Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest III was a pioneer and was very far ahead of its time. The first Final Fantasy had only been released shortly before this game, yet in terms of storytelling, worldbuilding, and themes, Dragon Quest III was much more sophisticated than Square’s inaugural title. The HD-2D engine is just the cherry on top. Thanks to that, this is one of the best retro remakes I’ve ever played.

The hero's story offered by Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a magnificent epic everyone should experience at least once. The narrative's events, conditions, and scope are standing. It is a history lesson any RPG fan should take. Visually, it is perfect, and its music is exceptional. It is one of the must play games for the remainder of 2024.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D is welcoming for newcomers, a fan's dream, and a truly timeless classic.

Introducing a true JRPG classic to the new generation, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake has done an excellent job as the best remake that can be adapted to the new generation without spoiling the originality of the game.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is actually perfect as a remake. This game manages to recapture the original experience to give you that old feeling, but in a modern guise. The team has remained incredibly faithful to the original. On the one hand, that is excellent news, because it makes this the best way to play this classic. But that also makes it a game made for JRPG fans from the very beginning. For that group of gamers who sat behind an NES or SNES late at night, slowly traveling through a dungeon on their way to the final boss. It is very nice that this faithful remake exists for that specific group of veteran gamers, alongside far-reaching remakes such as that of Final Fantasy 7.

I admit, as fun as it looked with its shiny, new coat of paint and new features to play with, I approached Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake with some cynicism. How couldn’t I with a title like that? Seriously, it sounds more like I bought a used car than played a video game. But the charm and timelessness of Dragon Quest 3 will shine through anything, and having it on a big screen and operating like a modern game was admittedly exciting. For all the bells, whistles, and flourishes, this is still the classic adventure that inspired millions of players over thirty years ago. A polish job like this just makes it shine brighter.

Artdink and Square Enix bring us a near-perfect retelling of a game that's over 30 years old. The Japanese publisher proves once again that it is the king of remakes, with a version that combines HD-2D, more resplendent than ever, with life-saving comfort options. It's modern, but never scratches the heart of the Dragon Quest series, which remains intact in this remake. A must-have title for all fans of old-school JRPGs.

While there is no denying that the heart of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake comes from another era, the level of quality across every aspect of this redo cannot be denied. If you love the original game, taking a trip through this version of its world is simply a must. If you’ve never played it, I can’t imagine a better way to experience one of the genre’s all-time classics. Its intentional adherence to the source might make some aspects of it hard for newcomers to swallow, but everything that could be done to make it palatable without changing it too much has been. It’s a true celebration, both of the game and the series.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake manages to bring together the best of both worlds: the charm and freedom of old-school games with the comfort and fluidity of modern titles. This starts from a visual point of view with a more successful HD-2D style than ever that looks like an achievement for Team Asano. Controller in hand, the adventure benefits from so many comfort options that it becomes more fluid than ever and modular to satisfy all audiences. Thanks to all this, we find with great pleasure the feeling of freedom typical of Famicom games with gameplay that shines as much by its simplicity as by the combinations offered. And if we can criticize it for the structure of its dungeons, some less beautiful environments and its technique on Switch, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake still succeeds in its bet to bring back to taste a timeless classic in the best possible conditions.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake comes with its share of flaws and oddities that prevent it from being the perfect version of itself, but it’s still just so darn good that they’re easy enough to overlook. This is a beautiful remake of an already incredible game that is very faithful to its original, with changes only attempting to enhance what was already there. It may not always succeed, but when it does it makes for a sublime experience.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a wonderful new version of perhaps the single most influential JRPG. It isn't a top-to-bottom remake or a surprising meta-retelling – it's classic Dragon Quest, brighter and better than ever.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is a superbly well-done remake that honors the legacy of its source material while being a great JRPG in its own right. The new Monster Wrangler Vocation and overhauled Vocations are enjoyable to play with and offer tons of character-build theory-crafting potential, the new HD-2D graphics are gorgeous to behold. What's more, there’s a decent amount of engaging and rewarding side quests to partake in, and the new difficulty and accessibility options make the game feel more welcoming for newcomers to the Dragon Quest series while maintaining the challenge of the original title for series veterans.

All of the adventure, the exciting battles, and nostalgia are here. The moments of frustration and triumph I yearn for every time I come back to this game are preserved. This is Dragon Quest III, plain and simple. It felt like coming home.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a wonderful way to play a classic of the genre, with gorgeous visuals and super fast combat.

Another spectacular HD-2D JRPG from Square Enix, which is becoming one of its main crown jewels. Despite the graphical update, its essence remains intact, full of secrets and good challenges that you'll love to discover. One of the best games from this developer in the last 10 years.

Dragon Quest 3 is in fantastic form in the visually stunning remake, but the gameplay can't hide its old age.

There's a Shakespearean love story that has cursed a village, a wayward king waiting for the right opportunity to get rid of the crown, a fantasy world modelled on our own, and a story that has decisively influenced Japanese fiction: Dragon Quest III is an invaluable piece of history, and this remake is the best way to play it. Provided you are able to stomach a dose of antiquated mechanics.

With barely a hint of addition, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake remains a mainly visual reworking of one of the greatest J-RPG classics, with its heaviness and its moments of grace.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is a triumph - an absolute must-play for anyone who appreciates timeless design, stunning visuals, and the type of game that rewards both patience and strategy. It is joy distilled for those of us who grew up in a certain era and a wonderful glimpse into the past for those lucky youngsters who did not. It delivers on its promise to take stewardship of the classics and makes me thrilled that this is the pedigree we can expect from Square Enix going forward.

Make no mistake, I had fun playing DRAGON QUEST III. I appreciate what it’s done and brought to the table. But over the course of its runtime, I found myself losing interest thanks to a bombardment of random encounters and not enough between all that. So many games have come since then (and are still coming out today!) that have been greatly influenced by this JRPG classic, bringing their own twists and turns to storytelling and battle systems. There’s a good time to be had here in the HD-2D Remake, but if you’ve never played DRAGON QUEST III before, walk in with tempered expectations and to be down a few more hours than the game really should’ve been.