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Dragon Quest

Square Enix

iOS (2014, originally 1986)
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I wouldn't be able to discuss this game without bias, being that I was one of those kids in 1990 who got a free copy with a subscription to Nintendo Power magazine. I had to use every one of the tips from the various inserts and booklets to wrap my head around this strange new genre of slow-paced tactical gameplay. At first, the RPG archetype felt like digression for settling for command lists instead of Zelda-type action.

It proved that we didn't need hack-and-slash gameplay to immerse ourselves into a role. Hauntingly hypnotic loops set the tone for a wide open world full of heroic lore, Elizabethan speak, and deeply covered secrets, and it's all presented in the quirky art style of the legendary Toriyama. 

I remember searching the ground looking for the flute, carrying the princess in my arms, and walking around on the southeastern island for hours grinding Gold Men...

Are you wondering if this ancient relic of an RPG has stood the test of time and deemed itself worthy of another release in the states? It will depend on your perspective. I'm personally a fan of the game, the series, and the genre it defined, so my critiques are simply picking nits about new translations in the nostalgic material. A slime doesn't appear. It draws near! That's not a she-slime, it's just red.

A legitimate gripe would involve the blatant dumbing down of secrets. Items that required searching now shine like a star. With all the information readily available today, the last thing people need is hand-holding. 

Some players criticize the original in retrospect for having a one-on-one battle system. I have always admired it for that simplicity. Battles are quick, making the grind easy. Just don't walk around the wrong part of town too soon.

Unfamiliar audiences who are willing to try RPG's would probably do best to start here. It's rapidly paced, only a few hours long, and fitted with quick-save functions to make it accessible for even the most casual of players.