Funny story: whenever I sat down to play a tabletop RPG as a kid, I never saw myself playing as any sort of fighter. I figured I’d try to be someone who could so something other than attacking when in a party, so I always stuck with some sort of support class for the few times I got to join a group for a session. So when I found out that there was a spin-off game starring Torneko, Dragon Quest’s plump and lovable merchant, I couldn’t help but want to play it. Unfortunately, up until now, it’s been a Japan-only title, but things have changed with the arrival of, drum roll, Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon Classic HD.
That’s right, it’s that very game only now it’s finally translated AND looks darn sharp to boot. Running off Unreal Engine of all things, this formerly 16-bit gem is available on just about every modern platform, and lo and behold, it’s incredibly fun to play. Simple in concept, having you play as Torneko as he and his family have just moved to a new home, it’s up to you to explore the titular Mystery Dungeon, an ever-shifting location full of all sorts of riches and dangers.
If you’re new to this style of game, a quick refresher. Mystery Dungeon RPGs are basically roguelikes where you move on a grid and get to pick up all sorts of items along the way. Thing is, every time you move or perform an action – outside of turning around and checking your inventory – so does everything else on the floor you happen to be on. So it’s a good idea, as every single NPC will remind you of constantly, to face a monster first before swinging your sword.
Luckily for you, you can also fire arrows from afar if you have them, which brings me to another piece of valuable info to keep in mind: equip before you whip. That’s right, nothing is instantly placed in your character sheet when you pick it up, and you’ll constantly be upgrading your gear on the move, so be wise and be sure to keep a clean inventory as it’ll quickly fill up if you’re not diligent about throwing useless stuff away. Hoarding is a no-no in this game.
As you’d expect from a game tied to Dragon Quest, Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon is bustling with charm. Be it the characters that are pulled straight out of the mainline turn-based RPGs and the lovable sprite work, or the music which is quite catchy in this one, there’s not a moment playing this where you’ll be either listening or looking at something that’s not at least interesting.
Plus, thanks to its constantly shifting structure, not one run is like the previous one. On one hand, it makes it nearly infinitely replayable, on the other, a lot is left to chance when it comes to getting to the end. Sometimes, the odds are stacked against you and the difficulty ends up getting ratched up when drops that actually buff ol’ Torneko up don’t seem to drop, while the opposite can be just around the bend, allowing you to breeze through to the finish line. It’s the nature of this type of game and it’s what makes it so addictive.
In the end, I was enamored by Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon Classic HD’s whole shtick. For one, it looks good even though it’s not quite HD-2D like Square Enix’s recent throwback releases, and it’s a merchant’s bag full of fun on the go as a Switch game, the version I got to review. If this is a sign of what’s to come in terms of re-releases, then whoever is in charge over at that publisher, heed my call and keep these coming. Might I suggest the Slime games? Let’s go, you know you want to set those babies free!
