Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake

Developer: Square-Enix, Artdink
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One & Series X/S
Release Date: November 14, 2024

It can’t be said enough just how influential the Dragon Quest series was for role-playing video games, especially the original trilogy. Unfortunately, the earliest entries of the series from the ‘80s have not aged as gracefully as some of its JRPG brethren like early Final Fantasy or Pokémon, mostly because of how unapproachable and difficult they can be. Thankfully, this full remake of the original trilogy aims to freshen up the experience, giving it a new look and updated gameplay yet still retaining that spirit of a classic console JRPG.

Playing Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake put me back into that familiar mood of bundling up with a compelling role-playing game from back in the day, taking in the bright colors of the world and that sense of optimism for an adventure in the making. It retains that simple yet still compelling pace of a classic Dragon Quest game. But the remake also focuses on creating a better sense of direction and purpose for you within the world, which is gorgeously recreated with crisp new sprite work and 3D environments that provide a greater sense of depth. So far, it seems as if the HD-2D Remake of DQ3 is elevating the original experience to its best self, and I’m looking forward to diving back into this world again.