The Best Changes In Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake

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The original Dragon Quest came out in Japan in 1986 and in North America as Dragon Warrior in 1989. This launched a hugely influential role-playing game series that continues to be popular today. Now, both the first and second Dragon Quest games – Dragon Quest 1 & 2: Luminaries of the Legendary Line – are available on today’s consoles with a beautiful HD-2D remake.

It’s no surprise that a lot has evolved since the original releases of these games, and they’ve both been updated before. But thanks to the changes in Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, they’re easier to enjoy than ever, and RPG fans won’t want to miss out.

The Difficulty Modes

Go Hard Or Invincible

Both games in this collection feature the difficulty options from Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. Players can choose between three settings – Dracky Quest, Dragon Quest, and Draconian Quest – and there’s even an invincibility mode to keep your characters safe in battle.

Honestly, this is a lifesaver for the first game, especially because you’re basically running around as a one-person wrecking crew. It’s super convenient with the autosaves – it saves after almost everything, like walking into a new area or finishing a fight, but thankfully you can still save manually if you want. Plus, there’s a handy guide on the world map that really helps if you just want to focus on the story and move things along.

The Expanded Story

And Voice Acting

The games look great, thanks to Square Enix’s now-signature HD-2D art style. The stories have also been significantly expanded, especially in the second game of the collection.

Both games include voice acting, but Dragon Quest 2 Remake really brings the characters to life with its party system. The voice acting is high-quality and works well with the classic music. While neither game has a speaking Hero, Dragon Quest 1 Remake’s Hero at least shows emotions through gestures, similar to Link in the Zelda series.

The Hero Faces Many New Challenges

Improved Combat

I’ve been playing both Dragon Quest 1 Remake and Dragon Quest 2 Remake, and while the second one is definitely more substantial, I actually think the first remake has some improvements! The original Dragon Quest 1 was pretty easy because you only fought one monster at a time. But the remake throws you into battles with a lot more enemies – as many as in Dragon Quest 2! It makes things way more exciting and challenging, honestly.

The hero in Dragon Quest 1 Remake is more powerful now, with new skills to defeat enemies. The game also includes difficulty settings, which are especially helpful for those new to RPGs. While the story is a bit simpler and the game is shorter than the original, it’s still enjoyable to revisit this classic title.

Sigils Are Now More Than Key Items

Upgraded Attacks And Boosts

So, in the second game, they had these things called Sigils in the first version, and they’re making a comeback! Basically, finding them now gives you some cool bonuses. Like, the Water Sigil makes your items even better. But the Soul Sigil is my favorite – it lets you turn your attacks into something seriously powerful when you’re low on health, which is a lifesaver!

These special attacks are similar to Limit Breaks in Final Fantasy, though powerful finishing moves like them actually appeared earlier in the Dragon Quest series, such as the Coup de Grace attacks in Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies. The original Dragon Quest Remake also featured special abilities called Sigils, showing how combat has changed over the years, especially for the main character.

Mini-Medals Appear In Both Games

A Carryover From Four

Mini-Medals were first introduced in Dragon Quest 4: Chapters of the Chosen. They’ve since been added to Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake and Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake. Finding them can be challenging, as they’re hidden in places like chests, barrels, and on the ground.

Honestly, grinding for these things is totally worth it because the stuff you can trade them in for is super rare. There’s also this Tombola thing, kinda like a lottery, where you can win even more awesome loot. The games themselves don’t have a ton of side stuff to do, so earning Mini-Medals and playing Tombola really add some extra depth and give you more to work towards. It makes the whole experience way more engaging!

The Ship Upgrades

Unda Da Sea

Both remakes include the expected updates like new characters, dungeons, and monsters. However, the second game expands on this with a significant addition: the Ocean Floor. Around the midpoint of Dragon Quest 2 Remake, players can improve their ship to explore underwater areas.

The game features a brand new world to explore, including dungeons and a mermaid town. This is similar to how The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom expanded upon the world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild by adding both underground and sky areas.

Expanding The Party In Two

Here Comes Matilda

The original Dragon Quest game let you control one hero. The second game increased that to three, and by the third, you could play with a party of four. This four-character format became typical for most future Dragon Quest games. Even Dragon Quest 2 Remake was updated to include a fourth playable character, Matilda, to match this standard.

Matilda is Caradoc’s sister, and while she was only a minor character in the first version of the game, she now joins your team. She initially appears as a temporary helper before becoming a full party member when players gain the ability to explore underwater. Adding Matilda to your group makes the game simpler at any difficulty level, and she’s also an enjoyable character to play with.

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2025-11-03 23:09