There’s not been many main series Dragon Quest games I’ve played. I enjoyed my time with VII on the 3DS (even if I never completed it), and the demo of XI. But I’m still invested in the franchise owing to the spin-off games. Monsters, Builders, Heroes, Rocket Slime… There’s been so many great ones that have kept me looking at the franchise. So the announcement of remakes of the first three main games during a Nintendo Direct certainly had me considering.

And so I jumped on Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, with the intention of getting the first two when they release next year. And with what I’ve played of this third game so far, I’m more interested in getting to those other two. As for Dragon Quest III, I was instantly in love upon hearing that opening theme. It’s a theme that very much represents the franchise, which I can’t help but enjoy. The same goes for all the familiar jingles I encountered throughout.

The story starts with my hero, who I naturally named Brandon, dreaming. In this dream he is contacted by a Goddess, who asks a few questions which form the personality I get for the adventure. Then, it’s time to wake up and undergo the quest to rid the land of evil. Alongside some friends, which I could craft myself. Naturally, I dug into my Alternate Halesowen and Beyond series to fill the party. Each with a unique class, and a unique personality given to them by how I choose to boost their starting stats.

With the party ready, it was time to leave the town of Aliahan and get to work. To start with, there’s not a lot of map to explore. This is an island, with just two towns and a few other locations to visit. Nearly all of them will be done so in the opening hour or two, or all of them if taking the time to explore. The story will take the adventure to a Path of Promise, which leads to the rest of the map and the very open nature of a huge world.

The overworld is pretty much a map that the characters walk across. There’s a lot of great visual design here, with a very nice blend of pixel art and other texturing used across all locations. And even in the important ones, which the overworld depicts as mini pixel art versions of what will be found when they are entered. And with the day-night cycle, the change from day to night looks so lovely. Especially at dusk with those reds bathing the world.

As for battles, the turn-based combat is just as I remember it. Control my hero’s actions directly while the rest of the party perform actions of their own accord. Unless I swap the tactical decision to follow my command. Various enemies will appear in battle, with groups forming of the same enemy. Those groups can be hit with multi-enemy spells or abilities, with some able to effect multiple groups.

At first I felt I was learning too powerful spells, with those of my party quickly learning crack and whoosh. But as I continued on, I found they become less powerful against tougher enemies. A single crack could no longer take out an enemy. A single whoosh no longer decimating an entire group. But through teamwork, those enemies are still felled quickly. Even if they are starting to hit quite hard.

Being an old JRPG, the grind for levels can be, well, a grind. To manage to beat certain towers or dungeons, a lot of retreating to heal or even resurrect fallen allies is needed. But with each run, the party is better equipped to get further through than previously. Whether just from levels, or having enough gold to buy better weapons, armour, and accessories. Of course, all of this grinding is easier to manage with various additions from newer games being found here.

Difficulty options can provide an easier experience for those who want it. Or an even tougher fight. Using warp spells or items no longer has to be done outside. The battle speed can be changed with just a single button. Even wandering the overworld can be made faster with holding a button. Even for one who likes the grind, I appreciate these additions, as it means I can venture further and be riskier with when I retreat.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a delight of a game. Very nice visuals and music make the story progression lovely to work through. Some fun interactions across the world with a diverse range of people. And though the grind might be a lot, the battle system is still a fun one to engage with. So I can easily recommend Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake for those who want some traditional JRPG greatness.

Images Taken From:
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake | Nintendo Switch [Handheld]