Square Enix is bringing the Dragon Quest universe back to mobile in a new way with Dragon Quest Smash/Grow, a fast, action-focused spinoff built around roguelite progression. Pre-registration is now open on both iOS and Android, and the game is currently slated to launch in 2026.
Designed as a quick-to-learn, satisfying-to-master Dragon Quest RPG, Smash/Grow leans into intuitive combat and rapid runs where you carve through waves of monsters. After clearing mobs, you’ll be able to finish fights with series-style Coup de Grâce attacks, giving the game that familiar Dragon Quest flair even as it pushes into a more arcade-like action rhythm.
The big hook is variety. Each run is shaped by Blessings—randomized bonuses that can dramatically change how your character plays. These Blessings reshuffle as you progress, meaning you’ll constantly tweak your approach based on what the game gives you. It’s a mix of luck, planning, and adapting on the fly, aimed at making every trip into the action feel different from the last.
Dragon Quest Smash/Grow also taps into classic Dragon Quest identity with its vocation system. You’ll be able to build out a party using recognizable vocations, then go beyond standard leveling by unlocking nodes in a vocation tree to enhance abilities and refine how each role performs over time. That progression adds longer-term depth on top of the pick-up-and-play run structure.
On the story side, the game features a main campaign centered on restoring order to the world. Your adventure will take you into dungeon-like rifts that have appeared across the land, and you won’t be going alone—your mechanical companion, Roly, joins you on the journey.
For players who like teaming up, co-op quests allow you to join forces with up to three other players. The focus remains on crowd-clearing action as you combine your characters and push through monster hordes together.
Beyond the core loop, Square Enix is promising a lot to do. You can tackle swarms in the Gauntlette, challenge powerful bosses in Shrines, and explore additional modes and activities aimed at keeping the experience fresh well past the first few runs.
With pre-registration now live and a 2026 release window in place, Dragon Quest Smash/Grow is shaping up to be a mobile Dragon Quest entry built for speed, replayability, and constant build experimentation—while still keeping the series’ signature style at the center of the action.
