All Articles: Dragon Warrior

First three Dragon Quest games will make their way to Switch on September 27

Posted on September 16, 2019 by John Scalzo

Dragon Quest fans have a lot to look forward to later this month as Square Enix has announced the classic “Erdrick Trilogy” will be available to download for the Switch on September 27.

The games in the “Erdrick Trilogy” for the Switch will be based on the recent mobile re-releases for iOS and Android devices, and they won’t feature the original pixel art. Each game will also be available to download individually, with Dragon Quest set to be the cheapest ($4.99). It’s two sequels, Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line ($6.49) and Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation ($12.49), will be a tad higher.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the three games (or you weren’t one of the many Nintendo Power subscribers who received a free copy of Dragon Quest in 1990), Square Enix has passed along this short primer on the series:

The iconic Erdrick trilogy begins in the acclaimed Dragon Quest where players begin their voyage as the “Hero,” a descendent of the valiant hero Erdrick in an epic journey through the historic realm of Alefgard.

Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line takes place a century later, where the young prince of Midenhall embarks on a journey to find the other two descendants of Erdrick in order to defeat the nefarious Hargon.

The third and final title in the Erdrick trilogy, Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation, takes players through the land of Aliahan, where a young hero has been charged with an impossible task of slaying Baramos, the master of darkness.

The “Erdrick Trilogy” introduced a huge population of players to the joys of turn-based RPGs back in the early 90s, so it’s great that Switch owners will get the chance to relive these games alongside the launch of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition, which will also be available on September 27.

Posted in News, Switch | Tagged , ,

Viz Media will publish a Dragon Quest Illustrations artbook this December

Posted on April 3, 2018 by John Scalzo

I think it’s safe to say that the Dragon Quest franchise wouldn’t be quite as popular as it is without Akira Toriyama’s colorful character designs. Going all the way back to the franchise’s debut in 1986, the Dragon Ball creator’s unique style has helped the series stand out in the crowded RPG genre.

Late last week, Viz Media announced an English release of Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition, an artbook that compiles a large number of Toriyama’s sketches and drawings for the series. Writing on Twitter, the publisher said that it’ll be available this December for a retail price of $34.99.

True to its title, Dragon Quest Illustrations will include an archive of Akira Toriyama’s “iconic illustrations and designs” from Dragon Quest titles released from 1986 through 2016.

Posted in DS, Etcetera, News, PS2, Retro | Tagged

Dragon Quest X revealed for Wii and Wii U

Posted on September 5, 2011 by John Scalzo

The future of the Dragon Quest series has been unveiled by Square Enix and Nintendo at a special media event in Japan that just ended. The two titans of the Japanese gaming scene have taken the wraps off of Dragon Quest X while also talking about the Dragon Quest Collection, a compilation of the first three games in the series (and their Super NES remakes), which will be released for the Wii in Japan on September 15. An American release is unlikely, but we can hope.

Dragon Quest X is being described as an “online RPG” similar to Dragon Quest IX. Players will be able to team up for multiplayer adventuring, but a strong single-player game will also be included. The game is being developed internally at Square Enix with Producer duties falling to Yosuke Saito (Drakengard, Nier).

Even with the “online” tag, the game looks to be a traditional entry in the Dragon Quest series with job classes, Slimes and turn-based battles. It also has a cel-shaded look that is very reminiscent of Dragon Quest VIII.

Best of all, Dragon Quest X will be available for the Wii and the Wii U. Yes, you read that right. The Wii U version will include enhanced graphics and cross-console play with the Wii version. The Wii version is currently scheduled for a 2012 release in Japan while the Wii U version is “TBA.” Hopefully they make it to America as well.

[Source: Siliconera (1, 2), Joystiq]

Posted in News, Wii, Wii U | Tagged , , ,

Dragon Quest X may go HD on Wii U

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Many long-time fans were disappointed to learn that neither Dragon Quest IX nor Dragon Quest X would be heading to the PlayStation 3. Given what Level-5 did for the series on the PS2, one could only salivate at the idea of a HD Dragon Quest. However, that dream just might become a reality.

Andriasang reports that Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada faced a good deal of harsh questions today, such as if Dragon Quest Collection will actually sell, given it features un-updated ports of the Famicom (NES) and Super Famicom (SNES) versions of the games. Wada responded yes, since they’re being left untouched to celebrate the series’ 25th anniversary. But another question came up, asking to know the logic of releasing DQX, a flagship title, on the Wii, a console past its prime.

Wada responded by stressing the importance of considering releasing the game on both the Wii and the upcoming Wii U. He also disclosed that Square Enix is already investigating their technical options when it comes to Nintendo’s HD platform.

Warp Zoned Podcast Producer Ryan Littlefield and I were discussing the potential uses for the Wii U’s controller for RPGs specifically, and I’m thinking the map system in DQVIII could make a great move here. While your favorite podcast personalities remain speculating, we can expect to learn more details about Dragon Quest X later this year.

Posted in News, Wii, Wii U | Tagged , , ,

Dragon Quest Collection bringing DQ I, II, & III to Wii in Japan (both NES & SNES versions)

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

To celebrate 25 years of series that would become the architect of console RPGs, Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Collection for the Nintendo Wii. Only confirmed for Japan so far, this very special bundle will include the original NES versions of Dragon Quest I, Dragon Quest II, and Dragon Quest III. For players needing a little more graphical fidelity, the collection will also boast the SNES remakes Dragon Quest I & II and Dragon Quest III. All games will be compatible with the Wiimote, Classic controller, and GameCube controller.

The first three games comprise what fans have dubbed “The Erdrick Trilogy” (or “Loto Trilogy” for the GBC remakes) of the franchise.

As of December 2010, Dragon Quest has sold over 57 million copies, defining a genre and becoming truly embedded in Japanese culture. Forget Xenoblade and The Last Story. For me, this is the one Wii RPG I desperately want to be translated for the US. Since publishing and localizing Dragon Quest IX and Dragon Quest VI, I can only hope Nintendo will take an even firmer affinity with the series and bring this over. Let’s at least hope a translation of Dragon Quest X is in the cards when more details emerge later this year.

Posted in News, Wii | Tagged , ,