Dragon Quest

Dragon Quest is a series of games created by Enix, now Square Enix. It is in
competition with the Final Fantasy game series. It has graced the MSX, NES,
SNES, Gameboy Color, Playstation, Playstation 2, and cellular phone.

The series is very popular in Japan, to the point that queues of people
wishing to buy the game could be seen at shops days before the release. As
this included children, who skipped school so they could queue for the game,
the Japanese Diet passed a bill outlawing the release of Dragon Quest games
on days other than a Sunday or a holiday - the fourth, fifth, and sixth
installments were released in Japan on holidays. The seventh installment is
the first Dragon Quest game to be released in Japan on a Sunday.

Dragon Quest is called Dragon Warrior in North America, but is not nearly as
successful there, having been eclipsed by the Final Fantasy series. None of
the games had a European release, and the Final Fantasy series also has a
stronghold in Europe. Dragon Warrior VIII likely will be released in Europe.

Unlike Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest is to feature cartoonish ("cel shaded")
graphics if it goes new school. Dragon Quest VIII would be the series's
first new school installment. Dragon Quest's soundtracks rival those of
Final Fantasy.

Dragon Quest I

Dragon Quest I was originally developed for the MSX computer system and
later ported to a less advanced system, the NES. It originally required
passwords. The password feature was replaced by the save feature on the
Dragon Warrior version. It was remade for the SNES alongside Dragon Quest
II, combined into a two-in-one package. The SNES versions of Dragon Quest I
and II were marketed exclusively in Japan, due to the absence of Enix of
America. They were ported to GBC and then released in North America. The GBC
version did not sell well in North America. However, the SNES versions have
been unofficially translated into English and Spanish by an online
translation firm called RPG-One. There are two versions of the Dragon Quest
I and II SNES fan translation, the DQ version and DW version. The former is
a straight Japanese-to-English translation. The latter is based on the
Dragon Warrior NES translations of Dragon Quest I and II. RPG-One also
translated the GBC versions into Spanish. Dragon Quest I takes place in
Alefgard and puts the player in the shoes of a descendant of the legendary
Erdrick (or Roto in Japanese releases), i.e. Dave or Eiyuu. Eiyuu was to
save Alefgard from the clutches of Dragonlord (or DracoLord in U.S. GBC
version) and his servants. Gwaelin (or Lora in U.S. GBC version), the
princess of Tantegel (or Radatoma in Japanese releases), daughter of King
Lorik (or Lars), was captured by servants of DracoLord. First Eiyuu rescues
her, then he defeats Dragonlord. Many of Eiyuu's friends were killed by
Dragonlord's servants. Mercado (or Cantlin), guarded by Golem, has a
graveyard for people who were killed by Dragonlord's servants.

Dragon Quest II

Like Dragon Quest I, Dragon Quest II was originally developed for the MSX
and later ported to the NES, and it originally required passwords. The
password feature was replaced with a save feature on the U.S. version.
Dragon Quest II comes with Dragon Quest I in remakes. The NES version sold
well, but the GBC version did not sell very well in North America, and it
did not sell as well as its predecessor did. Dragon Quest II is the first
game in the series to have more than one enemy fought in one battle. It is
also the first game in the series to have more than one playable character
and to have more than one save point. Dragon Quest II happens 100 years
after Dragon Quest I. The object was to save Alefgard and its surrounding
lands from the evil clutches of Hargon. The introduction begins in
Moonbrooke castle ("Moonbrook" in the GBC version). Hargon's servants invade
the Moonbrooke Castle and destroy it. They killed the King of Moonbrooke,
but the Princess of Moonbrooke hid underground and then fled to a town
nearby. A Moonbrooke soldier left to inform Midenhall Castle (or Lorasia in
GBC version) about the conflict. The Prince of Midenhall, hereafter, known
as the Dragon Quest II Hero, begins the quest from Midenhall and travels to
Leftwyne then to Cannock. The Prince of Cannock meets with the Hero, for the
Hero cannot travel near Moonbrooke by himself. After the Princess of
Moonbrooke joins along with them, the plot requires them to visit Alefgard,
the land where Dragon Quest I takes place.

Dragon Quest III

Dragon Quest III was originally developed for the NES, released in Japan in
1988, and released in North America in 1991. This was the time Japanese
Congress, the Diet passed a law restricting the release of Dragon Quest
games to Sundays and holidays. The law went into effect after Dragon Quest
III. It was remade for the SNES in 1996, but the SNES remake was marketed
exclusively in Japan, and the NES was already out of production in North
America. For this reason, Enix of America was closed at the time. However,
it has unofficially translated into English by online translation groups
called DeJap Translations and Illuminus. The GBC version is based on the
SNES version, but it did not sell very well in North America. Many Dragon
Quest fans chose to play the SNES version instead of the GBC version by
imports or through emulation in the United States. Those who know the GBC
version also know the SNES version that way. Dragon Quest III has a gender
and class feature. The hero as well as companions can be male or female, but
male is the actual gender of the hero. The classes are Hero, Warrior,
Wizard, Cleric, Thief (SNES and GBC only), Fighter, Jester, and Sage.
Jesters later become sages. Dragon Quest III also introduced the day and
night feature, indicating the passing of time. Time passes when the hero
walks in the world map. Some places are open only in the daytime, but some
places are open only at night.

Dragon Quest III is the prequel to Dragon Quest I. It tells of the legend of
Erdrick. It begins in the Kingdom of Aliahan. The first world of Dragon
Quest III looks similar to the real world. Erdrick must save the world from
the evil clutches of Zoma and Baramos. The hero is dubbed Erdrick at the end
of the game on the American NES version and the SNES fan translation, and
dubbed Loto on the American Gameboy Color version. He is dubbed Roto in the
Japanese releases.