You don't have to be one of the chosen to enjoy this quest.
Back when Dragon Warrior IV hit shelves stateside, the new console on the block, the SNES had hit the ground running. Released in Oct of 1992, DWIV was undoubtedly overshadowed by many SNES heavy hitters that year, particularly The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which was released only one month later. If you never got to experience the adventure then, there's no better reason to pop it in your DS and relive some old school RPG fun.
The story isn't vastly different from most role playing games of that era, or most role playing games in general. What sets DQIV apart is its execution. Rather than start as a single hero out to save the world, you play as group of heroes, through a number of "Chapters", until the final chapter, which brings them all together (think "Love, Actually", only in Dragon Quest form). This wouldn't work if the characters weren't distinctly different, or likable, but thankfully they are.
Throughout the course of the game, you'll play as a soldier, a rebellious princess, a priest, a wizened old sage, a fortune teller, a dancer, a humble merchant and of course, as a hero. To say that heroes wear many hats is something of an understatement in this game.
There are also a few other things to occupy your time, besides just saving the world (hey, heroes get bored too). You can build a fledgling town from an oasis into a thriving community. There's a hidden bonus dungeon, as well as large casinos in multiple towns, for gambling aficionados. There's even a huge book, that keeps track of all the monsters you've fought and encourages you to find and defeat all 210 critters. This is easier than it sounds, as some monsters only appear in certain locales, while some only come out at night, as well.
The graphics are bright and colorful and look rather nice in many places. You'll notice flickering torches, translucent clouds, and shimmering waterfalls. There is a day/night cycle, which not only affects the overworld, but also towns. Feel like spending that hard earned gold on a nice suit of armor in the middle of the night? Well you'll have to wait til morning, cause the guy who runs the armor shop is probably asleep (or at the casino). Monster sprites are generally nice looking as well. They're all animated, and moving somewhat in battle. Like most DQ games, some monsters are more animated than others. High end spell effects are nice and appropriately flashy.
The sound effects are pretty standard fare but the music is quite nice. The opening of the game features a nice orchestral theme. There are also several different themes playing on the overworld for the first four chapters, the hero has his/her own theme and the overworld theme changes depending on who you have leading your party, in Chapter 5. The battle music also features a crescendo, which was unheard of when it was originally released (Even the PSOne remake didn't have one).
Combat is more or less your standard old school bout. You can have a party of up to four, against a team of monsters. You do have some options though, you can control your party directly, or you can put them on cruise control with options like focusing on healing, or conserving their magic, etc. Its also nice that party members who aren't currently in your active lineup also get experience from battles. There are quite a few random battle encounters, but most battles are pretty quick, so it isn't too bad.
With its lush graphics, engaging music, short and sweet battles, added content, and lengthy adventure, if you're feeling nostalgic, or just need a great handheld role playing game, you could do a lot worse than Dragon Quest IV.