Wonderful game music

[Dragon Quest BGM] Iconic and popular tracks from the Dragon Quest series

A Vocaloid producer who is also a music writerAraki Jakkan
I’ve worked in a variety of roles—regardless of pro or amateur settings—including live event PA, cameraman for video and photography, restaurant staff, and logistics center staff. I now spend my days as a part-time writer. I’ve contributed to music and manga websites with feature/review articles, and wrote the liner notes included as a bonus for 1st PLACE Inc.’s “IA SUPER BEST.” As for my music background, I started playing guitar in junior high and focused on band activities during my school years. For over 15 years since then, up to the present, I’ve continued releasing original tracks as a Vocaloid producer. My areas of expertise are Japanese rock, Vocaloid, and manga.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

The Dragon Quest series is a flagship title among Japanese RPGs.

Of course, the games themselves are fantastic, but the in-game music is also hugely popular! All of the in-game tracks were composed by Koichi Sugiyama, who also arranged them himself, and they have even been performed in orchestral concerts.

In this article, we’ll highlight some of the most popular pieces from these meticulously crafted and beautiful works.

Immerse yourself, body and soul, in the world of Dragon Quest!

[Dragon Quest BGM] Masterpieces and Popular Tracks from the Dragon Quest Series (31–40)

The city is alive.sugiyama kouichi

[1-hour endurance] The Town Is Alive — from Dragon Quest V

The city is alive.sugiyama kouichi

Among the most popular entries in the Dragon Quest series, Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride features a very refreshing piece used in towns across various regions; as the title suggests, it evokes a lively, bustling city.

The melodies of the flute and strings are beautiful, conveying a sense of dynamism.

It is also used in Dragon Quest XI and Dragon Quest Builders.

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in the midst of the flames of warsugiyama kouichi

[Dragon Quest X] Battle Theme (5) ~Crossing Swords in the Fires of War~

in the midst of the flames of warsugiyama kouichi

This is the piece that plays during regular battles in Dragon Quest V.

The sharp melodies in the strings and brass, along with the woodwinds darting around underneath, create a sense of pressure right from the beginning.

It’s a track that exudes tension fitting for combat.

There are also scores available for wind ensemble, but it seems like an extremely challenging piece to perform.

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I won’t lose.sugiyama kouichi

No way I'm losing! Symphonic Suite Dragon Quest IX

I won't lose.sugiyama kouichi

It was used as the background music for regular battle scenes in Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies.

Apparently, there was originally a different track intended for the battle scenes, but when that BGM was inserted for test play, game designer Yuji Horii commented that it was “catchy in a way that would get tiring.” Composer Koichi Sugiyama agreed, created a different piece, and this one was adopted instead.

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The decisive battlesugiyama kouichi

Dragon Quest BGM: The Time of Decisive Battle (Symphonic Version)

The decisive battlesugiyama kouichi

The BGM used in the final battle against the fallen angel Elgiyos in Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, released in July 2009.

I think it’s a piece that really conveys the grandeur of a boss battle.

There’s also a story that when Koichi Sugiyama brought a composition he’d created after expanding on the image of the final boss, he was told, “We’ve changed the boss’s character,” and had to rewrite the piece.

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Dragon Kingsugiyama kouichi

Dragon Quest BGM: VS Dragonlord

Dragon Kingsugiyama kouichi

The background music used in the battle against the final boss, the Dragonlord, in the original Dragon Quest for the Family Computer released in 1986.

It’s a superb track with a weighty feel that heightens both fear and excitement.

As a classic, it’s also used in other entries like Dragon Quest IX and X.

It’s essentially the foundation for the series’ final boss themes.

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[Dragon Quest BGM] Masterpieces and Popular Songs from the Dragon Quest Series (41–50)

Melody of Lovesugiyama kouichi

04. Melody of Love

Melody of Lovesugiyama kouichi

The BGM that played during the wedding event in the town of Salabona in Dragon Quest V.

It isn’t used in many scenes, but since the event is so memorable, I bet many people recognize it.

Later on, it was also used as BGM in Dragon Quest X and Dragon Quest Builders 2.

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At the risk of one’s lifesugiyama kouichi

[1-Hour Endurance] Risking Life and Death — from Dragon Quest II

At the risk of one's lifesugiyama kouichi

The background music used during the final battle with the last boss, Hargon’s master, Malroth (Sidoh), in Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line, released for the Family Computer in 1987.

Its heavy melody, with a resonant low end that lingers in your ears, fits the last boss battle perfectly.

In the later Super Famicom remake, it was given a slight arrangement that further enhanced its sense of weight and grandeur.

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