Top 20 Best RPG Series of All Time

#1. – Dragon Quest

# of Good Games in the Franchise: 9

Active: Yes

Dragon Quest is the most consistent RPG franchise (aside from Pokemon) and has higher highs than any other. The first game in the franchise was released for the Famicom/NES (and various PC platforms) and began the genre as we know it. Almost every modern franchise borrows from it. The first four titles were released for the NES/Famicom (and have all been remade for various platforms) and the fifth/sixth for the Super Famicom (again seeing remakes and re-releases on other systems). VII was on the Sony PlayStation but had a remake for the 3DS. Dragon Quest VIII saw release for the PS2 but was also remade for the 3DS as well as mobile platforms. IX is a DS exclusive to this day, and X was never released outside of Japan. XI is the most interesting of these as it was released for the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.

This franchise has almost no bad games. The only one is Dragon Quest II, but the unbalancing issues here were fixed in subsequent remakes. Dragon Quest X is the outlier because it was never released outside of Japan, but as an online RPG it’s not hard to see why. Aside from these each installment stands as one of the best in each generation it was released. This is due in large part to the fact that Square-Enix (formerly just Enix) hasn’t tried to re-invent the wheel like other franchises like Final Fantasy. Instead they’re constantly refining the experience. At this point the newer installments have some of the most polished and focused combat systems in the entire genre.

The Best Way to Play:

Most installments in the franchise are playable on mobile devices. This isn’t the best method to experience them, but it makes them accessible at least. I recommend playing the first three games via the Super Famicom or Game Boy Color remakes. Dragon Quest IV, V and VI are best on their original consoles, but the Nintendo DS remakes are good too. For Dragon Quest VII you’re best off going with the Nintendo 3DS remake, but the original on the PS1 is still good too. Dragon Quest VIII should be experienced on the PS2, IX is still a DS exclusive, and for XI I would go with the original release on PS4.

And there you have it. Please comment and let me know what you think!