“Dragon Quest Museum” Celebrates 30 Years of Classic RPG

The packaging for the first Dragon Quest cartridge.

Heroes from the different entries in the series line up by the entrance.

The packaging display shows nostalgic box art for past entries.

Replicas of the sword, shield, helmet, and armor for Erdrick (Roto) in the original trilogy created at the scale they would be in real life.

This view of Dragonlord’s castle in Alefgard is one of many scenes from the games on display.

Screenshots from the games appear under the pictures, which may represent what fans imagined as they played.

Wall art featuring minions of the wizard Hargon in Dragon Quest II.

Model of the sky castle Zenithia, which appears in Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI.

The dioramas bring back memories of past games.

The slime knight (right) was an unforgettable character for the author of this article.

Deciding whether to marry Bianca or Nera (Furōra in the original Japanese) was a big decision for the hero in Dragon Quest V.

The final form of metamorphosing final boss Psaro the Manslayer in Dragon Quest IV.

The player was hoping to pick up a treasure chest, but a sudden flood forces a hasty escape.

There are many interactive exhibits for Dragon Quest VII, VIII, IX, and X.

Original illustrations by Toriyama Akira show where the legend began.

Original illustrations of Dragonlord and other monsters.

Horii Yūji’s layout plans on display.

Sugiyama Kōichi’s sheet music. The venue also plays music from the series.

The museum café offers themed dishes like blue slime curry (front center) and snowy sanguini kakigōri, or shaved ice (back right).

Dragon Quest goods are also available.

There is also room for fan art in the exhibition, displaying a wide level of ability from elementary school students to professional-level artists.

The winning entry in the fan art contest shows a giant golem holding a slime in its hand. Creator Horii Yūji (right) presented the award at a ceremony on July 21.

There was also a contest to recreate the dance by Mānya, a character who appears in Dragon Quest IV.

Cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony.