Dragon Warrior I&II

"The best GBC game yet!"

It's finally here. Now that Enix is alive again here in America, we have new excellent RPGs. If you've never played the Dragon Warrior/Quest series, this is the best place to start. This cartridge includes the original and the sequel. These were the first and, of course, most basic in the series, but they still have the feel of the rest of them. If you were a fan of the NES games, then you should buy this game now. There's the nostalgia, and the improvements are terrific.

Graphics: 9
These graphics are perfect! They're everything you want for a gameboy game, and they have the special DW 'feel.' The characters all look appropriate, and actually better than the SNES version. The world is pretty true to the SNES version, and looks better than the originals. Indoor places are nicely detailed, and have pretty good variety. The battles have attack and spell animation, and it looks pretty nice. The monsters look excellent, especially for GBC. Overall, these are great graphics.

Sound: 10
The standard of excellence that we've seen in all DW games is the same here. From the classic DW main theme, to the claustrophobic deep cave music, to the shrine music, this has a great soundtrack. The themes are the remixed versions of the NES version, and sound excellent. The sound effects are appropriate for their actions, and have no fault. The sound of this game lives up to the series.

Control/Gameplay: 10
The control is extremely responsive. There is no fault to be found here. The new command system is much easier, and now implements a subscreen. Most simple commands happen with just the 'A' button. Aside from being simpler, the actions are quicker.

Story: 9
So part 1's story has been called typical, but where else did the game that defined all RPGs have to start? It is simple and meant to be that way. Even though the story is simple on the outside, there is so much more to add spice. Unlike many other RPGs, the npc's in DW actually have a life and aren't there just to tell you where the next dungeon is. As for part 2's story, it is great. You must fight others who have been corrupted by a sinister cult, and you'll meet a bunch of interesting characters along the way.

Challenge: 9
The games are very much more balanced than their original versions. You won't have to spend all of your time leveling up, but you won't breeze through this game. As in all DW's, there's plenty leveling up to do, but the strengths are much better than in other unrealistic games. DW has always been more about exploration than big bosses. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in the unknown.

Overall: 9
If you like DW, or any RPGs at all, I recommend you get this game right now. This game is funner than many of the newer RPGs, and there's nothing on GBC that can touch it. If nostalgia is your thing, this is the ultimate experience.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/12/00, Updated 11/12/00