Dragon Warrior I & II (Game Boy Color, 2000)

First off let me say that if you like overly complicated RPGs/games and you get excited about FF8's Junction System, this game is probably not for you. If you like your rpg's simple then this is awesome. The story isn't intricate but it doesn't need it. I played the original back when it came out on the NES and loved it, this is an excellent port that got rid of some of the Look and Climb actions and just shortened it to one button push like FF or any other rpg. All in all it is a good game. Both of them that is.

The first TRUE jrpg. This is what inspired Final Fantasy, and if you like those games you'll love these two.

I purchased this game several months ago with my discovery of its existence. I used to play Dragon Warrior on the NES that was passed down to me when I was little, so I quickly searched on eBay for a good-quality copy of the GBC version.

DW is much easier in this version than the NES one. I remember spending hours trying to get to just level 7, and I reached it in the GBC in about just one. The most notable differences are the translation and the welcomed upgrade in graphics.

No more "Thou has done well," as the wording is now in plain English. Also, the fancy names of the NES game are gone, with new versions resembling their Japanese ones instead. Some old fans may be upset, but then stick to the NES. I prefer translations to be as accurate as possible, but that's just me. The newer games in the series (now called Dragon Quest) refer to these newer translations anyway.

I never played DW2 for NES and have not beaten the GBC version yet, but I can feel that it went through the same changes. I've played it in my spare time during the past week or so and mainly just have to level grind as I collect what I need to beat the boss.

DW and DW2 are classics. It's thanks to them that we have RPGs like Final Fantasy and Pokemon. Although they've been eased up considerably in the GBC versions, they still will take a chunk of time to get through. Plus, you have to keep in mind that you're getting two games on one cartridge, something you don't see too often. More than likely, you'll be getting it for the price of one game as well.

DW3, also for GBC, is part of a trilogy with DW and DW2. After playing these two games, you might be interested in the third. I just ordered my copy today.

I bought this game because my local Gamestop had sold out of their used copies (it's a long-time discontinued GameBoy Color game) And I had been a fan of the game for years. The only thing I dislike about this particular copy of the game, is that it occasionally freezes if i knock the game system the wrong way (more sensitive than most old game carts) However the whole transaction was great, and I'd gladly buy from this seller again.

Dragon Quest (also known as Dragon Warrior in the States) is simply the heart of the RPG genre. everything we associate from RPGs - random battles, turn based battle systems, exploring dungeons and getting info and equipment from towns - all started here. Dragon Quest II took the winning formula established in I, and expanded on it making for a more fleshed out RPG experience that still holds up today. to experience both these games on one game pak is an experience (and a history lesson) that no RPG fan should miss.

Dragon Quest I is the birth of the genre, and as is to be expected, is very bare bones. the story isn't much of one. it's a direction: find the princess and slay the dragon. most of your time is going to be spent roaming the land finding the items and weapons you'll need to do it. add the fact that you're travelling the tiny land of Alefgard alone (1 person party here, folks), and using a limited number of spells and weapons against an equally limited variety of enemies, and you have an absolute bare-bones, hardcore, classic JRPG. but those willing to tough it out will not only receive a great history lesson in the genre, but a nice precursor to the more fleshed out game of Dragon Quest II.

Dragon Quest II is a more fully realized RPG that expands nicely on the best elements of DQI. not only is the land you will be exploring 3 times bigger, but you'll be exploring it with a 3 member party of your standard RPG types - a warrior, a mage, and a sword swinging spell caster combo. the battles are more involving since you can commonly encounter up to 3 enemies at once. many of the glaring issues in DQI were fixed here - multiple save points! more spells and weapons to use! keys that don't disappear! all in all, DQII takes a good formula and makes it great.

both games are certainly showing their age. and taken alone, it's hard to recommend them to anyone but the hardcore. but put them both together on one game pak, and you have an RPG experience that is well worth the 30 hours you'll get from it. any fan of the genre simply owes it to themselves to plug this rare little gem, wrinkles and gray hairs and all, into their Game Boys.