DRAGON QUEST XI S: COMFORT FOOD FOR THE SOUL

9.0 of 10 bananas. A warm, classic turn-based adventure with a party you will miss. Slow to start, impossible to forget.

By the Alpha. Nintendo Switch cartridge listing. Updated Oct 11 2026.

Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from launch reviews, critic consensus, patch history, and what is known about the game today. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.

Platforms: The Amazon button is the Nintendo Switch Definitive Edition. At my check it was sold by a third-party seller and shipped by Amazon. Check the seller and price before you pay. The Definitive Edition also runs on PS4, Xbox, and PC on Steam, and the PS4 disc plays on PS5. The Switch version runs at a lower resolution than the others, but it is the one I would take on the road.

Sit with me a moment. Some nights the troop needs fireworks. Other nights we need a campfire. Dragon Quest XI S is the campfire. I started it to relax for an hour and looked up to find the sun rising and my party arguing about which town to visit next.

What It Wants To Be

Square Enix's 2019 Definitive Edition of the eleventh Dragon Quest, created by Yuji Horii with art by Akira Toriyama. You are the Luminary, a reborn hero branded a darkspawn, and you gather a party to save the world of Erdrea. The S version adds orchestral music, a full 2D mode, Japanese voices, extra character stories, and the Tickington side areas.

What Works

The party is the heart: Erik, Veronica, Serena, Sylvando, Jade, and Rab are a family you will miss when it ends. Turn-based combat is simple to learn but rewards planning. The world is bright, the towns are charming, and the story keeps surprising you long after you think it is over. The Definitive Edition extras, especially the 2D mode, make it the best way to play.

What Breaks

Listen well. The first hours are slow, and the hero never speaks. Combat stays traditional, which some will call dated. It is long, with sixty plus hours for the main road. Some late quests repeat ideas. If you need modern action in your RPG, this is not your tree.

Who Should Play

Play if you love classic JRPGs, warm stories, and turn-based battles. Skip if you want action combat or a short game. If Persona 5 Royal hooked you on party bonds, this is the gentler, sunnier cousin.

Related: Persona 5 Royal, Final Fantasy Tactics, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.

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