The game: Dragon Warrior/Dragon Quest II-VII
Sequels to: Dragon Warrior (NES)
Why you didn't play it: Despite the facts that it basically taught Final Fantasy how to play and that Dragon Quest is sort of the national game series of Japan, this seminal RPG juggernaut basically disappeared in the Western world until 2005's Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King. Many of the games didn't come out over here at all, and those that did (Dragon Warrior VII on PSone, for example) were constantly hammered for looking and playing way too much like the 1986 ('89 in the US) original.
Why you should have: Because these are some of the largest, most epic RPGs you'll ever encounter. The monster and character designs are classic (courtesy of Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama), the turn-based combat is simple but perfect, and the massive, empowering storylines tend to be overflowing with charming characters, moving scenes, and memorable moments. It's old-school, but it's also the inspiration for pretty much every console RPG ever.
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