History VideoGame / DragonQuestIX

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: {{Justified}} by the plot.

* HumansAreBastards: [[spoiler:The Gittish Empire serve as an enormous example of the [[CompleteMonster depravity]] humanity is capable of, in a shocking reversal to one of the main themes of Dragon Quest itself :HumansAreGood. However, everybody in the empire died a long time ago after it collapsed, so they're NotEvenHuman by the time you see them in the game.]]

** The protagonist, literally at the beginning of the game ([[StealthPun upon landing in ''[[StealthPun Angel Falls]]''), [[spoiler: and technically later on, after eating a fygg in order to become mortal and defeat the BigBad]].

* ChainmailBikini: Just take a look at the default class armour for the female Warrior.
In addition, a Paladin-only piece of armor even allows for ''[[RuleOfCool Chainmail]] ZettaiRyouiki''.

** The protagonist, literally at the beginning of the game, [[spoiler: and technically later on, after eating a fygg in order to become mortal and defeat the BigBad]].

[[StealthPun Why do you think the town he lands in is called]] ''[[StealthPun Angel Falls]]''?!

* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: As per ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' tradition, you can have up to four members in your active party. There's also a limit to how many characters you can create and have waiting at the Quester's Rest.
** On a related note, the game does pretty much everything it can to avoid showing more than five-ish modeled characters at once for the sake of rendering speed. All but the most important NPC's are billboarded sprites, your party members are often not shown in key cutscenes that involve several important (and thus modeled) characters, and monsters and party members in battle are often hidden even when standing onscreen unless they're in the middle of interacting.

* BerserkButton: Some monsters have these, where doing things like getting a CriticalHit or healing a party member (specific to the enemy) will enrage it, making it only target the character that made the action.
** Using the 'Whistle' skill in battle also causes them to focus on the user, which makes it very useful for dedicated [[MeatShield tank]] characters to learn for all but the party-wide enemy attacks.

* BilingualBonus: The place where you change jobs is on Newid Isle, "newid" being Welsh for "change".
** That goes beyond BilingualBonus, then. It can also be read as "New I.D. Isle", where you get a new identity (90% of the visits to the map area will be for class changing).

* BonusBoss: ''Every VideoGame/DragonQuest last boss ever'', and quite a few [[TheDragon dragons]], too. Amusingly they use the same Grotto system (you can even get a few of these maps randomly from higher ranked Grotto bosses, 1 in 20 chance) but they have only one floor, the boss floor. Bosses start at level 1, and upon beating them, you have the opportunity to give up the XP, allowing the boss to gain levels (which increases item and XP drop from the boss, but also increases the boss's stats and occasionally gives him new attacks). Most bosses after level 16 or so drop the next boss in the chain's map (rarely- 10% chance at first, but rises as you level them up) and start dropping very high level gear. If (and that's a ''very'' big '''[[ThatOneBoss if]]''') you can beat them, that is.
** The first one of these most players will find is [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIII Baramos]]'s. Available in the post game via quest 62... [[GuideDangIt if you know where to look.]] Starts a chain of 3 maps, see MythologyGag below.

* ButThouMust: No, [[spoiler:Aquila]] won't take no for an answer. He'll just keep asking until you [[spoiler:hand over the Fyggs and get blasted out of the sky]].
** {{Lampshaded}} during the Prologue: when Aquila requests to stop calling you by your title except for when formality dictates, refusing earns you a brief lecture on how Celestrians can't defy their superiors. [[spoiler:There's more to it than that, as you find out when you "free" Corvus.]]

** A Paladin-only piece of armor even allows for ''[[RuleOfCool Chainmail]] ZettaiRyouiki''.

* DistractedByTheSexy: Happens at random based on your [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin charm]] stat. More likely to happen to Minstrels and Luminaries, due to a high natural charm stat and passive charm bonuses in their unique skilltrees. Can even affect the BigBad and {{Bonus Boss}}es.
** When it comes to distracting your enemies, [[HoYay gender]] [[LesYay is never]] [[FoeYay a barrier]].

* {{Expy}}: Using the character creation system, you can make expies of other characters designed by Toriyama. Among them, [[BlueDragon Shu]], [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger Crono, Marle, and Lucca]], [[DragonBallZ Androids #17 and 18, and Gohan]], and [[DragonBallGT Uub]]...just to name a few.
** It's also possible to [[http://alkaplantestsite.webs.com/dq9/DQcoplayparty.jpg recreate]] virtually every previous ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' hero, in fact, the game even offers their trademark garbs as some of the more useful equips.

* FallenAngel: [[spoiler: You, technically, since you need to eat a fygg in order to become mortal to defeat the Big Bad at the end. Corvus is a straight example.]]
** The Hero also counts because of what happens to him/her at the beginning of the game. [[StealthPun Why do you think the town he lands in is called]] ''[[StealthPun Angel Falls]]''?!

* FetchQuest: Many of the SideQuests.

* FightInTheNude: Notably {{Averted}} -- every piece of gear has it's own 3d model graphics for male and female characters.
** Amusingly, some characters ''will'' react if you speak to them while wearing armor they don't expect / not wearing armor. For example, some of the Celestrians get quite upset if you're not wearing your official Celestrian outfit when you speak to them. Later on, you're required to wear a suit of [[MythologyGag "Dragon Warrior"]] armor for a specific event.
*** You can strip down by unequipping everything. They'll be wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and short shorts underneath everything.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Inverted, even with the Wear-with-all medal (which lets you wear other genders clothing) the game will not let you wear a dangerous bikini or the dangerous midriff wrap, telling that even it won't let you get away with that.
** Also, it won't let females wear the Muscle Belt, which is two belts wrapped around the torson in an X shape. Try and guess why they didn't allow it. (Which is odd, since it's the standard uniform for {{Disgaea}} warriors...)
*** However, even without the Wear-with-all medal male characters can wear Alena's outfit, despite it having obvious boobage. Perhaps the Tsarevna stuffs her top?
** To the left of the big staircase leading up to Alltrades Abbey, there's a suspiciously phallic-looking island.

* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: What produces benevolessence.
** Subverted, benevolessence isn't required at all. It's [[spoiler: proof of humanity's goodness, per Celestra's argument with Zenus.]]

* GuideDangIt: The flip side of the NintendoHard gameplay -- the game's quests can be downright obscure to unlock, let alone complete. This may be why Bradygames released a guide for the game [[{{Doorstopper}} bigger than some phone books.]]

*** Occasionally, Stella will ask you if you want to know how to get [[LimitBreak Coup-de-graces]] easier. ''[[InvokedTrope She actually tells you to look it up]]''!
* HaveYouSeenMyGod?: [[spoiler:His daughter specifically mentions that Zenus still exists, but does not know where he is. On top of that, he seems to appear when "Spelly Breath" is used and "speaks" if you use Divination, creating a sort of GameplayAndStorySegregation.]]
** [[spoiler:PiecesOfGod: The 10 bonus bosses in the grottoes and their extended character description imply (and in some cases, outright state) that ''they'' are Zenus, divided into 10 parts. The other two are a resurrected Greygnarl, and a demon named Tyranasaurus Wrecks who freed the others to screw over the Sage.]]
* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: The ending cutscene removes a character's "head" gear, even if it is of a type (glasses, hair accessories) that doesn't impede the view of the PC's face. Otherwise averted.
** And, of course, [[CharacterCustomization you]] are perfectly free to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this one yourself, if you don't mind the defense impediment.

* HumansAreWhite: From [[FantasyCounterpartCulture not-Scotland to not-Arabia]], the {{NPC}} pigmentation range is pretty limited.
** {{Mukokuseki}}: You can make your characters the darkest shade possible and they'll still look like they just have a really deep tan.
* HurricaneOfPuns: Towns. Dungeons. Enemies. Bosses. Characters. Flavor Text. Too many to count. It's tradition for the VideoGame/DragonQuest series, but only recently did it start being reflected in the North American localization.
** Not really. It's more like the butterfly's wing-flap of puns of the original went on to cause the localization's hurricane, as the ratio of puns in every recent localization has been ramped up to 100, and that is not an hyperbole.
* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: The Bloomingdale "kidnappers" are pretty much the most pathetic crooks ever.
** Even their hideout name is evidence of this. It likely came about like so: "We need a good lair name." "Ooh! How about "The Bad Cave"?" "Brilliant!"

* InfinityPlusOneSword: Each weapon type has a specific series of 3-4 of them, dubbed the Uber-gear. The consist of a basic weapon that you get in ultra-deep grottoes, then an evolved version you get by using alchemy. Using this, you can then make 2 more evolved versions past that -- a booby prize version, and another that has a 10% chance of appearing when you create the booby prize. Should you end up getting the booby prize version, you can alchemize it with a special item to reset it back to its base form so you can try again. There are similar pieces of armor that use the same system.
** [[ZigZaggedTrope Not all the time, however]]. There are many situations where other gear is ''more'' useful than the Uber-gear. For example, the only reason you'd want to use the actual InfinityPlusOneSword instead of the [[GameBreaker Uber Falcon Blade]] is that the former can reduce the target's defence.... even on bosses in a game where ContractualBossImmunity is in full effect. See InfinityMinusOneSword below for more details.
** InfinityMinusOneSword: The Metal gear (Metal King Sword, Metal King Armor, etc). Obtainable in grottoes, it's not the best, but it's pretty darned close (and looks awesome). Most of the cameo gear is very similar -- not the best, but cool looking {{Mythology Gag}}s that you might indeed wear for a while.
*** [[ParrotExposition Metal gear?!]]

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Corvus.]] Dude ''starts'' by blowing up one of the lower levels of heaven and [[spoiler: [[RageAgainstTheHeavens killing God]]]], then goes on to resurrect an entire [[TheEmpire evil empire]] and attempt [[OmnicidalManiac genocide against all of human- and angelkind.]] Turns out it was all [[PoorCommunicationKills a hilarious misunderstanding]], so he offers up a perfunctory apology, [[spoiler: turns back into an angel and flies off into the heavens with his lady love.]] VideoGame/DragonQuest typically sits closer to the idealism side of the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism scale]], but still. Damn.
** [[spoiler: Somewhat justified. He spent many years locked away, tortured, and experimented on for the sake of furthering the Gittish Empire's power. In addition to LoveMakesYouCrazy , he was far more messed up than he would have been had he '''just''' been heartbroken. Many had thought him for dead, and those who DID try looking for them ended up in PeopleJars , and in similar, though less horrible, situations. Regardless of that, the less bitter Celestrians never wanted him "dead" necessarily, just stopped so they could save him (You don't get a monument for your good deeds and get looked up to by many for nothing, after all). Apus Major and Celestria both fall under the GoodShepherd role, and despite some Celestrians' attitudes, their collectivity still falls under a good church.]]

* KillerRabbit: The usual VideoGame/DragonQuest entries (except for the Bunicorns, who are litteral killer rabbits, they don't appear in the beastiary for DQ9), but special mention to the Sanguini family. Early on, they're cute little fluff balls that you kinda feel bad about killing. Then they start getting aggressive and lots of teeth. Then you get the expanded bestiary entries and read that when they drink enough blood, they turn into demons. (You get to fight those too -- they're called Manguinis, and they look a lot more demonic.)

* MeaningfulName: [[RavensAndCrows Corvus]]. [[spoiler: Celestrians, once you learn their origins]]

* MessianicArchetype: [[spoiler: Celestria, aka Yggdrasil, stopping her father, the high-god Zenus, from killing all of the humans for their sin; and turning into a tree in order to counter that sin.]]

* MultipleChoicePast: Stella is either:
** [[spoiler: the soul of a child who died.]]
** [[spoiler: the reincarnated soul of the Queen of Gitt.]]
** [[spoiler: the second WorldTree]]
*** When asked, she denies all three and merely claims to be Celestra's sister. However, [[spoiler: Celestra claims all living things are her siblings.]]
* MythologyGag: The tavern where you create your party is run by [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIII a familiar face who fulfilled the same role long ago]]. Other characters show up throughout the series. The Dharma Temple returns. All of which appear to have been ground into a fine powder by a combination of ExecutiveMeddling and odd localization choices.
** '''However''', localization choices like Count Uptaten and Patty are actually references to their translations of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'' and ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV''. So they're still {{Mythology Gag}}s, just making reference to the modern localizations. While not consistent with the original Japanese names or the NES era translations, they are consistent with ''themselves''.

*** Additionally, the "Dragon Warrior" armor set looks A LOT like the NES boxart and artwork the heroes had on. Not exactly, mind, but way too similar to just be a coincidence.

** When you get to Alltrades Abbey, one (very old) man there complains that he can't become a maid - even going into detail about the feather duster and the skirt. In DQ 6, he had a counterpart who wanted to become a pattycake princess.
*** And in Dragon Quest 3, he has a counterpart. [[GenderBender Who succeeds.]]

** SquareEnix has hence declared ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' dead in the West, leaving Nintendo to localize ''[[VideoGame/DragonQuestMonstersJoker2 Joker 2]]'' and all future titles.

* OneGameForThePriceOfTwo: An inverted variant: ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonstersJoker2'', if it sees ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'' or ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'' in Tag mode (set up through Erinn in Stornway), will unlock new content. Conversely, the other two games do similar things if they see ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX''. Somehow, Square Enix has standardized a protocol for ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' games to see each other in Tag Mode, which is mind boggling when you think about it -- especially when you realize ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'' is slated to be a {{Wii}} title (and, presumably, easy to link up to [=DSes=]).
** This protocol was so successful that Nintendo has confirmed they are building it into the Nintendo [=3DS=] firmware itself.

** Possibly lampshaded in the game itself -- the deep grotto monsters continue the trend, only it goes OffTheRails: monsters done up like literal clowns, garish, neon colored paintjobs, etc etc.

* PlotCoupon: Benevolessence.
** And later [[spoiler: The [[strike:Dragon Balls]] Fyggs. First you need to find 7 to proceed with the plot, one is given as a {{MacGuffin}} in order to let the player defeat the BigBad, and a 9th in Post-Game to allow you access to the GlobalAirship.]]

* {{Pride}}: It takes about 3 seconds of walking around the Tutorial town to realize just how utterly arrogant most Celestrians are. Some are openly questioning why they have to protect the world, others are openly derisive of humans, others are one step away from being outright {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s. [[spoiler: This foreshadows what happens to them at the end of the tutorial quite nicely. The prophecy even spells out exactly what happens... [[ProphecyTwist just not what they expected]]: "Fyggbloom hails the opening of the Heavenly Gates (big honking thunderbolt) and sets the Celestrians on the path to salvation (the plot of the game)..."]]
** Averted in the Japanese version, where the angels are completely amicable and devoted to their job.

* RainbowPimpGear: A potential side-effect of mix-and-match armor.
** RummageSaleReject: Another potential side-effect of mix-and-match armor.
*** Conversely, there's a large number of MythologyGag gear -- basically, in the {{Bonus Dungeon}}s you can find "cosplay gear" that [[http://alkaplantestsite.webs.com/dq9/DQcoplayparty.jpg makes your hero look like the heroes from the other Dragon Quest games]].
** The Magical Skirt, easily among the best legwear for legacy bosses due to adding 7% to your resists for everything, but looks odd.
* RandomlyGeneratedLevels: The Grotto system makes a return from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonsters 1'' and ''2'', this time in a main series ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' game. Randomly generated but using the same seed system, there are [[strike:about 250,000]] [[http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/937281-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels-of-the-starry-skies/55674123 Over 8 million]] separate dungeons that are the same with every copy of the game. You get access to one by doing a quest during the main game, one at the start of the post game, and get the others through Tag Mode and/or beating the bosses of other Grottos. [[NintendoHard If you can.]]
** Some of these have become very legendary in Japan due to the popularity of mass transit -- '''Masayuki's Map''', for example, has nothing but [[MetalSlime Metal King Slimes]] on the 15th floor (although the monsters from floors 10-14 are all stronger than the last boss, and come in groups of 3), the '''Kawasaki Locker''' has the same monsters on floor ''one'' (and they get worse from there) but it has some of the best treasure chests possible, etc etc. Masayuki was even interviewed in the Japanese media due to the popularity of his map.

* RetGone: [[spoiler: When the Celestrians ascend in the end, no normal human remembers that they ever existed.]]

* RuleOfSymbolism: You are an angel, your boss is {{God}}. [[spoiler: The final boss is a Lucifer {{Expy}}.]]
** [[spoiler: Furthermore, Celestria is a sort of female Jesus, giving up her life for the sake of the world by turning herself into a tree, a notable symbol of (among other things) life, death, rebirth, and sustenance. All of these concepts are important to ''[=DQ9=]'''s plot (the last of which mixes with salvation). Her father created the Celestrians for the purpose of saving her from this fate, but if a mortal eats a [[ForbiddenFruit fygg]], bad stuff tends to happen to the eater. [[AdamAndOrEve Sound familiar?]] ]]

* SeriousBusiness: Innkeeping. Not only is there an "[[IncrediblyLamePun Inny]]" awarded to the [[IncrediblyLamePun Inn]]credible [[IncrediblyLamePun Inn]]tertainer Eddw[[IncrediblyLamePun inn]], the previous innkeepers literally get on the floor and bow when faced with his daughter, Er[[HurricaneOfPuns inn]]. Talk about an [[OverlyLongGag Inn]]credibly Lame Pun.
** And we haven't even got to the DLC that introduces Al Cap[[OverlyLongGag inne]] and the [[OverlyLongGag Inntouchables]]. And yes, they are an [[TheFamilyForTheWholeFamily inn-keeping mafia]].
*** It kind of makes sense when you think about it. Inns '''are''' one of the most important facilities in an RPG world, after all.
* SealedEvilInACan: The Supreme Sage, either a living {{Great Big Book Of Everything}} or else turned himself into one in order to contain the demon Tyrannosaurus Wrecks. It then did the same thing for the 10 [[spoiler: Pieces of Zenus that became beings unto themselves.]] Tyrannosaurus Wrecks freed them all, and the pages of the book became Treasure Maps.

* ShoutOut: The last skill you learn in the Thief's class skillset is called [[TreasureIsland Treasure Eye Land]].

* ThemeNaming: In the [[DubNameChange English version]], all named Celestrians, with the exception of [[VirtualPaperDoll the main character, maybe,]] are [[StellarName named for constellations]] that are named for birds.

* WakeUpCallBoss: Two serve the purpose in different ways: the Wight Knight exists to show players why having a full party is a good idea, while the Master of Nu'un is the first boss with respectable multi-target damage and signals the point that the game takes off the kid gloves.

** The bosses in the random dungeons -- the game's difficulty curve is fairly gentle until you hit the first boss from grottos, or the first cameo boss from a previous DQ game. Then it's a bit like slamming into a brick wall.
*** To wit, the monsters in your first grotto will be so low-level that some of them will actually flee from you...and then the boss can demolish your entire party in a single turn with two area-effect spells.

* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Baramos (in a cameo from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'') speaks this way.
** So does Zoma. (Also a cameo from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'')

* ThemeNaming: All named Celestrians, with the exception of [[VirtualPaperDoll the main character, maybe,]] are [[StellarName named for constellations]] that are named for birds, in the [[DubNameChange English version]].

* ThemeNaming: All named Celestrians, with the exception of [[VirtualPaperDoll the main character, maybe,]] are named for constellations that are named for birds.

* AWorldwidePunomenon: It's almost impossible to count how many puns have been shoehorned into the localization.

* [[ThisIsSparta This! Is! Sparta!]]: "You... are... not... Mason..."

*** Additionally, the DragonWarrior armor set looks A LOT like the NES boxart and artwork the heroes had on. Not exactly, mind, but way too similar to just be a coincidence.

** Dr. Phlegming wears a very [[TheLegendOfZelda familiar-looking]] tunic beneath his lab coat.

* AWorldwidePunomenon: It's almost impossible to count how many puns have been shoehorned into the localization, though [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]] on whether they add to the experience or detract from it.

* [=~Chekhov's Gun~=]: ''Tons'' through the DLC quests, including [[spoiler:The crack in the wall in Stornway's well, the ruins of Brigadoom, that one guard's comment about King Schott's bad dreams, and the amnesiac ghost in the Quarentomb.]]

%%"The enemy are defeated" is technically grammatically correct, and is in all of the modern ''DragonQuest'' English translations. Don't bother adding it under {{Engrish}}, BlindIdiotTranslation, etc.
'''''Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies''''' is the ninth installment of the ''DragonQuest'' series, released on the NintendoDS. In this world, a race of {{Winged Humanoid}}s known as [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Celestrians]] watch over humankind from [[FloatingContinent The Observatory]]. They also protect the [[TheWorldTree Great World Tree, Yggdrasil]], nurturing and nourishing, for it holds the key to their destiny. Select Celestrians have taken up a vital duty: to act as guardians of the mortal realm.

By watching over humankind, granting their wishes and shielding them from harm, these guardians can collect "[[IncrediblyLamePun benevolessence]]" (Don't worry, [[HurricaneOfPuns this being]] ''DragonQuest'' [[HurricaneOfPuns , this isn't the only pun]]!) -- a positive energy that replenishes the great Yggdrasil and allows it to flourish. With enough energy, Yggdrasil will be able to bear fruit, producing the sacred fyggs that will enable the Celestrians to follow the path of their elders and ascend to the upper realms.

* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: As per ''DragonQuest'' tradition, you can have up to four members in your active party. There's also a limit to how many characters you can create and have waiting at the Quester's Rest.

* BonusBoss: ''Every DragonQuest last boss ever'', and quite a few [[TheDragon dragons]], too. Amusingly they use the same Grotto system (you can even get a few of these maps randomly from higher ranked Grotto bosses, 1 in 20 chance) but they have only one floor, the boss floor. Bosses start at level 1, and upon beating them, you have the opportunity to give up the XP, allowing the boss to gain levels (which increases item and XP drop from the boss, but also increases the boss's stats and occasionally gives him new attacks). Most bosses after level 16 or so drop the next boss in the chain's map (rarely- 10% chance at first, but rises as you level them up) and start dropping very high level gear. If (and that's a ''very'' big '''[[ThatOneBoss if]]''') you can beat them, that is.

** It's also possible to [[http://alkaplantestsite.webs.com/dq9/DQcoplayparty.jpg recreate]] virtually every previous DragonQuest hero, in fact, the game even offers their trademark garbs as some of the more useful equips.

* FieryRedhead: Possible, and a common archetype in ''DragonQuest''; interestingly, however, instead of the usual reddish-orange sported by most ''DQ'' redheads, ''IX'' instead features a [[color:maroon:much richer red]]. [[spoiler: Certain cosplay outfits include wigs to get that nice orange shade.]]

* HurricaneOfPuns: Towns. Dungeons. Enemies. Bosses. Characters. Flavor Text. Too many to count. It's tradition for the DragonQuest series, but only recently did it start being reflected in the North American localization.

* InnBetweenTheWorlds: The Stornway Inn. Characters from different ''DragonQuest'' games (even one's from {{canon}} different times and worlds) can stay there, and you can travel to AlternateUniverse (other people's games) through it via SocializationBonus.

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Corvus.]] Dude ''starts'' by blowing up one of the lower levels of heaven and [[spoiler: [[RageAgainstTheHeavens killing God]]]], then goes on to resurrect an entire [[TheEmpire evil empire]] and attempt [[OmnicidalManiac genocide against all of human- and angelkind.]] Turns out it was all [[PoorCommunicationKills a hilarious misunderstanding]], so he offers up a perfunctory apology, [[spoiler: turns back into an angel and flies off into the heavens with his lady love.]] DragonQuest typically sits closer to the idealism side of the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism scale]], but still. Damn.

* KillerRabbit: The usual DragonQuest entries (except for the Bunicorns, who are litteral killer rabbits, they don't appear in the beastiary for DQ9), but special mention to the Sanguini family. Early on, they're cute little fluff balls that you kinda feel bad about killing. Then they start getting aggressive and lots of teeth. Then you get the expanded bestiary entries and read that when they drink enough blood, they turn into demons. (You get to fight those too -- they're called Manguinis, and they look a lot more demonic.)

** MookPromotion / AscendedExtra: MonsterAllies aside, in DragonQuestMonsters Joker 2, the local {{Alpha Bitch}}es sidekick is a Teeny Sanguini. He's not evil though, despite going all red-eyed and ohgodtheTEETH every time someone gets close to him. [[spoiler: He is, however, the local {{Big Bad}}'s soul given flesh after a GrandTheftMe situation.]]

** SquareEnix has hence declared DragonQuest dead in the West, leaving Nintendo to localize ''[[DragonQuestMonstersJoker2 Joker 2]]'' and all future titles.

* OneGameForThePriceOfTwo: An inverted variant: ''DragonQuestMonsters Joker 2'', if it sees ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'' or ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'' in Tag mode (set up through Erinn in Stornway), will unlock new content. Conversely, the other two games do similar things if they see ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX''. Somehow, Square Enix has standardized a protocol for ''DragonQuest'' games to see each other in Tag Mode, which is mind boggling when you think about it -- especially when you realize ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'' is slated to be a {{Wii}} title (and, presumably, easy to link up to [=DSes=]).

* RandomlyGeneratedLevels: The Grotto system makes a return from ''DragonQuestMonsters 1'' and ''2'', this time in a main series DragonQuest game. Randomly generated but using the same seed system, there are [[strike:about 250,000]] [[http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/937281-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels-of-the-starry-skies/55674123 Over 8 million]] separate dungeons that are the same with every copy of the game. You get access to one by doing a quest during the main game, one at the start of the post game, and get the others through Tag Mode and/or beating the bosses of other Grottos. [[NintendoHard If you can.]]

* TimeDissonance: References to all of the ''DragonQuest'' games abound, simultaneously.

* {{Expy}}: Using the character creation system, you can make expies of other characters designed by Toriyama. Among them, [[BlueDragon Shu]], [[ChronoTrigger Crono, Marle, and Lucca]], [[DragonBallZ Androids #17 and 18, and Gohan]], and [[DragonBallGT Uub]]...just to name a few.

* AllInARow: After [[PartyInMyPocket its absence]] in ''DragonQuestVIII'', this trope returns.

** The first one of these most players will find is [[DragonQuestIII Baramos]]'s. Available in the post game via quest 62... [[GuideDangIt if you know where to look.]] Starts a chain of 3 maps, see MythologyGag below.

* ExcaliburInTheRust: [[spoiler: The Rusty Sword you find in the last dungeon is [[strike: Loto]] [[DragonQuestI Erdrick's Sword]], the third best sword in the game -- only the deep grotto gear is better. All the Rusty gear turns out to be Erdrick's gear, which is all the third best stuff in the game.]]

** [[spoiler:Corvus is esentially a Celestrian version of [[DragonQuestIV Psaro]] [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the Manslayer]].]]

* MemeticOutfit: [[invoked]] Along with the MythologyGag gear, [[spoiler: a couple of [[DragonQuestVIII Jessica's]] alternate outfits reappear ([[OfCorsetsSexy the bustiers]], natch), and the player can earn Accolades for dressing up their hero to resemble each of the class reps]].

* MythologyGag: The tavern where you create your party is run by [[DragonQuestIII a familiar face who fulfilled the same role long ago]]. Other characters show up throughout the series. The Dharma Temple returns. All of which appear to have been ground into a fine powder by a combination of ExecutiveMeddling and odd localization choices.
** '''However''', localization choices like Count Uptaten and Patty are actually references to their translations of ''DragonQuestIV'' and ''DragonQuestV''. So they're still {{Mythology Gag}}s, just making reference to the modern localizations. While not consistent with the original Japanese names or the NES era translations, they are consistent with ''themselves''.
** The names of places and characters from DragonQuestI, [[DragonQuestII II]], and [[DragonQuestIII III]] are all from the NES translations instead of the GBC/original. This is either a RegionalBonus to old-school players, a [[CallForward hint]] at potential Virtual Console ports, and/or an EarlyBirdCameo of a future remake(s) (which is odd considering the characters from 1-3 came first). One can only hope for the last though, especially if based on the [[UpdatedRerelease cell phone ports]], which are arguably the best looking versions yet. Let the WildMassGuessing begin.

** There's an old man wanting to class change into [[GenderBender a maid]] -- just like in ''DragonQuestIII''. (He also invokes [[ThirdLawOfGenderBending the third law]] -- citing that he isn't budging until he gets a frilly dress and feather duster.)
** The first BonusBoss map you'll find is [[DragonQuestIII Baramos]], who then drops [[DragonQuestVI Murdraw's]] map, who then drops [[DragonQuestVIII Dholmagus's]] map, who drops only high level gear, no maps. [[spoiler: All three of these antagonists were infamous DiscOneFinalBoss characters from previous DragonQuest games.]]
** The second BonusBoss map you'll likely find is [[DragonQuestI Dragonlord]], gotten from a specific Grotto boss that only appears at random in level 80+ Grottos. L16+ Dragonlord drops the map for [[DragonQuestIV Psaro]], who drops the map for [[DragonQuestV Nimzo]], who drops only items. The gag here? [[spoiler: They all have OneWingedAngel forms.]]

* NetworkToTheRescue: Can you believe that SquareEnix wasn't going to localize this gem? Nintendo took this game into their hands, and gave it some much-needed publicity, as they did with the original DragonQuestI and later did with DragonQuestVI.

* OneGameForThePriceOfTwo: An inverted variant: ''DragonQuestMonsters Joker 2'', if it sees ''DragonQuestIX'' or ''DragonQuestVI'' in Tag mode (set up through Erinn in Stornway), will unlock new content. Conversely, the other two games do similar things if they see ''DragonQuestIX''. Somehow, Square Enix has standardized a protocol for ''DragonQuest'' games to see each other in Tag Mode, which is mind boggling when you think about it -- especially when you realize ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'' is slated to be a {{Wii}} title (and, presumably, easy to link up to [=DSes=]).

* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The Celestrians are basically {{Winged Humanoid}}s like the [[DragonQuestIV Zeni]][[DragonQuestV thi]][[DragonQuestVI ans]], only with halos and more active about the whole guardians of the mortal realm thing.

* SpiritualSuccessor: While it has {{Mythology Gag}}s to ''all'' the games in the series, 9 can be best summed up as "DragonQuestIII with the DragonQuestVIII skill system."

* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Baramos (in a cameo from ''DragonQuestIII'') speaks this way.
** So does Zoma. (Also a cameo from ''DragonQuestIII'')
* YouAllMeetInAnInn: Literally so, a MythologyGag dating back to ''DragonQuestIII''.

By watching over humankind, granting their wishes and shielding them from harm, these guardians can collect "[[IncrediblyLamePun benevolessence]]" (Don't worry, [[HurricaneOfPuns this being]] ''DragonQuest'' [[, this isn't the only pun]]!) -- a positive energy that replenishes the great Yggdrasil and allows it to flourish. With enough energy, Yggdrasil will be able to bear fruit, producing the sacred fyggs that will enable the Celestrians to follow the path of their elders and ascend to the upper realms.

''Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies'' is the ninth installment of the ''DragonQuest'' series, released on the NintendoDS. In this world, a race of {{Winged Humanoid}}s known as [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Celestrians]] watch over humankind from [[FloatingContinent The Observatory]]. They also protect the [[TheWorldTree Great World Tree, Yggdrasil]], nurturing and nourishing, for it holds the key to their destiny. Select Celestrians have taken up a vital duty: to act as guardians of the mortal realm.

!! ''DragonQuestIX'' contains examples of:

''DragonQuestIX'' contains examples of:

%%"The enemy are defeated" is technically grammatically correct, and is in all of the modern DragonQuest English translations. Don't bother adding it under {{Engrish}}, BlindIdiotTranslation, etc.

By watching over humankind, granting their wishes and shielding them from harm, these guardians can collect "[[IncrediblyLamePun benevolessence]]" (Don't worry, [[HurricaneOfPuns this being Dragon Quest, this isn't the only pun]]!) -- a positive energy that replenishes the great Yggdrasil and allows it to flourish. With enough energy, Yggdrasil will be able to bear fruit, producing the sacred fyggs that will enable the Celestrians to follow the path of their elders and ascend to the upper realms.

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: '''S'''entinels of the '''S'''tarry '''S'''kies

** [[spoiler: Furthermore, Celestria is a sort of female Jesus, giving up her life for the sake of the world by turning herself into a tree, a notable symbol of (among other things) life, death, rebirth, and sustenance. All of these concepts are important to ''[=DQ9=]'''s plot (the last of which mixes with salvation). Her father created the Celestrians for the purpose of [[IGotBetter saving her from this fate]], but if a mortal eats a [[ForbiddenFruit fygg]], bad stuff tends to happen to the eater. [[AdamAndOrEve Sound familiar?]] ]]

** The names of places and characters from DragonQuestI, [[DragonQuestII II]], and [[DragonQuestIII III]] are all from the NES translations instead of the GBC/original. This is either a PALBonus to old-school players, a [[CallForward hint]] at potential Virtual Console ports, and/or an EarlyBirdCameo of a future remake(s) (which is odd considering the characters from 1-3 came first). One can only hope for the last though, especially if based on the [[UpdatedRerelease cell phone ports]], which are arguably the best looking versions yet. Let the WildMassGuessing begin.