To date, all the 8- and 16-bit entries in the Dragon Quest series have been remade several times. The first three games are practically as pervasive as Tetris here in Japan, the fourth has appeared on PS1 and DS, and the fifth even got a PS2 remake in 3D before appearing as Hand of the Heavenly Bride earlier this year. Of all the pre-Sony Dragon Quests, only the sixth game -- which will be called Realms of Reverie when it makes its way to America, presumably next year -- has yet to be remade.
As a result, it's easily the least-known entry of the series in the West, never having made its way out of Japan in any official format. In Japan, though, it remains many gamers' favorite chapter, sometimes edging out even the sublime Dragon Quest V in fan polls.