Series guide
All Dragon Quest games in order
By Lenn Hodes · founder — every cartridge tested by hand
Dragon Quest is the biggest RPG series in Japan and, until 2006, one that Europe never saw at all — which is why the order here has gaps, remakes standing in for originals, and a DS trilogy that counts as a debut. Below are all eleven numbered games in release order and the remakes that brought them west, with the platforms linked — the DS and 3DS cartridges are the ones we stock and test — and the notes on region locks and what Europe actually got.
The short answer
I (1986) → II → III (1988) → IV (1990) → V (1992) → VI (1995) → VII (2000) → VIII (2004) → IX (2009, DS) → X (2012, Japan only) → XI (2017). The remakes: IV, V, VI on DS, VII and VIII on 3DS, III and I & II in HD-2D, VII Reimagined in 2026. Start with XI S.
Tested Dragon Quest games in stock
DS, 3DS and Switch copies — every cartridge play-tested on real hardware and listed exactly as it is.
Every numbered Dragon Quest in order
- Dragon Quest · 1986 · NES — the game that defined the Japanese RPG; America got it as Dragon Warrior in 1989, Europe only as a download — on mobile from 2014 and on Switch in 2019
- Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line · 1987 · NES — a party of three and a world map; with I in the HD-2D Remake of 2025
- Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation · 1988 · NES — the class system and the prequel twist that ties the Erdrick trilogy together — the HD-2D Remake of November 2024 is the version to play
- Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen · 1990 · NES — five chapters, five casts; the DS remake of 2007 was its first European release (2008)
- Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride · 1992 · Super Nintendo — three generations and the choice of a bride — for many the best in the series; Europe got the DS remake in 2009
- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation · 1995 · Super Nintendo — two parallel worlds; the DS remake of 2010 reached Europe in 2011 and completed the Zenithian trilogy here
- Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past · 2000 · PlayStation — the longest game in the series; the 3DS remake of 2013 arrived in Europe in 2016, and VII Reimagined rebuilt it again on 5 February 2026
- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King · 2004 · PlayStation 2 — the first Dragon Quest ever released in Europe (2006), and the 3DS version of 2015 (Europe 2017) adds voices and no random battles
- Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies · 2009 · Nintendo DS — made for the DS, with local co-op and the tag mode — more than four million sold in Japan, in Europe in 2010
- Dragon Quest X · 2012 · Wii, Wii U, PC, 3DS, Switch (Japan) — the online game, never released outside Japan — the offline version of 2022 stayed there too
- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age · 2017 · PS4, 3DS (Japan); Switch, Xbox, PC as XI S — the modern classic — XI S (2019 on Switch, 2020 elsewhere) adds the orchestral score and the 2D mode
- Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams · not announced — announced in 2021 as The Flames of Fate, restarted from scratch and renamed on 27 May 2026 — no date, no platforms
The remakes in order
For a European player the remakes are the series: they are the versions of I to VIII that were actually sold here.
- Dragon Quest IV, V and VI · 2007 · Nintendo DS — the Zenithian trilogy remade for the DS between 2007 and 2010 — the European debut of all three, and still the only physical Western versions
- Dragon Quest VII and VIII · 2013 · Nintendo 3DS — the two PlayStation-era games on 3DS cartridges, in Europe in 2016 and 2017
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake · 2024 · Switch, PS5, Xbox Series, PC — released 14 November 2024: the pixel-and-diorama look, and the start of the Erdrick trilogy in its intended order
- Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake · 2025 · Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series, PC — released 30 October 2025 — the trilogy completed, on one cartridge
- Dragon Quest VII Reimagined · 2026 · Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series, PC — released 5 February 2026: VII rebuilt from the ground up with diorama environments and a shorter, restructured story
Do you have to play them in order?
No. Every numbered Dragon Quest is a new hero and a new world, with slimes, the same spells and Toriyama’s designs as the thread. The Erdrick trilogy (I, II, III) shares a world and is best played III first — the HD-2D remakes came out in that order on purpose — and the Zenithian trilogy (IV, V, VI) shares a castle in the sky and little else. What the release order does show is the platform story: NES and SNES in Japan, PlayStation for VII and VIII, then Nintendo handhelds for the decade in which Europe finally caught up.
Which Dragon Quest should you buy now?
- The starting point: Dragon Quest XI S on Switch — the complete edition of the best modern entry.
- On a DS: Dragon Quest V — the story of a lifetime in a cartridge that plays on any DS or 3DS; IX if you want a game made for the console.
- On a 3DS: Dragon Quest VIII — voiced, no random battles, and the first game Europe ever got.
- The classics, properly: the III and I & II HD-2D Remakes on Switch or PS5, in that order.
- Something different: Dragon Quest Builders 2 — the building game that follows Dragon Quest II.
Buying Dragon Quest second-hand
Europe’s Dragon Quest starts at VIII
Not one Dragon Quest was released in Europe before VIII on PS2 in 2006 — America had them as Dragon Warrior since 1989. That is why the DS remakes of IV, V and VI matter more here than anywhere: they were the European debut of the whole Zenithian trilogy, and they remain the only cartridges of those three games ever sold in Europe.
DS cartridges are region-free, 3DS cartridges are not
Dragon Quest IV, V, VI and IX on DS play on any DS, DS Lite, DSi or 3DS from any region. Dragon Quest VII and VIII on 3DS are region-locked: a European 3DS or 2DS needs the European cartridge. Both play on the whole 3DS family, including the 2DS.
Dragon Quest IX’s online is gone; the game is not
IX used Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection for its DLC quests and shop, and that closed in May 2014. The local co-op, the tag mode and the full campaign work exactly as before. A used cartridge may still carry a previous owner’s save; unlike some 3DS games, it can be erased.
The Builders games are Dragon Quest, but not RPGs
Dragon Quest Builders and Builders 2 are block-building games in the world of the first two Dragon Quests — Builders 2 follows Dragon Quest II directly. They are a good way into the setting, but they play like Minecraft with a story, not like the numbered games. Both exist on Switch cartridge and PS4 disc.
Every copy tested before it is listed
Booting, gameplay, saving, disc and label condition — checked on real hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries. Originals only; if something ever turns out not to be genuine, you get your money back.
Browse tested Nintendo gamesQuestions we get asked
Do I need to play the Dragon Quest games in order?
No. Only two trilogies connect: Erdrick (III → I → II in story order, which is why the HD-2D remakes came out III first) and Zenithian (IV, V, VI, loosely). VII, VIII, IX and XI are standalone, and XI is the best modern starting point.
How many Dragon Quest games are there?
Eleven numbered games, with X an online game that never left Japan and XII in development. Add the Monsters series, Builders, Heroes, Treasures, the Mystery Dungeon games and the remakes and the count passes forty.
Which Dragon Quest should I start with?
Dragon Quest XI S — it is built to be a first Dragon Quest, and the Switch version has the full orchestral score. Dragon Quest VIII on 3DS or PS2 if you want the classic 3D game; Dragon Quest V on DS if you want the one fans call the best.
What is the newest Dragon Quest game?
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, released on 5 February 2026 on Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams is in development with no release date; it was restarted from scratch and renamed in May 2026.
Which Dragon Quest games are on Nintendo cartridges in Europe?
DS: IV, V, VI and IX, plus Monsters: Joker 1 and 2. 3DS: VII and VIII. Switch: XI S, Builders 1 and 2, the III and I & II HD-2D Remakes, VII Reimagined, Monsters: The Dark Prince and Treasures. Nothing from the NES and SNES era was ever released here on its original cartridge.
Do you ship outside the Netherlands?
We ship to all 27 EU countries with track & trace. Parcels leave from the Netherlands, there are no customs charges within the EU, and your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
Years given are the first release in Japan; the European route is in each note, because for this series it is the whole story. Onze Nintendo DS-collectie in het Nederlands.