Why You Should Play Dragon Quest 1 | Which Version to Play | Basic Tips for Gameplay

The first Dragon Quest game is amongst the most important and influential games of all time. In this video, I explain why you should play Dragon Quest 1 (Dragon Warrior 1) for its cultural significance, which version to play among the NES, SFC, GBC and Nintendo Switch versions, as well as provide some basic tips for gameplay.
---------
Chapters
00:00 Cultural Significance of DQ1
03:54 NES Version
04:44 Super Famicom Version
06:00 Gameboy Color Version
06:54 Nintendo Switch Version
08:36 Basic Gameplay Tips
If you found this video interesting or useful, I would very much appreciate it if you could like my video and subscribe to my channel for more videos in future on my favourite JRPGs. Keep supporting JRPGs and the game developers everyone!

[@JRPGOtaku]

Thanks a lot for watching! Let me know which version of Dragon Quest 1 you prefer and why. If you found this video interesting, I would appreciate it if you could press like and subscribe to my channel for more videos on JRPGs in future. :) Have fun gaming, everyone!

[@user-gs3ru1yc4v]

Dragon Quest is the best Video game franchise ever made. And it is the only video game series that doesn't have a single bad game. 👍

[@betasequence4885]

wonderful video :) thanks for making it. its inspired me, a PC gamer from the ultima generation, to give Dragon Quest a try :)

[@TheSpartanS196]

Switch, hands down. Best graphics and QoL features

[@AmanTheDisciple]

An original translation is always preferred but if the GBC version made changes to the original then the Switch version or the SFC fan translation makes sense.

[@FineWineGaming]

The GBC version of DQ1 is my favorite version to play. It is the perfect, pocket JRPG

[@abcdefgee]

I preferred the GBC version the most, it feels just as classic as the NES with the graphics, and you can just press the A button to interact. It's great

[@thedragovian5722]

This video is incredibly well-made. I'd love to see your take on DQIII, one of the Final Fantasy games, or Phantasy Star 4.

[@franciscobutte]

DQ is the most consistent JRPG series by far. I love it!

[@Alpheus_09C]

Ikr, every single entry does something new and better(?) Than the last but still they feel so consistent and coherent

[@Mingodough]

They’re gonna ruin it with 12

[@RandomGuy-zl5sp]

@@Mingodoughprobably not

[@Mingodough]

@@RandomGuy-zl5sp nahhh, yu miyake just stepped down, a series producer for 22 years because of the delays and the nier autatama person is taking over.That and them saying it’s going to be more action based rather than turn based which is the whole point of people loving dragon quest. Then they said dragon quest isn’t dark and 12 will be really dark which is stupid because all of the games can get pretty dark. Not to mention the trio that made DQ, the writer, music composer and artist, 2 of them have sadly passed away. It just seems either DQ is going to be bad or DQ is going a very different direction which different isn’t bad but with a different intention and people behind the projects, it’ll just make the series feel off and at a certain point you’d just want them to make their own series rather than letting them leave dragon quest alone to leave the legacy in tact

[@symphony137]

I really hope this channel isn't dead... I would love to see these kind of videos about more oldschool RPGs.

[@KingC89]

This channel is abandoned. There's endless amounts of the type of videos you're looking for tho

[@albanmahoudeau1779]

YOU WANT A VIDEO ON KOBOLD. OR WHATEVER, A VIDEOGAME [??? ON KOBOLD.S .

[@moonriver911]

please come back to make more videos!! I love your delivery a lot, it's very refreshing among gaming channels.

[@rs10269]

Completed this game on GBC. I like first DQ for its simple and addictive gameplay

[@sebastianaliandkulche]

Yeah, its almost like FF1 to me in that regard.

[@uncledot1868]

That was a nice video. The first version of Dragon Quest that I played was on the Gameboy Color, so it holds a special place in my heart.

[@erici9025]

Love the NES version, but the SNES version I downloaded and played really took it to the next level of what I would hope for in a remake or revamp etc. My ATF game and the first RPG I had player as a kid. Which hooked me into the genre going forward. Great video :)

[@StuffNFluff22]

Incredible video and well produced! Helped me start my Dragon Quest journey today, can't wait to play through the series!

[@robertshaw88]

This video has great info that has convinced me to play the Super Famicom version. I encourage you to do "which version" videos for the other games in the dragon quest series.

[@Azure_Brian]

I feel lumping the Mobile and Switch versions together is a disservice to the mobile port. The mobile version's sprites aren't mangled like the Switch release and there's no clashing art styles. It also doesn't stutter on horizontal movement. The PS4/Switch release, they "updated" the character sprites and used HD art for battles so it's weird. The only real issue with the mobile version is the aspect ratio. It's honestly the best version of the game modernwise sides that.

[@fiaschampion3379]

I had no idea that they ported this to PS4

[@msanchez1680d]

Definitely the SNES version is the best, I played DQ 1 for the very first time with this version and everything was breathtaking, I'm currently with the 2nd one and having a great time, even the 3rd one for the SNES is superior over the switch, Square Enix and Nintendo should bring the DQ SNES trilogy version to the switch.

[@thecupola7908]

This video was fun! I enjoyed the analysis of the different versions across the years. I laugh sometimes at how many times I have bought Final Fantasy across all these evolving platforms. Looking forward to more.

[@JRPGOtaku]

Thanks for your comment and support! My next video will be on Dragon Quest 2. Have fun gaming, friend! :)

[@LunDruid]

Thinking about it, I think I currently prefer the NES version over the others, probably because I enjoy the simplicity and slow pace. Though my opinions do tend to shift around depending on my mood, so I may very well end up liking a different port sometime in the future. XD There's not a lot of English-language insight from the Japanese side of gaming history, so this video was a treat to see in my recommendations. I look forward to seeing more! :D

[@toxiconflict]

Thanks for this vid. I'm gonna pick up DQ1-3 on the Switch today!

[@Michirin9801]

I've beaten it on NES, SNES and GBC, this is one of my favourite J-RPGs, I just love how free I am to go anywhere and do anything I want in any order I want, the only thing stopping me from going anywhere on the map aside from the very final island where the Dragonlord's castle is located, is the strength of the monsters I'll find along the way! I love how you can see the Dragonlord's castle immediately after you walk off the starting castle! I love how every hint I need to finish the game can be found within the game itself unlike *Certain Other Games* of the time [CoughZelda1CoughCastlevania2Cough] and figuring out what to do to finish this game on your own is one of the most satisfying things I've ever done in an RPG! Something that few other RPGs did... DQ2 and 3 did it too for the matter, I love the first 3 games a lot!

[@Happydoody]

LOVE your videos! Hope to see more soon!

[@michelegaleazzi5661]

please make more videos, I've loved this so much!

[@glenndavis8273]

Thank you! This answered all the questions I had before getting ready to play for the first time!

[@wakerjones1887]

Great video! I love the tips you included! :]

[@EstebanN3]

I wish you continue making videos this was great!

[@RetroGamingNook]

An excellent video...very much looking forward to more from your channel.

[@Ltkq]

Promising channel! Thank you so much for the effort.

[@sunnyenno9468]

hey, great video i was gonna try out DQ1 and this gave me all the info i needed.

[@bryanmunoz775]

Great video!

[@strangehominid]

i played through the SNES version and loved it. i decided to switch to GBC when playing 2 and am really enjoying that one, too!

[@baseddeck]

I got to know the franchise through xbox game pass with DQXI and DQB2, proudly did 100% achievements on both Now I ordered a switch to play the first dragon quest trilogy and dq treasures :D

[@zodiacthundaga7264]

I was expecting a complicated answer, in the same vein as the best versions of the Final Fantasy games, but no, it's just "Play Super Nintendo lol". I couldn't think of a better answer. Thank you for this video. Mighty helpful.

[@W1ZRD07]

Thank you! This was very helpful!

[@luislopezmendez3558]

Thanks! First time playing DQ1 and this video was super helpful, I already buy it for my nintendo switch.

[@jonathanbixler936]

Very nice review. Dragon Warrior was one of my favorite games as a child, but the NES version took forever to earn enough gold for new equipment.

[@starluxstudio619]

Cool video! I never knew there were other versions besides NES and Famicom. Your English is top notch. Subscribed!!

[@retrorobbgaming]

Great video thank you for posting this!

[@timofan2]

Great video , thx

[@Ivan101010001]

Thanks, it helps me a lot!

[@sephiroth29440]

I really enjoy playing the most current version on the switch I loved all three titles

[@kasumiheyes]

The DQ world and music still make me feel excited and adventurous they I felt as a kid playing “Dragon Warrior”

[@Pownchao]

I hope you can make more videos, if you're still out there! This one was so entertaining and we'll put!🙏

[@Spizwackle]

I like many others got introduced to Dragon Warrior thanks to Nintendo Power magazine. Your video was well done and very informative.

[@KurffyOriginal]

I know you haven't uploaded in 2 years. But I really hope to see more jrpg videos from you. Really enjoyed this one

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Hope you come back and make more videos. This was amazing!

[@ozmond]

Beautiful video. Thank you.

[@TheSignatureK]

I beat it in three months! I loved it!

[@sameerpharma4906]

thanks for the tips in the end! I'm going to play the snes version since it looks consistent with its artstyle.

[@Pownchao]

Thanks, you really sold me on playing the SFC version + ENG patch! This will be my first playthrough of DQ1. I fell in love with DQ11, and have wanted to try playing more of the series.

[@scottwhite9609]

I wish they would’ve taken a little more time to just ensure stability with the switch version. It’s definitely the best way to play it right now but the screen stuttering and weird art styles are a little bit of a bummer. I’m hoping that buying the set of them and the DQ III remake selling well will lead to more of the games getting that kind of effort that they deserve. This video is excellent by the way! Instant subscriber.

[@MrPsyren99]

Sucks to have trash taste so you can't appreciate things properly

[@andre785]

Glad I was able to buy a physical copy of the DQ collection for the switch. Currently grinding the first game and I can say it's really enjoyable. Can't wait to finish it and get to the other two.

[@goboing]

Verry nice video ! Continue please do content about Dragon Quest ! You now how to do good analysis !

[@sebastianaliandkulche]

I would say it really depends on what you are searching for. Imo Switch is the best, for being the better looking and the most polished, but GBC is also a great way to play the game for being closer to the OG game while fixing some of its annoying aspects. It also has my favorite soundtrack of all of the versions.

[@jonathanplooij3666]

thanks for the video

[@Serphalack]

Great video, keep it up! I remember I tried to play DQ Nes a few years ago, but I didn't get very far. Then I recently beat the Switch remake and I had to endure the clunky graphics. I have less time to play games, so I appreciated that the remake is easier :p

[@michaelcjgreenway4788]

Dragon Warrior and Ultima Exodus (NES) were my first ever rpgs. They hold a special place in my heart.

[@GottaBeFrank]

I don't play a lot of RPGs. The genre is a difficult one for me to be invested in, with a few titles as exceptions. Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior) is one that I always think of when I think of my earliest exposure to the genre and have been wanting to play it again. A few years ago, I finally did that with the mobile version, but I will always love hearing the theme of the NES version.

[@creepingnet]

I prefer the NES version (Dragon Warrior). I find grinding (not the boss battles) quite relaxing TBH, and it's really not that hard outside of that. It's also the most affordable NES release in the series as Nintendo overproduced them and gave them away in a Nintendo Power Promotion, making it a good starting point if you are getting into NES JRPGs. I have the other three as well, and I find all four of them have something to like, even the much berated II with that huge difficulty curve at the end is not so bad if you just take your time. But then I find grinding a relaxing activity, which is probably a part of why me and the early games get along so much. Admittedly there's some nostalgia there too.

[@amimm7776]

I find grinding moreso annoying, but the further re-releases remedy that to the point even DQ2 is kinda fun to me

[@Sdturtle1023]

Why only 2 videos?! This channel is great and I hope to get more JRPG content

[@ultrazappy7815]

I love this series as a Westerner.

[@Giop87]

I have subscribed, I like your content :)

[@everyonesidol9731]

I think I’m gonna go with the Game Boy Color version as it reminds me of Pokémon Red/Blue.

[@ShadyPlatinum777]

I need to get around to playing this game

[@Riz2336]

Being a big fan of JRPG games I should play this. If I were to choose which one to play I'd probably go with the super famicom fan translation version

[@andrewaldrich3602]

This video is great, I’d love to see more videos from you. I’m slowly getting into more jrpgs after adoring persona 5. I’ve starting playing smt3 and am interested in dragon quest.

[@Hmbs271]

I agree that the SNES versions are still the best ones due to art style coherence. Now that they have MSU1 patches for orchestral music, there's hardly anything that should make the recent remasters preferred over them.

[@BalancedSpirit79]

For those into retro consoles, there's a version of Dragon Quest I for the Intellivision. Despite that system having less RAM than the NES, it still plays the game quite well.

[@PhilInTheBlanks]

This is a great video and it mirrors my opinions on the different versions almost exactly. The SFC version of the game is my favorite way to play and my wife gifted me the cartridge when she visited Japan a few years ago. I hope to enjoy more of your videos, this was great!

[@northwindkey]

GBC version is my go-to. I like the 8 bit aesthetics for DQ1. Makes it feel more "comfortable" to me.

[@macehilmatecilof4140]

I prefer the og nes version just because I like the difficulty more. I love the gbc port of dragon warrior 3 though. gbc had so many good rpgs.

[@eduardoestrada4545]

I have beaten this game twice on my phone , the remake of course, I really liked it even dough they say that it is not quite good, some day I'm gonna try the snes version

[@paperluigi6132]

As of Dragon Quest Day this year, there’s a chance that instead of just III, they’re now gonna remake the entire Erdrick Trilogy in HD-2D. If all goes right, those versions might well be considered the definitive versions of the Erdrick Trilogy.

[@snesmaniac228]

I am pretty sure that the level up EXP. amounts are the same for all versions, although because you earn much less EXP. on the NES version, it feels like less experience is needed for the level up on all the other versions.

[@hdfbhjds]

Please come back!

[@lilwyvern4]

DQ1 is a very comfy game. There's something nice about having an RPG with a straightforward plot. You're the hero, kill the bad guy, save the world. No moral hangups, no character drama, no world-reshaping disasters, just a young hero on a journey to slap the Dragonlord's evil face in.

[@josephyap1007]

Pls make more video and u explain very detail ur video pls make dragon quest 3 thankful

[@michaeldemers2716]

I prefer the new 2021 patch for Dragon Warrior 1&2 for Super Famicom with the Double the experience and gold patch too on the Retroad 5 Plus with a China Everdrive Clone. The Retroad 5 Plus also has a GB/GBC Extension Converter from Ali-Express that works with the Everdrive GB X7. I have also been playing on the Feihao Retroad 4.3" HDMI Famicom handheld from Ali-Express with the KryzsioCart flashcart from Ebay. Playing the triple patched game of Dragon Warrior to make it Dragon Quest DX with double the experience and gold. Not caring about the Switch version much.

[@Morgil27]

I love the NES version cuz I find the old school mechanics charming. I won't play the SFC version, cuz I don't download ROMs or acknowledge unofficial translations. I do not like the GB version. I don't like the graphics and I HATE the localization. The Switch/phone version is not perfect, but still pretty decent. The graphics are pretty, despite having poor, choppy animations. The orchestral soundtrack is great, and it probably has the best localization of all versions. Also, it's the easiest available version, being a quick and simple download on most smartphones and the Nintendo Switch, though admittedly, I'm not a big fan of the touch controls on the phone version.

[@brianlong88]

I got the gameboy color DQ1&2 when I was a kid. It’s still the only version of Dragon Quest 1 I’ve ever played, but maybe I need to go and get a copy of the SNES version. That looks the best after watching your review. I hope you find time to make more videos. I’ve enjoyed the two you have made so far 😊👍

[@EmeralBookwise]

The Super Famicon version certainly looks the best, but moving in half tile increments can be somewhat awkward to control as the game is rather inconstant as to whether or not it will auto shift the player when bumping corners.

[@VaskaDoesThings]

Beautifully scripted video and a really nice look into the history! Every time I think I know a lot about this series, something shows me how much more there is to learn. Thanks for making this!

[@dragtogo2735]

6:54 actually it's the mobile version that came out first and was brought to the Nintendo Switch. However never like graphics of the sprites looked too ugly imo. Prefer the graphics of the SNES combined with balance from the GBC as well as cutscenes and content (That's for like DQI - DQIII). If so would've say it be thee best though waiting on a retro look rather then a Final Fantasy or Golden Sun look, no offense.

[@youtubecrack]

Without the Nintendo power walkthrough, I would have never beat this game. It was a good thing. When I got the game it was with the Nintendo power subscription. I barely beat Zelda on my own without a walk-through. Oh to be 11 years old again.

[@DragonAlchemist0]

Dont forget that status effect are actually useful in the game. Instead of ungabunga your way through the game. It will make fights easier in your adventure.

[@sarasaland4709]

The fact that the mobile versions are the only accessible versions of DQ1-3 is a slap in the face by Square.

[@tiradouken2854]

Wat are you talking about? The mobile versions was released on the switch. Its every bit accessible as the mobile version.

[@ramsram2418]

💯

[@kevenlima5142]

Nice game jrpg

[@ern1813]

I finished dq1!! (Snes) Most small rpg I ever played, even tho it took me long to progress 😅

[@FioreFire]

I hated RPGs growing up, and only developed a love for the genre with modern RPGs and all their quality of life features and in-depth combat systems... so it really, really surprised me just how much I loved this game when I played it for the first time recently

[@TheCb1314]

Not the tsunami video used as a metaphor to show how DQ was becoming popular in Japan 😭

[@Rafaeorafa]

Try Dragon quest plus made at RPG maker, its really well made.

[@yunarukami3410]

I'm at dragonlord on switch version. Kinda wish i played the snes one and used cheat for max gold to save time lol

[@drakera]

Theres also a fan made one called Dragon Quest + which to me woulda been the better switch remake

[@mikeyburris5596]

I've only played Dragon Quest 11s and I love that game. Do you think I would get anything out of this game?

[@JRPGOtaku]

I have not played 11S so I can’t compare it in detail. But I think you will find DQ1 visually much less appealing, and also clunky/outdated to play. If you can look beyond that and would like to learn more about the history of the franchise, DQ1 on Switch is a very short and easy game to play :) You won’t waste much of your time even if you do try it and end up not liking it!

[@james441]

You should’ve done more vids

[@joseavalos9988]

I'm kinda new on the DQ series, I played DQ 1 and 2 on my smarthphone and 4 and 6 on my DS, now I want to play DQ 5, wich version do you prefer ps2 or DS?

[@quesostuff1009]

I wonder why they didn't decide to re-release the SNES version for Nintendo Switch

[@josephyap1007]

Why no new video ?

[@iverss533]

I still have ptsd from that one curse in dq 1 lol.

[@CameronJettLamb]

DQ3 remake still isn’t out 2 years later 😢

[@AintPopular]

This needs a remake

[@AintPopular]

Playing 11 now so fun

[@Void.G.Emperor]

Gintama brought me here

[@HCRAYERT.]

What about the 3DS version?

[@albanmahoudeau1779]

KONG WILL GET YOU A HINT . /WHAT A HIT.SHINING FORCE2 AS BEFORE.

[@albanmahoudeau1779]

ASS DRAGONQUEST:

[@albanmahoudeau1779]

$$$$$$$$$. !!! AKIRA:HORA,HORA,HORA!