Dragon Warrior NES
Recent eBay Listings
- Dragon Warrior/quest NES NSTC cartridge £31.90
- Dragon Warrior II 2 (Nintendo Entertainment System NES) CARTRIDGE Tested £61.26
- Dragon Warrior - Nintendo Entertainment System NES - Game Cartridge Only £11.72
- Dragon Warrior Iv Nintendo Nes Game Cartridge -tested Authentic £131.66
- Dragon Warrior 2 Nes magazine print ad £1.17
- Dragon Warrior II (Nintendo Entertainment System, NES) Cartridge w/ Sleeve £65.18
Price History
| Date | Avg Price | Low | High | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-05 | £48.71 | £1.17 | £151.48 | 10 |
| 2026-04-04 | £35.91 | £1.17 | £131.66 | 10 |
| 2026-04-03 | £46.79 | £1.17 | £151.20 | 10 |
| 2026-04-02 | £33.21 | £1.17 | £131.29 | 10 |
| 2026-04-01 | £33.31 | £1.17 | £131.68 | 10 |
| 2026-03-31 | £33.39 | £1.17 | £132.01 | 10 |
| 2026-03-30 | £31.33 | £1.17 | £131.58 | 10 |
| 2026-03-29 | £30.94 | £1.17 | £131.58 | 10 |
| 2026-03-28 | £31.33 | £1.17 | £131.58 | 10 |
| 2026-03-27 | £45.01 | £1.17 | £150.03 | 10 |
| 2026-03-26 | £45.00 | £1.17 | £149.64 | 10 |
| 2026-03-25 | £44.95 | £1.17 | £149.12 | 10 |
Screenshots
Game History
Dragon Warrior was developed by Chunsoft and published by Enix in 1986. The game was created by a team led by director Kazuhiko Aoki and featured character designs by the legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama, known for Dragon Ball. The project was conceived as Enix's entry into the emerging console RPG market, drawing inspiration from computer RPGs like Wizardry while adapting the genre for console audiences.
The game was first released in Japan on May 27, 1986, for the Famicom console. It reached North America on September 1, 1989, as an NES exclusive, making it the first console RPG released in the West by a significant margin. The localization was handled by FCI (Fujisankei Communications International), which translated the game and adapted certain elements for Western audiences.
Upon its Japanese release, Dragon Warrior was a commercial success and helped establish the RPG genre on home consoles. In North America, the game arrived several years later but still received positive reviews from gaming publications, though it faced competition from established franchises. Critics praised its accessible gameplay and engaging story, though some found it repetitive compared to computer RPGs of the era.
Dragon Warrior is historically significant to collectors today because it fundamentally shaped console RPGs as a genre and launched what became the massively successful Dragon Quest franchise (originally called Dragon Warrior in English markets until 2005). The game's success demonstrated that turn-based RPGs could thrive on home consoles, paving the way for Final Fantasy and countless other series. Additionally, early copies of the NES release are highly sought after, particularly first printings and copies in pristine condition, as the game has become recognized as a landmark title in video game history.
An interesting development note is that Dragon Quest's creation was partly inspired by Richard Garriott's Ultima series, and Enix's choice to commission Akira Toriyama for character designs significantly contributed to the game's distinct visual identity and broader cultural appeal in Japan, helping establish the franchise's enduring popularity.