I have to admit: I’m a sucker for these HD-2D remakes of the Dragon Quest games, and I’m more than ready for Square Enix to sell me everything up to Dragon Quest 11 at least one more time. Having reviewed the mobile port of Dragon Quest 3 when that came to Switch, playing through the HD remake version last year absolutely felt like a breath of fresh air, and it was good news following good when it was also announced that the first two DQ games would also be getting the HD-2D treatment. Spending about 25 minutes with each game during my final demo appointment at PAX West, my body is definitely ready for more of Yuji Horii’s classic turn-based fun.

In Dragon Quest 1, the Hero now has access to scrolls that bestow additional spells and abilities, and one result of this is that you have to be prepared for battles against multiple foes. One of my strongest impressions about the game was just how much more cinematic and lively it is compared to earlier versions of the game, as evidenced by the opening scene of the demo where a conversation was taking place between townsfolk and a swindler peddling the thief’s key. The added horsepower of the Switch 2 made the game look impressive and run incredibly well, and I even encountered an old friend from Dragon Quest 3 who thought he could get away with stealing the aforementioned swindler’s prized possession.

Dragon Quest 2’s inclusion of a new playable character, Princess of Cannock, was the most interesting aspect of my time with Dragon Quest 1 + 2 HD-2D Remake. The only downside to this portion of the appointment was just how punishingly tough the lighthouse dungeon was, which saw me running from more than half of the random encounters. The Princess appears to be similar to her brother in terms of being part fighter, part spellcaster, but she’s billed as more swift and seems to have a wider selection of offensive magic, rather than healing spells. Even with an additional party member, I was unable to fully complete the demo, eventually falling to the final boss. Had I my own thief’s key and a few more hours in the day, I would have stolen into a locked broom closet, grinded out another couple levels for my characters, and gave that lighthouse-guarding fiend the beating of a lifetime.

I was truly living the RPG life with headphones on and enjoying both early Dragon Quest games on the Switch 2. It’s funny to recall the experiences of playing Dragon Warrior and its sequel on NES, or the original dual-pack for the two games on Game Boy Color, and then compare them against Dragon Quest 1 + 2 HD-2D Remake. The attention to detail and elements like spell effects and the vibrant and colorful towns add so much depth and beauty to the game, without undermining the way beloved RPGs can enthrall with gameplay, systems, and story.

With Dragon Quest 3 being such a massive adventure, especially when put side-by-side with the first Dragon Quest, it wouldn’t be wrong to have some concern about the value proposition of Dragon Quest 1 + 2 HD-2D Remake. Does 1 + 2 actually equal 3 in this case? From what I’ve seen so far in terms of how DQ 1 and 2 have been elevated and rejuvenated, the answer is crystal clear. If you’ve ever enjoyed a turn-based RPG, the creation of HD remakes for some of the most important titles in the genre is something to celebrate, and this is going to be the best way to access them. Their release date, October 30th of this year, is one I already had circled on my calendar, and my hands-on time with both pretty much confirmed what I’ll be doing while sneaking pieces of my kids’ Halloween candy.