View source for Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon

{{Short description|2006 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Dragon Quest: {{nowrap|Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon}}
| image = DragonQuestYangus.jpg
| caption=
| developer = [[Cavia (company)|Cavia]]
| publisher = [[Square Enix]]
| director = Yoshimasa Asao
| producer = {{ubl|Takamasa Shiba|Takuya Iwasaki}}
| designer = [[Yuji Horii]]
| artist = [[Akira Toriyama]]
| writer = Fuminori Ishikawa
| composer = [[Koichi Sugiyama]]
| series = {{ubl|''[[Mystery Dungeon]]''|''[[Dragon Quest]]''}}
| engine =
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|April 20, 2006}}
| genre = [[Action role-playing]], [[Roguelike]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| platforms = [[PlayStation 2]]
}}
{{nihongo foot|'''''Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon'''''|Dragon Quest: Shōnen Yangus to Fushigi no Dungeon|ドラゴンクェスト　少年ヤンガスと不思議のダンジョン|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is 2006 [[action role-playing game]] developed by [[Cavia (company)|Cavia]] and published by [[Square Enix]] as part of the ''[[Mystery Dungeon]]'' and ''[[Dragon Quest]]'' series. The game is a [[prequel]] to ''[[Dragon Quest VIII]]''.
==Gameplay==
''Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon'' utilizes randomly generated dungeons and combat taken in turns.<ref name="quest">{{cite web|url=http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Stealth/top-10-dragon-quest-games-230922.phtml|title=Top 10 Dragon Quest Games|author=Stealth|date=July 8, 2012|work=[[Destructoid]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301021217/http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/Stealth/top-10-dragon-quest-games-230922.phtml|archive-date=March 1, 2013|access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref> Players must fight through different floors of enemies until they reach a boss monster, which they must defeat to advance through the story.<ref name="IGNS"/> Combat takes place on contact with enemies, with no separate battle screen or menu system.<ref name="IGNS"/> A new feature to the series is the "tension command", that allows players to build up attack power to deliver strong blows upon enemies, though the character cannot move in this state.<ref name="IGNS"/> Later on in the game, and players can capture monsters with a special jug, and use them to attack opponents.<ref name="IGNS"/>
Players may keep three monsters in their possession at any one time, and can be taught to use special abilities by using items and through combat experience.<ref name="IGNS"/> Monsters must reach level four, be given foods they like, and also a weapon before they will assist Yangus, and as they fight more and more, they will combine their strengths with other captured monsters.<ref name="IGNS"/><ref name="spy">{{cite web | title=Dragon Quest: Young Yangus' Mysterious Dungeon | url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/dragon-quest-yangus-mysterious-dungeon/704045p2.html | author=Andrew Alfonso | work=[[GameSpy]] | date=May 1, 2006 | access-date=2012-08-04 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717015116/http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/dragon-quest-yangus-mysterious-dungeon/704045p2.html | archive-date=July 17, 2012 }}</ref> Players can also utilize a farmhouse late game where monsters can be kept and bred to create new and more powerful monsters.<ref name="IGNS"/> The game also uses cinematic and computer generated scenes with a comic-book style.<ref name="IGNS"/>
==Story==
The game centers around the character Yangus, one of the main characters in ''[[Dragon Quest VIII]]'', as a child.<ref name="source">{{cite web| title=Four million Dragon Quest VIIIs shipped| url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/four-million-dragon-quest-viiis-shipped-6143340| author=Hirohiko Niizumi| work=[[GameSpot]]| date=January 30, 2006| access-date=2012-08-04| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212938/http://www.gamespot.com/news/four-million-dragon-quest-viiis-shipped-6143340| archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref> Described as a "plump bandit", he becomes involved with his father Yampa's gang of thieves when a mysterious jug is brought home.<ref name="IGNS">{{cite web|title=Dragon Quest Yangus: Import Playtest|url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/702/702444p1.html|author=Anoop Gantayat|work=[[IGN]]|date=April 24, 2006|access-date=2012-08-04|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927153002/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/702/702444p1.html|archive-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref><ref name="jump">{{cite web|title=Jump Fest 2005: Square Enix and Mistwalker show upcoming titles|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/jump-fest-2005-square-enix-and-mistwalker-show-upcoming-titles-6141529|author=Staff|work=[[GameSpot]]|date=December 19, 2005|access-date=2012-08-04|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103011229/http://www.gamespot.com/news/jump-fest-2005-square-enix-and-mistwalker-show-upcoming-titles-6141529|archive-date=November 3, 2012}}</ref> Though instructed not to touch the jug, Yangus does, and is sucked inside the bottle into another world called "Bottle Land".<ref name="IGNS"/>
Red, a female bandit from ''Dragon Quest VIII'' also appears in this new world, as well as Morrie, Torneko, and a new character named Poppy, and each begins to explore the dungeons of this new land.<ref name="quest"/><ref name="IGNS"/><ref name="jump"/>
==Development==
A trailer for the game was shown in December 2005.<ref>{{cite web | title= Eyes On: Dragon Quest Yangus | url= http://ps2.ign.com/articles/677/677302p1.html | author= Anoop Gantayat | work= [[IGN]] | date= December 17, 2005 | access-date= 2012-08-04 | url-status= live | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120311083446/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/677/677302p1.html | archive-date= March 11, 2012 }}</ref> The game's soundtrack features music by [[Koichi Sugiyama]] from ''[[Dragon Quest VIII]]'' arranged by [[Hayato Matsuo]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Greening|first1=Chris|title=Hayato Matsuo Interview: Dark Orchestral Writing|date=10 January 2010 |url=http://www.vgmonline.net/hayatomatsuointerview/|publisher=Game Music Online|access-date=18 August 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129024336/http://www.vgmonline.net/hayatomatsuointerview/|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref>
==Reception==
The game ranked third in Japan for game sales for the week of April 17 to April 23 in 2006.<ref name=salez>{{cite web|url= https://www.gamespot.com/articles/japan-game-charts-april-17-23/1100-6148624/|publisher=GameSpot|access-date=June 13, 2020|title= Japan game charts: April 17-23|date=May 1, 2006|author=Thorsen, Tor}}</ref> The title sold over 340,000 copies in Japan by November 2006, according to Square Enix's IR, and ranking number 42 in sales overall for the year.<ref name="EBsales">{{Cite book |title=Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 2007 |publisher=[[Enterbrain]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-4-7577-3577-4 |location=Tokyo |page=387 |id={{JPNO|21240454}} |language=ja |script-title=ja:ファミ通ゲーム白書2007 |trans-title=Famitsu Game Whitebook 2007 |chapter=2006年ゲームソフト年間売上TOP500 |trans-chapter=2006 Game Software Annual Sales Top 500 |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2006_ne_fa/index.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626214525/http://geimin.net/da/db/2006_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=2015-06-26 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/ir/pdf/20061120en.pdf |title=FY2006 First-Half Period ResultsBriefing Session |publisher=Square Enix |page=6 |access-date=August 23, 2020 }}</ref> The game was noted for its "cartoonish 3D graphics", and its full motion video was also praised.<ref name="spy"/><ref>{{cite web | title=Dragon Quest VIII spin-off dated for Japan | url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/dragon-quest-viii-spin-off-dated-for-japan-6143244 | author=Tim Surette | work=[[GameSpot]] | date=January 27, 2006 | access-date=2012-08-04 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108173250/http://www.gamespot.com/news/dragon-quest-viii-spin-off-dated-for-japan-6143244 | archive-date=November 8, 2012 }}</ref> The original art style and cell-shaded graphics were highlighted for praise as well.<ref name="spy"/> [[IGN]] described the dungeon movement system in the game as "clumsy".<ref name="IGNS"/> The narration of the game was thought to be hilarious, due to the narrators acting out of various characters parts.<ref name="IGNS"/> The protagonist of the game, Young Yangus, would later appear in other games in the ''Dragon Quest'' franchise such as ''[[Fortune Street]]'' in 2011 and ''[[Dragon Quest Rivals]]'' as part of an event in 2019.
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.square-enix.co.jp/dragonquest/yangus/}} {{in lang|ja}}
{{Dragon Quest series}}
{{Mystery Dungeon series}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon, Dragon Quest:}}
[[Category:2006 video games]]
[[Category:Action role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Cavia (company) games]]
[[Category:Dragon Quest spin-off games|Young Yangus and the Mysterious Dungeon]]
[[Category:Japan-exclusive video games]]
[[Category:Mystery Dungeon]]
[[Category:PlayStation 2 games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 2-only games]]
[[Category:Role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video game prequels]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Koichi Sugiyama]]
[[Category:Video games using procedural generation]]