Firstly, a confession: despite being a huge Final Fantasy fan, and fan of the genre overall, I’ve never played a Dragon Quest game – much to my shame. The first Dragon Quest (released in 1986) is the original, pioneering JRPG and the success of the series is a huge reason why the genre is so popular. But so far, it’s passed me by.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
Publisher: Square EnixDeveloper: Square EnixAvailability: Out 14th November, 2024Platforms: Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam and Windows)
I admit this not to reveal my shortcomings, but to say I am absolutely the target market for Square Enix’s forthcoming HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest 3. As with much of the series, it’s seen numerous re-releases since but isn’t available across all modern consoles besides mobile ports and Switch. But now it’s making a triumphant return using the graphical style popularised by Octopath Traveler and will arrive on Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in November.
So why start with the third in the series I hear you ask? Dragon Quest 3 originally released in 1988 (I was one year old!), but is chronologically the first. Together with the previous two games, they form the Erdrick Trilogy. As such, this is a great entry point into the series for those of us wishing to catch up.
And yes, as announced at today’s Nintendo Direct, Square Enix has similar remakes of the first two games on the way to complete the trilogy.
This is a faithful remake of the original, then, with plot and battles mostly unchanged beyond an expanded story under the direction of original designer Yuji Horii. Yet there are now plenty of modern touches to ensure it’s palatable for newcomers. I was able to go hands-on with a preview build to check out the changes for myself and see why this series – that’s collectively sold 88m units worldwide – is so cherished.