Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King isn't far away, due to arrive in North America and Europe on 20th January. Following the excellent Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, its remastered form on 3DS will offer new features and content; these extras are confirmed to include two more playable characters, additional side-quests, new story content and an alternative ending.
In terms of the story Nintendo has released a new trailer to show it off, and it's typically charming - there's some enthusiastic voice acting, too.

Are you planning to pick this up in the New Year? Let us know in the comments.
Comments 57
Can't wait to play this game again. Played it maybe 10 years ago on the PS2. An absolute high quality JRPG and a high point for me in the Dragon Quest series.
Of course I'm picking this up. That's a silly question to ask.
I'll be getting this for sure
Dragon...Baaaaall
@Gonso Working on DQ7 to get me through December, and DQ8 to get me through until Fusions drops in February...the wait is real.
Had it preordered since it was announced so of course I am getting this.
Still need to complete DQ7. Sun & Moon had me distracted since their launch. xD
Can't wait to play it. This'll be my first time with this game. One of my most anticipated of 2017! After Zelda of course.
I do wish they'd include an option so the New 3DS could have a bigger draw distance on the world map though. It looks very bare.
Not sure if I want to triple dip for this one. I have a pretty long list of games I still need to get...plus I'm getting low on space...sigh.
I want it so much!!!
I still have to unwrap DQVII but I'm definitely getting this as well ! Will be the first time I'll play it.
@Nin10doh Why are you working on DQ7 when you should be working on Pokemon Sun/Moon?
This will be a day one purchase for me. Hope it sells well so that DQXI on 3DS will be brought over as well.
So why exactly are there four rpgs coming out within a week at the end of january? January of all months!? The only month in the year I am truly busy in? Geez ...
Definitely interested but have never played a dragon quest game before so I know nothing about the series
I really enjoyed playing VII and can't wait for this. My most anticipated game of 2017 except Breath of the Wild.
@abbyhitter
Because Dragon quest is better than Pokemon.
Can't wait .
This'll be my first Dragon Quest game as a friend recommended it to me over DQVII and as a good way to get into the series. I'm definitely looking forward to it!
Now if only my backlog wasn't already clogged with RPGs....
Looks nice, though I'm already playing DQVII so I'm not in a hurry to get this.
Preordered it. Just gotta finish IX and VII first, lol.
Are dragon quest games all independent, or should I play the earlier ones first? Should I get VII or VIII if I am new to the series?
@Thermoclorn They are completely unrelated tales every time. VIII is my personal favorite JRPG ever and from recently playing VII, I can say that it is still superior. Voice acting is charming as heck which really sells it, but the game is just a much more grand scale compared to VII. Does not have a class system. Does not need one imo. Characters are customizable to a degree as far as skills are concerned as each character can learn moves and abilities between 5 character specific battle traits but skills points are limited to how many times you can level up so maxing them all is not possible unless I'm hugely mistaken. ex: hero has swords, spears, boomerangs, fisticuffs, and courage while Yangus deals in clubs, scythes, axes, fisticuffs, and humanity.
Cant wait for dq8, tried to play my ps2 version several times but cd loading times... yuck!
Bring it on. Hope they bring dq 11 to switch too!
@TossedLlama VIII for both. It does not create the same rewarding loop as VII from jumping through classes, but the size of the world make it's side content (The Alchemy Pot and the Monster Arena) seem much more worth it. VIII has a wonderfully simple story that is full of memorable characters with voices that make them feel more fleshed out than VII.
@bolt05 Is something wrong with your console? The game hardly ever has to load more than a second for me. I still play my copy from 2004.
*edit: I play it on a PS3 so that might have something to do with my lack of real loading time.
@OneArmedGiant ...better than pokemon in every single way possible!
@sandman89 12 years ago this was my first. I got a demo for it in a Shonen Jump magazine and it sold me immediately. It's really good and everyone who can tolerate a JRPG should play it.
@DatFunkySmell i think i need a new laser unit from ebay for it but i keep buying sega and game boy games instead since i dont really use the ps2 much lol
@bolt05 The monster collecting could be better, but is still pretty good.
@bolt05 I may have spent around $200 on GBA games on Amazon and ebay in the last couple years. They've all been used too.
@DatFunkySmell ahh but dragon quest monsters exists on game boy and ds!
I see, you have the collecting gene like me lol was nes your first system?
@abbyhitter I had my fill of Pokemon after Blue on the Nintendo Brick...er gameboy classic
@bolt05 Never played them actually. VIII was my first, and I've since gone back and bought all the remakes and IX but have only enjoyed IX as much even though it was for very different reasons.
@bolt05 Yup.
I have all except 1&2 for gameboy. I like dq five a lot. I have not played 4 yet and not finished 6 or 9 yet.
My favorite game EVER, I am so excited for it! Can't wait for January!
I miss out on a few games because I don't support censorship with money, this will be no exception.
@giwayume I don't leave negative comments, but this is seriously your loss. The game is wonderful in all ways that are measurable. It's a silly, whimsical game that in no way benefits from it's original use of sexuality with Jessica or the implied beastiality(her bikinis were censored?).
If you can see all of the monsters on the field instead of random battles, how does the remake handle recruitable special monsters? I need Hackzilla in my life.
So... Angelo is Trunks.
Day one.
I really can't wait for this to come out. Can't wait to play this again. Played it on ps2 a bit but really looking forward to the 3ds version. January 20th, I'm ready.
@GeminiSaint Yeah. He's a time traveling, alien/human hybrid warrior from a destroyed future with repressed feelings for his estranged father. Or is it just a ponytail?
@DatFunkySmell thanks for the info!
I guess I will. I'm not a huge Square Enix fan.
@bolt05
I love your Faxanadu avatar.
@Tempestryke @bolt05 me too :3 I can still play the password screen on my keyboard/piano
I would really like a remake and/or vc release 😍
It's hard not to agree with @giwayume on this matter. Yes, it's a great game, but costume censorship is always extremely annoying.
@5t3v3n
That's very cool. I can't even play twinkle twinkle. XD
I want a remake and a vc release.
@Tempestryke Thanks!
@5t3v3n Likewise, Faxanadu is a great game!
Faxanadu is actually on the wii VC in some regions, so you might be able to boot your wii u into wii mode and get it!
@bolt05 I wish. I don't have any points.
@DatFunkySmell
It's not important to me what the censorship is, it's the principle. I simply want all Japanese ports to be handled like how XSEED does their ports.
@Tempestryke hehe. Practice x3 Maybe this guys rendition will tide you over
@bolt05 really? Sweet, I'll see if I can get it thanks
@giwayume You must understand how unreasonable that is. There are games that are explicitly intended to be consumed by Japanophiles. Xseed tends to publish those intentionally niche games in the west because they know how to market to that audience. Neither Nintendo nor Square-Enix does that. Nintendo and co want to make DQ a global success, with that being said, creepy anime bullpoop has to take a backseat. Blowing kisses at and shaking your tits at monsters is gross, regardless of if Xseed or NIS would have published it or not. But her Sexy attacks are still there if I'm not mistaken. She just doesn't get to be scantily clad anymore while she does it.
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