ROM Hack RELEASE Dragon Quest II Sprite Overhaul Mod

[Canzah]

Dragon Quest II Sprite Overhaul Mod by Canzah and SlowpokeVG

For whatever reason, the Switch version of the game (which is also directly based on the PS4 one that has the same problem), replaced character, monster, background and spell sprites with much higher resolution ones that quite jarringly clash against the environments/tilesets.
PS4/Switch however fixed the broken tilesets that Mobile version had (they were improperly scaled) and as such this mod does NOT replace the tilesets with the broken ones from Mobile.
What this mod will do is replace all the character, monster, background and spell sprites with the ones from Mobile version of the game which have a more pixelated look that better meshes with other assets in the game and doesn't create a jarring dissonance between various pixel sizes.

Below you can find a few screenshot examples of the mod in action:

Spoiler: Screenshots

Installation:
First, download our mod package from the link below which contains all the necessary files:

Mirror 1 (GDrive): https://pastebin.com/KF0wphyY

After downloading the mod, extract the contents of the archive with the mod to a folder of your own choice, it's compressed in 7z format which can be unpacked using 7zip or WinRAR, though we do recommend 7zip for best compatibility to avoid any potential issues.

Next you'll want to make sure you're using a CFW with LayeredFS support for your Switch, both Atmosphere and SXOS support it.

Now all you will need to do is select the "Titles" folder from this unpacked music patch archive and copy it to the directory used for LayeredFS on your memory card - this is crucial.
On Atmosphere, it's the "atmosphere" folder on the root of your memory card, put the "Titles" folder from this music patch archive inside that "atmosphere" folder.
On SXOS, it's the "SXOS" folder on the root of your memory card, put the "Titles" folder from this music patch archive inside that "SXOS" folder.
The patch is for the Switch version of the game (010062200EFB4000).

The only thing left for you at this point is to simply start the game and enjoy it with the Mobile sprites in all their pixelated glory!

Also, we have released a similar mod for Dragon Quest (the first one) and have one for Dragon Quest III planned quite soon too.
You can find the Dragon Quest one here: https://gbatemp.net/threads/dragon-quest-sprite-overhaul-mod.550383/


CREDITS:
Canzah - Adapting Mobile version sprites for Switch release of the game.
SlowpokeVG - Programming, file research and creation of the Switch version archive repack tool.


CHANGELOG:
V1
- First Release!
- Character, Monster, Background and Spell sprites fully replaced with Mobile sprites

 

[one-piece]

This is amazing! You are making Square Enix job. It's very difficult to believe how bad they have treated these ports of such a beloved series. These mods are the best way to experience these games on new hardware . Thank you and keep making great things!

 

[one-piece]

@Canzah Is there a way for you to make this for the 3rd game?, I know there is not much demand for it but your work really change the way this trilogy is presented, making this versions of the games the definitive ones. Please and thank you for your hard work

 

[cucholix]

Personally waiting for the 3rd game, it's in my eShop whishlist

 

[Canzah]

Third is unfortunately much more complicated in terms of getting the sprites out of the mobile version so the process is slower, but we're slowly getting there.

 

[nks]

My favorite game of all time is III, let me know if there is anything I can do to help Canzah

 

[shockme17]

Hey @Canzah - Just wanted to check in and see how far along DQ3 is? Any estimates of when it may be released. No pressure Thanks!

 

[ShinRaikdou]

Any news about Dragon Quest III? It's abandoned?

 

[one-piece]

I hope not. This line of mods are amazing, but I think Canzah hasn't been very active since 2019. Only thing to do is wait and hope

 

[Canzah]

DQ3 is not abandoned at all, it's just we've ran into a standstill with the the compression of the mobile assets and can't seem to get all the sprites, spells and backgrounds out of it. We managed to get most of them but a few are still missing and for now we're unable to progress any further.

 

[shockme17]

DQ3 is not abandoned at all, it's just we've ran into a standstill with the the compression of the mobile assets and can't seem to get all the sprites, spells and backgrounds out of it. We managed to get most of them but a few are still missing and for now we're unable to progress any further.

Appreciate the update! Any chance of releasing an incomplete "beta" with incomplete assets?

 

[Canzah]

We'd rather not have an incomplete version circulating around, sorry.

 

[sade1212]

Any further luck with the Dragon Quest III mod? The ugly sprites are the only thing preventing the Switch version of 3 being the best available version (with the official translation). Is there any way others could help?

 

[Cencil]

Hoping that Dragon Quest III mod is out soon! Waiting to do a proper play through with these better sprites

 

[Canzah]

Small update but not what you want to hear, sadly - as it stands it's still in the same state as in April, we are unable to dump some of the missing sprites and backgrounds. If anyone more skilled than us with reverse engineered could help us dump them from the mobile version, we could then easily port them to this and release it.

 

[Broduskii]

Played DQ with your other patch and now playing DQ2 with this one, thank you so much for the time and effort you put into these mods.

 

[Solarc]

I just wanted to say thank you for your work on the first two games, it really is amazing how much better they look with the mobile sprites.

It's unfortunate we'll probably never see the third game get the same treatment, I would honestly take an incomplete version of the mod at this point. Thankfully, they're releasing that HD-2D remake so we won't have to put up with this version of the game anymore.

 

[Canzah]

I just wanted to say thank you for your work on the first two games, it really is amazing how much better they look with the mobile sprites.

It's unfortunate we'll probably never see the third game get the same treatment, I would honestly take an incomplete version of the mod at this point. Thankfully, they're releasing that HD-2D remake so we won't have to put up with this version of the game anymore.

It's far too incomplete to release, but once HD2D remake of DQ3 comes out the existing DQ3 release will be deprecated anyway, so all the more reason not to work on it.

 

[copapistao]

still any chance of the DQ3 mod coming out? i wanna play the remake but i also wanna experience something that's closer to the original game so the mod would still be helpful.

 

[sylandro]

Small update but not what you want to hear, sadly - as it stands it's still in the same state as in April, we are unable to dump some of the missing sprites and backgrounds. If anyone more skilled than us with reverse engineered could help us dump them from the mobile version, we could then easily port them to this and release it.

If you are still interested in making a version for DQ3, I managed to extract all sprites from the Android version of the game.

Spoiler: Technical details

It involved decompiling the code, running the methods that load images on an Android emulator via instrumentation tests, and then exporting them as bitmaps. Running it on the emulator was necessary because the code makes calls to a native library. It took a lot of trial and error, especially because some graphics are paletted and the palette data and index data is split into multiple parts of the data files.

A couple of graphics are simply missing in the data files, perhaps that's why you were unable to find them. In-game they just reused other assets (eg. the Baramos battle background uses a generic castle background).
[/SPOILER]

EDIT: I've created a thread for a DQ3 mod and included the sprite rips there: https://gbatemp.net/threads/dragon-quest-iii-sprite-overhaul-and-restoration-mod.656370/