It is truly unfortunate when a high-quality game like Dragon Quest disappears from the market simply because of one overlooked detail.
Think about a time when you were with friends and told a joke that didn’t get a laugh. Later, someone else repeated the same joke but changed the wording slightly, and suddenly everyone found it hilarious. You tried to tell it again yourself, adjusting the delivery, but the silence returned, making the moment awkward. That is essentially the story of Dragon Quest.
Dragon Quest was TSR’s official answer to HeroQuest, which itself was a simplified version of Dungeons & Dragons. However, Dragon Quest offered significant differences from HeroQuest and actually provided far more content than its competitor. Despite these advantages, Dragon Quest failed to maintain the popularity of HeroQuest, which is a shame because it should have succeeded.
There is one specific reason why it fell into obscurity, which we will discuss shortly.
50 monsters, 32 spells, 30 equipment cards, 10 traps, 10 special items, and 30 treasure cards. That is a massive amount of content.
A Beginner’s Introduction to RPGs
Dragon Quest was marketed as a gateway into the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Unlike HeroQuest, this game included a wealth of content featuring roleplay elements that did much more to pull players into the fantasy setting. The artwork is exceptional. Every item, monster, and character features an in-depth description. The sheer variety of monsters, items, and spells is impressive, even by today’s standards.
The game succeeded in making players eager to learn more about fantasy RPGs. It included blank maps and character sheets for players to create their own adventures, but it also came with plenty of pre-made heroes for those new to the genre.
The game came with 9 hero cards to play with.
Dragon Quest utilized a simplified version of AD&D, and its explanation of THAC0 finally made the concept click after years of confusion for many players. The items and spells are highly detailed and do much more than just deal d4 damage. They feature fully realized D&D spells, such as Hold Monster and Cure Lycanthropy (interpret that as you will).
The monster cards also feature fantastic art, which is excellent for players new to fantasy worlds who might not know what a wyvern looks like. Additionally, the back of each card provides a clear layout of their stats, along with a very detailed description of the monster itself.
To top it all off, the game included metal miniatures, which could easily be a younger player’s first experience with such high-quality game components.
Why Isn’t Dragon Quest As Popular?
So, why did Dragon Quest fade into obscurity when HeroQuest remains so beloved? If Dragon Quest did everything HeroQuest did and so much more, what went wrong?
Well, that is the thing. Dragon Quest forgot one thing. But it is a very important thing. It is the one thing that makes HeroQuest the greatest game in all the land. It is the sole reason Dragon Quest faded into obscurity.
There’s no
! If that’s not the reason, I don’t know what is.
