Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Smash/Grow, the latest mobile entry in the long-running RPG series from Yuji Horii. The game is set to release worldwide in 2026 and deviates from the series’ standard genre to explore a roguelite RPG experience instead.
Let’s face it, Dragon Quest mobile games don’t have the best track record, with every single free mobile game from the series seeing end of service in the West, or never even making it outside of Japan. But I have high hopes for Dragon Quest Smash/Grow, which is the series’ first attempt at a roguelite dungeon crawler since 1994’s Japan-exclusive Tomeko’s Great Adventure, which is also the very first Mystery Dungeon game.
Roguelite and roguelike games are perfectly suited to mobile play, given their run-based gameplay loop that makes them ideal for short play sessions. As the name suggests, the two main aims of Dragon Quest Smash/Grow are to smash your way through hordes of enemies and grow your strength via Blessings and experience. If it’s even half as good as games like Hades, this Dragon Quest game won’t have any problems staying on the market.
Read the full story on Pocket Tactics: New Dragon Quest game features a Hades-like shake-up for the series
