Among the many Dragon Quest games, few would expect an HD port for the formerly region-locked classic, Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon. Even more unexpected is, perhaps, a strange, feature that comes alongside it.
Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD- was announced today during the Nintendo Direct. Releasing today, it’s a surprise shadow-drop that lands on not just Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, but also PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Yet, perhaps most perplexing than the localization and surprise drop is the fact that it includes integration with Twitch and YouTube chat, of all things. Exclusive to the Steam version of Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD-, viewers can interact with streamers and affect the outcome of the dungeon’s run.
Called Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko‘s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD-: Streaming Up a Storm: My Dungeon, Your Rules (β) (yes, it’s a mouthful), this is a free DLC. Through either Twitch or YouTube chat, viewers can vote on the outcome of certain events that occur every several floors.
Presumably, these events can lead to either great rewards… or great tragedy. Knowing human nature, we’re sure to see many runs end in failure, all at the whim of chat. Some of the events include beneficial effects such as “Cheerful Breeze,” which spawns items on the floor, while others are much more devious; this includes “Winds of Change,” which literally forces the streamer to the beginning of the dungeon, only retaining your level and items.
This mode is specifically called “Multiplicitous Mystery Dungeon,” which is separate from the main game’s standard mystery dungeon mode.
What is Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD- ?
As for the main game itself, Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD-, the original game released in 1993 as a Japan-only title. While it’s correct to compare it to games such as the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series, Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon was the originator of the term.
Gameplay is close to a traditional roguelike, where players explore a dungeon as Torneko from Dragon Quest IV. When players move, so do enemies in the dungeon, requiring strategic gameplay to overcome the many monsters in your way. This version comes with improved visuals and new difficulty options, among other features.
Fans of the series probably never expected Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon -Classic HD- to get localized, much less integrating with Twitch and YouTube. A welcome surprise, however, to see that Square Enix continues to support legacy titles, even with weird and wacky features such as this.
