Dragon Quest Facts for Kids

Dragon Quest (ドラゴンクエスト, Doragon Kuesuto), also known as Dragon Warrior before 2005 in some places, is a super popular role-playing video game series. In these games, you control characters who go on amazing adventures, explore big worlds, and fight monsters.

The Dragon Quest series is split into two main types of games. In the first type, called Dragon Quest, you play as human heroes. In the second type, called Dragon Quest Monsters, you get to play as the monsters themselves!

The whole series was created by Yuji Horii and is published by Square Enix. The very first game came out in Japan in 1986 on a console called the Famicom (which was known as the Nintendo Entertainment System in America). By 2013, ten main games had been released. Dragon Quest 10 is even an online game where you can play with friends! Besides the main games, there are also lots of spin-off games, manga comics, anime shows, and even audio stories based on Dragon Quest.

Dragon Quest is incredibly popular in Japan, where it's a huge cultural phenomenon. While it's not as famous as the Final Fantasy series in America and Europe, it has still sold over 59 million copies around the world!

What is a Role-Playing Game?
- How Dragon Quest Games Work
Who Created Dragon Quest?
The World of Dragon Quest
- Famous Dragon Quest Monsters
Images for kids
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What is a Role-Playing Game?

In a role-playing game (RPG), you take on the role of a character in a fantasy world. You usually start as a weak hero and get stronger by completing quests, exploring new areas, and battling enemies. As you play, your character gains experience points, which help them level up and learn new skills or spells.

How Dragon Quest Games Work

Most Dragon Quest games follow a similar pattern. You explore towns, talk to people to get clues, and then venture out into the world map to find dungeons or new places. When you meet enemies, the game switches to a battle screen. You choose commands like "Attack," "Spell," or "Item" to defeat monsters. Winning battles earns you gold and experience points. You use gold to buy new weapons, armor, and items to help your heroes on their journey.

Who Created Dragon Quest?

The Dragon Quest series was brought to life by three very talented people.

Yuji Horii is the creator and game designer. He came up with the ideas for the stories and how the games would play.
Akira Toriyama is the character designer. He's famous for creating the characters in the Dragon Ball series, and he designed all the unique monsters and heroes you see in Dragon Quest.
Koichi Sugiyama was the composer. He wrote all the music for the games, from the exciting battle themes to the peaceful town melodies. His music is a big part of what makes Dragon Quest so special.

The World of Dragon Quest

The worlds in Dragon Quest games are usually filled with magic, knights, kings, and, of course, lots of different monsters! The stories often involve a brave hero (or a group of heroes) who must defeat a powerful evil force that threatens the world. Along the way, you meet many interesting characters, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets.

Famous Dragon Quest Monsters

One of the most recognizable symbols of Dragon Quest is the Slime. It's a cute, blue, tear-drop shaped monster that is often the first enemy you encounter. There are many different types of Slimes, and they've become mascots for the series. Other famous monsters include the Dracky (a bat-like creature) and the Golem (a big rock monster).