The notable dark sheep of the Dragon Quest family is undoubtedly Dragon Quest IX. For one, it featured unique online features that set it apart from the other titles besides Dragon Quest X. In addition, it is one of the only games not available on modern platforms. It is high time for a Dragon Quest IX remake similar to the recent Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake.
Perhaps surprisingly to our readers, Dragon Quest IX was my first entry in the series. I don’t look back at it super fondly, as it is actually my least favorite of the ones I’ve played (III, VII, VIII, X, and XI). Even still, there is something special about the experience, especially if you happened to have a Nintendo DS at the time.
You get the player agency of creating your character from scratch and making them whatever you want. You don’t just get to customize companions, which is a nice feature. In addition, emphasized multiplayer heavily. Even though I never had a DS and played this on 3DS, I, fortunately, had the chance to check out the multiplayer before the servers went offline.
The multiplayer is a bit weird but charming in a way. You have options like loaning and receiving other players’ characters to adventure with. If you could find others online at the same time, you could even travel the vast world together in a party of up to four players. It felt novel and thrilling at the time, especially for a turn-based JRPG.
In a way, Dragon Quest IX feels like a progenitor to the very next title: Dragon Quest X. This Japan-exclusive (for now) took the leap to the MMO genre and its predecessor paved the way. As it stands, it still looks unlikely we will get the 10th mainline title in the West, at least in the online version.
As such, it would be wonderful to have Dragon Quest IX as a remaster or full-on remake. Just think of the HD-2D art style but for this overlooked ninth entry. Players could make stunning angelic characters and travel around with other players. Or, it could be fully offline if someone prefers a more traditional adventure.
Releasing it on other platforms like PlayStation and PC, in addition to the expected Nintendo release, would allow for a burgeoning online community. Crossplay functionality would allow this JRPG to do well with a niche but dedicated community and last far longer than its original DS release. It would also fulfill the potential this game had but never fully realized. This was largely due to the limitations of the DS’ online servers.
Admittedly, one of the areas I didn’t like the experience was in the combat and story. The combat feels a bit too simple, even for this series. The same goes for the highly forgettable plot, which is the weakest of the games I’ve played in the series. A remake wouldn’t likely fix all of those issues, but it could help some. For one, the graphics in the HD-2D style would look incredible. Being able to speed up battles or even auto-battle would make combat more enjoyable. Plus, new vocations to choose from would attract newcomers and veterans alike.
But, above all else, we need a Dragon Quest IX remake or at least remaster since it no longer exists on a modern platform. No other Dragon Quest game has this same issue today, except VII. But at least VII has a mobile version in Japan and a worldwide 3DS port. IX has none of those features and has only been available on the Nintendo DS.
With the online focus, Dragon Quest IX runs the risk of being the most forgotten game in the series. It would take a bit more of an effort to remake it because of this, but it would likely be worth it. After all, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake sales were incredible at launch. The work to make this remake would pay off in the end. Here’s hoping we get that Dragon Quest IX remake in the future since it has no modern version and more players should check out its experimental multiplayer focus.
Dragon Quest IX is only available for the Nintendo DS. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is available for Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Published: Nov 29, 2024 09:00 am