Forgot password?  |  Register  |    
User Name:     Password:    
Blog - Staff Blog   

A Blue Slime Approaches! - Dragon Warrior


On 08/14/2020 at 11:20 AM by Matt Snee

See More From This User »

hqdefault

Dragon Warrior was the American name of the release of Dragon Quest 1 (trademark issues). It was released in Japan in 1986, but it wasn't until 1989 that it reached American shores. I got this game because of a nice spread in Nintendo Power made it seem irresistable. However, I didn't really understand it when it came to actually playing the game. I think I made it to the first castle. But I tried it repeatedly. My younger brother had better luck, I think. 

I have a very clear memory of playing this at my Grandma's house in Pittsburgh. She had a second TV up in her bedroom, and we must have brought the NES along and connected it up there. I remember it very clearly. 

It's a very colorful game that's pleasing to look at, compared to most NES games which look like someone ate a handful of Skittles and then puked them out. 

It wasn't until Dragon Quest VIII that I truly got into the series. I bought it late for the PS2, but it took about a year to play it. I was used to Final Fantasy games, and at first it seemed simple and a little childish. When I finally got into it, I realized how great a game it was. I've since played some of the DS re-releases, though I'd like to play them some more. 

Definitely one of my favorite video game series. Consistently great. 


 

Comments

SanAndreas

08/14/2020 at 05:10 PM

Other than Mario and Zelda, Dragon Quest is the video game series that's stuck with me the longest. I played it when it first came out on NES - I didn't get into Final Fantasy until VI on the SNES.

I actually had experience with RPGs before I played Dragon Warrior, as I'd played Exodus: Ultima III on PC and NES, and Alternate Reality on the Atari 8-bit. So I had a general idea of what to do. The game had good graphics and great music. After that, I didn't really play the series again until the first two games were re-released for the Game Boy Color. Of course, Enix completely skipped the SNES in localizing the series or I'd have probably gotten Dragon Quest V and VI. When I got married, my wife and I, and my stepdaughter, played Dragon Quest VIII on PS2, and we all finished it on our individual game files. I wish they'd re-release VIII on Switch. But XI managed to be even better, and given how awesome VIII was, that was an amazing feat. I still want VIII on Switch though. What the heck, I want the entire series on Switch. I have the first three games on Switch already.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/16/2020 at 04:38 PM

yeah, I never understood the game. I didn't really get into RPGs until Final Fantasy Legend for the Gameboy and Phantasy Star 2 for the Genesis. It's too bad, cause good games had been available before, and if I had understood how they worked, I probably would have liked them. I wish they would rerelease VIII for the Switch too. 

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/14/2020 at 10:22 PM

Nothing to add as far as Dragon Quest, but the most recent gaming community I'm a part of sure is Pennsylvania-centric. 

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/16/2020 at 04:38 PM

my parents grew up in Pittsburgh, but I mostly grew up in Delaware. But for holidays, we'd go up to visit my grandparents. 

Cary Woodham

08/15/2020 at 08:47 AM

My friend bought Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy when we were kids.  I liked them, but not enough to buy them for myself.  I was perfectly happy with playing them at my friend's house.  We would take turns with someone playing the game, and someone looking at maps and bestiaries to tell the other player what to do.

Remember the Captain N cartoon?  They had a Dragon Warrior episode once and my friend and I were excited because I spent the night over at his house that Friday night, and Saturday morning we got up and thought it was cool that it was a Dragon Warrior episode because that was the game we were playing at the time.

I really didn't get into RPGs myself until the SNES, with games like FF4, FF6, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, etc.  And since none of the 16-bit Dragon Quest games came out over here, I missed out on those, so Dragon Quest was never a series I got into as much.  My favorite Dragon Quest game is Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime on the DS.  If you've never played it, you really should!

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/16/2020 at 04:39 PM

I didn't really get into RPGS untl Final Fantasy Legend on the Gameboy and Phantasy Star 2 for the Genesis. Neither one of them are classic games, but they taught me how the genre worked. 

KnightDriver

08/15/2020 at 08:50 AM

I keep getting a little farther every time I play Dragon Warrior, but I still haven't beat it. I started with the series at VIII. I love the character designs, wish there was a toys-to-life version of the game so I could get obsessed with buying the figures. Or maybe I hope they never do that, for my wallet's sake. 

Cary Woodham

08/15/2020 at 08:53 AM

They are making an amiibo of the DQ hero in Smash.

KnightDriver

08/15/2020 at 09:42 AM

Oh, now I realize what my reason would be to enter a Gamestop again. 

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/16/2020 at 04:40 PM

I have to believe somebody makes Dragon Quest figurines. 

Ranger1

08/19/2020 at 01:50 PM

I got hooked on the DQ series with VII on the PS1. I got stuck and rage quit and didn't go back for years, until I wisely bought the strategy guide. VIII was awesome, and I got all the DS games as they came out. Then I got one of those multi-deck consoles that playes NES, SNES, and Genesis games and got I-III for it. I only played the first one, and it is a grindy slog and very unforgiving, but man, I loved it. And with the Switch, I bought and downloaded I-III again. And discovered that they're the GBC ports. Not that that is a bad thing, it just means my maps and notes for the first game are no good. I actually like DQ better than I ever liked Final Fantasy. Heresy, I know.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/20/2020 at 07:25 AM

I really liked play VII on the 3DS, but I didn't finish it. I'd like to. I love Final Fantasy, but I really love DQ too. In 11, I just opened the ocean gate and am about to head out into the sea. 

Ranger1

08/20/2020 at 08:53 AM

So much more to do, you've barely scratched the surface.

mothman

08/20/2020 at 03:04 PM

What Ranger Bill said. Get a move on boy. You've got miles to go before you sleep.

Log in to your PixlBit account in the bar above or join the site to leave a comment.