Final Fantasy by a freaking mile. Dragon Quest refuses to make any major changes besides moving into 3D. Even then, the gameplay is pretty much the same. Final Fantasy, however, changes a lot with each new installment. When I play Final Fantasy XII it doesn't feel like I'm playing Final Fantasy VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, or XI. It feels like I'm playing Final Fantasy XII.

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Final Fantasy, the first six, plus the tactics games are great, but I'd take DQ Vlll over FF Vll and later games.

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Final Fantasy wins for each iteration being different, even if only slightly in some (or many) cases, and even if some were very bad.

Dragon Quest wins for reliability, and for the best spinoff games (Rocket Slime! Monsters! YEAH!).

Final verdict: They are TWO DIFFERENT GAMES. And the question is ultimately a moot point since they're made by the same company now. No fair being your own rival.

Since this is DS Fanboy, and we're really talking about Final Fantasy IV and Dragon Quest IV, I'd answer Dragon Quest without even thinking. Why? Well, have you played Final Fantasy IV? Did you find the "enemy casts instant death and game over" in every fucking random encounter fun? No. Didn't think so.

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BOTH!

I've played the majority of the Final Fantasy games as they game available in the US, but Dragon Quest was a little harder to come by here.

I never actually played a single DQ game until VIII. And, as huge a fan I am of the SNES and PSone Final Fantasies, DQ8 just might be better than all of them. And for as many times as I've played FF6 and FF7 (near a dozen each I'm sure) that's saying something.

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Both franchises are great. But I have to say that I like Dragon Quest is my favorite franchise of the two. The battles are quick and enjoyable. Its especially fun to see the cartoon enemies animated attacks. The music is good and there are some memorable tunes. The writing is good. I liked DQ7's style in which each chapter was a mini drama and in the end they all wove into each other by the end of the game. Final Fantasy is good too, but overall I like Dragon Quest better.

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FF7 has yet to be dethroned as my favorite game of all time.

BUT... as a series!? it's DQ all the way.

there are about 3 FFs that I really LOVE. and a lot of them make me cringe (especially the newer ones).

but for DQ? they have always been consistently great and interesting... I love that they haven't abandoned the fun anime vibe. the FF games now look like trans-gender fashion models or something.... it's too much. plus the plot of FF never changes now!!

bottom line: FF will always have a special place in my heart, and I will always give their games a look when new ones come out.... but I've loved DQ since DW1... and they've yet to let me down.

even DQ Swords was friggin' awesome!! (if you get into it, it's a really deep, challenging game.... we're on like our 30th hour and we've just started payback mode!)

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On the DS? Neither.

As a series? Final Fantasy, probably. I mean, I haven't enjoyed the vast majority of the newer Final Fantasy games, but VII was pretty good (despite it holding the throne of most overrated game ever made for all these years), and FFIX/FFVI were awesome. I just can't get into Dragon Quest... the way the story is conveyed, the battle systems, etc... it all feels so archaic.

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As #1 pointed out. DQ refuses to change, while FF takes the risk. True, some FFs suck, but you can always see an evolution, and that you have to give some credits to them.

Some day, I say, FF will find the right formula and be what DQ can never be.

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I have tried on my R4 pretty much all FF and DQ.

With exception of FFTA2 (from FF) and DQM:J (from DQ), I do like none of the franchise games.

Poor game utility. Forced story. So little of action for so much of cut-scenes. FF have now weird combat system or are real-time (what I do not like). DQ IV looks like a copy FF III with the very same mistakes.

From FFTA2 and DQM:J I prefer DQM:J because it is less watered down.

FFTA2 would be an excellent game for me, if only they had made it more accessible: less stupid laws, less stupid quests, no auction thingy and of course ZOMG not so much lockables. After playing FFTA2 for 40+ hours, it is more about loot hunting than anything else: to use loot to unlock items to unlock abilities to make any use of the jobs I had to go thru bunch of stupid quests to unlock. I got bored and stopped playing it.

On other side, DQM:J is really good simple RPG. It could be better, yet it is best RPG I ever played on DS. (Luminous Arc looses to it only slightly - and only in production values department.)

P.S. Disclaimer: PC gamer here. Wii/DS are still niche for me.

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Dragon Quest, it's more endearing and the lack of bell's and whistles makes it very easy for me to find comfort in the series.

Most FF games are too much for me anymore but I'm old and that's my excuse.

I really hope that DQIV sells well enough for Square Enix to be able to localize the V and VI remakes for DS.

You know what you are getting into with a DQ game and that really makes the series appealing to me. It's a classic formula that never changes. A lot of FF games are a good example of someone trying to fix what isn't broken.

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Final Fantasy games are better in every way. Even the least liked Final Fantasy games are better than any of the DQ games.

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FINAL FANTASY, though I could see myself getting behind DRAGON QUEST. I'm interested in giving DQIV a spin.

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