Dragon Quest

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
I decided to check what they have on PS+ and it turns out they have a bunch of Dragon Quest games: Dragon Quest XI S, Dragon Quest Builders, Builders 2 , Dragon Quest Heroes, Heroes 2.

Now, since it's free, I decided to download Dragon Quest XI S. Problem is, I've already sunk 109 hours and 17 minutes into DQ XI and it looks like the save files don't transfer. Ugh! To start over or not to start over. Like, I wouldn't mind starting over again except I seem to remember certain parts being a pain in the ass. *sigh* I guess I'll give it a start. If I get tired of it, I can always go back to the original where I'm at the post game.

Anyway...you know me. Start in on a new discussion, gotta show off my collection.

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So I got the first one free with a subscription to Nintendo Power. It was my first ever JRPG. Now to be honest, it would be a good long time before I got back into Dragon Quest. For one thing, a lot of them simply weren't released in the USA until much later. But at the time, I was like, what? Just fighting one enemy and controlling one guy was complicated enough. How am I supposed to control battles with groups? Hey, I was a kid! I was easily intimidated. It took me a while before I played Street Fighter II because games with more than 2 buttons just blew my mind.

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I have a save file, so I must have played this at least a little. But honestly, going back to old games like this when you don't have the nostalgia for them can be trying.

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Same thing I said about II pretty much applies to this. I don't have the nostalgia for it. So it's kinda hard to give it a fair play. But I own it!

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Once upon a time, I owned the DS version of this. It was what got me back into Dragon Quest. I'd played a few Final Fantasy games since my childhood and I remembered back to the days when I got that free game from Nintendo Power and wanted to see what the series had become. I played it. I loved it. I finished it. Unfortunately, I think I must have needed the money or something, because I sold it (don't remember if it was to Game Stop or Disc Replay, but I sold it). I've regretted it since then. Unfortunately, the DS version sells for more than $100 on eBay. The only other legit way I know of to play it is on iPad. I don't usually like games on iPad...but it's what I could get.

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Unfortunately, there was a time where I bought a bunch of games in a short time span, meaning I never did get a deep dive on any one of them. This is one of those. Plus the whole thing of collecting all those slabs just got on my nerves really quickly.

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I may have said this before in other threads. The PS2 I have is one I bought used at Game Stop. Like many used consoles, the console itself as well as the controller had that gritty, dirty used feel. You know the feeling I mean? So I didn't play too many games on PS2 for too long. The 3DS version is another game that suffered the same fate as VII, too many games at once meaning some had to go on the back burner and never return.

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I finished this one. It was really fun. I'd probably go back to it if the small screens of the portable systems didn't hurt my eyes so much.

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I finished this one, even did a lot of the post-game stuff. But now I have XI S, so I guess I'll be doing it all again.

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I thought I had a guide for XI, but I guess not.

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What can I say? I love the art.
 

Daith

Bustin make feel Good!
Citizen
I have the majority of the games on modern consoles these days. Got all but VII out of the DS/3DS releases. Still have my PS2 copy of VIII, and have gotten XI’s original PS4 release as well as the definitive edition on Switch and Steam. I love the series over all but can really only claim to have beaten the original game and VIII (original PS2 version) completely.

I love XI but I keep stalling out grinding the post game quest.

I had the GBC version of 1&2 back in the day but lost it to movers in the military, but still have the old NES cartridge sometime the basement for the first game. My younger brother got it from a friend who didn’t want it.
I also have the first Builders and The Heroes Warriors like game. Had the Swords Wii game years ago.

And I grabbed that art book last year too. But I was a tad disappointed it was strictly art with mostly no behind the scenes information to scan through.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Hmm, lets see...which ones have I beaten.

Draggon Warrior: I played when I got it as a kid. But not understanding the point of leveling up, I thought, "hey, I've been having a hard time all the way up till now and have been leveling up like crazy. I'm certainly not going to be able to beat this thing. I'll just mess around and continue killing things. Then when I went to college (yes, it took that long), my room mate saw what level I was at and was like, "you haven't beaten this yet? At that level, you can give the Dragonlord a complete spanking!" Not what he actually said, but you get the idea. So I beat it. I've also beaten the iPad and Switch ports.

Dragon Quest 5: I beat it. I married Bianca. I then sold it because I'd already beaten it and have regretted selling it ever since.

Dragon Quest 9: I beat it. I still have the save data and could continue to do post-game stuff...but looking at the small screens just aren't easy on the eyes like it used to be.

Dragon Quest 11: I beat it, still have the save files. But now I have 11 S and have started a new playthrough.

I must admit, I'm finding it fun so far, but I do have memories of certain parts that I'm absolutely not looking forward to facing again.

EDIT:
Just checked, it looks like the only ones I'm missing (4 and 6) can be bought on the iPad App Store for $15 each. I mean, I'd much rather have them on a console, but it looks like the DS version on Ebay are...pricey. I may just have to consider it.
 
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Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Actually, I already stared it. I tried 2D for the climb up the mountain at the beginning just for gits and shiggles. It...wasn't fun.

I restarted in 3D and I'm actually having a blast. I must have unintentionally grinded more than my first time. I've been curbe-stomping bosses I seem to remember being a pain in the ass the first time.

I don't think I realized just how much I missed this game until I started playing it again.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Right now I'm doing the interlude bits between Acts 1 & 2. These were definitely not in the vanilla version. Glad I decided to check it out.
 

Shadhausen

Well-known member
Citizen
I'm pretty sure they adjusted the leveling mechanic for DQ 11 S because I had no problem getting to level 99 by the end of the regular game with very little grinding while on the original that was nearly impossible without insane grinding or taking advantage of certain character abilities that are absent in S.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Like, I wouldn't mind starting over again except I seem to remember certain parts being a pain in the ass.

Well, I just finished one of the big ones, the fight with Jinxed Jade and Booga. That one was a nightmare when I did it on the original. But with S, I was able to do it first time. Sooooo, good times!
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Well, credits are rolling, so I'm roughly 2/3 of the way through.
 
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MEDdMI

Nonstop Baaka
Citizen
I was into the manga and anime back in the 90's. Haven't played any of DQ games until Builders 1 and 2. Those were a lot of fun, def Minecraft clone with better graphics. Plot was cute, too.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
So I just got IV and VI on the app store. Not my preferred way of playing, but eBay prices being what they are, I wasn't seeing much choice.

Of course I'm still working on XI S and I'll have Pokémon Violet by the time I'm done with that. And if I'm going to play DQ on my iPad, I still have a lot to do on V. So who knows when or even if I'll ever get to these. But at least I can now say I own every mainline DQ game (except X which was never released in the west).

---

Separate note: I remember someone on these boards, I honestly forget who and I can't exactly go back and check, but someone here had a problem with the composer and refused to by the game. After doing a Google check, yeah, the guy was scum, so I can hardly blame someone for not supporting the dipshit.

But it looks like the composer died last September (2021). So given that, if that forum member happens to be reading this, does that change anything as far as giving this franchise a try?
 

MEDdMI

Nonstop Baaka
Citizen
I know who you're referring to, I forget which handle was his most recent one. SpinOut, maybe? He is aware that the composer died and has played some of the DQ games. He doesn't intend to return to the boards, though.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
That's good to know. Like I said, I totally get not wanting to support someone like that. But now that that's no longer an issue, I'm glad he's gotten into Dragon Quest. It really is a great series.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Well, I beat the actual final boss, Married Gemma, Got the ring so Serena can have short hair, got to level 99 with everyone...I think I'm done.

Oh yeah, Amazon has some manga called "The Adventure of Dai" available for Kindle.
 

Daith

Bustin make feel Good!
Citizen
The Adventure of Dai anime just finished up it's redo anime. It's a solid series that isn't too bad for younger audiences either. The manga and first anime were made in the 90's after DQ's popularity boomed in Japan, yet the original anime never got to finish the story. Thankfully this new one did and is a fun watch. the English dub is just now getting released for sale on digital platforms, but the whole subbed show is up on Crunchyroll and the first 45 episodes on Hulu. And love the 2nd opening!


 

MEDdMI

Nonstop Baaka
Citizen
The OG manga has some pervy moments that was typical of the 90's (like the old Dragonball), but the anime cut it/toned it down so far. Still making my way through the remake.
I think the English manga version may have edited some bits too? I vaguely remember occasional female nipples in the original Jump run.
 

Daith

Bustin make feel Good!
Citizen
Ya the anime lets Popp get a bit skeevy acting at times but it never lets any of the female cast be exposed completely. Beyond that and the blood at times it not really too bad. Chances are the dubs already edited some of those elements out anyways.
 

Caldwin

Eorzean Idiot
Citizen
Aww! Why does western censorship always have to ruin everything?
 

MEDdMI

Nonstop Baaka
Citizen
Yeah, it's pretty much nothing compared to other series that ran in Shounen Jump at the same time, like Shadow Lady. Still, I'd rather avoid that stuff involving teenagers in what is otherwise a wholesome show.
 


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