All the Deets on ‘Dragon Quest III’ HD-2D
Since Dragon Quest III arrived in 1988 and changed the RPG gaming world, it’s been beloved by fans around the world. When Nintendo announced it’s releasing the upgraded HD-2D version soon, the internet immediately lost its shit. So when can we play an enhanced version of the groundbreaking RPG?
A legendary JRPG remastered and improved
Since 2021, when Nintendo originally shared that it was in the works, fans of the original Dragon Quest III NES game have been anticipating the updated, high-definition modern version of the game. Some minor gameplay was shared in 2021, but it wasn’t enough to go on when it came to finding out if the new version is as good as its classic counterpart. Gamers online were thrilled when they found out that they’ll be able to play Dragon Quest III HD-2D this year.
On Tuesday, June 18 at the most recent Nintendo Direct event, the game’s publisher Square Enix announced that DQ III HD-2D will be released this fall. The sequel to Dragon Quest I and Dragon Quest II has been remastered into a delightfully fun and faithful version of its original, including the expansive open world, growing your own party characters’ skill sets, and dungeons that are actually fun and simple instead of grindy. This fan favorite is a long-awaited JRPG that will be available for play on November 14, 2024.
‘Dragon Quest III’ HD-2D gameplay
Since 1988, DQ III has changed how players view gameplay in a JRPG world. It looks like the newest updated HD-2D version of this game feels as simple and stress-free as the original. RPG gamers love DQ III for the easy joy it offers as a game and have shared as much on Reddit. Michael Hilgam at IGN deemed a Dragon Quest III PS5 demo “a faithful recreation”, and indeed it seems to be with the same 2D, flat mechanics from 1988. “The difference is night and day, yet it didn’t feel like I was playing a completely different game,” continues Hilgam. That does seem to be the ideal feeling any gamer wants when we play a remake.
And it looks like that’s not the only Dragon Quest remake that Nintendo’s been working on. The company also announced at the same Nintendo Direct event that it hopes to release HD-2D versions of Dragon Quest I and Dragon Quest II in 2025. If these remakes are as great as DQ III HD-2D seems to be it will be a win-win for Nintendo and DQ series fans.
The OG ‘Dragon Quest III’
In 1988 before DQ III, there was no roleplaying video game that allowed you to choose your party in a Dungeons & Dragons way and level them up as you please. Where the first two Dragon Quest games and other RPG games before it had a set party of adventurers and a strict linear plot line, DQ III opened up the roleplaying game world. With a larger world that players’ parties could explore at will (sometimes to their detriment) and the ability to guide each of your party members down a progressive path, DQ III changed the game—literally. It stretched the possibilities of what NES games could be at the time.
Dragon Quest III will be available on the Nintendo Switch on November 14, 2024. It’s also been shared on the official Dragon Quest X (formerly Twitter) account that the game will come out on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, though a date has not been specified.
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