also known as Dragon Quest II - Akuryou no Kamigami
NES / Famicom
🇬🇧
Reviewed in 1990
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✪ Reviewed on January 6, 2026
84
The sequel introduces the hero party and a broader quest. Already richer and more varied than the first. A great step forward that establishes the series formula. Still playable and enjoyable.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player7+
Description
Dragon Quest sequel with three heroes exploring a larger world to defeat the evil gods. Published by Enix, released in the USA in 1990. Three heroes with complementary strengths, expanded Alefgard world, new spells and equipment and more complex dungeons. Second Dragon Quest, pioneer of multiplayer RPG on Famicom.
Dragon Warrior II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Widening its world, the sequel enriches Koichi Sugiyama's palette with broader adventure themes and a famous overworld piece of melancholy grace. The music accompanies the three heroes' journey with constant nobility. This symphonic elegance, faithful to the budding tradition, leaves a lasting mark.
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Gradually gathering a party and roaming a far vaster world broadens the quest without betraying its momentum. Banking gold and experience to afford the next spell or the long-awaited ship sustains a gratifying advance. Some labyrinthine dungeons and difficulty spikes weigh on it, but the constant promise of a new power keeps the adventure gripping.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Gathering three heroes with complementary strengths across a vastly enlarged Alefgard noticeably lengthens the journey: sea travel, devious dungeons and balancing the trio multiply the hours. Forming a party and leveling it together offered scope unheard of at the time. A pioneer of the party RPG on Famicom, this second entry is still praised for its scale.
The US NES localisation of the second entry, rarer than the first in CIB form because few carts were distributed boxed in the US. The script introduces the three-character party, a key element seized on by American RPG fans of the time. Authentic CIB with world map, spells reference and intact manual is a known target for US Enix collectors, and the cote climbs steadily.
Is Dragon Warrior II still worth playing in 2026?
Dragon Quest II, released in the West as Dragon Warrior II, introduces a party of heroes and a more expansive quest. Already noticeably richer and more varied than the first, the title sets the series formula with three complementary characters, a wider world and a more ambitious magic system. Pacing stays slow by modern standards, but progression satisfies and the endgame asks for genuine mastery. Still a deeply interesting step to know today.
