Best version of each Dragon Quest game?

[Sora]

I want to get into Dragon Quest games, but there are many versions of each game, and people have various opinions of each of them, so it's all confusing.

 

[Deleted member 868270]

DRAGON QUEST 1/2/3: SNES.

DRAGON QUEST 4/5/6/9: NINTENDO DS.

DRAGON QUEST 7/8: NINTENDO 3DS.

DRAGON QUEST 10: PC MASTER RACE. : )

DRAGON QUEST 11: PS4

DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS JOKER 1/2: NINTENDO DS

DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS JOKER 3: NINTENDO 3DS

 

[ShadowsofCreationAga]

DRAGON QUEST 1/2/3: SNES.

DRAGON QUEST 4/5/6/9: NINTENDO DS.

DRAGON QUEST 7/8: NINTENDO 3DS.

Close, more specifically I'd point to the Restored Party Chat mod for Dragon Quest IV DS

And the Orchestration mods for Dragon Quest VII and VIII on 3DS

Also an argument to be made for Dragon Quest III on Switch, the new HD2D version that people are crazy about, with 1 & 2 getting a simiar remake later this year. I'd still probably stick with the SNES ones myself, but that's a taste thing.

Also Dragon Quest XI was forgotten. I'd get Dragon Quest XI Definitive Edition on PC with the mod that restores the graphics to the non 'Definitive Edition' version (as they were actually higher poly count, was reduced in the definitive version because that version was a port of the Switch release)

 

[Deleted member 868270]

Close, more specifically I'd point to the Restored Party Chat mod for Dragon Quest IV DS

And the Orchestration mods for Dragon Quest VII and VIII on 3DS

Also an argument to be made for Dragon Quest III on Switch, the new HD2D version that people are crazy about, with 1 & 2 getting a simiar remake later this year. I'd still probably stick with the SNES ones myself, but that's a taste thing.

Also Dragon Quest XI was forgotten. I'd get Dragon Quest XI Definitive Edition on PC with the mod that restores the graphics to the non 'Definitive Edition' version (as they were actually higher poly count, was reduced in the definitive version because that version was a port of the Switch release)

i updated the list. : )

 

[ShadowsofCreationAga]

i updated the list. : )

Haven't played any of the Monsters games yet. I should fix that.

 

[RustySK]

I've never been able to get over the downgraded graphics in the 3DS port of DQVIII personally.
I don't usually value visuals all that highly, but I always thought that the PS2 version was quite gorgeous, to the point that I still prefer that version.

I agree with the rest of that list though!

 

[Deleted member 868270]

Haven't played any of the Monsters games yet. I should fix that.

yeah you should, its pokemon but actually good, of course once you get past the beggining part being quite grindy of course.

I've never been able to get over the downgraded graphics in the 3DS port of DQVIII personally.
I don't usually value visuals all that highly, but I always thought that the PS2 version was quite gorgeous, to the point that I still prefer that version.

I agree with the rest of that list though!

thats fine, but i prefer the better looking pixel art and all of the updated content and QOL stuff.

 

[Sora]

Is the difference between DQ IV ds and the mobile version only Party chat or does it add some other things?

 

[ShadowsofCreationAga]

Is the difference between DQ IV ds and the mobile version only Party chat or does it add some other things?

As far as I know that is the only difference, that and of course the DS has real buttons to control and the mobile version does not.

 

[Rocket2049]

make sure you get dragon quest 11 S DEFINITIVE VERSION, not the BASE
there's a LOT of new stuff, an actual chapter select (like a new game plus you can do at any time)
the 2D mode which it what sold it for me, the tickington quests which prior were only on 3DS (japan)
new story sequences and fights specifically for each party member, WITHOUT the main character
a whole new postgame content (fighting all the final bosses of Dragon quest 1 through 10, in A ROW)
and few tweaks here and there like instant horse summon with a portable bell, new rideable monsters.
oh and the speed setting in battle, i don't think original has it
also, if you can, get it on PC, you can mod it to look so much better.

I quite like Dragon quest 3 2D-HD and don't think i'd ever play the old versions ever again,
more story, better graphics, larger maps, voice acting (especially in story events), and new character class monster wrangler, and a whole redone monster arena to go with that. there's a quite a lot of "that didn't happen before" when i played through it, so yeah its well worth it.

i'm sure 1+2 hd2d will be the best version of 1 and 2 also, DQ2 HD2D is getting a whole new party member to make it 4 instead of 3 and i'm so hyped for it.

Dragon quest 10 has an offline version game, it's on PC and switch, and there's a translation patch for both, you can play it fully english and offline, up to a point before it goes to the online only story chapters (long enough imo and you can play different starting characters a lot of story changes with each one)

Dragon quest monsters terry's wonderland on 3DS is a very nice remake of the old GB game i quite like it. english patched
i haven't played DQM 2 on 3DS yet but that also exists, english patched

now DQ dark prince uh... it's fine but it feels worse than the other two above, get it on PC but it looks quite like a 3DS game visual (it was a cancelled 3ds game they ported to switch then PC)

Dragon quest heroes 1 and 2 are on PC i believe and should be the best way to play both,
Dragon quest treasures on PC
dragon quest builders 1 on PC is actually improved over other versions (they used the updates from mobile version which will help you out a lot)
i think builders 2 is on PC

dragon quest monsters caravan heart is exclusive to GBA, english patched

Post automatically merged: Aug 24, 2025

I've never been able to get over the downgraded graphics in the 3DS port of DQVIII personally.
I don't usually value visuals all that highly, but I always thought that the PS2 version was quite gorgeous, to the point that I still prefer that version.

I agree with the rest of that list though!

i know but there's so much more content on 3ds, i just used a 3ds emulator upscaled it, used a HD texture pack and orchestrated music pack, looked great and didn't bother me
also i really like "Seeing" the monsters rather than random encounters, it especially helps with metal slimes, and also the maps were very very empty otherwise.
also much more postgame, after the dragon trials, and new side quests, and yeah
also it's god-awful slow on ps2 least 3ds not only made battles faster, almost no load times, and speed settings to make it like 3x speed in battle.
and didn't even need to mention the 2 more playable party members Red and Morrie
oh and the instant alchemy pot without wait times.
yeah i think i can manage without "pretty graphics" for all the improvements made.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Dragon Quest V on the PS2 was good.

i know but there's so much more content on 3ds, i just used a 3ds emulator upscaled it, used a HD texture pack and orchestrated music pack, looked great and didn't bother me
also i really like "Seeing" the monsters rather than random encounters, it especially helps with metal slimes, and also the maps were very very empty otherwise.
also much more postgame, after the dragon trials, and new side quests, and yeah
also it's god-awful slow on ps2 least 3ds not only made battles faster, almost no load times, and speed settings to make it like 3x speed in battle.
and didn't even need to mention the 2 more playable party members Red and Morrie
oh and the instant alchemy pot without wait times.
yeah i think i can manage without "pretty graphics" for all the improvements made.

Agreed, this is great to see all of those QoL improvements.

Yeah you should, its pokemon but actually good.

The first five gens are good tho.