The Dragon Quest series has graced video game systems since the mid-1980s and is still going strong today. In an echelon of series heralded as Japanese RPG classics that not many others have achieved; Square Enix releases a new installment in the ever-growing franchise with sequels and spin-offs galore. Dragon Quest Treasures is their latest release that tries to keep the long-running series fresh by appealing to the collector in all of us from completionist adults to children who are mystified by every new item or discovery they pick up in the world.
Dragon Quest Treasures follows the story of two siblings, Erik and Mia, who live in a Viking Longship and dream of a day to follow their journeys to discover grand treasures throughout the land. At the start of their journey, players will release two magical and mysterious creatures Purrsula (a flying cat) and Porcus (a flying pig), and soon discover Draconia, an island, housing two mysterious daggers (that conveniently allows them to talk to their animal companions) and a wealth of undiscovered chests and items.
When exploring Draconia, players will find that the land is packed with a myriad of monsters each with their own special fortes (exploration abilities) and spells or attacks to use to find treasure and battle monsters, respectively. Treasures is a unique adventure, however, there are a few other games people might like if they want that monster and treasure-hunting itch scratched.
6 Dragon Quest Builders 2
- Available on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox and PC.
Another game in the same franchise, sharing the same whimsical art style and creature creations; Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a mixture of the classic Dragon Quest games and Minecraft. Similarly to Treasures, Builders has players going out into the world fighting monsters and seeking resources and treasure.
Plus, both games have a base-building aspect to them. The more quests a player completes in Treasures the more they expand their base, while in Builders people can go out into the world to forage for materials and craft and expand their bases themselves.
5 Pokemon
- Available on the Nintendo Switch.
The Godfather of monster collecting and the next obvious choice for a game that relies on creatures to do battle for the player. Boasting exploration, fighting, developing relationships with creatures, and using them in battle as well as exploring the map with specific HM (Hidden Machine) moves such as cut and fly.
The latest games that are the most similar to Treasures would be Sword and Shield, and Scarlet and Violet as they are the games that have implemented the open-world concept in the series. However, Pokemon Legends: Arceus also makes a good argument as it has the same exploration and capturing mechanics as well as the rank system for improving the town.
4 Digimon World: Next Order
- Available on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, PC and Vita.
Digimon offers a similar sort of play experience, however, there is far more emphasis on bonds between the player and the creatures. Specifically, Digimon World: Next Order would be the closest playing experience with the ability to free roam with your monster companions by the protagonist's side.
However, there is far more emphasis on the battle; rearing the creatures to be stronger rather than recruiting them from the world. The stats of the Digimon are raised via a training system, whereby the payer uses the gym feature to raise certain aspects of their creatures such as speed or strength by getting them to run or hit a punching bag.
3 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch
- Available on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation and PC.
Developed by Bandai Namco, Ni no Kuni is a modern-day JRPG that is more narrative focussed than Treasures with a charming Ghibli art style, a lot of heart in the story, bigger biomes to explore and more human side characters to interact with.
Players follow Oliver as he journeys around the world to save his other and stop the encroaching evil. Players will use familiars (creatures within the game) to fight with and will level up, and evolve, alongside the protagonist. Very similar to Pokemon and Digimon, these familiars have a genus and a type that boasts strengths and resistances to certain enemies, so it also brings some strategy into the gameplay too.
2 Monster Sanctuary
- Available on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, PC, MAC and Linux.
Monster Sanctuary is a pixel 2D platformer where the player assembles a team of monsters from across the world with all manner of different special abilities and unique skill trees allowing for a deeper more tailored and customizable experience.
There is a Metroid-vania spin to the game encouraging the player to explore, solve puzzles, and overcome environmental obstacles with the help of the monsters. The battles within the game are a three-vs-three experience allowing the player to combine attacks from their monsters to perform devastating combos.
1 Persona Series
- Available on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox and PC.
Persona is a weird choice that comes from left field, however, the latest game in the series is often considered a neo-masterpiece of JRPGs, and it does contain little aspects of Dragon Quest Treasures that players may find fun to engage in. Instead of monsters, Persona has the player recruit demons to join their team and battle it out against demonic enemies and divine foes.
Persona 5 is the latest installment and is a lot heavier on the role-playing aspects with time management, dating and friendship simulators, and a far longer and deeper story. However, this could be a good series for those wanting a more in-depth, adult and darker story.