Dragon Quest (ドラゴンクエスト Doragon Kuesto) is a series of role-playing games made by Square Enix (originally Enix Co.) for a variety of video game platforms. It is the all-time best-selling video game series in Japan, and enjoys decent popularity elsewhere as well.

Each game in the main series of games it titled with the name 'Dragon Quest' followed by a roman numeral. Since 1986, which marked the release of the original Dragon Quest, Dragon Quest has so far featured 9 games within the main series, as well as several spin off games. It has also featured two animated productions.

Dragon Quest is often compared with the Final Fantasy series, created by SquareSoft. Although the Dragon Quest series started before Final Fantasy, it continues to lag behind in the number of games within the main series (9 versus 14 total games). The two competed for more or less the same market until the companies' merger in 2003, at which point Dragon Quest began to take a backseat to the more universally popular Final Fantasy.

Contents 1 Common Themes 2 Design 3 List of games 3.1 Main series 3.2 Dragon Quest Monsters

Common ThemesEdit

Every Dragon Quest game is told primarily through the eyes a Hero named by the player, usually a prophesied "Chosen One" or a similar concept that requires him to rise against a new evil. Often, this evil is a Dragonlord or some kind of demon, but invariably wishes to take over the world and enslave or destroy humanity. Unlike other games in the genre, which have since the turn of the century begun to take on more of a science fiction bent, Dragon Quest tends to lean more towards traditional fantasy, with medieval technology and trappings. With certain exceptions, most games take place in a world distinct from every other; there is next to no direct continuity between installments, with each game taking place in a world envisioned from the ground up ad hoc.

However, Dragon Quest I-III and IV-VI can be considered related through their storytelling. II is a direct sequel to the original game, while III is a prequel that effectively makes a trilogy; IV, V, and VI each feature the Zenithia castle as an important plot element, and so fans have come to call them the "Zenithia Trilogy." However, Yuji Horii has stated that this second group was never intended to be related.

Magic is frequently an important element, as both an in-battle ability of player-controlled characters and the cause of various world-shaking events.

As a pioneer in the RPG realm, Dragon Quest games have a reputation for being "bread and butter" representatives of the genre. The player advances through the game by carrying out pre-determined actions directly related to the progression of the plot, such as collecting a key item or defeating a particular antagonist. Usually, one of his first orders of business is to gather a party of like-minded warriors to join him on his quest. As the party traverses the landscape and various dungeons, they will be forced to fight (or, if they choose, flee from) enemies based on a "random encounter" system. Later in the game, the party often acquires improved transportation that may allow them to avoid such skirmishes. Battles are turn-based; the player delivers combat instructions each turn from an in-battle menu system. Some games feature AI that sees all party members but the Hero character responding to situations based on various factors at hand, sometimes including general orders such as "Attack ferociously" or "Go all-out with magic."

Defeating enemy characters yields "Experience Points" (EXP). When a certain number of EXP has been accumulated, the character levels up and becomes stronger, improving in a number of areas represented by statistical values that affect their performance on the battlefield. This system means that if a player finds any part of a Dragon Quest game too difficult, he can simply fight against weaker enemies until he becomes strong enough to have an easier time of it.

Dragon Quest is, overall, a fairly lighthearted and humorous series that was likely not intended to be taken too seriously.

DesignEdit

The Dragon Quest series is primarily the work of three men: Yuji Horii is the scenario writer and lead designer; Akira Toriyama is the character designer, bringing in a style reminiscent of his manga works; and Koichi Sugiyama handles the music production.

List of gamesEdit

Main seriesEdit

Cover art	Title
	Dragon Quest ドラゴンクエスト JP May 27, 1986
	Dragon Quest II: Akuryo no Kamigami ドラゴンクエストII 悪霊の神々 JP January 26,1987
	Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e… ドラゴンクエストIII そして伝説へ… JP February 10, 1988
	Dragon Quest IV: Michibikareshi Monotachi ドラゴンクエストIV 導かれし者たち JP February 11, 1990
	Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome ドラゴンクエストV 天空の花嫁 JP September 27, 1992
	Dragon Quest VI: Maboroshi no Daichi ドラゴンクエストVI 幻の大地 JP December 9, 1995
	Dragon Quest VII: Eden no Senshitachi ドラゴンクエストVII エデンの戦士たち JP August 26, 2000
	Dragon Quest VIII: Sora to Umi to Daichi to Norowareshi Himegimi ドラゴンクエストVIII 空と海と大地と呪われし姫君 JP November 27, 2004
	Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito ドラゴンクエストIX 星空の守り人 JP July 11, 2009
	Dragon Quest X ドラゴンクエストX JP TBA

Dragon Quest MonstersEdit

Cover art	Title
	Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ テリーのワンダーランド JP September 25, 1998
	Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Maruta no Fushigi na Kagi ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ2 マルタのふしぎな鍵 JP March 9, 2001
	Dragon Quest Monsters 1+2: Hoshi Furi no Yūsha to Bokujō no Nakamatachi ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ1・2 星降りの勇者と牧場の仲間たち JP May 30, 2002
	Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ キャラバンハート JP March 29, 2003
	Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ ジョーカー JP December 28, 2006
	Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ ジョーカー2 JP April 28, 2010
	Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 Professional ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ ジョーカー2 プロフェッショナル JP March 31, 2011

v · e · dDragon Quest series
Main series	Dragon Quest  •  II  •  III  •  IV  •  V  •  VI  •  VII  •  VIII  •  IX  •  X
Monsters series	Monsters  •  Monsters 2  •  Caravan Heart  •  Joker  •  Joker 2
Mystery Dungeon series	Torneko no Daibouken  •  Torneko: The Last Hope  •  Torneko no Daibouken 3  •  Shounen Yangus to Fushigi no Dungeon
Spinoff games	Kenshin  •  Slime MoriMori  •  Rocket Slime  •  Monster Battle Road  •  Swords  •  Wars
Categories	Characters  •  Classes  •  Designers  •  Enemies  •  Equipment  •  Items  •  Locations  •  Music  •  Other Media  •  Races  •  Spells