The longer version, plus a childhood story: As part of a recent urge to write more, I've decided to review what is quite possibly my favorite role playing video game series (yes, I did have to specify the "video game" bit): Dragon Quest. I say possibly because I have not actually played all of the games the series has to offer. Since its release, the Gameboy Color remake of Dragon Warrior/Quest III has been one of my all-time favorite video games (third only to Mega Man X and Donkey Kong Country 2). I remember wandering into an old Movie Gallery when I was a wee lad with my mom and seeing the game on one of those rotating displace racks for $20 new. Being the typical 11-year-old that I was, I thought the cover looked fucking amazing, and I really wanted to have it. Alas, I had no money, and my mom would hear none of it. It seemed I was destined never to experience the title's glorious, hidden wonders...
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| Pictured above: my childhood dreams, just out of reach. |
Then fate stepped in and bitch-slapped destiny.
A few weeks had passed since my fateful first encounter with that triumphant cover promising heroism and adventure. At that time, adjacent to the aforementioned Movie Gallery was a Food Lion. Generally, I would tag along with my mom while she bought groceries and be bored all the while, but this time something magical happened. This time I found a $20 bill lying on the ground as we were leaving. As if sent from the gods themselves! I pointed the heavenly gift out to my mother who, being the kind woman she always is, snatched that shit from my hands and immediately lingered in the store longer to see if anyone looked like they were freaking out because they lost some money. When none did, I convinced her to go next door to the Movie Gallery and the rest is history.
I spent many hours playing Dragon Warrior 3, often hurting my neck as I attempted to find nice lighting for those damned backlight-less GBCs. It was amazing. From the personality test in the beginning, to the ability to create your own party of adventurers, I was hopelessly hooked. Additionally, if bought new, the game comes with a map that players can use to help find towns and such while exploring the overworld.
Years later, I played a bit of the Dragon Quest Monster games and eventually bought and played through Dragon Quest VIII on PS2 and Dragon Quest IX on DS (both are awesome). After recently buying and playing through most of the GBC remake of Dragon Warrior I+II, I've decided I'm going to go back and fully review each main game in the series. I plan on being extremely thorough with these reviews (non-spoiler unless otherwise noted), and, as I've hinted at earlier, many of the games I will be playing through for the first time; as a result, I can't promise they'll all come out quick, but they will pop up semi-regularly between random posts as I finish playing each game. Afterwards, I may go back and review some of the spin-off titles. We shall see...
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