Dragon Quest 2 Walkthrough, Guide, Gameplay, and More
by Hemalatha R | Updated Apr 27, 2023
Dragon Quest 2
Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line is a role-playing video game that was released in 1987 by Chunsoft and Enix for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the second game in the Dragon Quest series and is known as Dragon Warrior II in North America.
The game is set 100 years after the events of the first game and follows the story of the prince of Midenhall who sets out on a journey to defeat an evil wizard named Hargon who has destroyed Moonbrooke Castle. Dragon Quest II expands on the first game by having a larger party, more areas to explore, multiple heroes and enemies in a battle, and a sailing ship.
The game was a major success in Japan, with over 2.4 million copies shipped for the Famicom version alone. Later, the game was remade for the Super Famicom and the Game Boy Color, and was combined with the original Dragon Quest game in a release entitled Dragon Quest I & II.
One of the major goals during the planning of Dragon Quest II was to create a more exciting combat system. The developers were inspired by similar multi-character party systems found in other games such as Wizardry. The artwork for the characters and monsters was painted by Akira Toriyama and then translated into pixel art.
The game faced delays due to game balance issues and technical limitations of the Famicom system. Some of the discarded ideas were later incorporated into subsequent remakes and the game's sequel, Dragon Quest III.
Dragon Quest II has gained a reputation as one of the most difficult games in the series, especially in its late game. Even in later ports to other platforms that made the game somewhat more forgiving, the game retained its reputation. Nevertheless, the game was praised for improving almost all aspects of the original game, including having better graphics, a larger world to explore, and a more dynamic combat system.
Dragon Quest 2 Walkthrough
You'll begin in the throne room of Midenhall Castle as the prince of the kingdom. Talk to your two advisors, the king and the minister, who will give you some advice and information about your mission.
Leave the throne room and explore the castle. You'll find some treasure chests with gold and equipment, such as a copper sword, a leather shield, and some herbs. You can also talk to the residents of the castle, who will give you some hints and rumors about the world.
When you're ready, leave the castle and head north to the town of Cannock. On the way, you'll encounter some weak monsters, such as slimes and drackies. Fight them to gain experience and level up your characters.
In Cannock, talk to the king and queen, who will tell you about their missing son, the prince of Cannock. They'll give you a key to their son's room, where you'll find a letter that reveals his location in the nearby cave. Also, talk to the residents and buy some equipment from the weapon and armor shops.
Leave Cannock and head east to the cave. Use the key to open the door and enter the cave. The cave is divided into several floors, and you'll encounter stronger monsters, such as magicians and ghosts. Explore the cave and find the prince of Cannock, who will join your party as the second member.
Leave the cave and head west to the town of Leftwyne. On the way, you'll encounter a bridge guarded by a soldier who won't let you pass. Remember this location for later.
In Leftwyne, talk to the king and queen, who will tell you about their missing daughter, the princess of Moonbrooke. They'll give you a ship that can sail across the sea to find her. Also, talk to the residents and buy some equipment from the weapon and armor shops.
Leave Leftwyne and head south to the port town of Osterfair. On the way, you'll encounter some new monsters, such as wizards and wolflords. Fight them to gain more experience and level up your characters.
In Osterfair, talk to the sailor in the pub, who will offer to take you to various destinations for a fee. Choose the option to sail to the north, and you'll arrive at the continent of Torland.
Dragon Quest 2 Guide
Here's a guide for the game Dragon Quest 2.
Start the game and watch the opening cutscene.
Talk to your two advisors in the throne room for advice and information about your mission.
Explore Midenhall Castle and find some treasure chests with gold and equipment.
Leave the castle and head north to the town of Cannock.
Talk to the king and queen of Cannock and get the key to their son's room.
Find the prince of Cannock in the nearby cave and add him to your party.
Leave the cave and head west to the town of Leftwyne.
Talk to the king and queen of Leftwyne and get the ship to find the missing princess of Moonbrooke.
Leave Leftwyne and head south to the port town of Osterfair.
Talk to the sailor in the pub and sail to the continent of Torland.
Optional: Explore the towns and castle on the continent of Torland for more experience and powerful equipment.
Sail east to the town of Rippleport.
On the way, encounter a tower with a wizard who will offer to trade you the magic key for the jailer's key.
Arrive at Rippleport and talk to the residents to get more information.
Head north to the Cave to Rhone and enter it.
Find the six crests inside the cave, defeat the bosses, and return to Rippleport.
Sail west to the town of Midenhall and talk to the king, who will give you the Eye of Rubiss.
Return to the Cave to Rhone and use the Eye of Rubiss to reveal the entrance to Hargon's Castle.
Enter Hargon's Castle, defeat the bosses, and confront Hargon.
Defeat Hargon and watch the ending cutscene.
Dragon Quest 2 Gameplay
The game takes place in the fantasy world of Torland, where the player assumes the role of a descendant of the legendary hero Erdrick. The player starts with a single character and gradually recruits more party members along the way. Each character has unique abilities, characteristics, and personality traits that add depth to the gameplay.
One of the key features of Dragon Quest II is its party system, which allows players to control multiple characters. The game also introduced a new battle system that allowed for group battles, as opposed to the one-on-one battles of the first Dragon Quest game. This provided players with more strategic options during battles, as they could give commands to each party member individually.
To win, players must explore the game world, talk to NPCs, search for treasure, and battle monsters. Battles take place in turn-based combat mode, where players must use their characters' skills and spells to defeat the enemies. Winning battles earns experience points and gold, which can be used to buy better equipment and items.
The game world in Dragon Quest II is vast and full of diverse landscapes, such as fields, towers, caves, seas, and dungeons. As players explore, they will encounter random monsters and NPCs that offer quests, items, and information. The game also allows players to freely navigate a sailing ship, which can be landed anywhere and used to explore remote areas.
One of the notable aspects of Dragon Quest II is its inventory management system, which gives each character an individual inventory that can hold up to eight items. This adds an element of strategy to the game, as players must balance their party's needs and conserve resources.
The game's graphics and sound were impressive for their time, with colorful visuals and a memorable soundtrack that helped to immerse players in the game world. The American version of Dragon Quest II also introduced a battery-based save system, making it easier for players to save their progress and return to the game at a later time.
Overall, Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line is a classic RPG adventure that offers hours of gameplay and exploration. Its innovative party system, battle mechanics, and inventory management make it a must-play for fans of the genre. Whether you're a veteran gamer or new to the RPG world, Dragon Quest II is a game that shouldn't be missed.
Dragon Quest 2 Walkthrough - FAQs
Dragon Quest II is a role-playing video game.
Dragon Quest II greatly expands upon the gameplay of Dragon Quest, featuring multiple heroes and enemies in a battle, as well as a sailing ship that allows for open-ended exploration. It also introduced a party system where the player gradually recruits more party members during the course of the game.
In the battle mode, the player gives orders to the characters on how to fight the monsters. Once the player defeats all of the monsters, the characters gain experience points and gold. The experience points raise the characters' experience levels, which improves their attributes and allows them to learn new spells.
Dragon Quest II introduced a number of new gameplay features, including multiple heroes and enemies in battles, a sailing ship for open-ended exploration, weapons that cast spells when used in battles, and individual inventories for each character, placing a greater emphasis on item management between the characters.
The game offers a few spots to save the game. In most of the towns, talking to a king or minister saves the game. In the American version, which incorporated a battery for saved games rather than the password system of the original, talking to the king also allows for the deletion and moving of saved games.