I'll be picking it up... tomorrow, when I swing by Gamestop to pick up my pre-order of Marvel vs Capcom 3.

Its on my want list after playing Dragon Quest IX recently I can't get enough of the series. Need to play V first though.

Woah, woah - ware played Dragon Quest IX and VI is coming out today? I'm confused.

From what I understand IV through VI were never released outside of Japan, they are only now localising them for the DS.

@warerare

V and VI, actually, Dragon Warrior IV did come out in North America on the NES.

Dragon Warrior 1, 2, 3, and 4 were all released on the NES. (they were renamed "Dragon Warrior" since there was some sort of legal issue with the name "Dragon Quest" in the US, back in the day)

Dragon Quest 5 and 6 were Super Famicom games that never got a US localization.

Dragon Quest 7 is a PSX game, and started the series' rebirth in the US.

Dragon Quest 8 for the PS2 is where things really got rolling again for the series.

At this point, there'd been some GBC ports of DQ 1, 2, and 3.

DQ 4 and 5 were both remade for the DS, with some 3-D elements and updated sprites, animations, etc. This marked the first time the US got DQ5.

DQ 9 released for the DS.

DQ 6 has just released for the DS, in a similar build as the remakes of 4 and 5. This is also the first time the US has gotten DQ6.


I quite like the DQ series, but I can never seem to finish their games. I think I end up losing interest part of the way through, which is a shame since I find them rather charming.

I'm sort of interested in VI, because I loved V, but... I'm still playing IX. And not really super enjoying it, I feel like at this point it is just town/dungeon/town/dungeon without a really compelling story/characters behind it. VI would probably be more for me, but I'm kind of burnt out on the franchise right now.

Okay, got my copy. Fellow Canadians will be happy to know that there is a super obvious "Jouez en français" logo classying up the cover.

@Zero

You suck.

Hey I understand the theory behind IX (more about being open-ended / side quests / post game content / etc.) and it's probably awesome for those who get into it. But I feel this makes the core main quest just not as interesting as V was.

I'm not getting it.

@Pandareus

Yeah it's ugly

And was it not released yesterday? If not, I kind of feel bad for mentioning it came out yesterday while at EB. I just thought it was another Sunday release without knowing for certain so I picked it up then

I've still only stepped into the realm of Dragon Questing with the eighth installment - an unforgettable game for sure. VI looks great, not to mention V and IX look might fun too. I'll buy V or IX first then work my way up from there!

Oh yeah, Yuji Horii was in California this past weekend signing posters and Dragon Quest games. I thought that was surprising and also a very cool opportunity for long time fans and newcomers alike.

I went ahead and ordered it off of Amazon (who already ran through their first shipment of games...). I may not play it right away, but DQV is my favorite in the series and it's really really hard to find. I don't want VI to give me the same issues.

@comet

I wanted to buy and play V first but couldn't find it at the store yesterday Hopefully I can find a copy in the near future but I'll go ahead and start up VI anyway I guess.

@VofEscaflowne
I had played a friends copy when it came out, and I beat it and fell in love with it. I decided, hey it's time for me to give SquareEnix my money for such an amazing game! I had to search like 6-8 different Gamestops until I found one. I fear VI will be the same.

@comet

VI should be easier to find: Nintendo is publishing it. That means a better distribution, as well as a tasty Club Nintendo code.

Haven't started it yet. Told myself I should try to get another ending in 999 first and, well, there we are.

Ugh, game looks good, the prologue is kind of epic, very charming style, puns everywhere, etc. Except the random encounter rate is quite high. What the heck.

@Pandareus

I noticed that too after playing for about an hour or so. Not that it annoys me too much though but I'm sure I'll be bitching about it once I start hitting lengthy dungeons

I feel bad for having started it now... Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is being released for the PSP today and I'm tempted to buy that. I cannot juggle 2 RPGs at the same time yet somehow I'm sure I'll end up buying it and start ignoring either game where I'll find myself having to restart that game from the beginning a few months from now. Ugh!

@Pandareus
Awesome, good to know. Does anyone else get a little too excited about those Club Nintendo codes?

@VofEscaflowne
Yeah I'm playing through some older RPGs right now, but I really want Tactics Ogre as well... argh

1up review

So here's the central dilemma for Dragon Quest VI: if we're talking about gameplay systems, then you're better off playing the newer Dragon Quest IX. If you want a great story, then check out Dragon Quest V. Without its superior presentation to set it apart, Dragon Quest VI's main virtue is that it's longer and harder (seriously, get ready to fight a long line of bosses that can hit with two enormously powerful attacks in one turn).

Dragon Quest VI does stand out in one regard though: it's the only remaining game in the series to have never been released in North America. That alone makes it worth a look for series purists, who will certainly want to play it for completion's sake. And like every other Dragon Quest game, it hearkens back to the genre's better days with its straightforward, turn-based combat, and sense of high adventure.

So for series newcomers, I'll say this: put this one aside for now and play through Dragon Quest IV and V first. If you're hungry for more, then I can wholeheartedly recommend the final entry in the Zenithia trilogy. What it lacks in sophistication it manages to make up for in being longer and more difficult, which should be more than enough to please ardent fans, if not more casual RPG enthusiasts.

That middle paragraph is the reason I'm playing it, basically.

Damn it, why did Squeenix have to release so few copies of V? Good luck finding it, guys.