Few JRPGs boast the impressive and triumphant use of orchestral music in their scores. Since the beginning, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Quest has used the expert direction of composer Koichi Sugiyama to fill its landsc🥀apes with emphatic, well-crafted tunes.
The battles have some especially buoyant swashes of splendor and luminous familiarity. You can appreciate it whether being engaged in combat or detached from it. Without further ado, here are the Dragon Quest battle themes ranked from worst to best.
We will be using꧃ all versions to ﷽evaluate a final judgment. That means everything– sans or con orchestration.
11 ꦫ Dragon Quest I: Random Bꦦattle Theme
Just because it does it first, doesn't mean it does it best. Considering most players don't know the , you'll be hearing this one a lot. It loops and drones on in excess. It feels very narrow and doesn't open up, build up, or use tempo shifts to increase interest and intrigue. It doesnꩲ't have the same amount of pomp that later entries have.
The SNES version feels more disorderly and wobbly. The orchestrated version feels the most complete, as it sounds like something from . As it stands, however, it is the weakest.
10 Drago𓆉n Quest V: Violent Enemies
Dragon Quest V's battle theme does little to differentiate itself from Dragon Quest IV's. The beginning part feels puny, and lasts throughout the composition. It's a bit too eager beaver, and that's not to say all Dragon Quest battle themes should have a hint of aggression. Usually, however, the underlying message is "goofy yet lethal." This doesn't have the sort of lethality that some🧸 later entries use flexibly– meaning there's no real payoff to look forward to. It never delves into both realms and is flat because of it.
Again, the orchestrated version takes the cake. It gives the song some nice w♚eight, with a vibrant string section and upbeat horns.
9 🔥 Dragon ꦿQuest X: Melody Of The Blade
This is a battle theme that most western fans aren't going to be familiar with. Dragon Quest X is an exclusive MMORPG which was initially on the Wii. It has now branched out to the Switch, PS4, and PC. It contains songs handpicked from earlier titles as well as brand new ♕composiꦰtions.
"Melody of the Blade" is sort of a mix between DQIX and DQII's battle theme. You have a similar breakdown along with an offbeat section nearing the end. It's a very motivational son෴g, but it's been done before. It d🐽oesn't dwell enough on the good stuff and moves a bit too fast.
8 🉐 Dragon Quest♑ VII: Fighting Spirit
Dragon Quest VII is where the series' battle music seemed to rocket launch in the right direction. It doesn't tꦚake itself too seriously and bounces to & fro from the absurd to the delightful. It kicks off in all the right places and gives the player a reason to believe they are controlling characters equally as gaudy & silly.
The orchestrated 🍰version clearly demonst🅰rates this.
7 ඣ 🉐 Dragon Quest VI: Courageous Fight
Is it possible for such a theme to sound so threatening? And for no good apparent reason either. "Courageous Fight," as noted by someꦑ, sounds more like a boss theme than a theme you'd battle Slimes or Kissers to. , along with inflections of flute in the DS version, gives it a fresh spin on other themes we've heard before.
Both the DS version and SNES vers🍌ion h🃏ave differences that make them fun to listen to, but ultimately the SNES version sounds the most uniform and retains that threatening aspect.
6 🧜 Dragon Quest IX: Build-Up To Victory 🤪
"Build-Up to Victory" is a nice diddy and memorable for a more modern Dragon Quest entry. Its fast-paced instruments surround and forbid you to get comfortable. It has this uneasy edge, prominently featured by the strings, switching from chi𓄧pper to angry throughout. The horns come in to further th🍸at feeling.
The song sounds best in the orchestrated form. As we've described above, it immerses yo🎃u and keeps 🌟you listening.
5 Dragon Quওest XI: Unflinchable Courage
168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Quest XI's battle theme goes the longest without looping. It hi𝓀ts you in sections beginning with a slightly comedic tone, transforming into some bold solos at a very hostil🃏e tempo. It's not overkill, however, and is consistent with what we've seen with some of the earlier entries.
The orchestrated version found in the Nintendo Switch version gave it a fresh coat of paint that the PS4 and even PC versions 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:were lacking. This is a separate issue altogether, and one that will hopefully be resolved come .
4 Dragon꧟ Quest II: Random Battle Theme
DQ 2’s Battle Theme starts hard, gets groovy, then takes on a lighter sounding note. It’s quick, hectic, prancing around you like a nimble hyena ready for the ﷽attack. The disarray works in its favor as it feels like there’s a threatening punishment immediately in front of you. Its unchoreographed ugliness is fantastically shocking and a bit funny at times. Most of all it gets you to bop your head— an extra sneaky tactic to keep you engaged.
The orchestra version is nice, but somehow the GBC version has the most character. It has the high and lows, mixed together in an eccentric chiptune package, without being as jarring as the SNES version or as modest as the NES version.
3 ཧ Dragon Quest IV: B💦attle For Glory
The goofy tumbling down of sound, the reusing of crescendos for tension and emphasis, the breakdown after the buildup, and the booming drums make Battle for Glory one of Dragon Quest's greatest pieces. Every sma♑ll and big sound fits so comfortably with each other. It is quite a treat to listen to and satisfying to the ears,
It is truly hard to decide which version is the best sounding�꧅�. Orchestrated followed by the DS version would make a good ranking overall.
2 Dragon Quest III: Rando🙈m Battle Theme
Dragon Quest III is easily one of the most famous entries in the Dragon Quest series. It is the first to include the clever 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:personality and systems. Its battle theme builds upon the escalation format of the last two themes with a l𒈔ittle more high alertness. The rapid strike flute and horn section pr𝓀esent in the orchestrated version really gives it a sense of urgency.
The GBC and NES versions are neck and n♛eck in terms of quality. It's hard to decide which one is better since they both have their own merits.