When the Dragon Quest franchise comes up in discussion, people typically think of the turn-based combat and impactful stories that the franchise pioneered nearly four decades ago. In 2025, roguelites and roguelike titles are among some of the new age pioneers in the gaming space, and it was only a matter of time before Square Enix would bring their own take on the subgenre. That take would be Dragon Quest Smash/Grow, a new mobile action RPG that incorporates key elements of the franchise with a roguelite twist. Once more, players are back in the shoes of a Dragon Quest hero, and they’ve got a lot of slimes to defeat and grind XP with. Thanks to Square Enix, I was able to try out Dragon Quest Smash/Grow during its closed beta test and see just what the new title entails for returning fans.
Dragon Quest Smash/Grow begins right off the bat with a character creator, which lets you customize the hero with a number of different facial, hairstyles, eyes, and other options. The customization suite is really straightforward and somewhat limited in its current state, so it only took a few minutes to finalize my character and get right into the action. After creating your character, you begin fighting slimes in a dark corridor to get a hang of the game’s mechanics, with the guidance of a mysterious robot named Roly. At the end of the corridor, Roly urges the hero to take an artifact known as a Memory, and the hero wakes up to the voice of his childhood friend, Zepha, as they embark on a journey in the Lunia Flats. The story is rather typical for a Dragon Quest game, as players are tasked with saving the world from ruin and dealing with rifts that appear.
Dragon Quest Smash/Grow is a Fun and Simplistic Roguelite Game
Although the character creator was lackluster, the short duration spent there means you’ll be in the action in no time. The combat system is straightforward as you simply hold and glide on the touch screen of your smartphone to attack and move. You can also unleash cinematic Coup de Grâce attacks after filling up its dedicated meter by landing hits and defeating enemies. Unleashing these attacks will send enemies flying, or Smashing, across the screen like pinballs and into each other to deal damage, hence the game’s name.
In the brief tutorial section, you’re also introduced to the Blessings system, which offers perks for earning crystals and leveling up the meter on the top left in the game. Blessings can stack and offer very powerful bonuses, such as increased attack range, improved weapon effects, and additional attacks. If you pay close attention to the Blessings you receive, you can have a really potent build before you reach the boss at the end of the level. This process is repeated for the story missions, with dialogue and cutscenes in between.
In its beta state, the gameplay loop in Dragon Quest Smash/Grow is actually really fun, and the closest comparison I have to this game is Dragalia Lost, which I thoroughly enjoyed before its shutdown. The combat system is simple but engaging as you level up, improve your party’s stats, and progress the story. At times, boss battles can be challenging due to the ferocity of enemy attacks, but it’s all in good fun. Although the story itself is slowly paced, like other mobile games, the story gives enough of an underlying premise that kept me wanting to play and see how it unfolds. Playing the story is worth it for the stars you obtain by completing challenges as well, which contribute toward more rewards.
One drawback of Dragon Quest Smash/Grow in its current state is the in-game environments. Story levels are structured very similarly, with a twisting corridor and sections of combat encounters with a boss battle at the very end. Level variety is lacking in this regard, even when the story progresses to different regions of the in-game world. I hope this gets addressed in levels past what was available in the closed beta test, and I do have faith in event levels being really fun.
The In-Game Systems Outside the Main Story
Dragon Quest Smash/Grow has a lot of compelling systems that players can engage in. There will be times were you’ll need to grind in order to be strong enough to complete story bosses, and you’ll be able to play in special events, repeatable quests, and much more. There’s also an Adventurer Rank that levels up as you earn XP and achievements throughout all aspects of the game. In the beta state, the game is really rewarding with the number of unlocks, XP, and rewards you can get from quests and achievements.
Like other mobile RPGs, players can grind for materials and XP by completing repeatable quests, which place the player in an arena to complete timed challenges. These quests range from battles against elusive Metal Slimes for vocation XP to fighting against weak enemies to see how many you can defeat in a strict time limit. Some of the quests may be time-gated, while others require a ticket for entry.
Event quests operate similarly to main story quests, but these offer some unique gameplay and reward opportunities as well. I think event quests will keep players coming back for more, especially since Square Enix can experiment and try out new ideas without sticking to the level structure that might become boring for some players in the main story. Aside from this, there are also co-op quests that players can partake in, and there are additional rewards up for grabs by sending drones out to lands you previously visited to get loot and items with unique lore entries.
The enemies you defeat can also be equipped as Memories or artifacts, which can be ascended to get more stat bonuses for your hero and their two other companions. If you played Genshin Impact or any other mobile RPG, you’ll be quickly familiar with the artifact system here. Weapons and equipment work very similarly as well, as leveling gear up will improve item stat bonuses and unlock new perks that will further improve your characters’ potencies. All of these improvements can be made by the blacksmith at the in-game Workshop.
A Glimpse into the Gacha
Unsurprisingly, Dragon Quest Smash/Grow does have gacha elements that are integral to the overall experience. Players can summon one-star to three-star weapons and gear from Transmuters by using Gems or Vouchers, with three-star being the highest rarity. Gems and Vouchers can be obtained for free from numerous sources, including leveling up your Adventure Rank, earning achievements and collecting artifacts, redeeming login bonuses, completing story missions, and earning a sufficient amount of stars in the story.
The closed beta test was very generous with the amount of Gems and Vouchers you can get, but there were only two banners to summon from, so that’s worth keeping in mind. From what I played, gacha appears to be the only method for acquiring new gear. However, if the flow of free Gems and Vouchers isn’t changed too drastically for the launch version, then it should be very easy for F2P players to have a powerful party. What’s more, players are rewarded for summoning with Gems through stamps, which will grant an additional reward with each tenfold summon.
Interestingly enough, there were no characters to summon for from other Dragon Quest games in the beta, but that can certainly change in the future with the version 1.0 release and beyond. There are no areas of the game that would spell trouble for players from an in-game economy standpoint. The long-term success of Dragon Quest Smash/Grow remains to be seen, of course, as it will be a true indicator of what direction the game will go in.
Dragon Quest Smash/Grow is a Promising Game, and There’s A Lot Left to Prove
Dragon Quest Smash/Grow is shaping up to be a really fun roguelite game that appeals to Dragon Quest fans, and it may even be an entry point into the series for mobile and casual gamers. Although the story’s pacing could be better, the action RPG gameplay is what kept me hooked for the near 10 hours I played in the closed beta test, and the gacha elements don’t seem egregious at the moment.
However, it’s clear that Dragon Quest Smash/Grow has a lot to prove, especially with Square Enix’s history of mobile game shutdowns over the years. I want Dragon Quest Smash/Grow to be a compelling game for years to come as a meaningful spin-off for the Dragon Quest series. We’ll likely have a clearer picture when Dragon Quest Smash/Grow launches in 2026 for Android and iOS.
Disclaimer: Square Enix sent a Dragon Quest Smash/Grow closed beta test code on Android for coverage purposes.
