Dragon Quest XI S is a fantastic JRPG that does just about everything right. It’s a faithful Switch port of the PS4 version that brings with it a host of upgrades, and the most compelling of these new features is the land of Tickington.
Tickington is a brand-new town that has been added to Dragon Quest XI S. It’s a beautifully rendered 16-bit wonderland that introduces players to Tockles, lovable creatures who are charged with the safekeeping of the past. However, something terrible has happened in the world and the memories of the past have become distorted. Now, it’s up to our Hero to set things straight.
Essentially, Tickington is a tribute to past Dragon Quest titles. There are 10 tomes that players need to fix, each one relating back to a previous entry in the series. It’s a brilliant idea that is executed perfectly. Once players discover the ‘pastcode’ associated with each tome, they are transported to a new variation of a previous Dragon Quest game and must set out on a short quest to correct the timeline.
The amount of content here is astounding and was clearly a work of passion. Players who are new to the series will love getting a glimpse of the previous games, while long-time fans of the series will get to revisit beloved locations of the past. It’s also a fun feature that introduces the new 2D mode added to the Switch, as Tickington lacks a third dimension. Of course, the side-quest is accessible while playing in 3D mode, but once you are transported to Tickington the town will only be displayed in 2D; likely as a way to pay homage to the franchise’s roots.
If you’ve previously played Dragon Quest XI on the Playstation 4, the world of Tickington might be compelling enough to warrant a second purchase. If you own both a PS4 and Switch, then buying the game on the Switch is a no-brainer. Tickington is a fully developed game in its own right, and it would be a shame to miss out on this wonderful addition.