Dragon Quest games have been releasing since the 1980s, and after nearly four decades of content, there's a lot for fans to cover. Currently, there are 11 mainline Dragon Quest games, including the MMO Dragon Quest X. Each game offers a little something different while staying true to the series' formula, and while ranking Dragon Quest games on their own merits is certainly debated by fans, ranking them purely on how long each entry takes to beat is something else entirely. So which Dragon Quest games actually take the longest to beat?
Dragon Quest celebrated its 35th Anniversary in 2021, and after all these years, there are plenty of games for fans to enjoy. While the next mainline numbered entry, Dragon Quest XII, is still likely years away from release, the series has had numerous spin-offs like the Builders, Monsters, Mystery Dungeon, and Rocket Slime games. And even though quite a few DQ games still haven't made it West, the only mainline game to not be localized so far is Dragon Quest 10.
An offline-only version of Dragon Quest 10 is coming out this summer, but it's only been confirmed for Japan at the time of this writing. However, there are still ways to play the MMO in the West - and even without a VPN - which means some fans outside of Japan have still gotten to experience it in some capacity. Regardless, for the purpose of this ranking, DQ10 is still included. This writer's own playtimes were compared to those listed on HowLongToBeat to figure out a median playtime for each game.
#11 Dragon Quest 1 Is The Shortest DQ Game To Beat At 10 Hours
The first Dragon Quest game was released in 1986 before coming to the United States as Dragon Warrior in 1989. The original NES version still holds up pretty well, but in the years since, DQ1 has gotten updates on Game Boy Color, mobile, and (most recently) Nintendo Switch. Realistically, any version of Dragon Quest 1 will take around 10 hours to beat. However, frequent playthroughs can cut that time down drastically, and the Switch version can be completed within 4-6 hours if players know where to go. It's a short, sweet entry to kick off this great franchise.
#10 Dragon Quest 2 Takes About 15-20 Hours To Beat
The second-shortest DQ game is Dragon Quest 2. Set 100 years after the events of the first game, this entry expands on the world and exploration of DQ1. Players also have a party now (rather than just DQ1's single hero) and the difficulty curve near the end of the game can result in needing to spend a few extra hours leveling up. Most playthroughs will take between 15-20 hours, although the game is a bit shorter and easier on mobile and Switch.
#9 Dragon Quest 4 Takes About 27 Hours To Beat
This is where playstyles start to be important, as Dragon Quest 4 is a bit shorter than DQ3 depending on how it's played. HowLongToBeat averages its playtime around 27 hours to beat Dragon Quest 4, but with the wealth of postgame content available in newer versions, players will likely spend much longer with it. Much like DQ3, DQ4 typically takes around 30-40 hours to completely finish.
#8 Dragon Quest 3 Takes About 30 Hours To Beat
Dragon Quest 3 can take just slightly longer to beat than DQ4, with HowLongToBeat putting it at 28 hours on average. However, with customizable party members, a job system, and a twist that occurs about 3/4 of the way through the story, DQ3 can take closer to 40 hours to complete. Figuring in the bonus dungeon and postgame content that exists in some versions, the playtime will likely be a lot longer.
A player made headlines last year when they used a hot plate to speedrun Dragon Quest 3 in just over 22 minutes. However, newcomers and even longtime fans should expect DQ3 to take dozens of hours to beat. A remake of DQ3 is in the works, so it remains to be seen whether or not the remake's runtime is comparable to the original's.
#7 Dragon Quest 5 Takes 30 - 50 Hours To Beat
Dragon Quest 5 takes players through the main hero's life, starting with his birth and ending after his own children have helped him save the world. That's a lot of narrative ground to cover, but DQ5 keeps its story tight and concise, with most players beating it in around 30 hours or so. Postgame content can push that into the 50-hour mark, though, especially if players get caught up in its fun monster-taming mechanics.
#6 Dragon Quest 6 Takes Around 50 Hours To Beat
Dragon Quest 6, which is only officially available in English on the Nintendo DS or mobile, marks the series' turn into longer JRPGs. The latest versions of Dragon Quest 6 can be beaten in about 50 hours. However, DQ6 has pretty extensive postgame content, so completionists may find themselves spending 70 or 80 hours with the game.
#5 Dragon Quest 9 Takes About 50 Hours To Beat The Main Story
Like DQ6, the main story of Dragon Quest 9 takes about 50 hours to beat. However, what makes DQ9's completionist time so long is how much DLC and extra content is available. With multiplayer features, treasure maps to collect, and grottos to explore, players can spend 100s of hours with Dragon Quest 9. There's even an in-game accolade for those who hit the 1000-hour mark.
#4 Dragon Quest 8 Takes About 60 Hours To Beat
The postgame content in Dragon Quest 8 is nowhere near as extensive as the kind found in DQ9, but its story is a bit longer. Players can easily sink 60 hours into the PS2 version of the game, although the 3DS and mobile versions can be a bit shorter. On average, though, Dragon Quest 8 takes around 60 hours to beat.
Dragon Quest 8 does have a pretty impressive amount of postgame content, however. Players who choose to do all of it will easily find themselves hitting the 100-hour mark. Newer versions contain minigames like finding Golden Slimes, taking photos, and hunting down rare monsters, which can add on to playtimes, too. Morrie's Monster Arena is another bit of side content that can really add time onto a playthrough.
#3 Dragon Quest 11 Takes About 60 Hours To Beat, But There's A Catch
Dragon Quest 11 can take around 60 hours to beat, if players only see the first set of credits. The catch here is that there's a third act which essentially adds another 20-30 hours to the game. Some may argue this is postgame content, but what sets it apart from other Dragon Quest postgames is that DQ11's is vital to the story and characters. This puts its runtime closer to the 90-hour mark instead, and that's not including completionists' playthroughs. XI S, which adds even more content to Dragon Quest 11 thanks to Tickington and the Altar of Ages, can easily go into triple digits.
#2 Dragon Quest 7 Can Easily Take 100 Hours To Beat
The original DQ7, billed as Dragon Warrior VII in the States, easily takes 100 hours to beat on PS1. In terms of non-MMO Dragon Quest main stories, it has the longest. The 3DS remake of Dragon Quest 7 takes about 70 hours to beat instead and is somewhat more accessible. Postgame content pushes that number beyond 100 hours, but it's not necessary for enjoying DQ7's main story.
#1 Dragon Quest 10 Takes 100s Of Hours To Beat & Is Still Going
This may need an asterisk beside the ranking of how long Dragon Quest games take to beat. DQ10 is an MMO, which means it just has more content than other Dragon Quest games. Version 1 of Dragon Quest 10 can be finished in around 30 hours if players only stick to the main story, but each Version is easily the length of a full game. Currently, DQ10 is at Version 6, which means it will take upwards of 150 hours to beat - and content is still ongoing. However, for those purely looking at the non-MMO mainline Dragon Quest games, DQ7 is the longest.