Anyways, DQ.
I was too young to play the original DQ's and didn't have an NES.
Final Fantasy was my first love. It wasn't the first gaming series I got into, but it was the first one that showed me the capabilities games had. Suikoden was my second love. I'd say Dragon Quest is easily my third.
I love Dragon Quest so much that I taught myself Japanese just to play 7r - a remake of a game I already owned and played. Being able to play (and understand) that game was one of the most fulfilling and emotional game experiences of my life. It truly showed how much I was willing and capable of just to play a game, and I'm not ashamed of that.
Unlike many in this thread, my first DQ was actually VIII. I had wanted to play I+II when they were released on GBC way back when, and I unfortunately missed out on DW7. But DQ8 was something I got on release day and never went back. Soon afterward I started playing them in order. I played the SNES version of I+II, tracked down DW7 from Estarland, got a copy of DWIII GBC from Ebay. I emulated V. I got IV and VI when they came out on DS.
I found in my play through that there wasn't a single bad DQ game. Some I preferred more than others, but none were awful and all of them aged well and presented a lot of creativity and direction in jrpgs that's rarely seen: the class system at the bar in III, IV's epic game structure, V's emotional story outline, VII's writing, VIII's adventuring, I's novelty...
Regarding I in particular, one of my favorite aspects about it was the absence of bloat or any excess. It's a game that's easy to pick up and play, but not necessarily one that disrespects you as a player either. It's an adventure that feels unique for RPGs. Other RPGs since have featured only one playable character (Vagrant Story instantly springs to mind), but not quite like the original Dragon Quest. It's an RPG that you beat in less than a day and requires absolutely zero in the way of dedication but still manages to stick with you and make a lasting impression through its wit and charm alone. Despite accusations that the title is archaic, old, or just outdated, I've always found the opposite to be true. There's nothing like the original Dragon Quest even today.
While I can barely recognize Final Fantasy these days, SMT still lives but isn't released as frequently, and Suikoden is dead, I still have Dragon Quest. Always consistent. Always charming. Always there for you. Like a pack of ramen or mom's homemade chicken noodle soup.
Happy Birthday Dragon Quest and thank you Horii, Toriyama. And Sugiyama. Here's to another thirty years.