Poll of the Day > Which Dragon Quest game should I play? (New to the series)

(+) Yeah! (+)

These are the options I picked based on the minimal reading I did. Mostly, it was based on character design of the party members.
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Nooo, play something from the Dragon Quest Monsters series instead.
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I may, but I want to try the main series first.

In any case, of Monsters/Jokers, which game would you recommend?
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Fair enough. The remake of Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 is pretty fun.
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VIII

Dragon Quest V is the best Dragon Quest game TBH.
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4-6 are the best. Of yours listed, 5.
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VIII

This
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8 or 9.
8 if you care about narrative more.
9 if you care about party-building more.

I'd actually start with the first one and play them in order, since each one seems to be more complex than the last. As I recall, the NES version of the first one is pretty crude and slow-going by today's standards, but the remakes are better.

Damn this was hard but since 3 gbc remake is my favorite followed closely by 9 I chose 3.

Both allow you to create your own team of whatever classes you want and that's a big selling point with me.
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Kigalas posted...

VIII

This

Also, this^
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Awesome! Thanks for the recs, people.

I need to get my PC fixed, and then I'll see about starting up V.
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8 or 9

Or play in order from start to finish

i hacked my 3ds to play theatrerythem that's the best dq to me besides some parts of 1 and 3, 7 on the ps1 and 3ds seems playable, very episodic

Dragon Warrior 3 for NES is the only one I have and have played. I did emu a little bit of the first one once, but didn't get very far. I played through 3 at least twice though. Also, thanks for this topic, since it reminded me that DQ11 is a thing and we're still waiting for it to release stateside.
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dragon504 posted...

Dragon Warrior 3 for NES is the only one I have and have played. I did emu a little bit of the first one once, but didn't get very far. I played through 3 at least twice though. Also, thanks for this topic, since it reminded me that DQ11 is a thing and we're still waiting for it to release stateside.

The gbc remake is superior, if you can believe that! It adds personalities which influence your characters' stat growths, adds monster medals and pachisi track mini games, has a thief class and adds boomerang class weapons too. I think it's the same as the SNES remake that came out in Japan but I can't be sure.

Anyhow I got it used years and years ago for $10 and it's the only game I've ever taken to get the battery changed if that helps.
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WhiskeyDisk posted...

Kigalas posted...

VIII

This

Also, this^

A Loving Fan approaches
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Not 3. That's not a beginner's game. It would be the worst possible choice, unless you really like losing repeatedly.
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Dragon Warrior III is the best game of the bunch. It has the most replay value.

That being said - it probably ins't very beginner friendly today. Back in the day it was one of the most amazing games in the 8-bit era.

From your selections - if you aren't into old-school RPGs - I would start with IX. It's probably the most friendly to start with. You can still pick your party's classes and it has most of the standard monsters/spells/etc - meaning it would make a good springboard to others.

yeah dw3 is a good game but the grind and random battle encounters will kill your progress I remember turning the game on for like 30minutes to an hour every day just to level, it'd be easier on an emu tho

I know you said main series, but I know you like dynasty warriors, so maybe dragon quest heros.

I tried the second game, it was fun.

I played a bit of both DQH games actually and I honestly don't think it was for me. I liked a bit of the combat mechanics, but not the pseudo tower defense type stuff with the summoning and whatever. It was an interesting mechanic, but meh.

Also, thanks for all the warnings about III. That's the one I was looking forward to the most, but I might put it off until I familiarize myself with the series a bit more.
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Krow_Incarnate posted...

I played a bit of both DQH games actually and I honestly don't think it was for me. I liked a bit of the combat mechanics, but not the pseudo tower defense type stuff with the summoning and whatever. It was an interesting mechanic, but meh.

Also, thanks for all the warnings about III. That's the one I was looking forward to the most, but I might put it off until I familiarize myself with the series a bit more.

Well whatever you do don't play part 2 first or you may quit altogether. That's by far the hardest DQ game for this guy. Winning it on the NES when it was New was something of a minor miracle.
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9 is shit and a grindfest
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dq1 and 3 aren't worth spending money on, almost 40 years old now, but whatever medium you experiance them in you'll probably find them alluring

I am going to go against the grain and pick DQ3. Excellent game, though you are going to have to grind and advance carefully to get through it. The Android version (which I play) is easier than the GBC version, which, in turn, is easier than the NES original.
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VIII would probably be a great starting point on the whole. Nothing wrong with the other games (of course) but VIII is still just a solid choice.
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waterdeepchu posted...

Not 3. That's not a beginner's game. It would be the worst possible choice, unless you really like losing repeatedly.

Do you mean even if you're looking things up in a guide? The game didn't seem that hard to me when I played the NES version of it, because I followed Nintendo Power and that guidebook that came with the game. >_>

OmegaM posted...

waterdeepchu posted...

Not 3. That's not a beginner's game. It would be the worst possible choice, unless you really like losing repeatedly.

Do you mean even if you're looking things up in a guide? The game didn't seem that hard to me when I played the NES version of it, because I followed Nintendo Power and that guidebook that came with the game. >_>

The grinding is fucking tedious in that one, like worse than Lufia tedious.
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I've only played IX so far but I really enjoyed it.
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+1 for DQ8
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WhiskeyDisk posted...

The grinding is fucking tedious in that one, like worse than Lufia tedious.

Updated versions of it are less grind-y, though, so there is that.
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I_Abibde posted...

WhiskeyDisk posted...

The grinding is fucking tedious in that one, like worse than Lufia tedious.

Updated versions of it are less grind-y, though, so there is that.

Now that I think about it, it might be DQII that I'm thinking of.
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DQ3 is so good, go for it!

DQ8 (3DS version) is another exceptional game.
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8!
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I would go with VIII. It has the best balance of being a great, standard JRPG and being a good representation of what the whole series is about.
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WhiskeyDisk posted...

Now that I think about it, it might be DQII that I'm thinking of.

... which is one of the grindiest JRPGs I have ever played, at least on the NES. Prepping for the final run through the Cave To Rhone took longer than the entire rest of the game, I swear.
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I_Abibde posted...

WhiskeyDisk posted...

Now that I think about it, it might be DQII that I'm thinking of.

... which is one of the grindiest JRPGs I have ever played, at least on the NES. Prepping for the final run through the Cave To Rhone took longer than the entire rest of the game, I swear.

I kind of like how part 2 is basically the only DQ game where grinding <> victory though.
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For DQ3
i remember having more trouble on the "first final boss" then the real final boss

Also the bonus boss was a total rip off of Shenlong (though Toriyama did dp the character designs)

There is a second bonus boss in the GBC version, not sure about other ones. This one is secert option for a wish when you beat the first bonus boss
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All I remember from the DQ game that I despise is getting stuck grinding some crazy overpowered gorilla mobs to get gold for shields where I had like a 1:3 chance of getting wiped before I could inn up and my only other option was to grind trash mobs for hours instead. It was as if there were an enforced pause halfway thru the first act that involved a Sophie's Choice between trash mobbing and peninsula of power level grinding and I just said screw it. Worse than the Matador grind in Nocturne.

All around, DQ8 may be slow at points but the balance there is probably a sweet spot, though I tend to sequence break 8 as soon as the arena becomes available and I go to the island where gold golems are first available ASAP.
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Ogurisama posted...

For DQ3
i remember having more trouble on the "first final boss" then the real final boss

Also the bonus boss was a total rip off of Shenlong (though Toriyama did dp the character designs)

There is a second bonus boss in the GBC version, not sure about other ones. This one is secert option for a wish when you beat the first bonus boss

Wait, there was a bonus boss in the NES version of DQIII? I don't remember that.

OmegaM posted...

Wait, there was a bonus boss in the NES version of DQIII? I don't remember that.

Not sure about NES, but i am pretty sure he was in the SNES and the mobile versions
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