It’s slime time, times two.
The Dragon Quest series continues to not only have me googly-eyed grinning like the legendary slime itself but seems to have been on a hot-streak of capturing the hearts of new fans and series veterans alike. Recent entries like Dragon Quest XI and last year’s remake of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake continue to show that the series latest and its roots are stronger than ever. As I slowly start plucking away at the series in retrospect, I took a detour earlier this month at PAX East 2025 to not only get my hands on Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster but the latest HD-2D game from Square Enix– Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake.
Having played both the first game and part of the second game via their Nintendo Switch ports, I’ve been eagerly awaiting these remakes especially after DQIII last year. There’s just something mesmerizing about the way the HD-2D style blurs the lines between modern and nostalgic even when I didn’t grow up blowing these cartridges. Getting a limited amount of time with the remaining two titles in the Erdrick Trilogy has only ignited my taste buds further and has me salivating for some scrumptious slime time.
In my brief encounter with Dragon Quest I, the visuals and fanfare immediately tickled the NES-era sentimentality squirreled away in my heart. Aside from the major visual and audio overhaul, Dragon Quest I seems to have been tinkered with minimally– at least in what I had played. Although, a major change has been added in the combat of the first game in this series. Originally, all battles were fought one-on-one meaning the Hero would always just be squaring up against one foe but in this version that’s no longer the case. This change seems to have brought a little more depth and strategy to enemy encounters that are more common in turn-based RPGs today. Even if that’s where the major additions to Dragon Quest I start and end, I’m not shaken up about it as ultimately this is a gorgeously presented way to engage with RPG history for a quick little jaunt through Alefgard.
Dragon Quest II however seems to have been graced with a few more upgrades to nourish my nostalgia seeking self. Just like DQIII last year, newly added quality-of-life features help guide both games into a more palatable journey with things like world traversal, auto-battling, and changing the speed of battles and text. Little tweaks like these help smooth out some of the rough edges rose-tinted glasses may shield you from remembering, but are also not mandatory to engage with. Other additional excesses to look forward to include new boss fights that offer additional challenge and continue to flesh out the remake experience for Dragon Quest II.
Similar to Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake there will be certain story moments that have more cinematics added to the presentation of both Dragon Quest I and Dragon Quest II, which in the moments experienced in my session at PAX East 2025 gave me more pixelated perfection to chow down on. Whether it was deep in a tomb searching for a tablet or surrounded by bubbling purple poison in a decayed building, these moments felt charged with more charm and helped punctuate the voiced dialogue that was being delivered.
The reality of Dragon Quest I & II is that not only are they old RPGs but they are coming out after Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake which at its core is a much more robust game. So without something like a sprawling job system, the first two games albeit are much smaller adventures. There’s always the possibility that there are more additions or changes lurking within the full release of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake but if there are those are behind sealed lips for now. Regardless, the quality-of-life improvements, the visual and audio overhauls, and the more game specific additions are shiny enough that these versions of these important games are worthy of your time whether your a series stalwart or looking to dip your toes into the franchise.
When Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake launches on all major platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2, on October 30th, 2025 I think it has the opportunity to be the definitive way to experience the legacy of Dragon Quest and the Erdrick Trilogy. Careful attention seems to have been placed yet again on honoring the original and expounding on things when possible. Plus, slimes have never looked this good as HD-2D continues to set the bar at how stylized pixelated games can soar and with each subsequent game they seem to outdo themselves every single time. I’ll be scrambling to secure myself time in an already overwhelmingly busy October here in Salem, MA but getting to experience Dragon Quest I again in this fashion and Dragon Quest II for the first time in its entirety has my excitement bubbling over like a familiar green slime.
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