Why didn't Dragon Quest V or VI get US releases?...

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:52 pm

This is my fav. traditional RPG series, with I-IV available on the NES, VII on the PS1, and VIII coming out this year on the PS2, I was just wondering why the heck V and VI never saw US releases?

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:32 pm

I guess it's because Enix went bankrupt or didn't think that the games would make them cash (the obvious reason). If you haven't played V or VI, you can download the games off the net and apply the translation patches on them.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:11 pm

I don't suppose V or VI on the PS1 have English language options, then?

OmegaFlareX · Post by **OmegaFlareX** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:55 pm

Nope. Last I heard (but this was quite a while ago), someone was working on translating both games, but there hasn't been any news. DQVr is for PS2, btw. I'm still hoping Square-Enix will bring it over, as their top execs are always saying how they want to make the DQ series more popular over here, and the merger will make that possible. If DQ8 sells okay (but I don't think it will), we might just get it.

I'm not sure why Enix didn't release DQV here. VI didn't make it because by then, their American branch had already closed its doors. As for V, maybe they took a look at the series' sales records and decided it wasn't worth it. DW1 sold 500k, 2 sold 150k, 3 lagged behind with 95k, and 4 brought up the rear with 80k. That seems like a lot to me, but you gotta remember, back then RPGs were nowhere near as popular as they are today, and they cost a lot of time and money to localize. That said, it's perplexing as to why stuff like BrainLord, 7th Saga, and EVO made it out yet their own flagship series didn't have a single 16-bit US release.

I remember being on Enix's mailing list in 1992 and they were calling all gamers to write Enix and request them to translate the DQ I-II remix. I did my part, but apparently the demand just wasn't there. At least now some of the missing links in the series are playable in English via emulation.

Someday, when I have a lot of money to blow, I'm going to get one of those Super Wild Card thingies so I can play the translations on the actual console. Or I could learn Japanese, but meh.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:23 pm

Anyone played Torneko: The Last Hope? It's supposed to star the shopkeeper from the Dragon Warrior games, and supposedly plays a lot like them.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:15 pm

^ Torneko plays like The Nightmare of Druaga by Namco which was recently released. Torneko is a per-turn-dungeon hack, so it isn't like the other DraQue.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:44 pm

Yeah, play Chocobo's Dungeon 2, which plays similarly and is also by developer Chunsoft, and you'll find out if you enjoy the dungeon romping gameplay.