This was my first, as well, along with my Nintendo Power subscription. I had no idea how the game worked, nor how to get to the next "level." Still love Dragon Quest series due to the nostalgia.
I am on the same boat! That's how I got my copy of Dragon Warrior. I still have the poster that they shipped with it which had a map and the enemies listed on the back. Great game!
Same as far as dragon warrior being my first. All time fav would be hard to decide imo but to name a few, super Mario RPG, final fantasy 3/10, legend of dragoon, earthbound, Chrono trigger. The list just goes on and on lol
I’ve always stayed away from JRPGs but will enjoy a good western RPG. For me, everything is judged and compared to side scrolling 2d platformers. The best genre in gaming.