Dragon Warrior II is a role-playing game. The player controls his or her characters as they move in the game world. They can search treasure chests, talk and trade with villagers, equip weapons and armor, and cast spells. However, if the player wanders far in the wilderness they can get attacked and go into battle mode. Dragon Warrior II is noted for greatly expanding the game play from the previous game, Dragon Warrior. Dragon Warrior II is the first game in the series to feature multiple heroes and enemies in a battle, as well as a sailing ship. It was also the first to have weapons which cast spells when used in battles. In addition, Dragon Warrior II offers a wider array of spells and items and a much larger world.