Few game franchises are more popular than Dragon Quest in Japan, where its mascots (such as the iconic Slime enemy) are ubiquitous. While the early games in the series are best known in the West for establishing the archetypal role-playing game formula, its newer games have seen great success both in Japan and abroad. The most recent mainline entry in the series, Dragon Quest 11 S, made waves as the first game in the franchise to be released for an Xbox console. However, some Dragon Quest spin-offs remain exclusive to Japan, such as the Pokemon GO competitor Dragon Quest Walk.
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According to the theme park’s website, Dragon Quest Island will feature an original story that turns each visitor into a hero of their own RPG. Although no specific attractions have been revealed yet, the website mentions Zoma, the final boss of Dragon Quest 3. This could mean that the attraction’s story is canon, taking place at some point before the end of that game, or that it could be an alternate retelling of sorts. In that case, players might step into the shoes of Dragon Quest 3’s iconic protagonist, Erdrick.
Additionally, the attraction will offer exclusive merchandise and themed food opportunities. That said, it remains unclear how unique these aspects of the attraction will be. Given the vast array of Dragon Quest merchandise sold in Japan, it would not be hard to simply place the Dragon Quest Island logo on pre-existing product types. The same goes for possible dining options, as a Dragon Quest restaurant already exists in Tokyo. Hopefully, however, the merchandise and food will both be something even hardcore Dragon Quest fans haven’t seen before.
It appears that Dragon Quest Island is the first announcement for the franchise’s 35th anniversary celebration. Series creator Yuji Horii recently hinted at a series of major Dragon Quest announcements throughout the upcoming year, and a real-life attraction is definitely a good start. Even before the attraction was announced, fans have already been enjoying the new anime remake of the classic Dragon Quest: Adventure of Dai manga and television show.
Some fans may be frustrated by a lack of news about Dragon Quest 12, which is already in development. Dragon Quest Island doesn’t seem to offer much in the way of a Dragon Quest 12 tease, given its apparent connection to the earliest games in the franchise. Of course, this is just one of several planned announcements, and it wouldn’t be surprising for more sequel news to be announced at some point during the next year.
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Source: Kotaku
