What’s the Best Dragon Quest Game?

The original Dragon Quest released on the Famicom in Japan 35 years ago! To celebrate the franchise’s anniversary, we’re posing the question: what’s the best Dragon Quest game? These are our answers. Let’s see yours!

Dragon Quest VII stands out for me, because I just loved collecting monsters for the Monster Park. I didn’t care one bit about finding new places that had gone missing from the world, because I was too busy getting more creatures for my little park.

In combat, you could attempt to tame the last living monster in the fight (which is varying degrees of difficult, getting downright enraging for PlatKings and the like). If you succeed, they go to your park and you can talk with them. They don’t typically seem all that tame, though.

“It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Then it’s just fun.”

“Enemies rarely expect it when I crawl into one of their bodily orifices and hack them to pieces from the inside!”

“My life is hollow and empty. Oh, I mean ‘Welcome to Monster Park.'”

I love you, Monster Park. — Joel

Okay. I know Graham is going to want to take Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. I wouldn’t dare take that joy away from him. (Plus, he’d be better at explaining why it is incredible.)

Rather, I am here to tell you that you have to play Dragon Quest Builders 2. It is an extraordinary blend of action-RPG elements, Minecraft-like building and Dragon Quest storytelling and world building. It plays with the idea of what-if, following the events of Dragon Quest II. However, it does more to get you invested in helping the people in different tons you visit and in ensuring your own home island looks pretty darn cool.

It also lets you ride on creatures like the Chimaera, Golem, and Great Sabrecub! — Jenni

Hey now!

But yeah, Jenni’s right, I love Rocket Slime and I’m happy to take yet another opportunity to talk about it. It’s a Zelda-like action-RPG! It’s a tank battle game! Hey, it’s even got a charming localization! The game is criminally underappreciated, and its 3DS sequel didn’t even get a worldwide release. It’s an injustice that needs correction!

Still, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is also excellent. — Graham

Would you believe me if I said that Dragon Quest Builders 2 was my first and to date only Dragon Quest game? For someone who claims to like JRPGs, my lifelong obliviousness to perhaps the JRPG franchise is a bit embarrassing.

Still, Builders 2 was quite a good one. In many ways it’s Minecraft for people like me who get paralyzed by the freedom offered by Minecraft, with just enough direction to move things along while still encouraging the kind of creativity that you see block-builder games inspire in millions the world over.

Maybe one day I’ll work up the energy to tackle a new Dragon Quest title, but if Dragon Quest Builders 2 remains the only one under my belt, I’ll call it a win. — Josh

What do you think is the best Dragon Quest game? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.