Before moving forward with my retrospective series, I decided to go back to the beginning! Here's my retrospective review of the original Dragon Quest. Hope you like it and let me know what you think! I'm planning to cover the whole mainline DQ series eventually, but my next project will probably be to redo my FF1 vid. It was the first retrospective I ever made (just over three years ago now), and I've been feeling increasingly dissatisfied with the treatment I gave the game at the time. I want to take another shot at it and give a more honest appraisal of what the game meant back in 1987. Plus there was so much interesting stuff I left out of the original version lol. After that, we'll see. Let me know what games you want to see next and I'll keep it in mind. :)
I'm more forgiving of Dragon Quest since learning of the cart limitations, but your description of exploration was art - I hope you already know why. (I feel self conscious breaking down the tricks of the trade). Anyways, it's obvious why your shining a light on the role and responsibilities of an entertainer vs. critic was unusually fair. I wish I knew your perspective on Hylide III or Phantasy Star III; games far too ambitious for their limited canvas and knowledge of game design. Or games like Devil May Cry 2, where a critic and fan failed as entertainer, and Balon Wonderworld, where a self conscious push back against critical expectations ended in disaster. Or really, I'd like to hear you review a game the algorithm would hate and I've never heard of. Because your reasons alone might be worth a guided tour into the vast unknown. I'm writing this before I've even looked at your channel page, because it seemed important to capture how exciting this video was, on its own. And I say this as someone already spoiled by competing retrospectives...
I remember my mother making a deal with me. She would buy me the 2 year subscription to Nintendo Power that came with the free Dragon Warrior game, if I promised to read every page of Nintendo Power that came in the mail (her way of trying to get me to read more and boost my literacy). I agreed, it worked, and dragon warrior saw years of playtime. Best deal of my life.
While I was an avid reader, my grandmother bought me the subscription because she was tired of always waiting until I got out of school to figure out how to beat levels and bosses. She was the OG gamer of my family man, it was awesome!
@@subtledemisefox yeah, they are the same. The first 2 games were name dragon warrior by the Western audience, but this was changed shortly when 3 were ported with the game's actual name thu to poor translation errors in the West
I dunno where all these DQ retrospectives are popping out of, but I have no complaints. Dragon quest is where I begun my rpg journey and it made the gamer I am today and for that I’m very grateful. To be, dragon quest is forever peak rpg so my heart will forever belong to it. Hail to the king.
Got this free with my Nintendo Power subscription when I bought my NES.... People can't even agree on the title of this game because when I got it it was called Dragon Warrior which could have something to do with Wyatt's now known as a jrpg because it had to be localized
I'm glad to hear you talking about Dragon Quest. I've seen a lot of retrospectives on FF but not so much on DQ and I would really like to see more people talk about this series since it was FF and DQ that really made me love JRPGs!
I doubt anyone will believe me lol, but Ive beaten every Dragon Quest game through X (late to the party on XI). I got the first DQ in the mail as a kid actually! Nintendo Power was doing some kind of promotional thing, and they literally sent me and other subscribers a free copy of Dragon Quest (yes I know the video mentions this). I think I was 7 or 8 years old so this was a HUGE thing to me then, as a kid, opening your mail and finding a free NES game was what dreams were made of lol. Never in a million years did I think I'd still be playing the series 30+ (!) years later
I do because I have as well, same goes for all the Final Fantasy games. Though I played the Dragon Warrior series as it was called before I played a single Final Fantasy game unlike most in the US. Text adventure games like Zork were my introduction to RPG's as a kid. Dragon Warrior was the first time I felt a video game was like those text adventures and I've been playing the series ever since.
I signed up for Nintendo Power because of the ad where I got a free game with it. That game was DW1, and it was my first exposure to RPGs and I fell in love with Dragon Warrior and RPGs in general after that.
OMG FINALLY! Finally¹: I missed your videos and Finally²: someone (good) talking (hours) about Dragon Quest. I CANNOT WAIT until you cover Dragon Quest IV, V and VI. Mostly becauso of your take on the story and the little details, not so much for the development parts (which are interesting, but just not what I long for on your videos). Again, congratulations! Keep up the good work. It's a shame you're not satisfied and you're gonna re-do your FFI video, because I bet your fans still like it (but also because you'll take longer to make more Dragon Quest videos lol). Have a great day!
Hey, nice to see you! I really appreciate your kind words and feedback. It blows my mind that there are people out there actually looking forward to my next video, and it really helps to keep me motivated! Also, I'll definitely take what you said about the FF1 video into consideration. I'll see how I feel going forward, but maybe I'll hold off on redoing it after all :)
Dragon Quest is pure nostalgia for me. I received my copy via Nintendo Power and immediately obsessed over all of the included printed maps, profile of enemies and strategy book. I remember being determined to figure out a way to hold onto the first key in the throne room, convinced that there must be a way and then trying to map out where, when and how i could finally get my hands on keys!! The level up jingle, the sound of getting an excellent strike and the countless times i've said out loud, "fortune smile upon thee, thou hast found...a torch!" will always bring a smile to my face. Thank you, once again for making another brilliant retrospective video. ❤
I played and beat this game only a couple years ago. It was such a long grind, but the monster designs are so unique and cool that it helped me keep going. I was always excited to see what the next areas monsters would look like.
Dq is my favorite series and you just done such an amazing video of the most basic game, really, great job. In my experience I like dq so much because of the more relaxed tone, all of it is funny and kind of silly and that's awesome and fun, not all games must be so serious and with a dark tone, this is a great series specially when you're stressed or something like that, it's just an escape of everything.
Thank you for your kind words! I can definitely see the appeal of this series, and I'm really looking forward to digging into the later games :) I've played through DQ2 and am starting up DQ3 in the near future. Expect more videos to come!
Another great video as always! Dragon Quest 1 really is an important title and your retrospective was informative and engaging. I played through the snes remake a couple years ago for the first time and it was surprisingly nice and comfy, the level curve was fair, it wasn't very cryptic and I only used a guide for one item (Erdrick's Token in the swamp). I'm excited to see you tackle the rest of the DQ series, along with the FF retrospective and other videos! Have a wonderful day!
I am 34 years old, i felt like I knew a lot about Square and Enix, and goddamn, you have taught me new things about the Enix side. It is also super nice to see someone new joining the DQ fandom, a game series I have been playing since I was 8. Super great video, really informative and deserves to be seen more than this.
@@AltercateTV It was super educative, i can't wait to see the rest of the retrospective. To be quite honest, it only gets better from here. Especially with 4,5 and 6, which I HIGHLY recommend playing the NDS versions as well.
This was a really good video! I feel like when people review dragon quest games, they only give them 20 or 30 minutes. So it's nice seeing one that's an hour long. I also didn't know that Yuji Horii wrote articles for shonen jump. Learned something new! I look forward to more reviews!
So nice & deep analysis, thanks for caring so much about each small detail inside your reviews. Your angle on the game story, design decisions and all the background related to its development is so interesting.
yeah buddy! A new Altercate video draws near! Feeling the same kind of excitement I felt when I thought I'd be getting this game for Christmas back in the 80's as I begin to watch this!
Probably the best Dragon Quest Retrospective i’ve ever watched man, this was such a well presented video you’ve done more than earn my subscription my man, super underrated channel keep up the amazing work and much love! 🙏🏾💙
Wow, I didn't realize that this video was only 3 months old. You did an incredible job discussing all aspects of it. One thing I really loved about Dragon Quest (in a full sense as a tradition of the series) is the Victory March. Once you beat the game you can visit everyone and some of the NPCs will have unique lines (or as we get closer to the present, everyone will have unique line), its what makes every playthrough worth it to see the legitimate happiness brought to people. I do agree with all of your complaints as well. Dragon Quest was a touch too simple for its own good. When you were describing the Desert Maze I had that same exact experience when I first played the game and was legitimately angry when there was nothing at all there. Honestly, the grinding could be draining, but what Dragon Quest lacked was just one more optional dungeon in the Southwest (or maybe even in the Desert Maze) to offset a bit of the grinding with purposeful progression. (And one level of Equipment between Broadsword/Flame Sword - Half Plate - Magic Armor - Iron Shield - Silver Shield) - That way the money grind is still worth it, but that the jump in power from getting these isn't so highly pronounced. Minor quibbles in the long run. I just beat the Switch Remake yesterday. I'd beaten it on the NES, SFC (patch), GBA, and Mobile, and Switch (though I guess those last two are quite similar). It's a game I can endlessly revisit and I'm not sure why. Sure I saw it played as a kid, but I never played it, I had little nostalgia for it, but one of my favorite games of all time is Dragon Warrior VII for the PS1. A gargantuan game that took me a whole Summer to beat. Probably the first game I ever stayed up until dawn playing. And one of my brother's absolute favorite games was the GBC version of Dragon Warrior III, what a masterful piece of work that game is as well. Looking forward to revisiting Dragon Quest II,and I hope you've got something planned for that too down the line!
Thank you for your kind words (as always)! Yep, it's only minor quibbles, and as you said, a couple of small changes could have made a huge difference in the gameplay experience. Definitely got more planned! Working on my DQ2 script right now while playing DQ3 :)
That mountain maze in DQ and the area east of provoka in FF1... I wonder if something was meant to be there but was cut. Because they both just look like there was a town/dungeon/treasure meant to be in that area.
Yeah, I think you're probably right about that. Yuji Horii has said they had to cut TONS of planned content for DQ1 due to memory limitations, so it's very likely this was one of those things.
Became a fan of this franchise early this year, now I finished the first 4 games, having a blast everytime I start the next one. I just can't believe I've been missing out for so long, I wanna play all 11 of them!
42:08 - All that did was rub Nintendo the wrong way. As a result, Enix lost the support of NoA. They were on their own and had to handle the other DQ entries themselves. This sadly also sealed Dragon Quest's fate in the West and the growing impetus for as to why DQ doesn't have a foothold in the West compared to Final Fantasy. I hope you do retrospectives on the other Dragon Quest games. They need more exposure.
You have no idea how happy I am to see you convert the dragon quest series. I just now started dragon quest 1 and seeing you start your retrospective makes me so happy.
A new Altercate vid! Thrilled to see a new doc from you! I was a FF kid growing up in the SNES era, so DQ never got any of my attention. I'm looking forward to seeing your take on it.
Hey buddy, good to see you :) I hope you enjoy the vid! I had the same experience as you, so getting into DQ is a journey of discovery for me compared to FF...
@AltercateTV kinda like how FF2 is not the game you thunk it's gonna be, DQ is not the game I thought it was! Haha. I didn't know how primitive it was, but it still did nearly everything a CRPG could do at the time. It must have been mindblowing, and I can see why it captured so so so many people's imaginations. I knew you wouldn't let me down Altercate! Also, just imagine if anyone other than Toriyama had been the illustrator for everything. Would people have even cared about DQ if it hadn't looked so darn good on the box?
So SO happy that someone has finally done a video like this for Dragon Quest. It's baffling to me just how little conversation there is for this franchise. They're still making games, and those games are still fantastic! Excellent video, man. Liked and subscribed, can't wait for the next one.
Thank you so much for this great video! It was very well-researched and narrated. I still love that old first game and the rest of the series. I might be one of the few people left in the world who loves grinding for experience and getting stronger, and your description of that part was excellent. I still look for it in new games, but it's not part of the design anymore. I get why people don't enjoy it, but still love it. I think your description was perfect - life isn't like that. I've worked extremely hard on certain facets of life, and it got me absolutely nowhere. But in these games, you do get stronger every time, and that's so rewarding and the perfect form of escape. Looking forward to watching the rest of your videos.
Thanks for your comment! Glad to hear my video resonated with you. There’s a simple joy to the basic formula of old school Dragon Quest that’s hard to get these days!
80's American kids would have LOVED Toriyama's art, are you kidding me? Mario and Zelda kept THEIR "childish" anime looks, and they sold insanely well!
Now Yuji Horii (the creator of the series) is the only one of the original 3 behind Dragon Quest left. I am worried about him since Sugiyama and Toriyama died only a few years apart and he is 70 years old, so I would hate to see him go only a few years later as well. I have been also getting bad vibes that Dragon Quest XII The Flames Of Fate will be the grand finale to the mainline Dragon Quest series, especially since it has been going developmental difficulties.
I would love for you to do more videos on DQ. The Gameboy 1&2 double pack of the game introduced me to this franchise and the basic workings of RPGs. I personally think that if you’re planning on dipping your toes into RPGs this is a good game to start, though finishing is up to you, either on snes, gameboy, or mobile because of how simple it is. My favorite in the series however, is Dragon Quest 3. I feel that the amount of freedom you’re giving regarding not just your adventure, but your party is wonderful. It’s like you can play on the fly but later you might come up with a plan to reclass your party members. I love it when a long term plan comes together.
@@AltercateTV Good to hear. I’ll admit though, DQ2 was not a lot of fun for me. Despite beating the final boss I had more of a ‘Good lord, finally!’ feeling than a ‘Woohoo, I did it!’ feeling. That was the GB color version, I can’t imagine how hard the NES version was.
I just recently finished replaying Dragon Quest VII, and came upon this video after looking around for some content. Very impressive how much context and history you got on the development of the game instead of just talking about the gameplay itself. This video is so well made, I can't wait to for you to get to my favorite with VII; it's a bit divisive on how people love or hate the game due to its length (I can't get enough of DQ so I love it), so I'm interested on what your thoughts will be when you get there.
@@AltercateTV Yeah man! I loved how into detail you went with this video, and you described well how really important it was to the gaming world. And it's also awesome to see another fellow Xenogears fan!! It's one of my all time favs too!
Appreciate your work on this series in particular; as a Westerner who’s never played a minute of any of the games in its storied history, it’s interesting to hear your thoughts on them .. great work!
Thank you! I actually JUST finished Trails in the Sky the 3rd last night, and I have an absolute truckload of thoughts about the three games written down. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get the video out but I'll give you a sneak peak of my feelings since they're fresh right now... I loved FC, and Second Chapter is basically in my top ten favorite games of all time at this point. It's just amazing. My feelings about 3rd are much more mixed. To me, the game loses a lot of its potential power because of how abstract and stripped down the main story is. I love the additional character development, and there's a TON of absolutely stellar content in there, but almost all of it is hidden away in Moon Doors and Star Doors, which makes it feel completely disconnected from the actual story. The side content in FC and SC greatly enrich the story, but it never felt mandatory. In 3rd, I cannot imagine playing the game without doing most of the Moon and Star Doors. That said, I still enjoyed the game, and I'm absolutely in love with the characters and this world. I can't wait to see more. I think the scene that really got me (by surprise) was the one where Olivier performs Happy Trigger on Chancellor Osborne from the deck of the Arseille. The moment he shot the rose bouquet I got chills throughout my body and started tearing up... and it made me realize just how hype I am for that coming conflict. What an amazing setup. So, anyway, I'm thinking about a trilogy retrospective video for the three games lol.
@@AltercateTVsky the 3rd is probably not for everyone but i cant imagine playing the rest of the series without it - it is a massive setup game for the series and the lore drops from some doors are really important in the future. I personally really enjoyed but i can see why some people dont like it as much as the others. It is also probably the shortest game in the series - which does not say much since this series average length for a game is around 100 hours. I am just going to say that after sky the 3rd the games are mostly similar to sky FC and SC. Trails from zero is another sky FC so expect it to be a but slower in terms of storytelling. Cant wait for the video if you ever manage to find the time to do it.
@@luki1234567890123 I can definitely see that. 3rd feels like one big hype campaign or advertisement for the wider series. Really looking forward to Trails from Zero now. :)
@@AltercateTVSky the 3rd ending with everyone from the trilogy saying goodbye is still one of the best game endings i have seen though. Some things will not pay off until Cold Steel 4.
To be clear, there's another RPG named Dungeon made in 1975 in the west and Dungeon! In 82, that's also sorta dungeon crawler. Games like that are why Dungeon Master isn't the first FPP RPG/dungeon crawler too lol. (I know some way it was the first to do so successfully or whatever but I don't think that's accurate keeping platform adoption in mind among other things) Anyway, great vid!
Appreciate the clarification! One thing I've learned after doing all that research about the history of computer RPGs is that it's very hard to definitively answer the question of what game was or wasn't first in any given category lol. Glad you liked the video!
I never completed DQ1 until I imported the trilogy on Switch, completed part three and then my mind was blown! Still working part two though. Anyhow remember the weekends way back then when I’d sit there and watch my older brother play these games with a few of the neighborhood kids. Those were the days…
A great, pioneering game that was given the respectful research, presentation and obvious passion that its due. Great job. I hope you and your channel swell to the success it deserves.
Subbing from a great video and that you plan on covering the whole DQ series. I love RPGs and I actually never played DQ until 11. I'm gonna watch your videos and maybe play a few as well. cheers from the US
Great video! Back in high school I decided to play through all of the dragon quest games. Unfortunately, all I owned was a 3ds that hadn't been hacked. This meant i only got to experience the DQM games, and 4-8. Watching through your video leaves me feeling like i missed out on an interesting experience by not playing the original. I may have to go back and rectify that.
I would spend a LOOOONG time around Kol farming enemies for Gold until I hit level 20. I will admit though, my first experience with the series as a kid was Dragon Warrior 4. I had bought Dragon Warrior from a pawn shop a little bit after and was baffled as to why the game was so simple in comparison, but I still enjoy the first one :D
42:00 Thank you for this video!! I was one if lucky ones to get Dragon Duest aka Dragon Warrior with my Nintendo Power. It was so awesome too my Mom got the mail 7 I wasn't expecting the game to come so fast. It was on a Friday night after school. My mom came in as was like you have mail & I opened that wonderful package. I still remember it clearly it been 30 plus years, lol!! Between Final Fantasy 1, Ultima Exodus the NES verison. My Older Brother's love for D & D & this game solidified my love for Role Playing Games. Thank you for sharing this, I have only played though played Dragon Quest 1 time, but I did grid the 1st time around.
When I was 4 (1989), my cousin had this masterpiece. Yes, we took the Dragonlords offer :D But yes, my entry into JRPGs was this gem. And yes, even today series like Final Fantasy, and the Legend of Heroes, started BECAUSE of Dragon Quest.
My parents bought this when it first came out in the States. I played D&D growing up, so this was perfect. Even in 1989, though, the level grinding is a bit much. The most amazing thing about the game is the battery. The last time I put my original copy in my NES was 2016. I loaned this cart to a friend back on 1992, and his save game was still on it. 27 years on and the battery still worked. Much prefer the GBC version due to the faster level progression and permanent stat boost items. I also prefer FF1, my favorite NES game... and DW4 is the best NES entry IMO, but this game will always be my first RPG love. Great video! Subscribed.
I love this game, even though it's simplistic as simple can be. Being a solo hero has a completely different feel from having a big party. It forces me to focus more on taking in the world around my character more than i normally would. I get so immersed in the game world that way. Especially with the first person battles.
This is an excellent retrospective! I remember playing the first game at my aunt's house as a kid, but I couldn't understand how it worked. I guess I was too young to figure out RPGs at the time. How do I move? How do I hit monster? It made no sense to me, so I just played Mario. It took Pokemon in 1998 to make me like RPGs.
I just started playing the Dragon Quest remake on snes and I’m in love with it! I can’t wait for the 3 remake to come out in November, and I hope you’ll keep making videos about this series, I enjoyed listening to this one a lot
1.) Rest in peace, Akira Toriyama, I don't think the Dragon Quest series would have taken off as well as it did were it not for Toriyama's iconic character and monster designs. I'm really going to miss him and his distinct artstyle. :( 2.) About the term "JRPG" or "Japanese Role-Playing Game", I've been trying to use that term as little as possible after I heard that Japanese developers at Square Enix expressed discomfort with the term, saying they just try to make RPGs. In fact, they're so uncomfortable with what western gaming culture tends to associate with so-called "JRPGs" that some of them deliberately try to make their games less like that to avoid the label, hence why Final Fantasy is barely an RPG these days. I know genre names can be a thorny issue, because genres themselves exist for categorization and helping people recognize what kind of media you're consuming, and to a lot of people, mostly western gamers, "JRPG" is a neutral term and not intended to be derogatory (at least not on a conscious level). Because of that, I won't blame you or anyone else who continues to use JRPG, I just thought I'd bring this to your attention. I will agree that it should be retired, though. 3.) I feel like because of Enix failing to capitalize on Dragon Quest in the West, coupled with the release of the first four Dragon Quest coming out in the West years after their initial release and after other console RPGs emerged, Dragon Quest as a whole doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves. The influence of Dragon Quest can't be understated, as many popular and fan-favorite RPGs like Final Fantasy, Pokemon, EarthBound, Chrono Trigger, and the like, either took something or owe its very existence from this series. While Dragon Quest III, I'd argue, is more influential than the first game, it build it expanded what the first game set up. Not to mention the first game was designed specifically for console gamers new to RPGs, and thus was incredibly simple compared to the likes of Wizardry and Ultima, which were direct influences on Dragon Quest. Thus, my hope is that videos like this will raise awareness of just how and why this game is so impactful.
Great comment! I also read that thing about Japanese game developers’ feelings about the JRPG label, and it’s reason enough to start to seriously reconsider the use of the term. But the other issue I have with the term is that its meaning has become more and more hollowed out over time. If Dragon Quest XI, Final Fantasy XVI, and Dark Souls are all JRPGs (as some people-but not all-argue), then what is even the value of having the category? These three games provide wildly different gameplay experiences. That said, I’ve found it hard to stop using the term. “RPG” just seems too broad a category at times, and “JRPG” still holds meaning to a lot of people, even if it’s become harder and harder for fans to agree on the exact definition. It’s something I think about a lot and my end goal is to eventually phase the term out. But I haven’t yet found an answer I like.
Making me reflect on how I could be building my own maps will impact how I play DQ in the future. It's just tough to stick with em, but these games were magic for the time
I picked up DQ 5 as my first dragon quest. It’s just so good so far. Definitely looking forward to playing more in the series. We’ll see if I go back this far or not.
I bought the game a while ago, but I didn't start playing it yet. After learning about the passing of Akira Toriyama, I tried it out for the first time. I'm having fun just walking around the world and grinding so far. I'm going to try and not use a guide too and I'm doing alright so far. The game is really fun and hard to put down.
The JRPG origins began with D & D…yet, the Pathfinder Core Book is shown. LOL! Still LOVED this video. I got my first game like many others with a Nintendo Power subscription. Still play the series today!!!
Haha, nice catch! I thought about showing the 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons PHB but it doesn’t look as good on video when you open it up. And my 5e PHB is falling apart… 😜 Thanks! Glad you liked the video :)
Saw the same thing and came here to comment, given I'm a huge Pathfinder fan :D Not surprising that the 5e PHB is falling apart. Rather symbolic of WotC/Hasbro, in fact.
What a beautiful video!! Thank you so much for all your effort! By the way, I just saw your Final Fantasy (I) review... do you think in comparison Dragon Quest was better by design? I love both franchises, but I can't help having a very profound affection to the Dragon Quest series.
Thank you! And great question. I wouldn't say better, but Dragon Quest definitely provided solutions to a lot of problems that later JRPGs could copy. That said, I think FF was a fantastic game for its time, and its party creation, combat system, and exploration mechanics were ahead of their time for a console title. Honestly, I've been meaning to make a new version of my FF1 video. I made it three years ago and I wasn't really fair to the game. If I remake it now, I would focus more on what the game meant at the time.
Currentlyy playing this for the first time. The GBC port. Love it for what it is so far. I'm playing blind, and exploring as NPCs really do tell u everything. For example the silly grin I got when told where the Sun Stones or Garin's grave were was insane. Lol! Since I had been all over those areas before and still missed them before talking to NPCs. I definitely think guides would take the fun out of this game in particular as I figured exploration was a big feature of it.
This is definitely my favorite retrospective on the original game. The history section is very well-detailed, and I enjoyed your insight on the game design. Lots of people talk about how dated and simplistic the gameplay is, but not really what makes the game special and worth going back to. I think the closest thing we have in the modern day to a game like it is probably Dark Souls or Elden Ring, at least in my opinion. Can't wait to see your thoughts on Dragon Quest II!
Talking about the history of JRPGs is always interesting because the games that were originally popular took inspiration from RPGs from the west. So...doesn't that actually make them Western RPGs? I know I've argued that maybe we should just drop the J and just call them all turn-based RPGs.
I'm definitely starting to think that "JRPG" makes very little sense. Genres are supposed to help people identify similar types of games, right? But if Dark Souls, Dragon Quest XI, and Final Fantasy XVI are all JRPGs, what do they actually have in common besides being designed by Japanese people? 😂 At this point, I keep using it mostly because out of habit. But I'm seriously considering dropping it going forward...
I've seen many retrospectives. But this one is the only one that gave me shivers. I'm not a huge dq fan only played 6 and 11. Now i want to play some more. Great video.
Thinking about Dragon Quest, I might have to sit down and try watching Dragonball some time. Never seen it before. I had never known the person who drew Dragon Quest stuff was the person who did Dragonball Z until the 2000's or so,. I never watched Dragonball, as back then I heard fights can take like eight episodes (and this was before the internet, so a fight would take like two months if you got to watch once a week).
Excellent video, I enjoyed it. When I was a kid, there was a lot of wonder that came from this game. I also got really sick of other kids telling me Final Fantasy was better. 😂
With them remaking Dragon Quest 1 and 2 in the same way they remade Dragon Quest 3 this year, I hope they add more stuff to the games while still keeping the original content and the original spirit of the games at the same time. It would be sweet to see Dragon Quest 1 with more to do than just what amounts to a few hours worth of quest.
I never play any Dragon Quest game i play all the main line Final Fantasy and many other Jrpg. I miss this serie as a kid and now i want to buy and play it which i will do very soon on a NES. Thanks for the retrospective on the 1st game.
Have you heard of Castle of the Winds? Its by SaadaSoft and published by Epic Mega Games in 1993. Its both like and not like this. its currently considered abandonware.
Before moving forward with my retrospective series, I decided to go back to the beginning! Here's my retrospective review of the original Dragon Quest. Hope you like it and let me know what you think!
I'm planning to cover the whole mainline DQ series eventually, but my next project will probably be to redo my FF1 vid. It was the first retrospective I ever made (just over three years ago now), and I've been feeling increasingly dissatisfied with the treatment I gave the game at the time. I want to take another shot at it and give a more honest appraisal of what the game meant back in 1987. Plus there was so much interesting stuff I left out of the original version lol.
After that, we'll see. Let me know what games you want to see next and I'll keep it in mind. :)
I'm more forgiving of Dragon Quest since learning of the cart limitations, but your description of exploration was art - I hope you already know why. (I feel self conscious breaking down the tricks of the trade). Anyways, it's obvious why your shining a light on the role and responsibilities of an entertainer vs. critic was unusually fair.
I wish I knew your perspective on Hylide III or Phantasy Star III; games far too ambitious for their limited canvas and knowledge of game design.
Or games like Devil May Cry 2, where a critic and fan failed as entertainer, and Balon Wonderworld, where a self conscious push back against critical expectations ended in disaster.
Or really, I'd like to hear you review a game the algorithm would hate and I've never heard of. Because your reasons alone might be worth a guided tour into the vast unknown.
I'm writing this before I've even looked at your channel page, because it seemed important to capture how exciting this video was, on its own. And I say this as someone already spoiled by competing retrospectives...
@@juststatedtheobvious9633 Wow, that's a very kind comment! Thank you so much :)
Great stuff. 1.5 hours to do this on dragon quest review. I like this in depth analysis style.
Please leave your original review of FF1 up still! I enjoy rewatching longer retrospectives like that from time to time
I remember my mother making a deal with me. She would buy me the 2 year subscription to Nintendo Power that came with the free Dragon Warrior game, if I promised to read every page of Nintendo Power that came in the mail (her way of trying to get me to read more and boost my literacy). I agreed, it worked, and dragon warrior saw years of playtime. Best deal of my life.
Awesome story, thanks for sharing :)
Your mom is badass
While I was an avid reader, my grandmother bought me the subscription because she was tired of always waiting until I got out of school to figure out how to beat levels and bosses. She was the OG gamer of my family man, it was awesome!
I never played Dragon Quest, but I did play Dragon Warrior. It was my first jrpg. It set an addiction that I still have today.
I'm pretty sure Dragon Warrior and Dragon Quest are the same exact games, unless I'm forgetting something.
@subtledemisefox basically yes with little tweaks. I was mostly trying to be a smart ass.
@@rogueprince1341 lol I wondered if that was the case. Sorry I ruined your joke
@subtledemisefox nah your good
@@subtledemisefox yeah, they are the same. The first 2 games were name dragon warrior by the Western audience, but this was changed shortly when 3 were ported with the game's actual name thu to poor translation errors in the West
RIP Akira Toriyama. His works on the Dragon Quest games and Chrono Trigger cannot be understated. Truly a Legend
He will be sorely missed.
Truly a huge loss, such a powerful artist. I can’t imagine my childhood without his work.
RIP Akira Toriyama, the legend who create the art of Dragon Quest and so much more.
He will be sorely missed.
When I saw dragon quest for the first time, I thought it was dragon ball 😂😂
JRPG will never die. I wont ever stop calling these games what they are.
Dragonquestlikes!
Thank you for this! As much as I enjoy FF retrospectives, DQ needs more of these in depth reviews. Can't wait to see more in the series.
Glad you liked it! More to come in the future :)
I dunno where all these DQ retrospectives are popping out of, but I have no complaints. Dragon quest is where I begun my rpg journey and it made the gamer I am today and for that I’m very grateful. To be, dragon quest is forever peak rpg so my heart will forever belong to it. Hail to the king.
Thanks for sharing your experience! :)
Got this free with my Nintendo Power subscription when I bought my NES....
People can't even agree on the title of this game because when I got it it was called Dragon Warrior which could have something to do with Wyatt's now known as a jrpg because it had to be localized
It was called dragon warrior because wizards of the coast owned the rights to the name dragon quest.
I'm glad to hear you talking about Dragon Quest. I've seen a lot of retrospectives on FF but not so much on DQ and I would really like to see more people talk about this series since it was FF and DQ that really made me love JRPGs!
Definitely planning to cover more of the DQ games going forward! :)
@@AltercateTV Yeah I would really love to hear you talk about the Zenithian Trilogy they're easily some of my favorite games in the series!
@@gavinlucas9761 I'll get there eventually! :)
What no phantasy star?
@@1funkylionsfan913 I'll do Phantasy Star eventually too :)
I doubt anyone will believe me lol, but Ive beaten every Dragon Quest game through X (late to the party on XI). I got the first DQ in the mail as a kid actually! Nintendo Power was doing some kind of promotional thing, and they literally sent me and other subscribers a free copy of Dragon Quest (yes I know the video mentions this). I think I was 7 or 8 years old so this was a HUGE thing to me then, as a kid, opening your mail and finding a free NES game was what dreams were made of lol.
Never in a million years did I think I'd still be playing the series 30+ (!) years later
I believe you! Thanks for sharing your experiences with the series :)
I do because I have as well, same goes for all the Final Fantasy games. Though I played the Dragon Warrior series as it was called before I played a single Final Fantasy game unlike most in the US. Text adventure games like Zork were my introduction to RPG's as a kid. Dragon Warrior was the first time I felt a video game was like those text adventures and I've been playing the series ever since.
Let's pray for X offline in the west!
I signed up for Nintendo Power because of the ad where I got a free game with it. That game was DW1, and it was my first exposure to RPGs and I fell in love with Dragon Warrior and RPGs in general after that.
OMG FINALLY!
Finally¹: I missed your videos and
Finally²: someone (good) talking (hours) about Dragon Quest.
I CANNOT WAIT until you cover Dragon Quest IV, V and VI. Mostly becauso of your take on the story and the little details, not so much for the development parts (which are interesting, but just not what I long for on your videos).
Again, congratulations! Keep up the good work. It's a shame you're not satisfied and you're gonna re-do your FFI video, because I bet your fans still like it (but also because you'll take longer to make more Dragon Quest videos lol).
Have a great day!
Hey, nice to see you! I really appreciate your kind words and feedback. It blows my mind that there are people out there actually looking forward to my next video, and it really helps to keep me motivated!
Also, I'll definitely take what you said about the FF1 video into consideration. I'll see how I feel going forward, but maybe I'll hold off on redoing it after all :)
Dragon Quest is pure nostalgia for me. I received my copy via Nintendo Power and immediately obsessed over all of the included printed maps, profile of enemies and strategy book.
I remember being determined to figure out a way to hold onto the first key in the throne room, convinced that there must be a way and then trying to map out where, when and how i could finally get my hands on keys!!
The level up jingle, the sound of getting an excellent strike and the countless times i've said out loud, "fortune smile upon thee, thou hast found...a torch!" will always bring a smile to my face.
Thank you, once again for making another brilliant retrospective video. ❤
Awesome memories! Thanks for sharing, and glad you liked the video :)
I played and beat this game only a couple years ago. It was such a long grind, but the monster designs are so unique and cool that it helped me keep going. I was always excited to see what the next areas monsters would look like.
Great video! Its great to hear you are interested in covering more Dragon Quest games, I would love to see a whole series in this style.
Thank you! I'm planning on covering all of the mainline games eventually :)
Dq is my favorite series and you just done such an amazing video of the most basic game, really, great job.
In my experience I like dq so much because of the more relaxed tone, all of it is funny and kind of silly and that's awesome and fun, not all games must be so serious and with a dark tone, this is a great series specially when you're stressed or something like that, it's just an escape of everything.
Thank you for your kind words! I can definitely see the appeal of this series, and I'm really looking forward to digging into the later games :) I've played through DQ2 and am starting up DQ3 in the near future. Expect more videos to come!
Another great video as always! Dragon Quest 1 really is an important title and your retrospective was informative and engaging.
I played through the snes remake a couple years ago for the first time and it was surprisingly nice and comfy, the level curve was fair, it wasn't very cryptic and I only used a guide for one item (Erdrick's Token in the swamp).
I'm excited to see you tackle the rest of the DQ series, along with the FF retrospective and other videos! Have a wonderful day!
Thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment! It really made my day :)
This was very well paced and your voice was easy to listen to and understand. Great stuff!
Thank you! Glad you liked it :)
Absolutely! Starting my FF retrospective journey while waiting for the next Dragon Quest Retrospectives 😂
@@FaII3nxAngeI Awesome 😂
I am 34 years old, i felt like I knew a lot about Square and Enix, and goddamn, you have taught me new things about the Enix side. It is also super nice to see someone new joining the DQ fandom, a game series I have been playing since I was 8. Super great video, really informative and deserves to be seen more than this.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm definitely a lifetime DQ fan at this point :)
@@AltercateTV It was super educative, i can't wait to see the rest of the retrospective. To be quite honest, it only gets better from here. Especially with 4,5 and 6, which I HIGHLY recommend playing the NDS versions as well.
Thanks for the tip! I'm looking forward to it :)
This was a really good video! I feel like when people review dragon quest games, they only give them 20 or 30 minutes. So it's nice seeing one that's an hour long. I also didn't know that Yuji Horii wrote articles for shonen jump. Learned something new! I look forward to more reviews!
Thanks! That's really nice to hear :)
So nice & deep analysis, thanks for caring so much about each small detail inside your reviews. Your angle on the game story, design decisions and all the background related to its development is so interesting.
Thanks! That's really nice to hear :)
yeah buddy! A new Altercate video draws near! Feeling the same kind of excitement I felt when I thought I'd be getting this game for Christmas back in the 80's as I begin to watch this!
Hey buddy! That's awesome to hear. Hope you enjoy the video :)
@@AltercateTVthou hast done well in retrospecting one of my all time favorite games! 😂
@@CatVisionTM Thank you 😍
@@AltercateTVthank you too bro, this was awesome!
Probably the best Dragon Quest Retrospective i’ve ever watched man, this was such a well presented video you’ve done more than earn my subscription my man, super underrated channel keep up the amazing work and much love! 🙏🏾💙
Thanks friend, you’ve made my day :)
Was shocked to see only 4K subs. Very well produced and scripted video, hope your channel grows
Thank you, that's very kind of you to say!
Wow, I didn't realize that this video was only 3 months old. You did an incredible job discussing all aspects of it. One thing I really loved about Dragon Quest (in a full sense as a tradition of the series) is the Victory March. Once you beat the game you can visit everyone and some of the NPCs will have unique lines (or as we get closer to the present, everyone will have unique line), its what makes every playthrough worth it to see the legitimate happiness brought to people.
I do agree with all of your complaints as well. Dragon Quest was a touch too simple for its own good. When you were describing the Desert Maze I had that same exact experience when I first played the game and was legitimately angry when there was nothing at all there.
Honestly, the grinding could be draining, but what Dragon Quest lacked was just one more optional dungeon in the Southwest (or maybe even in the Desert Maze) to offset a bit of the grinding with purposeful progression. (And one level of Equipment between Broadsword/Flame Sword - Half Plate - Magic Armor - Iron Shield - Silver Shield) - That way the money grind is still worth it, but that the jump in power from getting these isn't so highly pronounced.
Minor quibbles in the long run. I just beat the Switch Remake yesterday. I'd beaten it on the NES, SFC (patch), GBA, and Mobile, and Switch (though I guess those last two are quite similar). It's a game I can endlessly revisit and I'm not sure why. Sure I saw it played as a kid, but I never played it, I had little nostalgia for it, but one of my favorite games of all time is Dragon Warrior VII for the PS1. A gargantuan game that took me a whole Summer to beat. Probably the first game I ever stayed up until dawn playing. And one of my brother's absolute favorite games was the GBC version of Dragon Warrior III, what a masterful piece of work that game is as well.
Looking forward to revisiting Dragon Quest II,and I hope you've got something planned for that too down the line!
Thank you for your kind words (as always)! Yep, it's only minor quibbles, and as you said, a couple of small changes could have made a huge difference in the gameplay experience.
Definitely got more planned! Working on my DQ2 script right now while playing DQ3 :)
Nintendo Power and this game is why I'm into JRPGs to this day.
I beat the game with no guild. Just straight up explorations n NPC clues. That’s why I fell in love with RPG’s
Thanks for sharing! :)
That mountain maze in DQ and the area east of provoka in FF1... I wonder if something was meant to be there but was cut. Because they both just look like there was a town/dungeon/treasure meant to be in that area.
Yeah, I think you're probably right about that. Yuji Horii has said they had to cut TONS of planned content for DQ1 due to memory limitations, so it's very likely this was one of those things.
Became a fan of this franchise early this year, now I finished the first 4 games, having a blast everytime I start the next one. I just can't believe I've been missing out for so long, I wanna play all 11 of them!
42:08 - All that did was rub Nintendo the wrong way. As a result, Enix lost the support of NoA. They were on their own and had to handle the other DQ entries themselves. This sadly also sealed Dragon Quest's fate in the West and the growing impetus for as to why DQ doesn't have a foothold in the West compared to Final Fantasy.
I hope you do retrospectives on the other Dragon Quest games. They need more exposure.
Thanks! I'm planning on covering them all, eventually. Working on my Dragon Quest 2 retrospective right now!
You have no idea how happy I am to see you convert the dragon quest series. I just now started dragon quest 1 and seeing you start your retrospective makes me so happy.
Glad you liked it! 😀
A new Altercate vid! Thrilled to see a new doc from you!
I was a FF kid growing up in the SNES era, so DQ never got any of my attention. I'm looking forward to seeing your take on it.
Hey buddy, good to see you :) I hope you enjoy the vid! I had the same experience as you, so getting into DQ is a journey of discovery for me compared to FF...
@AltercateTV kinda like how FF2 is not the game you thunk it's gonna be, DQ is not the game I thought it was! Haha.
I didn't know how primitive it was, but it still did nearly everything a CRPG could do at the time.
It must have been mindblowing, and I can see why it captured so so so many people's imaginations.
I knew you wouldn't let me down Altercate!
Also, just imagine if anyone other than Toriyama had been the illustrator for everything. Would people have even cared about DQ if it hadn't looked so darn good on the box?
@@chadwickjdillon Glad you liked it! Yeah, they got REALLY lucky with Toriyama...
I've had a real blindspot to Dragon Quest. It was great to hear a snapshot of its origins. It's influence to DnD was particularly interesting.
Glad you liked it, and nice to see you back! :)
So SO happy that someone has finally done a video like this for Dragon Quest. It's baffling to me just how little conversation there is for this franchise. They're still making games, and those games are still fantastic!
Excellent video, man. Liked and subscribed, can't wait for the next one.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Working on my DQ2 video right now :)
Thank you so much for this great video! It was very well-researched and narrated. I still love that old first game and the rest of the series. I might be one of the few people left in the world who loves grinding for experience and getting stronger, and your description of that part was excellent. I still look for it in new games, but it's not part of the design anymore. I get why people don't enjoy it, but still love it. I think your description was perfect - life isn't like that. I've worked extremely hard on certain facets of life, and it got me absolutely nowhere. But in these games, you do get stronger every time, and that's so rewarding and the perfect form of escape. Looking forward to watching the rest of your videos.
Thanks for your comment! Glad to hear my video resonated with you. There’s a simple joy to the basic formula of old school Dragon Quest that’s hard to get these days!
80's American kids would have LOVED Toriyama's art, are you kidding me?
Mario and Zelda kept THEIR "childish" anime looks, and they sold insanely well!
Now Yuji Horii (the creator of the series) is the only one of the original 3 behind Dragon Quest left. I am worried about him since Sugiyama and Toriyama died only a few years apart and he is 70 years old, so I would hate to see him go only a few years later as well. I have been also getting bad vibes that Dragon Quest XII The Flames Of Fate will be the grand finale to the mainline Dragon Quest series, especially since it has been going developmental difficulties.
As a long time Dragon Warrior/Quest fan, I would go as far to say I would gladly play Dragon Quest over Final Fantasy.
Great video, I just found it and starting to watch your backlog now keep up the good work!
Thank you! Glad you liked it :)
What a great video, love Dragon Quest I hope you’ll make more videos about this series!
Thank you! Dragon Quest II retrospective will be up this Friday :)
Wow what a great video. Big thumbs up
Thank you! Glad you liked it :)
Pretty cool video man. Good job, I'll be checking more in the future!
Thank you! :) Dragon Quest II retrospective will be up this Friday
I would love for you to do more videos on DQ. The Gameboy 1&2 double pack of the game introduced me to this franchise and the basic workings of RPGs. I personally think that if you’re planning on dipping your toes into RPGs this is a good game to start, though finishing is up to you, either on snes, gameboy, or mobile because of how simple it is.
My favorite in the series however, is Dragon Quest 3. I feel that the amount of freedom you’re giving regarding not just your adventure, but your party is wonderful. It’s like you can play on the fly but later you might come up with a plan to reclass your party members. I love it when a long term plan comes together.
Thanks for sharing! I'll definitely do more videos on the series. I'm working on my Dragon Quest II script right now :)
@@AltercateTV Good to hear. I’ll admit though, DQ2 was not a lot of fun for me. Despite beating the final boss I had more of a ‘Good lord, finally!’ feeling than a ‘Woohoo, I did it!’ feeling. That was the GB color version, I can’t imagine how hard the NES version was.
I just recently finished replaying Dragon Quest VII, and came upon this video after looking around for some content. Very impressive how much context and history you got on the development of the game instead of just talking about the gameplay itself. This video is so well made, I can't wait to for you to get to my favorite with VII; it's a bit divisive on how people love or hate the game due to its length (I can't get enough of DQ so I love it), so I'm interested on what your thoughts will be when you get there.
Thank you for the kind words! I'm really excited to dig into the later titles :)
I can't wait for more Dragon Quest Retrospective in the future! DQ5 is the best one so I can't wait for it
Definitely looking forward to covering DQ5! I'm playing through the series right now and I'm at the start of DQ3 at this point :)
Looking forward to hearing your take on those crazy difficulty spikes in DQ2
I have seen tons of documentary and retrospective about DQ, this one? the absolute best.
Thank you. That is awesome to hear :) Love your avatar/username btw! My favorite game of all time.
@@AltercateTV Yeah man! I loved how into detail you went with this video, and you described well how really important it was to the gaming world.
And it's also awesome to see another fellow Xenogears fan!! It's one of my all time favs too!
@36:05 for those wondering what “puff puff” is, watch Dragon Ball. Master Roshi asks for it from various women through out the original show.
Appreciate your work on this series in particular; as a Westerner who’s never played a minute of any of the games in its storied history, it’s interesting to hear your thoughts on them .. great work!
Thank you for the kind words, that's really nice to hear! :)
This video is so underrated. Definitely deserves more views.
Thank you! That’s very nice to hear :)
Great retroapective, I just started playing DQ 11 and watching adventures of dai anime, I found a new thing to love.
Great video again. It is great to see someone cover Dragon Quest as well. (Still waiting for the trails in the sky video btw).
Thank you! I actually JUST finished Trails in the Sky the 3rd last night, and I have an absolute truckload of thoughts about the three games written down. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get the video out but I'll give you a sneak peak of my feelings since they're fresh right now...
I loved FC, and Second Chapter is basically in my top ten favorite games of all time at this point. It's just amazing. My feelings about 3rd are much more mixed. To me, the game loses a lot of its potential power because of how abstract and stripped down the main story is. I love the additional character development, and there's a TON of absolutely stellar content in there, but almost all of it is hidden away in Moon Doors and Star Doors, which makes it feel completely disconnected from the actual story.
The side content in FC and SC greatly enrich the story, but it never felt mandatory. In 3rd, I cannot imagine playing the game without doing most of the Moon and Star Doors.
That said, I still enjoyed the game, and I'm absolutely in love with the characters and this world. I can't wait to see more. I think the scene that really got me (by surprise) was the one where Olivier performs Happy Trigger on Chancellor Osborne from the deck of the Arseille. The moment he shot the rose bouquet I got chills throughout my body and started tearing up... and it made me realize just how hype I am for that coming conflict. What an amazing setup.
So, anyway, I'm thinking about a trilogy retrospective video for the three games lol.
@@AltercateTVsky the 3rd is probably not for everyone but i cant imagine playing the rest of the series without it - it is a massive setup game for the series and the lore drops from some doors are really important in the future. I personally really enjoyed but i can see why some people dont like it as much as the others. It is also probably the shortest game in the series - which does not say much since this series average length for a game is around 100 hours. I am just going to say that after sky the 3rd the games are mostly similar to sky FC and SC. Trails from zero is another sky FC so expect it to be a but slower in terms of storytelling. Cant wait for the video if you ever manage to find the time to do it.
@@luki1234567890123 I can definitely see that. 3rd feels like one big hype campaign or advertisement for the wider series. Really looking forward to Trails from Zero now. :)
@@AltercateTVSky the 3rd ending with everyone from the trilogy saying goodbye is still one of the best game endings i have seen though. Some things will not pay off until Cold Steel 4.
To be clear, there's another RPG named Dungeon made in 1975 in the west and Dungeon! In 82, that's also sorta dungeon crawler. Games like that are why Dungeon Master isn't the first FPP RPG/dungeon crawler too lol. (I know some way it was the first to do so successfully or whatever but I don't think that's accurate keeping platform adoption in mind among other things) Anyway, great vid!
Appreciate the clarification! One thing I've learned after doing all that research about the history of computer RPGs is that it's very hard to definitively answer the question of what game was or wasn't first in any given category lol. Glad you liked the video!
"I'm not a bad slime, slurp!"
I never completed DQ1 until I imported the trilogy on Switch, completed part three and then my mind was blown! Still working part two though. Anyhow remember the weekends way back then when I’d sit there and watch my older brother play these games with a few of the neighborhood kids. Those were the days…
Happy times! Thanks for sharing :)
A great, pioneering game that was given the respectful research, presentation and obvious passion that its due. Great job. I hope you and your channel swell to the success it deserves.
Thank you! That's very nice to hear :)
Subbing from a great video and that you plan on covering the whole DQ series. I love RPGs and I actually never played DQ until 11. I'm gonna watch your videos and maybe play a few as well.
cheers from the US
Glad you liked the video and thanks for the support! :)
fantastisk sammanfattning ❤️ helt otroligt vilken påverkan dragon quest har haft på gaming 🙏
Tack! 😀
Nice video, man. Dragon Warrior was one of my favorite games as a child
Thanks! :)
Great video!
Back in high school I decided to play through all of the dragon quest games. Unfortunately, all I owned was a 3ds that hadn't been hacked. This meant i only got to experience the DQM games, and 4-8.
Watching through your video leaves me feeling like i missed out on an interesting experience by not playing the original. I may have to go back and rectify that.
Thanks for sharing! Perfect timing to check out the original trilogy now that the HD 2D Remakes are coming out :)
I would spend a LOOOONG time around Kol farming enemies for Gold until I hit level 20. I will admit though, my first experience with the series as a kid was Dragon Warrior 4. I had bought Dragon Warrior from a pawn shop a little bit after and was baffled as to why the game was so simple in comparison, but I still enjoy the first one :D
Haha, I can imagine! A LOT happened to this series between the first and the fourth game...
Best DQ1 vid on all of TH-cam.
Thank you! ❤
This is very interesting and well made. I thought I knew a lot about Dragon Quest already, but I learned a lot of new stuff from this video. :)
Cool! That's really nice to hear :)
42:00 Thank you for this video!! I was one if lucky ones to get Dragon Duest aka Dragon Warrior with my Nintendo Power. It was so awesome too my Mom got the mail 7 I wasn't expecting the game to come so fast. It was on a Friday night after school. My mom came in as was like you have mail & I opened that wonderful package. I still remember it clearly it been 30 plus years, lol!! Between Final Fantasy 1, Ultima Exodus the NES verison. My Older Brother's love for D & D & this game solidified my love for Role Playing Games. Thank you for sharing this, I have only played though played Dragon Quest 1 time, but I did grid the 1st time around.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! :)
When I was 4 (1989), my cousin had this masterpiece. Yes, we took the Dragonlords offer :D
But yes, my entry into JRPGs was this gem. And yes, even today series like Final Fantasy, and the Legend of Heroes, started BECAUSE of Dragon Quest.
Thanks for sharing! :)
I did to. But went back on my last saved n killed him.🤷♂️😂😂
My parents bought this when it first came out in the States. I played D&D growing up, so this was perfect. Even in 1989, though, the level grinding is a bit much. The most amazing thing about the game is the battery. The last time I put my original copy in my NES was 2016. I loaned this cart to a friend back on 1992, and his save game was still on it. 27 years on and the battery still worked.
Much prefer the GBC version due to the faster level progression and permanent stat boost items. I also prefer FF1, my favorite NES game... and DW4 is the best NES entry IMO, but this game will always be my first RPG love. Great video! Subscribed.
I always love hearing about people's experiences with these games. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the support! :)
Im so glad I started playing Dragon quest such a beautiful game and adventure.
I love this retrospective and will watch your follow up on DQ2 next. Just want to say thanks!
That’s really nice to hear! 😀
I love this game, even though it's simplistic as simple can be.
Being a solo hero has a completely different feel from having a big party.
It forces me to focus more on taking in the world around my character more than i normally would.
I get so immersed in the game world that way.
Especially with the first person battles.
Thanks for sharing your (no pun intended) perspective!
This is an excellent retrospective!
I remember playing the first game at my aunt's house as a kid, but I couldn't understand how it worked. I guess I was too young to figure out RPGs at the time. How do I move? How do I hit monster? It made no sense to me, so I just played Mario. It took Pokemon in 1998 to make me like RPGs.
Thank you, and thanks for sharing your experiences! :)
I hope you plan on making more hour+ DQ documentaries because I will watch all of them
That makes me happy to hear! I’m planning on covering all of the main series games. 😀
I just started playing the Dragon Quest remake on snes and I’m in love with it! I can’t wait for the 3 remake to come out in November, and I hope you’ll keep making videos about this series, I enjoyed listening to this one a lot
1.) Rest in peace, Akira Toriyama, I don't think the Dragon Quest series would have taken off as well as it did were it not for Toriyama's iconic character and monster designs. I'm really going to miss him and his distinct artstyle. :(
2.) About the term "JRPG" or "Japanese Role-Playing Game", I've been trying to use that term as little as possible after I heard that Japanese developers at Square Enix expressed discomfort with the term, saying they just try to make RPGs. In fact, they're so uncomfortable with what western gaming culture tends to associate with so-called "JRPGs" that some of them deliberately try to make their games less like that to avoid the label, hence why Final Fantasy is barely an RPG these days. I know genre names can be a thorny issue, because genres themselves exist for categorization and helping people recognize what kind of media you're consuming, and to a lot of people, mostly western gamers, "JRPG" is a neutral term and not intended to be derogatory (at least not on a conscious level). Because of that, I won't blame you or anyone else who continues to use JRPG, I just thought I'd bring this to your attention. I will agree that it should be retired, though.
3.) I feel like because of Enix failing to capitalize on Dragon Quest in the West, coupled with the release of the first four Dragon Quest coming out in the West years after their initial release and after other console RPGs emerged, Dragon Quest as a whole doesn't quite get the recognition it deserves. The influence of Dragon Quest can't be understated, as many popular and fan-favorite RPGs like Final Fantasy, Pokemon, EarthBound, Chrono Trigger, and the like, either took something or owe its very existence from this series. While Dragon Quest III, I'd argue, is more influential than the first game, it build it expanded what the first game set up. Not to mention the first game was designed specifically for console gamers new to RPGs, and thus was incredibly simple compared to the likes of Wizardry and Ultima, which were direct influences on Dragon Quest. Thus, my hope is that videos like this will raise awareness of just how and why this game is so impactful.
Great comment! I also read that thing about Japanese game developers’ feelings about the JRPG label, and it’s reason enough to start to seriously reconsider the use of the term.
But the other issue I have with the term is that its meaning has become more and more hollowed out over time. If Dragon Quest XI, Final Fantasy XVI, and Dark Souls are all JRPGs (as some people-but not all-argue), then what is even the value of having the category? These three games provide wildly different gameplay experiences.
That said, I’ve found it hard to stop using the term. “RPG” just seems too broad a category at times, and “JRPG” still holds meaning to a lot of people, even if it’s become harder and harder for fans to agree on the exact definition. It’s something I think about a lot and my end goal is to eventually phase the term out. But I haven’t yet found an answer I like.
Amazing deep dive always happy to see some old school DQ get some attention.
Thank you so much :)
Making me reflect on how I could be building my own maps will impact how I play DQ in the future. It's just tough to stick with em, but these games were magic for the time
For sure!
I picked up DQ 5 as my first dragon quest. It’s just so good so far. Definitely looking forward to playing more in the series. We’ll see if I go back this far or not.
I bought the game a while ago, but I didn't start playing it yet. After learning about the passing of Akira Toriyama, I tried it out for the first time. I'm having fun just walking around the world and grinding so far. I'm going to try and not use a guide too and I'm doing alright so far. The game is really fun and hard to put down.
This was tremendous, and watching it brought me peace. Thank you!
That's really nice to hear, thanks for saying that :)
The JRPG origins began with D & D…yet, the Pathfinder Core Book is shown. LOL! Still LOVED this video. I got my first game like many others with a Nintendo Power subscription. Still play the series today!!!
Haha, nice catch! I thought about showing the 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons PHB but it doesn’t look as good on video when you open it up. And my 5e PHB is falling apart… 😜
Thanks! Glad you liked the video :)
Saw the same thing and came here to comment, given I'm a huge Pathfinder fan :D Not surprising that the 5e PHB is falling apart. Rather symbolic of WotC/Hasbro, in fact.
What a beautiful video!!
Thank you so much for all your effort!
By the way, I just saw your Final Fantasy (I) review... do you think in comparison Dragon Quest was better by design?
I love both franchises, but I can't help having a very profound affection to the Dragon Quest series.
Thank you! And great question. I wouldn't say better, but Dragon Quest definitely provided solutions to a lot of problems that later JRPGs could copy. That said, I think FF was a fantastic game for its time, and its party creation, combat system, and exploration mechanics were ahead of their time for a console title.
Honestly, I've been meaning to make a new version of my FF1 video. I made it three years ago and I wasn't really fair to the game. If I remake it now, I would focus more on what the game meant at the time.
Currentlyy playing this for the first time.
The GBC port.
Love it for what it is so far.
I'm playing blind, and exploring as NPCs really do tell u everything.
For example the silly grin I got when told where the Sun Stones or Garin's grave were was insane. Lol! Since I had been all over those areas before and still missed them before talking to NPCs.
I definitely think guides would take the fun out of this game in particular as I figured exploration was a big feature of it.
Thanks for sharing! Yep, I think having a guide takes a lot of the fun out of this game.
This is definitely my favorite retrospective on the original game. The history section is very well-detailed, and I enjoyed your insight on the game design. Lots of people talk about how dated and simplistic the gameplay is, but not really what makes the game special and worth going back to. I think the closest thing we have in the modern day to a game like it is probably Dark Souls or Elden Ring, at least in my opinion. Can't wait to see your thoughts on Dragon Quest II!
Thank you, that’s very nice to hear! I’m working on the script for the Dragon Quest II video right now, so it should be up in the near future :)
Talking about the history of JRPGs is always interesting because the games that were originally popular took inspiration from RPGs from the west. So...doesn't that actually make them Western RPGs? I know I've argued that maybe we should just drop the J and just call them all turn-based RPGs.
I'm definitely starting to think that "JRPG" makes very little sense. Genres are supposed to help people identify similar types of games, right? But if Dark Souls, Dragon Quest XI, and Final Fantasy XVI are all JRPGs, what do they actually have in common besides being designed by Japanese people? 😂
At this point, I keep using it mostly because out of habit. But I'm seriously considering dropping it going forward...
This was excellently done! Its a story I've heard plenty of times, but your take on it was great!
Thank you! :)
this was great. thanks for the hard work putting this together :)
Glad you liked it! :)
Awesome retrospective. Subscribed!
Thanks! :)
I've seen many retrospectives. But this one is the only one that gave me shivers. I'm not a huge dq fan only played 6 and 11. Now i want to play some more. Great video.
Thanks! That’s really nice to hear :)
35:55 - That's a reference to the "Yes! We Have No Bananas" song
Thinking about Dragon Quest, I might have to sit down and try watching Dragonball some time. Never seen it before.
I had never known the person who drew Dragon Quest stuff was the person who did Dragonball Z until the 2000's or so,. I never watched Dragonball, as back then I heard fights can take like eight episodes (and this was before the internet, so a fight would take like two months if you got to watch once a week).
Excellent video, I enjoyed it. When I was a kid, there was a lot of wonder that came from this game. I also got really sick of other kids telling me Final Fantasy was better. 😂
That must have gotten annoying lol!
No mention of Metal Slime?! One of my favorite parts of all the DQ games.
What do you like about the Metal Slime?
With them remaking Dragon Quest 1 and 2 in the same way they remade Dragon Quest 3 this year, I hope they add more stuff to the games while still keeping the original content and the original spirit of the games at the same time. It would be sweet to see Dragon Quest 1 with more to do than just what amounts to a few hours worth of quest.
For sure! I'm very interested to see what they'll do with the first two games.
Love to see DQ covered you earned a sub
Thanks! More to come :)
I never play any Dragon Quest game i play all the main line Final Fantasy and many other Jrpg. I miss this serie as a kid and now i want to buy and play it which i will do very soon on a NES. Thanks for the retrospective on the 1st game.
Thank you! Yeah, that was my experience growing up too. Totally missed the DQ series and trying to make up for it now!
A good voice for a good video. Keep it up!
Thank you! 😍
THIS WAS AMAZING!!!! Instant subscribe
Thank you :)
Dude you deserve more subs, amazing video. Got one from me :)
Thank you! 😍
Have you heard of Castle of the Winds? Its by SaadaSoft and published by Epic Mega Games in 1993. Its both like and not like this. its currently considered abandonware.
Never heard of the game before! Looks really interesting, I might take a look at it sometime. Thanks for the tip! :)
@@AltercateTV you are welcome! I hope you enjoy the game.
Absolute gem of a channel
Thank you! :)
Love Dragon Quest, from the simple but enjoyable stories and combat, to the puff puffs and bunny girls
Thanks for sharing! The series has been a blind spot for me in the past, so I'm very happy to be going through it now!