27th June, 2024 - Dragon Quest Monsters Haul!
Wow! So many monsters!
I was so excited this week to receive three whole Dragon Quest Monsters games in the post! More exciting yet is the fact I got all three games for only $30!
So what did I get? Well, I got three Japanese 3DS games that, through the magic of a modded 3DS system, I'll be able to play with fan-made English translation patches.
In recent years I have really fallen in love with the Dragon Quest series. Even more specifically, I really love slimes from the DQ series to a silly extent. They make me so happy! And so the Dragon Quest Monsters games are perfect for me as I can delight in as many slimes as I can gather.
Additionally, as the gaming world moves more and more into prioritising digital purchases, I'm excited at any opportunity to buy a physical game. I especially enjoy DS and 3DS games for this, as the boxes themselves are very pleasing and often contain fun goodies and surprises - as we're about to see with our first game of today...
Look at that gorgeous artwork! You can click to enlarge.
Ahhh, I really love the box art to this game! This is Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D - a remake of the very first Dragon Quest Monsters game for GBC. I really love the original game, and can't wait to see how it has changed for a newer console. Plus... look at the weird slimes on the cover! There's weird box slimes! A sprout slime! I am so excited to discover more.
Speaking of discovering more... Let's look inside the box.
Artwork peeping through the interior "windows" is my favourite thing about 3DS cases!
Look at all those monsters! Look how they peep! Ah, it's always such a delightful surprise to open up a 3DS case and see artwork like this. I feel like the form of the case here elevates the experience from internal artwork inside clear cases like Nintendo Switch games. Something about the windows are so playful.
The game also comes with a colourful folded manual, too. Of course I can't read a word of it, but I like having it all the same.
I appreciate the amount of illustrations included. It makes the pages appear a lot more playful.
Next up is Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luca's Marvelous Mysterious Key. What a title!
Unfortunately there isn't nearly as much to say or look at with this game. Unlike the first game, there is no interior artwork, and this one didn't come with any manual.
However, that's not to say there isn't plenty to appreciate on the cover!The swarm of monsters on the cover is very exciting, and I really like the character designs for Iru and Luca. Their big, round hats are so pleasing! I wonder if I get to choose which character to play as?
My favourite part of the back of the box is that wonderful illustration on the right. There's something so carefree and wonderful about it - and these kids clearly really love monsters! I want to share in their enthusiasm and play the game!
Iru and Luca will have to wait until I've finished the first game before I join them for an adventure, though...
Less whimsical on th surface... Where are the slimes???
Last up in today's haul is Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 3! What does the "Joker" mean? I've no idea, as I don't own 1 and 2 (yet)!
I've long been aware of the Joker games in the series, but something about them didn't appeal to me. They looked a bit edgier than the regular Dragon Quest vibes, and that was offputting. However, this was available for such a good price, I figured I would give it a try someday! Plus, maybe there are edgy slimes? I guess I would be intrigued to see that.
I don't have too much to say about the box art overall here, mostly for those same reasons. It looks "cool"? I like the horst the protagonist is riding on the cover, though. It seems like some kind of legendary creature.
Empty windows are sad windows...
We may be lacking interior artwork, but this game has a few paper goodies tucked inside! There's some kind of Square Enix membership(?) code tucked inside the case. Above the case, on the left, is an advert for a guidebook. The characters continue to look "cool" in a way that doesn't feel very Dragon Quest to me, but I am hoping that by playing the game I will grow to like them. There's also a manual, similar to the first game, that I'll open and share below!
As with the first game, I appreciate the monster illustration! And even if it's not 100% appealing to me, I can appreciate how "in universe" the design of this manual feels.
I wonder how many thoughts and feelings about these games will change and develop when I play them? It will be a while until I do, as I am currently playing (and really enjoying) Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. I enjoy imagining what a game might be like to play by looking at box art and manuals. Illustrations and screenshots present the idea of the game, and our brain fills in all the details.
Right now in my mind, these games seem huge and unknowable! I am excited about the places I will explore, and even more so about all the monsters I will meet. How many new types of slimes will I discover? Hundreds, I hope. Even though I know that's not reasonable.
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