Dragon Quest Treasures evokes nostalgic memories of Nintendo DS titles with its bite-sized gameplay sessions and charming art style. The game has a refreshing twist on traditional RPG mechanics. Instead of engaging in direct combat, your character strategically buffs your party of three monsters and debuffs enemies with a variety of pellets from your weapon, a slingshot, adding depth to each encounter.

However, while the gameplay mechanics are novel, I couldn't overlook the game's tendency to feel repetitive, particularly in the later stages of my 40-hour journey. Additionally, the long cooldown on the monster forte, sprint, which allows you to mount one of your monsters, proved frustrating, extending travel times unnecessarily and disrupting the game's pacing.

Despite these drawbacks, I had fun digging up treasures and the unique leveling system tied to collecting treasures instead of just battling other monsters, kept me engaged throughout. While Dragon Quest Treasures may not be without its flaws, its nostalgic charm and innovative gameplay mechanics ultimately made for a fun experience. If you are a fan of spin-off games from the Dragon Quest series, I recommend giving this game a try.