DQ3 SFC. I think it's funny how some sellers selling DQ carts here don't really know what to do with them with respect to pricing unless they're internet-savvy. Some price even the first game on NES high because of Square Enix's reputation, or the second/third games much higher. Yet not a lot of people know what to do with the fourth. Sometimes prices are outrageous, and others aren't.
Anyway, DQ is usually a really solid series. I think it's one--well, until DQ9, I guess--that some players can rely upon for having consistency throughout the game design and/or throughout the series itself. Not every game is perfect, of course, but when you play it, you usually know what to expect. But at the same time, you don't know what to expect since the narrative or ability systems can throw some curveballs at you. I don't think as fondly about DQ9 as some of those in this thread, just because I didn't like some of the changes to the formula. So going back and playing DQ7 for the first time is somewhat refreshing to me. It has a lot about DQ that I missed a lot in DQ9.
Heck, I remember as a kid, preferring DQ1 and PS1 over FF1 because I liked the look of it far more. It had a lot of detail in it to me at the time. I mean, I didn't play Wizardry/Ultima or any of those precursors until years later, but DQ and PS stick out in my mind a lot.
Since Slime Morimori 3 is at budget-price now, I guess I'll pick it up in the summer if the Canadian dollar gets better.
I'm also plugging through DQ7 (sorry, DW7), which is the only English DQ release I hadn't played before. What sucks is that I put it down for another game that I didn't enjoy much, and it's getting to be around the time when it gets a little crazy with respect to studying/writing papers/grading, so I can't dump a lot of time into it yet. It sucks, because I really liked how the sidestories are told. I should just put it on my PSP instead, since at least that way, I can get through it faster and I can bring it around with me.
I picked up the SFC versions of V and VI at a very unexpected place, so I guess I might as well go all the way and get my own copy of DQ4 NES and DQ3 SFC. I think it's funny how some sellers selling DQ carts here don't really know what to do with them with respect to pricing unless they're internet-savvy. Some price even the first game on NES high because of Square Enix's reputation, or the second/third games much higher. Yet not a lot of people know what to do with the fourth. Sometimes prices are outrageous, and others aren't.
Anyway, DQ is usually a really solid series. I think it's one--well, until DQ9, I guess--that some players can rely upon for having consistency throughout the game design and/or throughout the series itself. Not every game is perfect, of course, but when you play it, you usually know what to expect. But at the same time, you don't know what to expect since the narrative or ability systems can throw some curveballs at you. I don't think as fondly about DQ9 as some of those in this thread, just because I didn't like some of the changes to the formula. So going back and playing DQ7 for the first time is somewhat refreshing to me. It has a lot about DQ that I missed a lot in DQ9.
Heck, I remember as a kid, preferring DQ1 and PS1 over FF1 because I liked the look of it far more. It had a lot of detail in it to me at the time. I mean, I didn't play Wizardry/Ultima or any of those precursors until years later, but DQ and PS stick out in my mind a lot.
Since Slime Morimori 3 is at budget-price now, I guess I'll pick it up in the summer if the Canadian dollar gets better.
It still bums me out that we never got that.
If you intend to play both in the end, you should play 4 first.
That's the plan. I also have IX and I plan to get V. Which DS port is the best in your opinion?
I probably would rank all three games pretty equal, each has its strength and weaknesses and from time to time I prefer a different game over the other. Though I played none of them at the time of their release, I still consider them all amazing games.
Well, they'd have to translate three games for a collection they probably wouldn't even be able to sell at full price, so I can understand why they didn't bring it over.
I at least managed to patch the SNES version of I&II within it and I could extract DQ III to play it in an emulator, so I finally have a chance to play that.
I wasn't on here at the time, but you would have been talking to me. The day that DQ7 finally came out in North America was one of the happiest days of my life. It had been almost 10 years since I'd been able to play a DQ game and I was craving a fix hardcore.
Nice.
I remember searching forever for Dragon Warrior II to buy as a kid, and always having to rent it. I remember being 8 and getting to DWIII's end boss and being so excited that I called my older brother to eat him.
I remember spending all my paper route money to buy Dragon Warrior IV when it came out. (60 CAN? 70?)
I remember surviving off on 7th Saga and other Enix games in the SNES era, praying those sketchy ads at the back of EGMs mentioning Dragon Warrior V and VI were not lies.
Then there's Dragon Warrior VII, which was so refreshing after despising Final Fantasy VIII and IX, and what they represented to me.
Then there's moving to Japan in 2005, which must have at some level been influenced by Dragon Quest.
As soon as I got here, I bought a SFC and DQV, with no idea how to read Japanese.
I remember playing Dragon Quest V in English via emulator in 2006, and deciding that it was the greatest RPG ever.
I remember buying Dragon Quest IV and V for DS in Japanese, and replay them as my Japanese got better.
Then there's Dragon Quest IX, where I bought the English and Japanese versions and played through both.
Dragon Quest VIII I took off my older brother when I bought a cheap Canadian PS2 on a trip home. Haven't gotten into it, and only a Japanese portable Vita version (which will never happen, yes), could change that. I love there being an amazing game that I haven't played yet.
Having never played an MMO, and never wanting to, Dragon Quest X always tempted me, but never enough to buy it.
Now I'm about 50 hours into Dragon Quest VII on 3DS, on a three month hiatus from it due to a hard boss.
Favorite series. So many memories.
I remember searching forever for Dragon Warrior II to buy as a kid, and always having to rent it. I remember being 8 and getting to DWIII's end boss and being so excited that I called my older brother to eat him.
I remember spending all my paper route money to buy Dragon Warrior IV when it came out. (60 CAN? 70?)
I remember surviving off on 7th Saga and other Enix games in the SNES era, praying those sketchy ads at the back of EGMs mentioning Dragon Warrior V and VI were not lies.
Then there's Dragon Warrior VII, which was so refreshing after despising Final Fantasy VIII and IX, and what they represented to me.
Then there's moving to Japan in 2005, which must have at some level been influenced by Dragon Quest.
As soon as I got here, I bought a SFC and DQV, with no idea how to read Japanese.
I remember playing Dragon Quest V in English via emulator in 2006, and deciding that it was the greatest RPG ever.
I remember buying Dragon Quest IV and V for DS in Japanese, and replay them as my Japanese got better.
Then there's Dragon Quest IX, where I bought the English and Japanese versions and played through both.
Dragon Quest VIII I took off my older brother when I bought a cheap Canadian PS2 on a trip home. Haven't gotten into it, and only a Japanese portable Vita version (which will never happen, yes), could change that. I love there being an amazing game that I haven't played yet.
Having never played an MMO, and never wanting to, Dragon Quest X always tempted me, but never enough to buy it.
Now I'm about 50 hours into Dragon Quest VII on 3DS, on a three month hiatus from it due to a hard boss.
Favorite series. So many memories.
I've told my story here many times, but I might as well do it again.
I first got into this series with DQ2. I was with my dad at a shop and I wandered off to look at some games. I wasn't super-into RPGs at the time. I had played a few and I liked them, but I was mainly a platformer/sidescrolling action kind of gal at that point. But then I saw this on the shelf:
Something about this art really drew my attention. It's so very cute but ominous at the same time. I was so drawn into it that I begged my dad to get it for me and the rest is history. I know DQ2 isn't most people's favorite, but I loved it, even with the insane 52-character passwords the JP version had. I was really hooked for life after that. So yeah, I may never have gotten into DQ (or at least not until later) were it not for Toriyama's art.
My Dragon Quest experience is pretty odd for someone who got started with the original US Dragon Warrior. Lots of people who first started with the game did so thanks to Nintendo Power's give-away, but I actually got it beforehand.
NP was of course my bible back as a kid, and I remember reading about Dragon Warrior in the Mega Man 2 issue. I think it was while accompanying my mom at the local King Kullen, reading that mag. Technically the first time I would have seen DQ would be a small blurb in the original NP, where they talk about the crazy lines forming around DQ3, but I didn't really notice that till years later. Anyways, I remember thinking "there's so much text in that game", it looked like nothing I ever played before (mostly action/platformers like most people in that era). There was a local mom and pop video store called "On Reel Video" and that's where I used to rent all my NES games... I saw "Dragon Warrior" for rental soon after its US release and decided to pick it up. It looked very different, but NP hardly ever steered me wrong... Being 7 years old and not having played any RPGs before DQ1, it took me like an hour just to get out of the throne room
When I was wandering aimlessly grinding slimes, I started to really like the game and received it for Christmas later that year.Later I played Ultima 3 NES, played and loved FF1, but it wasn't till seeing Phantasy Star that I decided to devote 90% of my gaming time to RPGs.
Nowadays, it's so sad to see what's happened with this series in the west. After a big push the past few years, now it's desolate. I'd kill for stuff like DQ7 Remix and Slime Morimori 3 over here. Sucks even more that 3DS isn't region free (I'll need to get a J-3DS for the DQ games and the Project Mirai games one day).
The SFC one is up there with the Wild Arms 1 town theme as my favorite town song of all time <3
BTW Aeana, is there anything that covers the story differences between DQ6 SFC and DS? I played about half of the SFC version using Ian Kelley's FAQ, but I only finished the game with the English DS version. I do remember a few of the scenarios in the SFC version were more poignant (like the "blood river" one).
terrisus
Member
That makes me very sad =(
I was just lurking at that point, so I didn't tend to look into much else other than Sales-Age threads and the first page of announcements (since, it's not too interesting for most of the other threads when one can't reply. I should've aplied/gotten in here much earlier, didn't realize one needed to apply with a work or .edu emaill - which I could have if I had noticed earlier, but I was content enough with lurking for a while) - but, the original Dragon Quest IX reveals here was definitely one of the more awesome things to have happened.
Anyway, rambling aside - while I wouldn't put Dragon Quest as my favorite series, and possibly not even in the top 5, I love it very much, and I'm glad we have a place to talk about it now. So, I'll do my best so that it's not just you talking to yourself at least.
clay_ghost
Member
Nice to see a community thread for Dragon Quest!
My favorites are 2 and 5, I played 1 and kind of like it and then 2 blown my mind. 2 is the 1st game that I remember playing that have the same world but bigger , party members being the descendants of the past game hero and having 3 party members at the same time. DQ 3 actually have a lesser impact on me lol.
DQ 5 is my best DQ experience since it gave me choice of marriage ( I love that this affect my kids' hair color) , a touching story with simple story telling techniques (less is more!) and the monster recruitment system.(one of my weakness in RPG / the other is card battle system) I also like that your party members also grow up with you and start a family on their own.
My favorites are 2 and 5, I played 1 and kind of like it and then 2 blown my mind. 2 is the 1st game that I remember playing that have the same world but bigger , party members being the descendants of the past game hero and having 3 party members at the same time. DQ 3 actually have a lesser impact on me lol.
DQ 5 is my best DQ experience since it gave me choice of marriage ( I love that this affect my kids' hair color) , a touching story with simple story telling techniques (less is more!) and the monster recruitment system.(one of my weakness in RPG / the other is card battle system) I also like that your party members also grow up with you and start a family on their own.
NinjaMouse
Member
Fk that sh!t, breh...I'll post here daily if I have to. DQ is one of the few series that I'm legitimately passionate about. Just to share in your DQ2 love, I can honestly say that it probably holds the closest spot near my heart with DQ3 a very close second. I remember the year I got DW2 for Christmas from my aunt and I nearly lost it. I subsequently ended up saving up the $80 that it cost for DW3. Fast forward to college where I ended up selling my set of complete in-box DW 1, 2, and 3...which I sincerely regret. =(
clay_ghost
Member
I missed the old monster breeding system and the eggs. :|
Its less charming now. I made cute stories for my monster couples in the gbc games.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Is this where we cry bitter fan tears over DQVII3DS not getting a western release?
BECAUSE I ALREADY AM
BECAUSE I ALREADY AM
Etrian Oddity
Member
I loved my DQ IX party of a Saiyan and his three ladyfriends.
terrisus
Member
On the topic of favorite Dragon Quest games, I would rank them in the following order:
3, 9, 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 2
With the caveats that I haven't spent nearly any time with 7 or 8 (only got them in 2011, and haven't gotten more than an hour or two into either), and have only played the DS remakes of 5 and 6
Of course, I love them all very much, and frankly if I did a ranking tomorrow the order may well be different. The absolute parts of that order is that 3 and 9 are at the top, and 2 is at the bottom. Not that I didn't like 2, but definitely liked it less than the others.
Still, it's a remarkably consistent series. Literally not a single bad - or even mediocre or average - game in there, they're all great.
3, 9, 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 2
With the caveats that I haven't spent nearly any time with 7 or 8 (only got them in 2011, and haven't gotten more than an hour or two into either), and have only played the DS remakes of 5 and 6
Of course, I love them all very much, and frankly if I did a ranking tomorrow the order may well be different. The absolute parts of that order is that 3 and 9 are at the top, and 2 is at the bottom. Not that I didn't like 2, but definitely liked it less than the others.
Still, it's a remarkably consistent series. Literally not a single bad - or even mediocre or average - game in there, they're all great.
1 will always have a special place in my heart. That field music will remain with me forever. 8 is one of the best games ever created and 9 came surprisingly close to being as amazing. I am REALLY hoping 11 will take the JRPG crown back from Ni No Kuni though which (imho) out Dragon Quested Dragon Quest. NNK has THE most gorgeous overworld ever.
Lol...what exactly are you trying to say here? They really aren't even remotely similar. Do you mean because they have anime influenced character designs? What else about NNK screams Dragon Quest?
I love NNK btw, I just really can't even guess what you mean by that.
i dunno having beaten DQ5 and Ni No Kuni, i get what he's saying.
the familiar system is really fun in Ni No Kuni, even though DQ5 wrote the book on it, it seems much deeper in NNK, plus the presentation is bar none
MissDeviling
Member
Got into this series thanks to V for the DS, then I was absolutely in love with VIII for PS2 which I bought later online. It's like everything Toriyama touches has a magical feeling to it, be it the DQ series, Chrono Trigger, or his own Dragonball series. :')
Everything NNK does just feels like the most logical evolution of DQ with many elements being very similar like the music, the combat, the overworld, the towns, the monsters, the quests, the progression, the grinding, the cutesy-ness of it all as our friend above mentions. I just think NNK is like a distillation of the best parts of DQ with added Ghibli spice.
sensui-tomo
Member
got into this with DQ8, then played DQ5(never finished it), and played 9 alot, going to try beating DQ5 again once i get the chance, would love to be able to play dq8 on the vita ... or HDed on the ps3 (my pc cant handle dq8 with that emulator)
Everything NNK does just feels like the most logical evolution of DQ with many elements being very similar like the music, the combat, the overworld, the towns, the monsters, the quests, the progression, the grinding, the cutesy-ness of it all as our friend above mentions. I just think NNK is like a distillation of the best parts of DQ with added Ghibli spice.
I can see the overworld, and the way they introduce towns and stuff, but the combat? The monsters? I just don't see it. It never attains the charm inherent to Dragon Quest. The combat specifically is pretty terrible in comparison, and not at all an evolution of DQ combat.
Thanks for explaining though, I was super confused at the comparison.
RoninChaos
Member
Subbed.
Just take it with you.
Member
That's interesting, because I played VI DS, and it honestly left me a bit cold. I'll have to play the original at some point.