10 Best Dragon Quest games of all time, ranked

The best Dragon Quest games should be on every JRPG fan's radar. After all, not only are we still getting great remakes over 20 years after its original worldwide release, but some of the outings in this iconic fantasy franchise still make up the best RPGs to play today as well. However, deciding where to start your journey as a hero of light can be tricky, and that's why I've done a Dragon Quest deep dive and ranked the top 10 games to help you choose your next adventure.

Now, before you judge my thoughts on some of the best JRPGs around, I do need to clarify some rules in this list. For this ranking, I've stuck primarily to the main entries in the franchise. However, since Dragon Quest 10 isn't accessible worldwide, you won't find it on our list. In its place, I've instead chosen to highlight the spin-off game that I'd recommend checking out along with the mainline titles. I've also made sure to include a vibe section for each entry (read more on those in our FAQ section) to give you an overview of the experience you can expect from each.

Finally, I know that Dragon Quest means a lot to different people and no matter their number in this ranking, I do genuinely love all these games. If your favorite didn't make the cut, feel free to share them in the comments section below. But, for now, read on for a curated list of the greatest games in the franchise so far.

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The best Dragon Quest games of all time, starting with…

10. Dragon Quest Builders 2

In terms of the best spin-off game in the Dragon Quest franchise, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is top dog. We gave it a perfect five-star rating in our Dragon Quest Builders 2 review and called it "a beautiful mashup of iconic games with a quirky sense of humor." The game essentially answers the question: What if Dragon Quest and Minecraft had a baby? Well, it turns out that we'd get a great RPG and construction game that's very easy to put tons of hours into.

Taking place after the events of Dragon Quest 2, the game follows a Hero who is captured by the Children of Hargon. After escaping, you'll need to travel to different towns, fighting monsters, building, and leveling up your powers. The great thing about this game is that it feels like a full JRPG, with crafting and exploration thrown into the mix. Nothing feels cheap or compromised, and characters and story are also very enduring. If you loved the Switch 2 game Pokemon Pokopia (which Omega Force also had a hand in developing), this will be a great entry into Dragon Quest for you.

9. Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies

Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies is a proper DS banger, and one I'm personally dying to see a remake of. However, if you have the old Nintendo handheld, then it's still very much worth your time. In this story, you create a custom character who is a Celestrian (aka a cool-looking angelic being) who ends up stuck as a mortal after certain events. You'll need to adventure around the world, collecting the scattered Fyggs from the World Tree Yggdrasil in order to get back home.

Now, multiplayer was a big gameplay factor in this game, which is why it's not ranked higher, but it can still be played solo if you are the only one with a DS still on hand. The game also does show its age and can be grindy at times, especially since changing classes reverts your base level back to one. As our Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies review points out, "if you're a traditionalist just like the developers seem to be, you'll really appreciate this fresher spin on the tried-and-true method."

8. Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D

Thanks to this remake, you can now essentially get two games in one, and honestly, after playing the Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D remake, this really is the best way to experience the start of the iconic franchise today. Just to get the visuals out of the way, the new HD-2D visuals are a marvel and left me kicking my feet with glee when I first saw it. However, modern art style aside, what makes this remake really stand out is all the expanded content that beefs up the plot and gives characters some more spotlight as well.

I also love how the story is simple: you are a hero who has been tasked to defeat the dragon lord. It's your typical good versus evil set-up, but sometimes that's all you need, especially if you're after a straightforward experience that doesn't bug you down with a ton of plot twists. Random encounters mean that you are in the hands of the RNG gods, who sometimes throw you some annoying battles that aren't super fine-tuned with your level, but otherwise, this is a great pick-up for RPG fans.

7. Dragon Quest 6: Realms of Revelation

OK, so disclaimer, while I do love the DS remake of Dragon Quest 6, it is considered the weakest of the Zenithian Trilogy. This criticism is largely because the story just isn't as strong as Dragon Quest 4 or 5. However, you shouldn't write it off because it still has some of the best party dialogue in the series and is also very charming in its own right.

The game has you playing as a hero set to save the world, standard stuff. However, there are two worlds you'll need to navigate to do so. The plot is a bit nonsensical at times but what Dragon Quest 6 does very well is how it treats vocations. It's a ton of fun spending time learning multiple classes and specing characters to deal some juicy damage. It's easy to see how this game influenced the likes of Dragon Quest 7, as it's very simple to create a malleable party and play around with builds.

6. Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined

Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined is a remake of the 2000 RPG, and unlike most of the more linear storytelling that the series is known for, this game gives us more of an omnibus of short stories as we follow a globe-spanning adventure that ties together tales from multiple towns in the land of Estard. There are also time-travelling antics put into play here, and it's uber satisfying to see how your actions in the past affect the present time in the story.

Not only does Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined look great, but in this new remake, the pacing of the story has been improved, and I did find myself being pushed through the plot in a more engaging way than I ever had before. I also love the combat changes in this remake, as you strike down enemies in the overworld, and the Moonlighting system, which lets characters have two vocations at the same time. This is a great entry point for newcomers, and one of the best Switch 2 RPG games you can pick up as well.

5. Dragon Quest 4: Chapters Of The Chosen

While the original NES version of this game didn't have the best launch, Dragon Quest 4: Chapters Of The Chosen Remake for the DS is a masterpiece and one that I happily would recommend to any complete Dragon Quest newbies. The story is broken up into five chapters, where you'll follow your own hero as well as a distinct cast of other protagonists with their own stories. In the final chapter, all the characters come together and set out to save the world (classic Dragon Quest stuff).

There are no classes in this entry, so if you are a complete Dragon Quest beginner and are unfamiliar with specing characters and party synergy, then this is a great starting point. Characters can also easily be switched in and out of your party with the wagon, which takes off pressure for forward planning encounters, and grinding isn't a massive issue with this title as long as you are willing to explore here and there. If you have a DS, it's worth picking up.

4. Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride

Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride's narrative really does feel the most like a coming-of-age story as it follows your hero from the moment of their birth and a few decades after. Of course, this is a Dragon Quest game, so you'll also need to save the world; however, its charm is in the intimacy of character dynamics and how dang attached you'll soon be to all the friendships you rekindle during your adventure.

In this game, you can also get married and have kids (who can grow up and become playable characters as well). There's something super wholesome about playing with a family you created, and it makes Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride a great cozy option, too. And, if you are a Pokemon fiend, Dragon Quest 5 was the first title to allow you to tame monsters who can then join your party. There are some annoying quirks, but it's a really distinct JRPG all in all.

3. Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King

Dragon Quest 8 has one of my favorite stories in the whole series, and was a firm 3DS staple of mine back in the day as well. In this one, you play as a hero who has to help out a couple of cursed royals track down the jester Dhoulmagus (the guy who cursed them and their kingdom in the first place). On your journey, you'll discover locations all affected by Dhoulmagus, as well as meet some characters to join your party.

The game is charming, the dialogue is genuinely funny, and the turn-based gameplay is also surprisingly cozy. I will say, if you have a 3DS pick up that version of the game since it is different from the PS2 one, complete with a new ending. The 3DS version also lets you see monsters as you are walking around, instead of just pulling you into battle randomly. The speed of battles and the alchemy pot have also gotten a needed boost, and all of these features make a great game even more enjoyable.

2. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D

Dragon Quest 3 initially released back in 1988 on the NES, however, it got a sparkly remake a few years ago, and all veterans of the series should check it out. You play as the child of the legendary warrior Ortega, who is tasked to get rid of an evil villain who's hellbent on destroying the world.

Besides giving the game some stunning HD 2D visuals, the remake also adds the Monster Wrangler class. Basically, it's the best version of Dragon Quest 3 currently out there. But, something to keep in mind, I agree with our Games Editor's opinion about this title not being super welcoming to newbies of the franchise. The gameplay is still very much old JRPG coded in the fact that it's slower-paced, and battles will pop up constantly. Things can get time-consuming and perhaps a bit frustrating to newer JRPG fans who expect less invasive encounters in general. However, if you are a retro lover and want something nostalgic, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D will be right up your street.

1. Dragon Quest 11 S – Definitive Edition

Our near-perfect Dragon Quest 11 S – Definitive Edition review calls the game "today's quintessential JRPG", so yeah, in terms of the best entry in the series out right now, this is it, folks. In this stand-alone story, you follow the journey of a young hero of light who is basically framed to be a Dark Spawn and has to save the world from an ancient evil, too…no pressure. The story is straightforward, but what really makes it stand out is how expertly paced it is, as well as how well-written all the characters are.

Its simplicity is what makes it one of the best turn-based RPGs ever made, as all the systems in Dragon Quest 11 S are focused and perform incredibly well. World-building here is also a treat, as you'll often discover side-narratives as you progress the main quest. These bring life to areas and also offer enough diversity in the game that time will fly by without you even realising it while playing. This is a masterpiece for both Dragon Quest veterans and newbies alike.

Best Dragon Quest games FAQs