- Pronouns
- he/him
Quick Facts
| Release date: | 2023/12/01 |
| Platforms: | Nintendo Switch |
| Genre: | Turn-Based RPG, Monster Collecting |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Rating: | PEGI 12, USK 12, ESRB T, CERO B |
| File size: | 4.2 GB |
| Physical release: | Standard Edition |
| Demo: | available on Nintendo eShop |
| Voices: | Japanese, English |
| Text: | Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German, Italian |
Dragon Quest Monsters’ 25th Anniversary
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince (titled Dragon Quest Monsters 3 in Japan) commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off series, which first debuted on Game Boy in 1998. It ties into the story of Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen, while being its own, standalone experience. So in case you haven’t played DQ4 – don’t worry about it! And if you never played a Monsters game before, this looks like the perfect place to start.Gameplay
Dragon Quest Monsters is a monster collecting RPG with turn-based battles, similar to Pokémon and especially Shin Megami Tensei. In terms of game mechanics, it leans a lot more heavily towards the latter.Like in SMT, DQM allows for monsters to be fused to create new species through a process called Synthesis. Your active party consists of up to four monsters being deployed simultaneously, and instead of catching monsters, you have to convince them to join the party – though DQM doesn’t have monsters interrogating you like SMT does, leaving it instead to a percentage based chance that can vary depending on the makeup of your current active party and the targeted monster. You can increase your chances by tossing them something to snack on, if you like. And in some instances, a defeated monster will jump on its feet again and ask to join you.
When creating your party, one thing to keep in mind is that monsters come in different sizes, and this affects how many of them you can send into battle simultaneously. Small monsters act once per turn, and take up one of your four active slots each. Large monsters act multiple times per turn and have higher attributes than their small counterparts, at the cost of taking up two slots each. Depending on your preference, battles play out either with monsters acting on their own after having been assigned a tactical role, or through direct commands. Aside from your four active slots, there are also four reserve slots at your disposal.
Characters
Psaro: The game’s main protagonist. A demihuman who has been cursed by his father, the Master of Monsterkind, and is now unable to harm anyone with monster blood coursing through their veins. In order to exert his vengeance, he becomes a Monster Wrangler. Physically incapable of smiling.
Rose: Early on in the game’s story, this gentle, kind-hearted elven girl finds herself on the run, ends up being saved by Psaro, and swiftly decides to follow and aid him on his quest to attack and dethrone his father as a companion. Has the cutest shoes, and she knows it.
Toilen Trubble: A researcher of magic, this young lad joins Psaro to scour the underworld, Nadiria, for magical ingredients and other treasures that can’t be found in the human world. Fell victim to the worst dad joke, and can’t afford pants his size after having spent all his moolah on that spiffing cane.
Fizzy: A mysterious little fuzzball who sees potential in Psaro, chooses to show him the ropes, and continues to aid him on his journey to become the very best Monster Wrangler, like no one ever was. Has never seen a doctor’s office from the inside thanks to one simple trick.
Monsters
There’s over 500 (yes, more than five-hundred) different monsters to collect in this game, including all-time favourites, but also brand spanking new ones! For example, check out Vegandragora, Ronin Raccoon, and the absolutely brilliant Goomulonimbus, which is not only a fantastic pun, but has instantaneously become one of my favourite monster designs in all of Dragon Quest.
Nadiria
Besides the human world, Terrestria, Psaro’s adventure will take you to the underworld Nadiria, where the bulk of this adventure takes place. It is split into a number of distinct realms, called Circles, each of which is comprised of a Lower, Middle, and Upper Echelon. Different monsters made their home in different parts of the worlds, and both weather and seasonal changes will affect which ones you will be able to find at any given time as well.
Different parts of each area will also become available based on the current season. Waterfalls may freeze up, revealing a hidden cave. Vines may spurt up, allowing you to climb to previously inaccessible sections.
Players who have previously enjoyed Dragon Quest IV will also be able to return to some iconic locations of that game, including Rose Hill, Diabolic Hall, and Zenithia. You will also be able to test the mettle of your team of monsters in the Endor Colosseum.
Online Functionality
Last but not least, there are different online modes to check out. Feeling competitive? Jump into Online Battles for some ranked matches or tournaments, earning rare accessories and other goodies as you rise in ranks. You can battle your friends, too! There’s also Quickfire Contests, tournaments in which the data of 30 players is used to simulate the outcome of battles instantaneously, allowing you to earn one reward per day. The Online Shop offers different wares every 24 hours depending on your story progress, so make sure to check in regularly. You wouldn’t want to miss out on those sweet, sweet deals.Downloadable Content
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about this. There’s three DLC packs included in the Digital Deluxe Edition that are also available to be purchased individually: Treasure Trunks, featuring a chest that spawns one out of 10 items every hour; Coach Joe’s Dungeon Gym, which contains randomly generated challenge dungeons; and The Mole Hole, which contains dungeons that make it easier to recruit monsters you have previously formed bonds with. Each pack includes an alternative outfit for Psaro. There’s also a pre-order bonus that applies to the retail version and standard digital version as well.
One last thing...
As a closer to this OP, I would like to ask a simple question: Which is your favourite monster design in the Dragon Quest series, and why? Whether you’ve had a clear favourite for years or have a hard time narrowing it down, I’m looking forward to everyone’s answers, and will make sure to post my own.Other than that…
Have a gooreat time, everyone!
You might also want to check out:
Official English WebsitePress Kit
eShop
Pre-release Thread (archived)
