Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Hands-On Preview

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake preview and story

The eagerly awaited Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake featured in today’s much-anticipated Nintendo Direct. The presentation revealed considerably more about the forthcoming title, including its November release date. We also spent around 45 minutes playing this retro remake of one of the most cherished and significant Dragon Quest games ever made during Summer Game Fest 2024.

Set many years before the series’ first two instalments, Dragon Quest III casts you as the sole child of Ortega, a renowned hero who was unable to vanquish Baramos, an Archfiend endangering the world. On their 16th birthday, the child is called before Aliahan’s king, who asks them to continue their father’s unfinished mission and defeat Baramos. The 16-year-old Hero must form a party, travel across an enormous world packed with towns and dungeons, and overcome monsters in turn-based combat.

HD-2D visuals and modern Dragon Quest III improvements

In Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, players can experience the striking HD-2D presentation, which combines 2D sprites with 3D graphics and features. This style was popularised by other Square Enix titles, including Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy. The remake also brings a modernised user interface and several quality-of-life enhancements. While Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is presented as being faithful to the original game’s story, developers Team Asano and Artdink have expanded the central narrative under the supervision of series creator Yuji Horii.

This version retains the classic turn-based battles found in the NES original, which arrived in the United States in 1992. The team has built on that foundation with new animations, adjustable battle speed and an auto-battle option. In my hands-on session, these additions made the greatest difference. The visuals are certainly lovely and the interface upgrades are useful, but accelerating the traditionally slower turn-based encounters - or setting them to auto-battle - made grinding far more enjoyable. Using these options to get through repeated groups of Antnibblers, Stark Ravens, Slimes and Bunicorns helped me raise my characters’ levels while exploring the expansive overworld.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake release date

That said, it is clear that this is a game originally created in the late 1980s. Although the formula has received numerous modernisations and updates, anyone anticipating design and gameplay standards comparable with contemporary games may be left wanting. Yet, for fans of the original or those simply interested in revisiting this much-loved classic, it appears likely to be the best way to experience Dragon Quest III’s story in 2024.

For those tempted by the remake, the Nintendo Direct also delivered its release date: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC on 14 November.