A commemorative Dragon Quest thread draws near!

[Xeogred]

So if some of you disagree with HLTB's stats on some of these games, which is the shortest?

[Exhuminator]

IIRC the GBC version of Dragon Quest 1 only took me about 12 hours to finish without a walkthrough. For comparison's sake, Dragon Quest 8 took me 68 hours to finish and I didn't even do the post-game stuff.

[Tanooki]

DQ the bain of my JRPG existence. I love the style, the art, the stories and general formula, but I can't stand playing an RPG over 30 hours as I forget why I'm bothering in game and just get bored and want to move along. I feel my 3 DQ plushies wanting to attack me for that which are the slime knight, blue slime, and the classic drakee.

[Sarge]

You should be able to do the first five within that timeframe. My longest there was around 32 hours for DQV, and that was doing everything including taking down the optional post-game boss.

[Nemoide]

after having played I-VIII in order

Since you've finished eight of the DQ games, howabout giving us a ranking list?

DELAYED RESPONSE:

III - this one really solidified the formula by being PURE FUN
V - maybe the best story of any in the series
VIII - the modernization works *so well* while maintaining the classic vibe
VII - the longest game in the series, I still love it
IV - the chapters of this game make its story something special
VI - I like the idea having a real world and dream-world but other than that this game doesn't stand out too-too much - this is low on the list but is STILL A TOP-NOTCH RPG!
I - a classic that started it all! (good for its time, maybe not so much otherwise)
II - well... it's BIGGER than the first one, but pretty bland and difficult

I definitely agree that everything but the first two are amazing. IMO the remake of the first one is worth playing because of its story connection to DQ III and because it's pretty short; I've heard the NES version is longer, more difficult, and less fun, so I'd stick with GBC (or Super Famicom if you roll that way).

Shortest game = Dragon Quest I (maybe ~10-15 hours?)
Longest game = Dragon Quest VII (100+ hours without bonus dungeons)

A lot of folks are discouraged by DQ VII's length so I'd never recommend it as someone's first try at the series. But if you like the formula, it's worth trying because unlike a lot of other long RPGs, it stays fun and engaging the whole time! It doesn't pad itself out by sending you out to collect 12 rare wolf-skins like an MMO or anything.