Before the game’s release, I tested Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on the Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, and ROG Ally to see how well it performs on different handheld devices. I’m planning a more detailed comparison soon, similar to what I did with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, which will include the original Switch version running on the Switch 2 – many people have asked about that, especially with a physical copy of the first game being released. For now, I’ve been checking if the PC version of Dragon Quest I & II has been improved since last year’s HD-2D remake, and how the Switch 2 version feels compared to the updated Switch version of Dragon Quest III. I’ll also share my recommended settings for the Steam Deck, along with comparisons between the PC and Switch 2 versions.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake PC port features
The PC versions of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, similar to Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, run at a maximum of 60 frames per second and currently only support a 16:9 resolution. The game offers the same graphics options as last year’s remake, including display mode (Fullscreen, Windowed, Borderless), resolution (from 720p to 4K), frame rate (30fps or 60fps), v-sync, and overall quality presets. You can also fine-tune individual graphics settings like shadow quality, anti-aliasing, texture quality, render scale, and ambient occlusion, using levels 1, 2, and 3. Be aware that the overall quality presets also affect the render scale, and using them might make the game appear blurry if you don’t adjust the render scale separately.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake PC options
One feature you’ll only find on the PC version – not on Switch 2 – is depth of field. This setting creates a blur effect around the edges of the screen. I’ve included a comparison showing how it looks with the effect on and off, taken from the PC version running at 1440p.
Okay, so I’ve been playing Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on PC, and the keyboard controls are solid – they’ve got all the options you’d expect. Mouse support is there, but honestly, I found myself using the keyboard for almost everything, mostly just the mouse for navigating menus. Good news is you can customize the keyboard commands, which is always a plus. One thing I noticed is that when you first launch the game, it takes a few minutes to build the shaders. After that, each launch just checks them, which only takes a few seconds. It seems like they did that to try and avoid any of the stuttering or loading problems you sometimes get in Unreal Engine games on PC, and so far, it seems to be working!
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Steam Deck recommended settings and full game impressions
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake runs great on the Steam Deck (LCD model) right away, hitting a smooth 60 frames per second at its native 720p resolution with high graphics settings. If you’re using the Steam Deck OLED model, you’ll need to make a quick adjustment. Because the game is currently limited to 60fps on PC, it won’t take full advantage of the OLED’s 90Hz screen, potentially making movement feel less smooth. To fix this, simply change the Steam Deck’s display refresh rate to 60Hz using the quick access menu and the Frame Limit option. This will ensure a clear and fluid 60fps experience while playing on the go. These are all the recommended settings to achieve 60fps gameplay for Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on the Steam Deck.
If you’re aiming for 30 frames per second, you can lower the resolution from 1080p to improve image quality, and still enjoy a 1080p experience when docked without needing to change settings. However, I wouldn’t recommend this, as the game currently runs very well at 60fps on the Steam Deck.
The HD-2D Remake of Dragon Quest I & II doesn’t natively support 16:10 aspect ratios and launches in 16:9 on the Steam Deck. I’m planning to test the DQ3Fix mod – once it’s updated for this remake – to see if I can achieve a 16:10 resolution of 800p at 90fps on the Deck. I’ve already done some initial testing on the ROG Ally, and the early results look good. I’ll share those findings later.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Nintendo Switch 2 full game impressions
If you enjoyed playing Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on Nintendo Switch 2 with the free update, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake offers a comparable experience. Like the previous game, you can adjust the graphics to prioritize either sharper visuals at 30 frames per second, or smoother gameplay at 60 frames per second with slightly softer graphics. While the Switch 2 version looks good, loading times are still a bit slower than on the PC. Overall, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is enjoyable on Switch 2, but considering it was built specifically for the platform and released alongside other versions, it feels like there was room for further optimization.
When playing Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on a TV or with the Switch docked, the game looks great at 30fps on my 1440p monitor. However, the 60fps mode appears a bit blurry. I eventually got used to it because I preferred the faster frame rate, but it’s something to consider if you’re playing on a TV – especially a 4K one – and have a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Also, the game automatically adjusts the resolution of the user interface depending on whether you prioritize performance or graphics, so the text and menus appear slightly softer when playing at 60fps.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Switch 2 graphics vs performance mode differences
I’m currently working on a detailed comparison of the Switch 1, PS5, and Xbox versions, which I’ll share after testing. In the meantime, I wanted to highlight some image quality differences between the various modes. When comparing the docked modes of the Switch 2, I used the PC version running at 1440p as a reference. For the handheld modes of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on the Switch 2, I compared them to the PC version running at 720p on the Steam Deck. You can see three comparison images below. I captured the docked images using a 4K capture card and the PC images with Steam’s screenshot feature. Since there’s currently no other way to capture handheld gameplay, I used the Switch 2’s built-in screenshot function for those.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Nintendo Switch 2 vs Steam Deck
Generally, deciding between the Switch 2 and Steam Deck for a game is straightforward. For instance, Persona 3 Reload plays much better on the Steam Deck, while I’d suggest the Switch 2 for Cyberpunk 2077 if you want to play it both on your TV and while traveling. With Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, my recommendation is the same as it was for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake – it depends on how you prefer to play, as the different visual settings offer varying experiences.
The Switch 2 offers a good way to play Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on the go, with clear graphics at 30 frames per second. However, if you want to play at 60fps on a handheld device, the Steam Deck is the better choice, as the Switch 2 can’t achieve that at its natural resolution. Even at the same resolution, 60fps on the Steam Deck looks noticeably better on its screen than the Switch 2’s performance mode. If you own a Steam Deck OLED, it’s definitely the superior option for handheld gaming in this case.
I absolutely love the way this game looks in HD-2D, especially when it’s displayed at your screen’s native resolution. Honestly, if you thought Dragon Quest III’s HD-2D remake looked good running at 60fps on the Switch 2’s handheld mode, you’ll be perfectly happy with how this one looks. And if you’re like me and have a Steam Deck OLED, the amazing battery life makes it so much more appealing to play on the go – it definitely made me want to play it handheld all the time!
When playing on a TV, the Switch 2 and the Steam Deck don’t both consistently hit 1440p resolution at 60 frames per second. You’ll likely need to choose between 1080p at 60fps, or 1440p at a frame rate between 40-60fps. While the Switch 2 doesn’t reach 1440p at 60fps, it still looks good at 30fps on a 1440p monitor. If having a smooth experience when switching between handheld and docked modes is important to you, the Switch 2 is the better choice, as the Steam Deck struggles with this.
I’d love to see the developers include a depth of field option in the Switch 2, allowing players to turn off the blur effect. It’s a little too noticeable in Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, and while it looks nice, it’s always good to have choices. Also, if you plan to play Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, keep in mind that your save data from Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake will carry over if you buy both games on the same platform.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake ROG Ally impressions
As a big fan, I was really excited to try Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on my ROG Ally. After having some frame rate trouble with Dragon Quest III at 1080p and 60fps, I wanted to see if I could get a smoother experience with this one. I tested a few different settings – plugged in with the 30W turbo mode, unplugged with the 25W turbo, and even used a mod called DQ3Fix to try and unlock the frame rate up to 120fps. I’m happy to say it went much better! When playing plugged in at 30W, I only noticed a little bit of occasional stuttering, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as what I saw in Dragon Quest III. The game consistently stayed above 60fps, and when I used the mod to unlock the frame rate and combined it with the Ally’s VRR screen, Dragon Quest I & II looked and played fantastic. It was a really great experience!
In 25W mode, the frame rate was noticeably lower than in 30W mode, but remained consistently above 60fps during my testing. Load times were impressively fast, even quicker than on the Steam Deck, which already felt more responsive than the Switch 2. I also tested the device with an ultrawide monitor using a Razer dock over HDMI at 2580x1080p, and it performed well. The PC version of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake seems more refined than the version of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. Hopefully, the developers will address the shader compilation issues in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake with a future update.
What Square Enix can do to improve Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake on Steam and Switch 2
You might be curious why I said this game could have performed better on the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. I tested it at various resolutions – 1080p, 1440p, and 720p while docked, and 720p in handheld mode on the Steam Deck, as well as on the ROG Ally. I was disappointed that it doesn’t support 16:10 aspect ratios or a 90fps refresh rate on the Steam Deck. Additionally, the PC version would benefit from 21:9 ultrawide support, a feature already addressed by the DQ3Fix mod for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake.
I haven’t thoroughly tested this mod with the latest version of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, but it seems to work at the beginning of the game, as shown below. I suggest waiting until Lyall updates it and it’s been fully tested before using it.
I expected the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake to look much better. The previous Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake had two modes and blurry menus because it was originally made for the older Switch. I thought the Switch 2 version, being built specifically for the new console, would offer sharp graphics at a smooth 60 frames per second. Unfortunately, it has the same visual issues, forcing players to choose between performance and visual quality.
If you were satisfied with the performance and visuals of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on Switch 2 after the recent update, you’ll likely have a similar experience here. However, considering this is a native release for Switch 2 alongside other consoles and PC, I was hoping for a bit more. I’ll be sharing a more detailed comparison of the Switch 1, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox versions in a future article, including how the Switch 1 plays on Switch 2 through backward compatibility.
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2025-10-29 17:59