Fixed At Last

So last time I reviewed this I wrote an extensive explanation of how this was Not Worth It. Well good news is, Square updated the game with a bug fix, which has now removed the crashing issue (which for clarification had it so battles with multiple of one enemy type upon defeat would cause a crash). Now I can write a proper review hurray! As a completable game it is reasonably worth it and much like an expanded edition of the first, which is responsive and does what it can for the original. As a remake (on the app store no less) I would objectively give it five stars but as it went so long without a big fix I give it four. Not that that matters much besides for the cover. Stars aside and to the real point, now that the game functions properly I can say it is a worthwhile game! Why are my reviews always so long

A Classic

When my Dragon Warrior I & II cartridge for my Game Boy stopped working shortly after finishing the first game, I was glad that I could play the second on my phone. This is a great game. The game itself is a classic. Although, among the DQ games its considered to be one of the worst, I found it quite enjoyable. The story is much more involved than the first one and the additional party members add to the experience. This version of the game is probably the best. The game is generally criticized for its difficulty, but with this version a lot of that has been fixed; the ‘hidden’ treasures sparkle, the prince and princess are pretty useful, there’s a world map, etc. I also liked the updated sprites and the additional save options. The one thing that I didn’t really like was the controls. Coming from the Game Boy, it took me a while to get used to the touch screen controls, but once I did, I did. And to be fair, there aren’t really any better options on a phone. Overall, it’s a great game, well worth the $5 imo

DQ2 is no longer the worst RPG of all time

After beating DQ1, I kept thinking “how on earth did 8 year old me figure all this out?” Answer: it took me 6 months and a notebook where I wrote down clues and mapped the caves and dungeons. I recall as a child starting DQ2 but don’t remember why I didn’t play it after a couple weeks. DQ2 difficulty level has to be 100X that of DQ1. The world is 4X as big, you need a boat, the dungeons are nearly impossible to figure out without a guide/walkthrough, there are 147,000 villagers to talk to and decipher their Ye Olde English clues. DQ1 had a handful of items you needed to acquire in order to complete objectives. I can’t even guess how many were in DQ2. You gain 2 characters, each with their own rules on what armor and weaponry they can don. Do you sell items back to the shops or try them on your partner first? So much thinking involved. It’s a slow go getting started and I bow my head in shame that I resorted to a walkthrough and auto save scrumming. Nonetheless, by the end I was addicted and neglected my wifely duties to beat this game. Wasn’t the biggest fan of Atlas. His power was very random and it didn’t seem fair that he killed my full HP level 36 Princess in one swipe. But what the original game lacked is more than made up for in this version. It plays flawlessly, there are no ads or hidden fees. Very enjoyable RPG.

Nice throwback

It is fun, cheap way to enjoy childhood nostalgia, but the old carts and system would be a lot of money and time.... this I was able to enjoy it on the road. It has been changed... it is the same, but they nerfed the crap out of it, the save log allows you to save anytime (good for the road) but makes the game much easier... save every 5 steps or after every battle... also the level “grind” doesn’t feel as difficult or time consuming The graphics are nice and updated, the games save feature is nice for on the road, and it is pretty much exactly like the original, although some names were changed. I gave it a 4 because it was great fun, but needs a classic mode that is just like the original... heck in today’s insta win game world it would be called “hardcore” mode

Error Report

Not really a review so much as reporting an error. Game froze while on the top floor of the southern dragon's tooth while playing on an iPhone 7. I had a set alarm on my phone go off just as I encountered an enemy "Sekerleton", dismissed the notification (swiped up on the pop-up) and the game stopped responding, sound stopped and had to force-close the app. Not sure if it was caused by the alarm starting during/before the battle started or if it was caused by dismissing the notification while in-game. Other than that, this has always been one of my favorite classic game series, you did fairly good work on this title, aside from losing some of its old charm without the original action menu. Still five stars.

Nicely done

The grind is a bit real on this one. The monster encounter rate definitely higher than I recall, plus you must grind levels on about three to four different occasions. After getting all the end game gear and leveling all three characters to 46 the last boss was easy. Played on a iPad, controls were good since you can move by touching any part of the screen. Translation was a bit mediocre. Overall a good experience. I guesstimate about 35 hours to complete the game. Tips: get the falcon blade (bought in town), don’t skip the mad cap (last cave, near end game) both items make a big impact.

Crash issue finally fixed.

This game finally works as intended, and no longer crashes after every battle. Highly recommended for fans of grind heavy classic jrpg's, perfect for killing time and remembering there's actual JRPG games on the App Store that aren't infested with micro transactions and thinly disguised "gameplay" designed to separate fools from their money. A classic in every sense of the word and absolutely worth the one time purchase price for jrpg fans.

Poor design

This game starts fun, but goes downhill quickly. The devs way of making the game more “difficult” is to make it more tedious. The fights don’t get harder, no strategy is required whatsoever. The “difficulty” comes from their dungeons, which as you progress through the game, turn into a mess of random doors and hallways that go in loops, or take you back to the beginning. For hours. No puzzles to stump you, no strong bosses to overcome, just tedious guesswork to find the end of a cave. This game is obnoxious, and to be honest the story isn’t interesting enough to bother slogging through the tedium. Save your money and get a better game.

Want to play DRAGON QUEST on the go? We take a look at the different portable DRAGON QUEST games available to play now on Switch,...

www.square-enix-games.com Sat Mar 29 2025

Square Enix has discounted most games in the series across platforms alongside today's Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake news, James preview, and more.

RPG Site Sun Jun 29 2025

In celebration of the original game's release on May 27, 1986, Square Enix has announced that the Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake set is...

Engadget Sun Jun 29 2025

Dragon Quest 2 is considered one of, if not the most brutal Dragon Quest game, which can make the 16-hour adventure a testing experience.

Game Rant Sat Mar 01 2025

We've compiled this list of every Dragon Quest game released on a Nintendo system, including remakes, spin-offs, and multiple versions, though no imports.

Nintendo Life Sun Dec 29 2024

Square Enix revealed that Dragon Quest X Offline will release for Android and iOS mobile devices on January 15, 2025 in Japan. The game will...

Siliconera Sat Mar 01 2025

The first footage of the Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake has been revealed at today's Nintendo Direct. The game comes out this year.

Engadget Tue Apr 29 2025

In honor of the 35th anniversary of the beloved DRAGON QUEST� series, SQUARE ENIX� announced four new titles during a celebratory livestream event.

Square Enix press site Tue Jun 29 2021

An Almost Epic Classic. Back during its initial release on the NES, Dragon Warrior II immediately became my favourite game.

RPGamer Fri Nov 29 2019

Square Enix is porting the newest Dragon Quest Monsters game to Steam, iOS, and Android.

Shacknews Sun Sep 29 2024