My most anticipated mobile game of the year is finally on the horizon, and I was lucky enough to go hands-on with an in-development build for this Dragon Quest Smash/Grow review. While this version of the game differs slightly from the upcoming full release, it still builds on the fantastic experience I had during the closed beta and reveals more about the app's monetization systems.
As I covered in depth in my initial Dragon Quest Smash/Grow beta preview, the latest entry into Yuji Horii's iconic JRPG series is a free mobile game with roguelite elements, designed for on-the-go play in short bursts. A deity chooses you to save the world, naturally, so you head off on short, level-based dungeon crawls with your ancient robot pal, Roly, to grow in strength and take down powerful enemies in dangerous Rifts.
Based on my experience with the closed beta, and now with this updated in-development build, I think that Dragon Quest Smash/Grow is the perfect way to make the whimsical sense of adventure and heroism of the series accessible to players who don't have the time to sit down and commit to a full JRPG. The short and snappy level design makes it ideal for hopping on during a bus ride or a long queue, and the combat controls are simple enough for casual gamers without turning it into an idle game.
Of course, the game features Dragon Quest's immediately recognizable character and monster designs, helping to carry Akira Toriyama's legacy further and potentially introducing new people to his immense body of work across the games and anime industries. I love getting to create a character in Toriyama's style and see them take down enemies and go on grand adventures (even if I still have to choose between a masculine and feminine character model).
I mentioned in my beta preview that I'm already a gacha game fan, so Dragon Quest Smash/Grow's gacha-based equipment system doesn't really bother me. I did, however, receive a lot of helpful resources and currency this time around, and this experience has shown me that having the disposable income to spend on gems will likely help you procure the best weapons and progress faster.
This build also featured various game passes that will likely appear in the full release, letting you earn more resources if you're willing to buy them. I couldn't spend real money, so I can't share the price of a gem top-up, but I can say that you can purchase game passes with gems instead of currency, so they're definitely more free-to-play friendly than some games' battle passes.
Overall, this second look at Dragon Quest Smash/Grow has just made me more excited for the game's full release, especially as I'll get more of a chance to jump into the multiplayer missions with friends. If you're looking for a new casual mobile game with the flavor and flair of a 40-year-old series of the best JRPGs out there, I can't recommend it enough.
Plus, as you can tell from our Dragon Quest Smash/Grow interview with Horii-san and the game's development lead from Square Enix, a lot of care has gone into this project to both honor long-time fans' expectations and introduce new people to the beloved franchise.