It’s been seven years since Dragon Quest XI S was released on the Switch, and nine years since the original version . Is it worth full price for a Switch 2 release?

Firstly, if you’re curious about new content over the Switch version, this release is identical in that regard. All the content from the previous Definitive Edition releases on PlayStation 4, PC, and Switch is still here.

The big changes are purely graphical optimization modes for higher performance and resolution. There is no carry-over save data or anything else like that from the earlier Switch release.

So why isn’t this just a simple upgrade patch that is commonplace with other similar Switch 2 updates?

Put simply, Dragon Quest XI is an entirely massive game. It is arguably one of the largest and most complex role-playing games ever made and also one of the most ambitious Dragon Quest games in the entire saga.

Getting the Definitive Edition to work on the original Switch was clearly very difficult, but the game played wonderfully regardless.

So updating the Definitive Edition to work on the Switch 2 would very likely have been long-winded, complex, and subsequently expensive. Effectively, you would have to rebuild the whole game again from the ground up, art assets and all.

That’s why this is now a standalone release, and I am entirely fine with that.

If you’re curious about the previous releases of Dragon Quest XI , then you should read my original review and also my review for the Definitive Edition .

Moreover, since the earlier Definitive Edition was released, we’ve also had HD-2D remakes of the Erdrick Trilogy . This is noteworthy because Dragon Quest XI acts as a prequel to Dragon Quest III , which is the narrative starting point for the trilogy .

When Dragon Quest XI launched overseas in 2018, the earlier games had been somewhat forgotten, and the original Erdrick Trilogy was sadly very niche.

That meant that when the HD-2D remakes were recently released, the whole narrative was cleaned up and now bookends beautifully with the end of Dragon Quest XI .

So while the Definitive Edition of Dragon Quest XI on the Switch 2 is functionally the same game as previous releases, its context is now completely different.

Not to mention, updating a game as massive as Dragon Quest XI is by no means a trivial endeavor, so I still think it’s worth it as a standalone game.

Moreover, if you’re entirely new to Dragon Quest XI , then this version is most certainly the one to get.

It’s also a very slow starter in terms of how it pulls you in. You will be playing the game for a good few hours before it really takes hold of you. This was true for the original release, but it’s worth pointing out this slower pacing if you’re new to these games.

However, once you’re drawn in, this game is really unlike anything else.

While the recent Dragon Quest VII Reimagined was technically brilliant, it was sadly quite clinical. Dragon Quest is a series that has a certain warmth and charm to it, and that’s something that Dragon Quest XI truly excels at.

Overall, Dragon Quest XI S for the Switch 2 is definitely worth it as a standalone release. It’s easily one of the best role-playing games ever made, and this release is as superb as prior versions. It also has great contextual significance now that the HD-2D remake of the Erdrick Trilogy neatly ties into it. It’s also one of the best places to start with the Dragon Quest saga, and as such comes very highly recommended.

Released: 24th September 2026

Disclosure: Square Enix sent me a copy of this game for the purposes of this review.

Follow me on X , Facebook , and YouTube . I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently writing a regular column in Japanese about mecha games for Game*Spark .