History YMMV / DragonQuestMonsters

** The Boss monsters, or Demon Lords as they're also called, as expected with them being the final bosses and major antagonists from across the Dragon Quest series. Incredibly powerful (with the strongest ones being the outright strongest monsters in the game), typically have access to very powerful skills either natively or from the breeding you'll have to do to get them, and in the first two games, they were all outright immune to any sort of status effect and stat-lowering move, while not having any sort of weakness like the Metal Slimes' low HP to balance out their status-immunity. Through skilled (and lucky) breeding, it's even possible to breed some of the strongest ones like DarkDrium/Nokturnus to be completely immune to all sources of damage other than basic attacks and Megamagic/Magic Burst.

* NightmareFuel: [[spoiler:''Dr. Snapped.'' As the final boss of the game, he's obviously going to transform, right? Except the resulting form is overqualified for EvilIsVisceral and manages to put the whole [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIV Psaro]] transformation sequence to shame.]]

** The Boss monsters, or Demon Lords as they're also called, as expected with them being the final bosses and major antagonists from across the Dragon Quest series. Incredibly powerful (with the strongest ones being the outright strongest monsters in the game), typically have access to very powerful skills either natively or from the breeding you'll have to do to get them, and in the first two games, they were all outright immune to any sort of status effect and stat-lowering move, while not having any sort of weakness like the Metal Slimes' low HP to balance out their status-immunity. Through skilled (and lucky) breeding, it's even possible to breed some of the strongest ones like Darkdrium/Nockturnus to be completely immune to all sources of damage other than basic attacks and Megamagic/Magic Burst.

* ContestedSequel: The latter entries, especially the ''Joker'' series as a whole compared to the first two games. ''Caravan Heart'' is frequently seen as the OddballInTheSeries, which tends to lend itself to less than favorable opinions. ''Joker 1'' attempts to shake up the formula with 3D models, a new location, gameplay that's more inline with the main series, and a new cast. However many find it a case of PolygonCeiling for the former point, and TheyChangedItNowItSucks for the latter and the overall sentiment. While many find ''Joker 2'' to be a fine game [[BadExportForYou in terms of the Professional version and not the original]], comparisons on whether it does more to bring it in line with the quality of the first two installments, or if it's still inferior.

* ContestedSequel: The latter entries, especially the ''Joker'' series as a whole compared to the first two games. ''Caravan Heart'' is frequently seen as TheOddballInTheSeries, which tends to lend itself to less than favorable opinions. ''Joker 1'' attempts to shake up the formula with 3D models, a new location, gameplay that's more inline with the main series, and a new cast. However many find it a case of PolygonCeiling for the former point, and TheyChangedItNowItSucks for the latter and the overall sentiment. While many find ''Joker 2'' to be a fine game [[BadExportForYou in terms of the Professional version and not the original]], comparisons on whether it does more to bring it in line with the quality of the first two installments, or if it's still inferior.

* ThatOneLevel: In [=DQM2=], among the randomly generated magic key worlds, the "Lord" keys are especially horrifying. These worlds are filled with only the ??? family monsters, known as Demon Lords (which are the final bosses of previous games, as well as "evolved" versions of them). They're all [[BossInMookClothing extremely powerful]], while being pretty much immune to all status moves with loads of other resistances. Not only do you have Demon Lords running around everywhere, but you have incredibly buffed versions of these already incredibly powerful monsters serving as the world's bosses, and if your party was strong enough for magic key worlds to have 4 star end bosses, you will have one of the 4 star Demon Lords serving as the world's final boss (which are the strongest monsters in the game). While these worlds are incredibly difficult and dangerous, the Demon Lords provide an insane amount of experience, and as such, these worlds can be used for some [[PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling very fast levelling]].

** Joker 2 polished the good but clunky gameplay of its predecessor with environments that were more visually appealing and a story that was more engaging. It also had a much better post-game, whichcontains one of the most memorable villains in the series.

** Joker 2 polished the good but clunky gameplay of its predecessor and had a much better post-game, which has one of the most memorable villains in the series.

** The island sinking in ''Monsters 2''. Every chapter, more and more of the land sinks. Nobody is willing to leave. Eventually you have to cross water just to get in a building...
* NintendoHard: The main reason Joker 3 never made it out of Japan was it was much ''much'' harder than the usual DQM game. The game does not hold back with its brutal bosses and loves to have extremely powerful monsters you can't possibly beat until later in areas with otherwise normal enemies.

* TearJerker: The DarkestHour ending of ''Monsters 2'', with the island apparently doomed. [[spoiler: Good news is you save it after finally finding a plug.]]

** Also in the second game's postgame, there's the aforementioned Soul world, which is just two screens large with no random encounters nor any story to it, and consists of a tower with just six boss fights that are too easy for a final BonusDungeon, with its final boss being especially disappointing as covered prior. Then the rewards for being it are insulting, just being normal items you can buy and equipment you can already find in the dungeons of the magic key worlds.

* DisappointingLastLevel: In [=DQM2=], as the main worlds grew increasingly larger and more elaborate, with a thorough story each and a wide variety of inhabitant monsters, the final main world Limbo consists entirely of a small island about six screens large, with just a few random encounters and nothing but the entrance to the final boss' castle. Then inside that castle, you just fight your rival one final time, then progress through the castle, which just consists of a room about eight screens large with no obstacles but the same few random encounters you fought outside in Limbo, and then the final boss' throne room, where you just fight the final boss. If you came into Limbo sufficiently strong enough to beat the final boss, you could clear Limbo in just five-ten minutes (the only thing that keeps you from clearing Limbo instantly is the likely ForcedLevelGrinding you'll have to do to beat the guard and the final boss). The vast post-game content keeps the game from ending on a disappointing note though.

* EvenBetterSequel: Joker 2 polished the good but clunky gameplay of its predecessor and had a much better post-game, which has one of the most memorable villains in the series.

** Metal Slime class monsters. Immune to magic. Immune to most status effects (with the exception of "waste a turn" effects). Utterly disgusting amounts of defense and agility. Great magic casting and mana scores. The only downside is they have jack and squat for hit points, the higher end ones having a single or double digit cap. Oh, and [[MagikarpPower they level up on a level approaching the glacial.]] Still, make one your healer and not only will your other monsters never die, the enemy AI will constantly cause them to attack your Metal Slime, who will shrug it off.
*** Taken even higher in ''Terry's Wonderland'', where you not only can get a King Metal Slime by midgame, but can also make a '''Goldslime''' if you play your cards right. It requires plenty of planning and foregoing a Blizzardy earlier on, but the rest of the game just crumbles in front of one of the strongest monsters in the game.[[note]]You get it by breeding a Lavaman (who you get in turn by breeding a Metaldrak (which requires its own chain) with a Zapbird, the 13 minimedal reward monster) with the Iceman you're offered to breed with after beating an early tournament, which gives a Gold Golem. Breeding that with a Kingslime in turn gives the Goldslime.[[/note]]
** Rainhawks, made by breeding a Blizzardy and Phoenix, are immune to all fire and ice attacks and can use such moves themselves, have excellent attack, defense, and magic, and if leveled properly can defeat [=GemSlimes=] and the like with basic attacks. They also have sizable HP.

* SequelDifficultyDrop: The second game is significantly easier than the first in the main story, as in the first game, the random encounters are relatively stronger and possess more powerful/dangerous skills, the bosses are significantly harder, it requires you to complete every Arena rank while there's more Arena ranks with much more difficult teams to beat, you gain a lot less experience from battles, stronger monster species are a lot rarer to find as random encounters, and being wiped out makes you lose your items in addition to half your money. The first game also lacks several of the stronger monsters in the second game, limiting strong breeding options, and its worlds functioning as roguelike dungeons ups the difficulty as well.

* NightmareFuel: [[spoiler:Dr. Snapped]]

* ThatOneBoss: In [=DQM2=], the [[spoiler:King Squid]], a bonus boss that appears after you clear the Pirate World, which is under the half way point of the game. Despite the early access to it, it has stats similar to those of the final two solo bosses in the main game, as well as an attack skill in Tidal Wave that hits your entire party and can deal up to 150 HP in damage to each monster (at the end of Pirate, your HP is likely to be under 100 or just above it, and without some good breeding and grinding, your monsters are unlikely to get enough HP to withstand two Tidal Waves without resistance by the time you gain access to the final world Limbo). It additionally has Pani Dance to spread the dangerous confusion status among your entire party, a monstrous attack stat to hit you really hard without Tidal Wave, and a titanic 2500 HP to take a hell of a beating before going down (while being able to 2HKO your entire party in one move). You have no hope of beating it when you first gain access to it, and it'll take a very long time before you could reasonably stand up to it. Even by the time you can take it on without being crushed instantly, it'll give you a hell of a battle without a lot of over levelling.

** Then they went all the way with Joker, vastly lowering the monster count, adding VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII style skilltrees, and removing all the randomization all in an attempt to make the game work in 3D. Joker 2 undid some of these changes -- the traits and skilltree system remain, but there is much more randomization (although the maps are still static, the monsters in them are incredibly varied) and the reintroduction of palette swaps and the addition of monster size plateaus pleased the fans.

* EvenBetterSequel: Joker 2 polished the good but clunky gameplay of its predecessor and had a much better post-game.

* PolishedPort: The 3DS remake of Terry's Wonderland combines the best gameplay elements of the original game and the Joker games, adds in a ton more monsters, adds more to the story and world building, and completely overhauled the post-game. [[NoExportForYou Sadly it was never released outside of Japan,]] though thankfully a fan translation exists for those who don't mind emulating the game.
* TearJerker: The DarkestHour ending of ''Monsters 2'', with the island apparently doomed.

* ThatOneLevel: In [=DQM2=], among the randomly generated magic key worlds, the "Lord" keys are especially horrifying. These worlds are filled with only the ??? family monsters, known as Demon Lords (which are the final bosses of previous games, as well as "evolved" versions of them). They're all [[BossInMookClothing extremely powerful]], while being pretty much immune to all status moves with loads of other resistances. Not only do you have Demon Lords running around everywhere, but you have incredibly buffed versions of these already incredibly powerful monsters serving as the world's bosses, and if your party was strong enough for magic key worlds to have 4 star end bosses, you will have one of the 4 star Demon Lords serving as the world's final boss (which are the strongest monsters in the game). While these worlds are incredibly difficult and dangerous, the Demon Lords provide an inane amount of experience, and as such, these worlds can be used for some [[PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling very fast levelling]].

* PolishedPort: The 3DS remake of Terry's Wonderland combines the best elements of the original game and the Joker games, adds in a ton more monsters, added more to the main story, and improved the post-game. [[NoExportForYou Sadly it was never released outside of Japan,]] though thankfully a fan translation exists for those who don't mind emulating the game.

** Rainhawks, made by breeding and Blizzardy and Phoenix, are immune to all fire and ice attacks and can use such moves themselves, have excellent attack, defense, and magic, and if leveled properly can defeat [=GemSlimes=] and the like with basic attacks.

** The opening to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKhVIej4hnE Dragon Quest Monsters: Battle Road Victory]]. Every DQ big bad, from 1 to 9. Every Dragon Quest hero, ''fighting the '''wrong''' big bad''. The ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'' hero giving a silent nod to the two kids, who rush up to fight the ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' version of Satan (Nockturnus) and Beelzebub (Estark), ''alone''. Humanoid!Psaro [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle jumping out of nowhere]] to take the kids on himself. The whole thing is absolutely nuts and ''seriously'' needs a localization.

* CaptainObviousReveal - In the first game, the only real ongoing plot elements are that your sister is missing and Greatlog has a new champion that you're going to have to fight at some point. Half the NPCs seem to know about the champion, but conspicuously omit mentioning what this person's name is, what they look like, or anything else about them. [[spoiler:Sure enough, your sister is that champion.]]
* DisappointingLastLevel - In [=DQM2=], as the main worlds grew increasingly larger and more elaborate, with a thorough story each and a wide variety of inhabitant monsters, the final main world Limbo is a very anti-climatic end. Limbo consists entirely of a small island about six screens large, with just a few random encounters and nothing but the entrance to the final boss' castle. Then inside that castle, you just fight your rival one final time, then progress through the castle, which just consists of a room about eight screens large with no obstacles but the same few random encounters you fought outside in Limbo, and then the final boss' throne room, where you just fight the final boss. If you came into Limbo sufficiently strong enough to beat the final boss, you could clear Limbo in just five-ten minutes (the only thing that keeps you from clearing Limbo instantly is the likely ForcedLevelGrinding you'll have to do to beat the final boss). The vast post-game content keeps the game from ending on such a disappointing note though.

* GameBreaker - Metal Slime class monsters. Immune to magic. Immune to most status effects (with the exception of "waste a turn" effects). Utterly disgusting amounts of defense and agility. Great magic casting and mana scores. The only downside is they have jack and squat for hit points, the higher end ones having a single or double digit cap. Oh, and [[MagikarpPower they level up on a level approaching the glacial.]] Still, make one your healer and not only will your other monsters never die, the enemy AI will constantly cause them to attack your Metal Slime, who will shrug it off.
* GoddamnedBats - Any monster with a permanent status effect such as poison, or one that drains mana.
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome - Your first time catching a MetalSlime. Your first time creating your favorite boss from the original games. Winning your first online tournament match. Capturing your first Size 3 monster in ''Joker 2'' (monsters so big they count as a party in and of themselves).
** Holy crap, the opening to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKhVIej4hnE Dragon Quest Monsters: Battle Road Victory]]. Every DQ big bad, from 1 to 9. Every Dragon Quest hero, ''fighting the '''wrong''' big bad''. The ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'' hero giving a silent nod to the two kids, who rush up to fight the ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' version of Satan (Nockturnus) and Beelzebub (Estark), ''alone''. Humanoid!Psaro [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle jumping out of nowhere]] to take the kids on himself. The whole thing is absolutely nuts and ''seriously'' needs a localization.

* NightmareFuel - [[spoiler:Dr. Snapped]]

* PlayerPunch - Most strongly seen in Caravan Heart. Only really apt if you played VideoGame/DragonQuestI and/or VideoGame/DragonQuestII, especially if you did so as a kid. Nothing comes close to calling the player '''OLD''' than seeing the kingdoms you once played through now in ruins.
** Another example are the ghosts who hope to keep Loto's legend alive, even worse so [[spoiler: the Dragon ghost who formerly guarded Lady Lora, who remains faithful to his master after all the time that had passed]]. He was only doing his job...

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks - Caravan Heart's monster breeding system involves you beating up monsters until they drop a soul, then using 2 souls + 1 monster to make a new monster. This is partially because the monsters are characters in their own right in Caravan Heart. It was different, to say the least.

* CaptainObviousReveal - In the first game, the only real ongoing plot elements are that your sister is missing and Greatlog has a new champion whom every NPC seems to know about, but conspicuously omit what this person's name is, what they look like, or anything else [[spoiler:Sure enough, your sister is that champion.]]

* CaptainObviousReveal - In the first game, the only real ongoing plot elements are that your sister is missing and Greatlog has a new champion whom every NPC seems to know about, but conspicuously omit what this person's name is, what they look like, or anything else.
[[spoiler:Sure enough, your sister is that champion.]]

** The YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle ending of CaravanHearts. [[spoiler: You see the ghosts that keep Loto's memory alive walking in place at the corners of the screen, when suddenly three eyes appear in the middle of the screen.]] There's '''absolutely no explanation for this''' until you go back to the old dungeons and research just what in the world is happening, and even then you'll need to spend a few hundred hours grinding your way to a solution.