Seasons

Seasons (季節) are a feature that represents the passage of time much like the day-night cycle, but on a grander scale. Instead of simply altering the dialogue of NPCs, the changing of the seasons influences everything about a locale from the monsters to the foraging.

Appearances

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

Seasonal shifts greatly affect Terrestria and every Circle of Nadiria, changing which monsters are active in an area and altering the landscape to grant Psaro access to remote places he couldn't reach before. For example, bodies of water will freeze in Winter and allow the prince to skate across to reach islands he couldn't in Spring, Summer, or Autumn. In addition to the season icons seen on the map, the player is guided towards these altered surroundings by the seasonal sprites; little faeries depicted as glowing balls of light that will lead Psaro on once he gets close to them―no fear of being pixy led here though, the sprites only guide the way to valuable items or precious monster eggs.

Seasons will naturally shift every five minutes if Psaro is not standing in an area that is dramatically altered by the change, but impatient players can make use of the four seasons flute to force the cycle to advance one stage whenever they like. This handy woodwind is found in the depths of the whispwoods in the post-game.

Circle of Conquest

• Spring: infernal plants bloom and drift through the air like dandelions, allowing Psaro to hitch a ride.
• Summer: bodies of water dry up in the heat, revealing treasure chests and eggs.
• Autumn: climbable rock formations erupt from the ground and grant passage to new areas.
• Winter: bodies of water freeze over and allow Psaro to walk to islands.

Circle of Temper

• Spring: certain craters will now contain vortexes that launch Psaro to distant areas
• Summer: certain boulders will collapse when approached, revealing hidden items
• Autumn: geysers will form in certain areas, raising Psaro to new areas
• Winter: rivers and lakes will freeze over despite the volcanic activity, allowing Psaro to cross

Circle of Indulgence

• Spring: large tufts of cotton candy bloom and transport like the plants in the Circle of Conquest
• Summer: candy plants melt in the heat, dripping climbable trails of sugary sludge over the edges of plateaus.
• Autumn: enormous pumpkins grow and serve as pathways to unreachable areas.
• Winter: the lakes and rivers of honey freeze.

Circle of Caprice

• Spring: colossal lotus petals bloom, allowing Psaro to run across bodies of water.
• Summer: the water evaporates in the sun, even the water falls are just cascades of red sand. Small piles of red sand hide items and monsters.
• Autumn: the waterfalls have changed to mud, clogging certain rivers.
• Winter: certain bodies of water freeze for access to islands, but others remain fluid

Circle of Fortitude

• Spring: piles of scrap metal accumulate, hiding items.
• Summer: large turbine fans activate, propelling Psaro.
• Autumn: the electromagnets activate, pulling scrap metal together to act as platforms.
• Winter: the sludge carrying live current freezes, allowing safe passage.

Trivia

• The seasonal sprites match the faeries seen in the Brownie Boost Coup de Grâce.