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:<small>''This article is about the original game in the Dragon Quest series. For series information, see ''[[Dragon Quest (series)]]</small>
{{Italic title}}
<center>{{for
|about=the original game in the Dragon Quest series
|for=series information
|see=Dragon Quest (series)
}}</center>
{{Infobox VG
{{Infobox VG
|type=Main series games
| type=Main series games
|title=Dragon Quest
| title=Dragon Quest
|image=[[File:DQ1logo.jpg|300px]]
| image=[[File:DQ Logo.png|325px]][[File:DQ Laurel Wreath art.png|325px]]
|caption=North American boxart
| caption=
|developer=[[Chunsoft]]
| developer=[[Chunsoft]]
|publisher={{vgrelease|JP=[[Enix]]}}{{vgrelease|NA=[[Nintendo]]}}
| publisher={{vgrelease|JP=[[Enix]]}}{{vgrelease|NA=[[Nintendo]]}}
|designer=[[Yūji Horii]]<br />[[Koichi Nakamura]]<br />Yukinobu Chida
| designer=[[Yuji Horii]]<br />[[Kōichi Nakamura]]<br />Yukinobu Chida
|artist=[[Akira Toriyama]]
| artist=[[Akira Toriyama]]
|composer=[[Koichi Sugiyama]]
| composer=[[Kōichi Sugiyama]]
|released={{vgrelease|JP=May 27, 1986}}{{vgrelease|NA=August 1989}}
| released= '''Nintendo Entertainment System'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=May 27, 1986|NA=August 1989}}'''MSX2'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=November 21, 1986}}'''MSX'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=December 18, 1986}}'''Super Famicom'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=December 18, 1993}}'''Game Boy Color'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=September 23, 1999|NA=September 27, 2000}}'''Wii'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=September 15, 2011}}'''Android & iOS'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=November 8, 2013|NA=September 11, 2014|AUS=September 11, 2014|EU=September 11, 2014}}'''Playstation 4 & 3DS'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=August 10, 2017}}'''Nintendo Switch'''<br />{{vgrelease|JP=September 27, 2019|NA=September 27, 2019|EU=September 27, 2019}}
|genre=[[Wikipedia:Console role-playing game|Console role-playing game]]
| genre=[[Wikipedia:Console role-playing game|Console role-playing game]]
|modes=[[Wikipedia:Single player|Single player]]
| modes=[[Wikipedia:Single player|Single player]]
|ratings=[[Wikipedia:Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: E (Everyone) ([[Game Boy Color|GBC]])
| ratings=[[Wikipedia:Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: E (Everyone) ({{GBC}})
|platforms=[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES/Famicom]], [[MSX]], [[Wikipedia:NEC PC-9801|NEC PC-9801]], [[Wikipedia:Sharp X68000|Sharp X68000]] [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]], [[Game Boy Color]] (hybrid cartridge), [[Mobile phone]]
| platforms={{Famicom}}/{{NES}}, [[MSX]], [[Wikipedia:NEC PC-9801|NEC PC-9801]], [[Wikipedia:Sharp X68000|Sharp X68000]], {{Super Famicom}}, {{Game Boy Color}} (hybrid cartridge), [[Cell phone|Mobile phone]], [[Wii]], [[Cell phone|Android & iOS]], {{PlayStation 4}}, [[Nintendo 3DS]], [[Nintendo Switch]]
|media={{vgrelease|NA=640-[[Wikipedia:kilobit|kilobit]] NES [[Wikipedia:cartridge (electronics)|cartridge]]}}{{vgrelease|JP=512-kilobit Famicom cartridge}}GBC/SFC/MSX cartridges
| media={{vgrelease|NA=640-[[Wikipedia:kilobit|kilobit]] NES [[Wikipedia:cartridge (electronics)|cartridge]]}}{{vgrelease|JP=512-kilobit Famicom cartridge}}GBC/SFC/MSX cartridges
|requirements=
| requirements=
|input=
| input=
|series=''[[Dragon Quest]]''
| series={{Main Series}}
}}
}}
'''Dragon Quest''' ('''Dragon Warrior''') is the original Dragon Quest game and the first in the [[Dragon Quest (series)|Dragon Quest series]]. It was developed by [[Enix]] and released in 1986 in Japan for the [[MSX]] and the [[Famicom]]. The game was localized for North American release in 1989, but the title was changed to ''Dragon Warrior'' to avoid infringing on the trademark of the pen and paper game ''DragonQuest''. The North American version of the game was greatly improved graphically over the Japanese original, and added a battery backed-up save feature, whereas the Japanese version used a password system.  [[Nintendo]] was impressed with the Japanese sales of the title and massively overproduced the cartridge; the end result was that Nintendo gave away copies of ''Dragon Warrior'' as an incentive for subscribing to ''Nintendo Power'', the company's in-house promotions magazine.
{{Translation|'''''Dragon Quest'''''|ドラゴンクエスト|Doragon Kuesuto}} is the original ''Dragon Quest'' game which preceded the entire {{DQSeries}}. It was developed by [[Enix]] and released in 1986 in Japan for the [[MSX]] and {{Famicom}} consoles. The game was localized for North American release in 1989, but the title was changed to ''Dragon Warrior'' to avoid infringing on the trademark of the pen and paper game ''[[wikipedia:DragonQuest|DragonQuest]]''. The North American version of the game was greatly improved graphically over the Japanese original, and added a battery backed-up save feature and 5 password systems, whereas the Japanese version used a password system.  [[Nintendo]] was impressed with the Japanese sales of the title and massively overproduced the cartridge; the end result was that Nintendo gave away copies of ''Dragon Warrior'' as an incentive for subscribing to ''[[Nintendo Power]]'', the company's in-house promotions magazine.


''Dragon Quest'' was one of the first turn-based role playing games to have widespread success and is considered a pioneer in the development of the genre. Along with Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest would spawn a successful franchise that would become the de facto standard for role playing video games.
''Dragon Quest'' was the first turn-based role playing game to debut on a video game console and is considered a pioneer in the development of the genre. ''Dragon Quest'''s immense success proved that RPGs had a place in the industry, and would spawn a successful franchise that would become one of the de facto standards for role playing video games.


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
''Dragon Quest'' is set on a sprawling overworld with towns and dungeons to be explored throughout. The player selects actions from a menu, including talking to {{NPC}}s (non-player characters); opening doors; and opening [[treasure chest]]s. The towns have inns where the player can rest to restore their {{HP}} and {{MP}}; and shops to buy weapons, armor, and items from. Most {{NPC}}s give useful information to help the player progress.


Dragon Quest is one of the first console RPGs (role playing game). The player controls a single character who is able to travel from town to town exploring on his quest. He can equip various weapons and armor and battles enemy monsters in one-on-one combat. As more enemies are defeated, the hero becomes stronger and able to explore greater distances as he completes his quest. Ultimately, the hero must defeat an evil boss marking the end of his adventure. This game formula was replicated in most, if not all, console RPGs.
The battle system is turn-based, with enemies seen in a first-person perspective. As in the overworld, the player selects actions from a menu, including attacking; casting magical spells; using items; and attempting to flee the fight.
 
==Plot==
The {{Hero 1}}, a descendant of the legendary hero Erdrick, is called on by [[King Lorik]] retrieve the [[Sphere of Light]] and save the land of Alefgard from the [[Dragonlord]]'s dark forces. To do this, the Hero must retrieve several artifacts spread all across the country, including [[Erdrick's Sword|sword]], [[Erdrick's Armour|armor]], and [[Mark of Erdrick|heirloom]]; and [[Staff of Rain|two]] [[Sunstone|relics]] to build the Rainbow Bridge, which allows the Hero to enter the Dragonlord's castle.
 
Optionally, the Hero may save Lorik's daughter [[Princess Gwaelin]] from the clutches of a green dragon.
 
==Differences from later games==
*The stat improvement algorithms depend on the player's name, deciding if the player will be more proficient in {{Strength}}, {{Agility}}, or magic ({{MP}}).
*There is no party, only a single player character.
*Although his sprite changes when the princess is rescued, to show him carrying her, the princess does not participate in any battle.
*Enemies attack the Hero 1-on-1, never in groups.
*There are no [[vehicle]]s; one can only traverse the overworld map on foot, or by using a [[Chimaera wing]] or [[Zoom]] spell to travel to [[Tantegel]] Castle.
*Tantegel is the only save location in the game. Likewise, the [[Zoom]] spell can only return to [[Tantegel]]. This is because the spell's Japanese name, ''rura'', derives from the English word ''Ruler''.
*Acquired weapons, armor and shields will automatically replace the previous item, which is then discarded or sold to the store. This is changed in the remakes.
*[[Key]]s are consumed when used; new ones can be purchased at one of the "key houses" in Tantegel, Rimuldar, or Mercado. The first key in any quest must be purchased in Rimuldar, since the others are behind doors that require a key to open.
*There are separate shops for buying [[Holy water]], unlike later games where it is sold in item shops.
*Caves are dark, and must be lit up with a [[Torch]] or the [[Glow]] spell. These have limited range, which diminishes as the spell or torch wears out. The range is effectively reduced in the remakes, since the scale of the caves is larger, but the range is not increased to compensate.


==Characters==
==Characters==
 
*The {{Hero 1}}: A descendant of the legendary Hero [[Erdrick]]. He arrived from an unknown location to help the land of [[Alefgard]].
*[[Hero (Dragon Quest I)|Hero]]: A descendant of the Legendary Hero Roto. He arrives from an unknown location to help the land of Alefgard.
*[[Erdrick]]: He rescued Alefgard years earlier. He had left items and clues for his descendant to aid in defeating the Dragonlord.
*Roto: He rescued Alefguard in ancient times, by defeating a [[Zoma|great demon]]. He has left a message for his descendant, in the cave which bears his name.
*[[King Lorik]]: The king of [[Tantegel]], and ruler of the land of Alefgard.
* [[Lorik]] or Lars: The king of Tantegel Castle, and ruler of Alefgard.
*[[Princess Gwaelin]]: Daughter of [[King Lorik]]. Imprisoned in the [[Quagmire Cave]] southwest of [[Kol]], by servants of the [[Dragonlord]].
*[[Lady Lora]]&nbsp;: Daughter of King [[Lorik]]. Imprisoned in the Swamp Cave south of [[Kol]], by the servants of the Dragonlord.
*[[Dragonlord]]: The villain of the story, he has stolen the [[Sphere of Light]] in order to infest Alefgard with horrid monsters.
* The [[Dragonlord]]: The final boss of the story, he has stolen the ball of light in order to lock Alefguard in perpetual darkness. He has two forms, a humanoid wizard (resembling a Taoist demon), and an enormous dragon which is his true form.  
{{clear}}


==Plot==
==Plot==
{{spoiler|start}}
Long before the game began, a man named [[{{Hero (III)}}|Erdrick]] returned peace to the land of Alefgard by defeating a [[Zoma|A great demon]]. This peace came in the form of the sacred [[Sphere of Light|Ball of Light]]. Erdrick bequeathed this sacred artifact to [[King Lorik|King]], and bestowed two sacred artifacts to wise sages. The descendants of the aforementioned sages eventually hand over these artifacts to the {{Hero 3}}, Erdrick eventually left [[Alefgard]] and was never seen again. Years passed and everyone was happy. Everyone but one person, that is. This man was not happy with the way things were. He lived in the western mountain cave, far from Tantegel's walls. One day, whilst exploring deep within the cave, he came across a sleeping [[Dragon family|dragon]]. Suddenly, the dragon awoke and the man became very frightened. When he closed his eyes to stop himself from seeing his demise, nothing happened. The man grew tired of waiting and threw a stick to distract the dragon. To his surprise, the dragon picked it up in his mouth and brought it back to the man, like a dog. After that he discovered he could make the dragon do whatever he wanted. He then named himself the Dragonlord. Naught but a few minutes later, a disaster occurred: [[Dragonlord's Castle|Charlock Castle]] rose from its dirt grave, and everyone, even the children playing in the streets, knew this was a bad omen. A few moments later, a swarm of [[Slime]]s, [[Ghost]]s, [[Dragons]], and other monsters attacked Tantegel and the villages across [[Alefgard]]. Though they fought bravely, the years of peace had made the people weak, and the Ball of Light was stolen by the Dragonlord.


{{Spoilers}}
After this terrible attack, the people were terrified to walk outside again. Many men were killed traveling between towns, and people locked their doors at night. At night, they could hear [[Slimes]] and [[Drackys]] scratching and mumbling along the walls of Tantegel. [[Princess Gwaelin]], the daughter of the king, was kidnapped by the minions of the [[Dragonlord]], and so the King fell into a deep depression over his kidnapped daughter, even though the legends told of a descendant of Erdrick coming to restore peace. The King believed it to be a myth until one day a [[scrawny-looking young man|Hero (Dragon Quest)]] appeared at the King's feet and asked permission to retrieve the Ball of Light and save Princess Gwaelin. Since many other proud warriors had volunteered and failed, the King had nearly given up hope. But he saw a light in this young man's eyes, and so suddenly he knew this man was the descendant of Erdrick. Giving him a few items and some gold, the King sent the warrior out to slay the Dragonlord.
Long before the game begins, a man named Roto returned peace from the hands of evil. The peace came in the form of the sacred [[Ball of Light]]. Roto returned to the [[King Lorik|King]] with the Ball of Light and there were great festivals and celebrations. Eventually, Roto took his leave and was never seen again. Years passed and the people prospered, but one person was not happy with the way things were. He lived in the western mountain cave, far from Tantegel's walls. While exploring deep within the cave, he came across a sleeping [[dragon]]. Suddenly, the dragon awoke and the man was very frightened. As he closed his eyes to stop himself from seeing his demise, nothing happened. The man grew tired of waiting and threw a stick to distract it. To his surprise, the dragon picked it up in his mouth and brought it back to the man, like a dog. After that he discovered he could make the dragon do whatever he wanted. He then named himself the Dragonlord. Suddenly, a disaster occurred: Charlock Castle rose from its dirt grave, and everyone knew this was a bad omen. A few minutes later a swarm of [[Slime]]s, [[Ghost]]s, Dragons and other monsters attacked Tantegel and the villages across [[Alefgard]]. Though they fought bravely, the years of peace had made the people weak. The Ball of Light and  were stolen by the Dragonlord himself.


After this terrible attack the people were terrified to walk outside again. Many men were killed traveling between places and people locked their doors at night. At night, they could hear the Slimes scratching and mumbling along the walls of Tantegel. The King fell into a deep depression over his kidnapped daughter, even though the legends told of a descendant of Roto coming to restore peace. The King believed it to be a myth until one day a scrawny-looking young man appeared at the King's feet and asked permission to retrieve the Ball of Light and [[Lady Lora]]. Since many other hapless warriors had volunteered and failed, the King had already given up hope. But he sees a light in this young man's eyes and knew he was the descendant of Roto. Giving him a few items and some gold, the King sends the warrior out.
After traveling the length and breadth of Alefgard and becoming more and more powerful, the {{Hero 1}} eventually discovered Princess Gwaelin in the clutches of a [[Green dragon]], who was hiding her in a [[cave|Quagmire Cave]]. After slaying the dragon, the Hero lifted her onto his back and carried her all the way back to Tantegel, to the delirious joy of everyone there.


After traveling the length and breadth of Alefgard and becoming more and more powerful, the [[Hero (Dragon Quest I)|Hero]] eventually discovers Lady Lora in the clutches of a [[Green Dragon]], who is hiding her in a cave. After killing the dragon, the Hero lifts her onto his back and carries her all the way back to Tantegel, to the delirious joy of everyone there.
Finally, after strengthening himself through all the battles he had fought and the mystical items he had uncovered, including Erdrick's very  own sword, the Hero entered Charlock Castle, the Dragonlord's domain, and killed him, temporarily freeing Alefgard from the terror of evil. Gwaelin proposed to him and King [[King Lorik]] offered him the throne; he accepted the former offer but declined the latter, opting instead to venture to lands unknown and establish his own kingdom.
{{spoiler|end}}


Finally, after strengthening himself through all the battles he has fought and the mystical items he has uncovered, including the immensely powerful Roto's sword, the Hero enters Charlock Castle, the Dragonlord's domain, and kills him, temporarily freeing Alefgard from the terror of evil.
==Legacy==
===Influence on the Video Game Industry===
[[File:DQI + II Hero.png|right|thumb|''Dragon Quest'' allowed players to assume the role of a {{Hero 1}} and live out his adventure.|200px]]
Before the release of ''Dragon Quest'', the video game marketplace consisted of fast-paced, reflex dependent action titles. The majority of these were originally developed as arcade quarter-munchers, and retained the immense difficulty of such even when ported to a home console. Storytelling was sparse, if text was even programmed into a game, and titles relied on the player's imagination to fill in the gaps.


Lora proposes to him and King [[Lorik]] offers him the throne; he accepts the former offer but declines the latter, opting instead to venture to lands unknown and found his own kingdom.
When [[Yuji Horii]]'s dream project proved to be a smashing success, the entire perception of what a video game could be changed. Countless RPGs flooded store shelves to cash in on the newfound hype surrounding the genre, and action titles began to experiment with deeper plotlines and character interaction instead of merely pushing level complexity.
{{Endspoiler}}


A humble title from a small publishing company changed everything for games.


==Legacy==
===Remakes===
{{Main|Dragon Quest I & II}}


===Remakes===
Being the original game in the series, ''Dragon Quest'' has been remade and re-released on a variety of different platforms; most notably for the Super Famicom. Most of the remakes feature localizations which differ from the original, as well as additional features such as an item/gold vault and streamlined menu system. Other changes include tweaks to the leveling system to make it easier to gain levels without excessive [[grinding]].  Most fans consider almost all remakes to be easier than the original release for this reason. See [[List of version differences in Dragon Quest I]] for a listing of version differences.
In the Game Boy Color remake Dragonlord's name was changed to Draco Lord, and Erdrick is now known as Loto. Several conveniences were added, such as a vault for storing gold and items, and a streamlined menu system. Monsters yield more experience and gold after being defeated to reduce the amount of time needed to raise levels and save up for purchases.


The [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] remake was marketed exclusively in Japan due to the absence of [[Enix|Enix America Corporation]], but it was unofficially translated into English and Spanish through emulation by online fan translation group RPG-One in 2002. The Game Boy Color and mobile phone versions are based on the Super Famicom version.
Note that only some of the remakes have been released outside of Japan.  For a full list of releases and dates, visit [[List of games]].


===Broadcast Satellaview version===
A special free version of the game known as ''[[BS Dragon Quest]]'' was available to play on the [[Satellaview]] peripheral during the early months of 1996. This version of the game used the art assets of the 16-bit remake, included voiced dialog for additional scenes, and additional features not seen in any other version since.


===Sequels===
===Sequels===
Dragon Quest was followed by [[Dragon Quest II]] which met with similar success. Dragon Quest II featured the same timeline and setting as the original, a concept which was further extended into [[Dragon Quest III]]. Together, the first 3 games comprise what is known as the [[Roto Trilogy]].
''Dragon Quest'' was closely followed by {{DQ2}} which met with similar success. ''Dragon Quest II'' featured the same timeline and setting as the original, a concept which was further extended into {{DQ3}}. Together, the first three games comprise what is known as the [[Erdrick trilogy]]. All three games were designed for the Famicom/NES and share similar artistic styles.
 
 
===Spinoffs===
As the first game in the series, Dragon Quest has served as a significant influence in almost every spinoff game. In particular, many of the enemies developed for Dragon Quest ([[Slime]],[[Dracky]],[[Wyvern]],etc.) are featured in almost every other game in the main series and otherwise.


===Recurring monsters===
As the first game in the series, ''Dragon Quest'' introduced several monsters that proved instant favorites among fans. In particular, the [[Slime]], [[Dracky]], and [[Chimaera]] are featured in almost every other game in the main series and spinoffs.


==Credits==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Original Famicom version
! Role
! Staff
|----------
| Scenario writer
| [[Yuji Horii]]
|----------
| Character design
| [[Akira Toriyama]]
|----------
| Music composer
| [[Kōichi Sugiyama]]
|----------
| rowspan="3 | Programming
| Koichi Nakamura
|-
| Koji Yoshida
|-
| Takenori Yamamori
|----------
| CG design
| Takashi Yasuno
|----------
| Scenario assistant
| Hiyoshi Miyaoka
|----------
| rowspan="2" | Assistant
| Rika Suzuki
|-
| Tadashi Fukuzawa
|----------
| Title screen design
| Kazuo Enomoto
|----------
| Instruction manual illustrator
| Takayuki Doi
|----------
| Special thanks
| Kazuhiko Torishima
|----------
| Director
| Koichi Nakamura
|}
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
* The bonuses awarded for leveling up depend on the name chosen for the hero.
[[File:Dragon Quest jp manual art.png|right|border|325px]]
* There is no party, only a single player character. Although his sprite changes when the princess is rescued, to show him carrying her, the princess does not participate in any battles.
*Despite the [[iron helmet]], [[leather hat]], and helm of [[Ortega]] being featured in official illustrations, there is no equipment slot for helmets. It is assumed that these helms are included in the armor sets.
* Enemies attack the hero 1-on-1, never in groups.
*In the original versions, there are special menu commands to climb stairs and open chests (done automatically in later games), and in the Japanese version to select directions for certain commands, since characters do not have facings in these versions.
* There are no [[vehicle]]s; one can only traverse the overworld map on foot, or by using a [[Chimera wing]] or [[Zoom]] spell to travel to [[Tantegel Castle]].
*The original Japanese Famicom and MSX versions of this game (and {{DQ2}}) have a [[Spell of Restoration|Spell of Health Multiplication]] (password system), in place of the "Imperial Scrolls of Honor" (battery save system). The password does not save current {{HP}} and {{MP}}, or the contents of the chests. So all of these will be reset on a reload.
* Tantegel is the only save location in the game. Likewise, the Zoom spell can only return to Tantegel.
*Whether a treasure chest has been opened or not is never recorded.  By reloading the game, you can collect a chest multiple times.
* Acquired [[weapon]]s, [[armor]] and [[shield]]s will automatically replace the previous item, which is then discarded or sold to the store. This is changed in the remakes.
*The [[Game Boy]] Color release had a more direct translation of many character and town names.
* There is no [[helmet]] slot.
*Erdrick's Sword is used during an optional boss fight in ''[[Final Fantasy]] XII'' and is also the prize for winning that battle. This also marks the first time the mix of ''Final Fantasy'' and ''Dragon Quest'' has happened in the light of both Square and Enix merging to be noticed in the Western world (though the crossover had happened a few times previously in the ''[[Fortune Street]]'' series).
* [[Key]]s are consumed when used; new ones can be purchased at one of the "key houses" in Tantegel, Rimuldar, or Mercado. The first key in any quest must be purchased in Rimuldar, since the others are behind doors that require a key to open.
* There are separate shops for buying [[holy water]], unlike later games where it is sold in item shops.
* Caves are dark, and must be lit up with a [[torch]] or [[Radiant|Radiant spell]]. These have limited range, which diminishes as the spell or torch wears out. The range is effectively reduced in the remakes, since the scale of the caves is larger, but the range is not increased to compensate.
* In the original versions, there are special menu commands to climb stairs and open chests (done automatically in later games), and in the Japanese version to select directions for certain commands, since characters do not have facings in these versions.
* The original Japanese Famicom and MSX versions of this game (and [[Dragon Quest II]]) have a "[[Spell of Restoration]]" (password system), in place of the "Imperial Scrolls of Honor" (battery save system). The password does not save current HP and MP, or the contents of the chests. So all of these will be reset on a reload.
* In fact, the contents of chests aren't saved in the North American NES version either.
* In Japan, many characters, locations, and spells had different names. In Japan Erdrick was originally called Roto (or Loto), King Lorik was called King Lars, Princess Gwaelin was known as Laura, and the Dragonlord was known as King Dragon. Tantegel Castle was called Ladutorm Castle, Brecconary was called Ladutorm town, Garinham was called Galai, Kol was called Maira, and Cantlin was called Mercado. Charlock Castle was not named in the Japanese version. Spells generally had nonsense names. The [[Game Boy Color]] release of ''Dragon Warrior'' in the USA had a more accurate translation of many character and town names.
* A myth persists that the term for the heal spell, [[Hoimi]], became the official term for heal in Japan, though this is not actually the case. Around the release of [[Dragon Quest IV]], Enix held a public ceremony to "induct" the word into the Japanese language, but this was for publicity only, and the word is not commonly used.
* Loto's Sword is used during an optional boss fight in [[finalfantasy:Gilgamesh|Final Fantasy XII]] and is also the prize for winning that battle. This also marks the first time the mix of ''Final Fantasy'' and ''Dragon Quest'' has happened in the light of both Square and Enix merging to be noticed in the Western world (though the crossover had happened a few time previously in ''[[Itadaki Street]]'', a set of board game video games only available in Japan.)


==Soundtrack==
==Soundtrack==
As with every Dragon Quest, [[Koichi Sugiyama]] composed the music and directed all the associated spinoffs. Dragon Quest I's symphonic suite was bundled with Dragon Quest II's symphonic suite and a disc of original compositions as ''Dragon Quest in Concert''. Here is the track listing for the Dragon Quest I portion of that release:
[[Kōichi Sugiyama]] served as composer for the soundtrack. He would go on to write most of the music for the entire Dragon Quest series. ''Dragon Quest I's'' symphonic suite was bundled with ''Dragon Quest II's'' symphonic suite and a disc of original compositions as ''Dragon Quest in Concert''. Here is the track listing for the ''Dragon Quest I'' portion of that release:


# [[Overture]] March (3:59)
#[[Overture]] March (序曲/''Overture'') (3:59)
# Château Ladutorm (3:25)
#Château Ladutorm (ラダトーム城/''Castle Ladutorm'') (3:25)
# People (3:36)
#People (街の人々/''People of the Town'') (3:36)
# Unknown World (2:07)
#Unknown World (広野を行く/''Going to the Plain'') (2:07)
# Fight (2:12)
#Fight (戦闘/''Fight'') (2:12)
# Dungeons (3:40)
#Dungeons (洞窟/''Cave'') (3:40)
# King Dragon (3:08)
#King Dragon (竜王/''King Dragon'') (3:08)
# Finale (2:40)
#Finale (フィナーレ/''Finale'') (2:40)


==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
Dragon Quest 1 box.jpg|Famicom box art.
Dragon_Warrior_NES.png|NES box art.
DQ Famicom guide.png|Famicom guide.
Higuchi_Dragon_Quest.png|Adventure novel.
Shousetsu Dragon Quest.png|Novelization.
Dragon Quest Suite.png|Dragon Quest Suite.
DQI CD Theater.png|CD Theater.
DQ 4koma Gekijou Extra 9.png|4koma comics.
Dragon Quest NES Slime battle.png|Battle against Slime.
DQIGroupArt.png|
DQI iOS Android.png|iOS/Android.
DQI 25th Anniversary wallpaper.png|25th Anniversary wallpaper.
DW NES Characters.jpg|Characters. ({{NES}})
Adventure Time S6 Episode 30.png|Unnamed video game from ''Adventure Time'' S6 Episode 30 resembling the NES Version of ''Dragon Quest''.
</gallery></center>


==See also==
===Videos===
*[[List of Enemies in Dragon Quest]]
{{Videos|The original TV commercial for ''Dragon Quest''.|{{#ev:youtube|D2ve2cpcLi4|340}}
*[[List of Locations in Dragon Quest]]
|The original TV commercial for ''Dragon Warrior''.|{{#ev:youtube|1qL5_3EhqK8|340}}
 
}}
 
{{clear}}
==References==
{{Wikipedia|Dragon Quest (game)}}
{{Wikipedia-ja|ドラゴンクエスト}}
 
{{DQI}}
{{DQI}}
{{Dragon Quest series}}
{{Dragon Quest series}}
[[Category:Main series games]]
[[Category:Dragon Quest I|*!]]
[[Category:Dragon Quest I]]
[[Category:NES games]]
[[Category:Articles on Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Wii games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:SNES games]]
[[Category:Android/iOS games]]

Latest revision as of 04:15, 7 January 2024

This article is about the original game in the Dragon Quest series. For series information, see Dragon Quest (series).

Dragon Quest (ドラゴンクエスト Doragon Kuesuto) is the original Dragon Quest game which preceded the entire Dragon Quest series. It was developed by Enix and released in 1986 in Japan for the MSX and Famicom consoles. The game was localized for North American release in 1989, but the title was changed to Dragon Warrior to avoid infringing on the trademark of the pen and paper game DragonQuest. The North American version of the game was greatly improved graphically over the Japanese original, and added a battery backed-up save feature and 5 password systems, whereas the Japanese version used a password system. Nintendo was impressed with the Japanese sales of the title and massively overproduced the cartridge; the end result was that Nintendo gave away copies of Dragon Warrior as an incentive for subscribing to Nintendo Power, the company's in-house promotions magazine.

Dragon Quest was the first turn-based role playing game to debut on a video game console and is considered a pioneer in the development of the genre. Dragon Quest's immense success proved that RPGs had a place in the industry, and would spawn a successful franchise that would become one of the de facto standards for role playing video games.

Gameplay[edit]

Dragon Quest is set on a sprawling overworld with towns and dungeons to be explored throughout. The player selects actions from a menu, including talking to NPCs (non-player characters); opening doors; and opening treasure chests. The towns have inns where the player can rest to restore their HP and MP; and shops to buy weapons, armor, and items from. Most NPCs give useful information to help the player progress.

The battle system is turn-based, with enemies seen in a first-person perspective. As in the overworld, the player selects actions from a menu, including attacking; casting magical spells; using items; and attempting to flee the fight.

Plot[edit]

The Hero, a descendant of the legendary hero Erdrick, is called on by King Lorik retrieve the Sphere of Light and save the land of Alefgard from the Dragonlord's dark forces. To do this, the Hero must retrieve several artifacts spread all across the country, including sword, armor, and heirloom; and two relics to build the Rainbow Bridge, which allows the Hero to enter the Dragonlord's castle.

Optionally, the Hero may save Lorik's daughter Princess Gwaelin from the clutches of a green dragon.

Differences from later games[edit]

  • The stat improvement algorithms depend on the player's name, deciding if the player will be more proficient in Strength, Agility, or magic (MP).
  • There is no party, only a single player character.
  • Although his sprite changes when the princess is rescued, to show him carrying her, the princess does not participate in any battle.
  • Enemies attack the Hero 1-on-1, never in groups.
  • There are no vehicles; one can only traverse the overworld map on foot, or by using a Chimaera wing or Zoom spell to travel to Tantegel Castle.
  • Tantegel is the only save location in the game. Likewise, the Zoom spell can only return to Tantegel. This is because the spell's Japanese name, rura, derives from the English word Ruler.
  • Acquired weapons, armor and shields will automatically replace the previous item, which is then discarded or sold to the store. This is changed in the remakes.
  • Keys are consumed when used; new ones can be purchased at one of the "key houses" in Tantegel, Rimuldar, or Mercado. The first key in any quest must be purchased in Rimuldar, since the others are behind doors that require a key to open.
  • There are separate shops for buying Holy water, unlike later games where it is sold in item shops.
  • Caves are dark, and must be lit up with a Torch or the Glow spell. These have limited range, which diminishes as the spell or torch wears out. The range is effectively reduced in the remakes, since the scale of the caves is larger, but the range is not increased to compensate.

Characters[edit]


Plot[edit]

Warning: Spoilers!
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Long before the game began, a man named [[Template:Hero (III)|Erdrick]] returned peace to the land of Alefgard by defeating a A great demon. This peace came in the form of the sacred Ball of Light. Erdrick bequeathed this sacred artifact to King, and bestowed two sacred artifacts to wise sages. The descendants of the aforementioned sages eventually hand over these artifacts to the Hero, Erdrick eventually left Alefgard and was never seen again. Years passed and everyone was happy. Everyone but one person, that is. This man was not happy with the way things were. He lived in the western mountain cave, far from Tantegel's walls. One day, whilst exploring deep within the cave, he came across a sleeping dragon. Suddenly, the dragon awoke and the man became very frightened. When he closed his eyes to stop himself from seeing his demise, nothing happened. The man grew tired of waiting and threw a stick to distract the dragon. To his surprise, the dragon picked it up in his mouth and brought it back to the man, like a dog. After that he discovered he could make the dragon do whatever he wanted. He then named himself the Dragonlord. Naught but a few minutes later, a disaster occurred: Charlock Castle rose from its dirt grave, and everyone, even the children playing in the streets, knew this was a bad omen. A few moments later, a swarm of Slimes, Ghosts, Dragons, and other monsters attacked Tantegel and the villages across Alefgard. Though they fought bravely, the years of peace had made the people weak, and the Ball of Light was stolen by the Dragonlord.

After this terrible attack, the people were terrified to walk outside again. Many men were killed traveling between towns, and people locked their doors at night. At night, they could hear Slimes and Drackys scratching and mumbling along the walls of Tantegel. Princess Gwaelin, the daughter of the king, was kidnapped by the minions of the Dragonlord, and so the King fell into a deep depression over his kidnapped daughter, even though the legends told of a descendant of Erdrick coming to restore peace. The King believed it to be a myth until one day a Hero (Dragon Quest) appeared at the King's feet and asked permission to retrieve the Ball of Light and save Princess Gwaelin. Since many other proud warriors had volunteered and failed, the King had nearly given up hope. But he saw a light in this young man's eyes, and so suddenly he knew this man was the descendant of Erdrick. Giving him a few items and some gold, the King sent the warrior out to slay the Dragonlord.

After traveling the length and breadth of Alefgard and becoming more and more powerful, the Hero eventually discovered Princess Gwaelin in the clutches of a Green dragon, who was hiding her in a Quagmire Cave. After slaying the dragon, the Hero lifted her onto his back and carried her all the way back to Tantegel, to the delirious joy of everyone there.

Finally, after strengthening himself through all the battles he had fought and the mystical items he had uncovered, including Erdrick's very own sword, the Hero entered Charlock Castle, the Dragonlord's domain, and killed him, temporarily freeing Alefgard from the terror of evil. Gwaelin proposed to him and King King Lorik offered him the throne; he accepted the former offer but declined the latter, opting instead to venture to lands unknown and establish his own kingdom.

Legacy[edit]

Influence on the Video Game Industry[edit]

Dragon Quest allowed players to assume the role of a Hero and live out his adventure.

Before the release of Dragon Quest, the video game marketplace consisted of fast-paced, reflex dependent action titles. The majority of these were originally developed as arcade quarter-munchers, and retained the immense difficulty of such even when ported to a home console. Storytelling was sparse, if text was even programmed into a game, and titles relied on the player's imagination to fill in the gaps.

When Yuji Horii's dream project proved to be a smashing success, the entire perception of what a video game could be changed. Countless RPGs flooded store shelves to cash in on the newfound hype surrounding the genre, and action titles began to experiment with deeper plotlines and character interaction instead of merely pushing level complexity.

A humble title from a small publishing company changed everything for games.

Remakes[edit]

Main article: Dragon Quest I & II

Being the original game in the series, Dragon Quest has been remade and re-released on a variety of different platforms; most notably for the Super Famicom. Most of the remakes feature localizations which differ from the original, as well as additional features such as an item/gold vault and streamlined menu system. Other changes include tweaks to the leveling system to make it easier to gain levels without excessive grinding. Most fans consider almost all remakes to be easier than the original release for this reason. See List of version differences in Dragon Quest I for a listing of version differences.

Note that only some of the remakes have been released outside of Japan. For a full list of releases and dates, visit List of games.

Broadcast Satellaview version[edit]

A special free version of the game known as BS Dragon Quest was available to play on the Satellaview peripheral during the early months of 1996. This version of the game used the art assets of the 16-bit remake, included voiced dialog for additional scenes, and additional features not seen in any other version since.

Sequels[edit]

Dragon Quest was closely followed by Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line which met with similar success. Dragon Quest II featured the same timeline and setting as the original, a concept which was further extended into Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation. Together, the first three games comprise what is known as the Erdrick trilogy. All three games were designed for the Famicom/NES and share similar artistic styles.

Recurring monsters[edit]

As the first game in the series, Dragon Quest introduced several monsters that proved instant favorites among fans. In particular, the Slime, Dracky, and Chimaera are featured in almost every other game in the main series and spinoffs.

Credits[edit]

Original Famicom version
Role Staff
Scenario writer Yuji Horii
Character design Akira Toriyama
Music composer Kōichi Sugiyama
Programming Koichi Nakamura
Koji Yoshida
Takenori Yamamori
CG design Takashi Yasuno
Scenario assistant Hiyoshi Miyaoka
Assistant Rika Suzuki
Tadashi Fukuzawa
Title screen design Kazuo Enomoto
Instruction manual illustrator Takayuki Doi
Special thanks Kazuhiko Torishima
Director Koichi Nakamura

Trivia[edit]

Dragon Quest jp manual art.png
  • Despite the iron helmet, leather hat, and helm of Ortega being featured in official illustrations, there is no equipment slot for helmets. It is assumed that these helms are included in the armor sets.
  • In the original versions, there are special menu commands to climb stairs and open chests (done automatically in later games), and in the Japanese version to select directions for certain commands, since characters do not have facings in these versions.
  • The original Japanese Famicom and MSX versions of this game (and Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line) have a Spell of Health Multiplication (password system), in place of the "Imperial Scrolls of Honor" (battery save system). The password does not save current HP and MP, or the contents of the chests. So all of these will be reset on a reload.
  • Whether a treasure chest has been opened or not is never recorded. By reloading the game, you can collect a chest multiple times.
  • The Game Boy Color release had a more direct translation of many character and town names.
  • Erdrick's Sword is used during an optional boss fight in Final Fantasy XII and is also the prize for winning that battle. This also marks the first time the mix of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest has happened in the light of both Square and Enix merging to be noticed in the Western world (though the crossover had happened a few times previously in the Fortune Street series).

Soundtrack[edit]

Kōichi Sugiyama served as composer for the soundtrack. He would go on to write most of the music for the entire Dragon Quest series. Dragon Quest I's symphonic suite was bundled with Dragon Quest II's symphonic suite and a disc of original compositions as Dragon Quest in Concert. Here is the track listing for the Dragon Quest I portion of that release:

  1. Overture March (序曲/Overture) (3:59)
  2. Château Ladutorm (ラダトーム城/Castle Ladutorm) (3:25)
  3. People (街の人々/People of the Town) (3:36)
  4. Unknown World (広野を行く/Going to the Plain) (2:07)
  5. Fight (戦闘/Fight) (2:12)
  6. Dungeons (洞窟/Cave) (3:40)
  7. King Dragon (竜王/King Dragon) (3:08)
  8. Finale (フィナーレ/Finale) (2:40)

Gallery[edit]

  • Famicom box art.

  • NES box art.

  • Famicom guide.

  • Adventure novel.

  • Novelization.

  • Dragon Quest Suite.

  • CD Theater.

  • 4koma comics.

  • Battle against Slime.

  • DQIGroupArt.png

  • iOS/Android.

  • 25th Anniversary wallpaper.

  • Characters. (NES)

  • Unnamed video game from Adventure Time S6 Episode 30 resembling the NES Version of Dragon Quest.

Videos[edit]


Dragon Quest
Characters
Locations
Key Terms
Lists
Related products
Miscellaneous
Dragon Quest series
Main series
  1. Dragon Quest (Satellaview version)
  2. II
  3. III
  4. IV
  5. V
  6. VI
  7. VII
  8. VIII
  9. IX
  10. X
  11. XI
  12. XII
Compilations
Monsters series
Mystery Dungeon series
Rocket Slime series
Swords series
Battle Road series
Heroes series
Builders series
The Adventure of Dai series
Miscellaneous spin-offs
Crossover games
Categories
Creators
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