Dragon Quest 5 is my favourite followed by 9 and 4.
While Dragon Quest 9 didn't have a great story (I think all the Dragon Quests from 6 onward had crap stories) the multiplayer gameplay is still one of the best and experiences that can be had in an RPG. I haven't played Dragon Quest 11 yet, so my story criticisms don't count there. But Dragon Quest 5 had a fantastic story, and then 6, 7, 8 were flat, and not up to par with other RPGs of the time. Dragon Quest 9's story isn't anything special either, but the way the game works really enhances the experience.
So, if I were to rank. It'd probably be something like:
Dragon Quest 10 and 11 (haven't palyed)
1. Dragon Quest 5
2. Dragon Quest 9
3. Dragon Quest 4
4. Dragon Quest Original Trilogy (1-3)*
5. Dragon Quest 8
6. Dragon Quest 6
7. Dragon Quest 7
*As a note, I'm not combining the value of the Dragon Quest trilogy, I like any of the first three games above 8 and below 4 - I combined the three because I feel they should be played in order, not as separate games.
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