Play Dragon Quest IV - Michibikareshi Monotachi (Japan) (Rev A) Online

Dragon Quest IV came out on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, developed by Chunsoft and published by Enix. It was part of that late NES era when developers were really pushing what the hardware could do with deeper stories and more complex mechanics.

You control a series of different characters, like a soldier, a princess, and a merchant, each with their own chapter and goals before their paths eventually merge. The main objective is to gather these heroes and stop a great evil threatening the world. Signature mechanics include exploring towns and the world map screen by screen, engaging in turn based combat with swords and magic, and using the wagon from the merchant's chapter as a mobile base for swapping party members. The pacing is deliberate, with some grinding expected, and the difficulty feels fair but substantial. It feels like building a community of allies piece by piece, which makes the final journey satisfying.