Okay simply DragonQuest is my favorite RPG series. None of them can really beat FF4 or 6, but altogether they are the best. What I love about the game is how you play the hero. You don't really just go from dungeon to dungeon and watch the story in between. There's some of that, but exploration is the main thing. Always has been. Another good thing is that the npcs all seem like real people, and aren't just there to tell you where the next dungeon is. Lots of comedy in the game too. Not the kind that's shot out of a cannon but still makes you chuckle.

Plus the character designs rock. Like Toriyama or not, he keeps it fresh. The only bad one is DQ2's hero with the flight goggles.

The most popular DQ ever was 3, and for good reason. It had a huge map, all kinds of sidestories, and lots of innovations.
It had the first:
1. Ghostship, which you had to track down with a bone compass.
2. Ghost love story, which was pretty cool really.
3. Egyptian area
4. Ghost town. That seriously threw me for a spin when I first played it.
5. Surprise fake ending and extended world!!!
6. Create your own characters.
7. Flying animal. Yeah FF had an airship that was faster, but the Phoenix was really cool.
8. Talking horse
9. great box art. I really liked the box art in the US. Probably why I noticed this one.
10. Superclass. The sage rocks in this game, and has a nice design too.

DW4 was probably a better game, with all of the balance fixes and things, but 3 was just so huge. Honestly I would say they are about matched, and 3 is remade for the SFC and the GBC so you can find it easily.

srsly DQ should have a subforum or something.