Final dungeons are the last area where the main antagonist awaits. It's usually the most challenging area found in the main story with powerful monsters, end-game treasures, multiple boss fights (but not always) and the final boss.
After clearing the final dungeon, the player gets their ending and the credits roll. In earlier games, that would be it and there would be no more enemies to fight, aside from the ones the player missed. Starting from Dragon Quest V, the games would start introducing Bonus dungeons.
List of final dungeons[]
Dragon Quest[]
The final dungeon is The Dragonlord's Castle, where the Dragonlord resides.
Dragon Quest II[]
The final dungeon is Hall of Hargon where the main villain Hargon awaits. The Hall of Hargon is initially disguised by magic to make its interior appear identical to Midenhall Castle. In order to dispel the magic, the Eye of Rubiss must be used upon entering the castle. After Hargon falls, he sacrifices himself to summon Malroth.
Dragon Quest III[]
The Dragonlord's Castle serves again as the final dungeon in this prequel story, thou in this earlier incarnation, the structure was known as Zoma's Citadel. Zoma's most powerful henchmen await the legendary hero in this castle with Zoma himself waiting at the end.
Dragon Quest IV[]
The final dungeon in this game is Castle Nadiria; this was the former castle of the Lord of the Underworld, now taken over by Psaro who finally achieved the perfect state of evolution.
Dragon Quest V[]
The game's final dungeon takes place in the land of Nadiria, where Bishop Ladja fights the player for the final time and Nimzo, who awaits The Hero and his family to challenge him.
Dragon Quest VI[]
The last trial in this game is Mortamor's Dreadlair; the large castle standing at the top of a mountain across the Sea of Nothingness in the Dread Realm, which as its name implies, is the home of Mortamor. Navigating the lair is tricky since it comes with tough monsters, arrow panels, bouncy platforms, misty mazes and even unstable doors that seem to lead to another dimension.
Dragon Quest VII[]
This game's final dungeon is the Cathedral of Blight. Constructed secretly underneath a much more benevolent looking cathedral by Orgodemir while he was posing the Almighty, this treacherous structure is where the Demon King retreats once his deception is revealed to the whole world.
Dragon Quest VIII[]
The final dungeon in this game is the Black Citadel. Hidden by the Seven Sages in the ancient past, this grim flying fortress raised once again from beneath the earth once Rhapthorne regains his body back, completly devastating the isle Neos in the process. The dungeon has various segments to it, and after defeating Rhapthorne's first form, the party must make their escape. In doing so, the player has to fight two bosses in the city area (Servant of Darkness, and the 4 statues: Statue of Hero, Statue of Yangus, Statue of Jessica and Statue of Yangus), then another boss in the garden area (two Megalodon) and then one last boss (Ruin) before they can leave. After this, Rhapthorne absorbs the remains of the Black Citadel into himself, becoming a giant demon who is protected by a dark barrier.
Dragon Quest IX[]
The Realm of the Mighty is what became of the Realm of the Almighty after Corvus took control of it. It's a nightmarish floating tree dungeon with broken rainbows and organic parts, namely yellow eyes and pulsating pimples. At the top of the tree, there's a small palace at the top where Zenus once governed. The last floors of the dungeon are filled with an acid-like substance which damages on contact. The party fights multiple bosses, three of which are the revived versions of the Triumgorate. At some point, they fight Corvus, who then eventually retreats and further transforms into a demon later on. After Aquila's student defeats Barbarus, Coruvs and the Hero fight for the fate of the mortals in the Protectorate.
Dragon Quest X[]
Being a MMO, players first playing the game in 2012 believed that the final dungeon is the Heart of Hell, where the Netherfiend Nelgel awaits players who manage to reach it via the Ark of the Heavens. After a fierce battle, Nelgel is defeated, though the game is far from over since the barrier he left over Renshadia is still active, prompting Version 2. When the Hero helps Anlucia recover her memories and powers, and traveled both Fake and True Renshadias, they travel through the Abyss Gate and fight Nelgel's master Maldragora, the mastermind behind Nelgel's attack on Tenton and triumph. Later, the Hero travels to Nagaland's Shinto Nadragram to stop Patriarch Orstov from reviving Nadraga who is inside Estelle, his vessel. Though the Hero defeats Nadraga, they venture 5000 years into the past and fight Kyronos in the deepest part of the Kingdom of Tenton's secret alchemy factory. Jagonuba's final stronghold is said to be the Death Garden of the Dark Star, located at the deepest part of the Netherworld, where the Hero fights 4 Origin versions of Scorpider, Gelzark, Galdodon, and Delmeze, several monsters gone Vicious, Shaka transformed into a monster by Jagonuba, as well as the Great Source of Darkness himself. Version 6's final dungeon has yet to be seen, however.
Dragon Quest XI[]
The Fortress of Fear is the last dungeon in the main story, a flying dark fortress constructed in mockery of Yggdrasil. This where Mordegon, Lord of Shadows awaits, alongside his two most trusted Spectral Sentinels, Indignus and Jasper. After the credits roll, the true final boss of the main story, accessible through an optional time travel to the past, Calasmos, the Dark One can be challenged, but unlike Mordegon, he does not hide himself at the end of a dungeon. Once he is defeated, the credits roll again.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker[]
The game's final dungeon is Tartarus, which can be accessed from Infern Isle. The area starts off as this mountain-like area before the player actually reaches the entrance. At first, the entrance is blocked by Ace of Spades, who returns to normal after being defeated. Once the player actually makes it inside, the dungeon design becomes more disturbing, taking on a more organic appearance. At various points, the player is forced to fight various bosses (Black Dragon, Atlas) before they make it to the top, where Dr. Snap awaits. Once there, he'll force the player to fight Buffalogre and Mohawker (a likely reference to Red Fang and Blue Horn). When they're defeated, Dr Snap tries to recorrupt the Incarnus only to be turned into Dr Snapped, one of the most disturbing monsters in the monster. He attacks the player, with a Tortured Soul and Demon-At-Arms as backup. After that, the player has no more reason to return to Tartarus.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2[]
The final dungeon is the Necropolis, where the corrupted version of the legendary warrior Leonyx is imprisoned. It's some dark ruins with ancient mechanisms and teleporters. The deepest floors also have lava, and behind the place where Leonyx lies is said to be the entrance to an entire new world.
Dragon Quest Swords[]
The game's final chapter has the player venture into the Deathbringer's Citadel, where the game's villain Xiphos the Deathbringer awaits. Unlike any other final dungeon, if the player completes the stage for the first time (or loses to Xiphos), the player can choose to replay the dungeon or skip straight to the final boss.