DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is out now

Experience the legendary RPG in new and improved form. Beautiful visuals, an unforgettable story and brilliant battles await!
Di Duncan Heaney

One of the greatest and most influential RPGs ever made is back and even better than ever. DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is available today for Nintendo Switch PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store on Windows.

The game’s available to download right now - but if you’re stuck waiting for that progress bar to go up, or you just want to know more about this masterful remake, read on and we’ll tell you all about it.

What is DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?

DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is exactly what the name implies - a remake of the classic DRAGON QUEST III, reimagined in the HD-2D visual style made famous by games like OCTOPATH TRAVELER and TRIANGLE STRATEGY (now available in VR by the way!)

It captures everything that was so great about the original DRAGON QUEST III, and fuses it with modern quality-of-life features, additional content and much more. It essentially takes one of the greatest RPGs of all time and makes it even better.

There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s start with the story:

What’s the story of DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?

You play as the child of the great hero Ortega. Many years ago, your father bid farewell to you and your mother and set off on a quest to defeat the Archfiend Baramos.

Unfortunately, he failed.

Now, on your sixteenth birthday, you are summoned before the King of Aliahan and entrusted with a mission of supreme importance: pick up where your father left off, destroy Baramos and save the world itself.

Thus begins an unforgettable journey that will forge you into a true hero.

What do you do in DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?

This adventure sends you on a globe-trotting journey full of adventure… and danger.

You’ll explore a large world full of stories to uncover. As you visit various regions, you’ll uncover the peoples’ stories, solve their troubles, and get ever closer to your ultimate goal of defeating the Archfiend Baramos.

You’re not just following a rigid story path - the world is full of secrets to discover, and it’s worth investigating every corner of the lands. You can find gold, valuable gear, and even entire optional questlines - this is a game that rewards the curious.

Of course, your travels may lead you into danger in the form of the many monsters that roam the lands. Fortunately, you’re not in this adventure alone. You can build your party of allies from a range of different vocations, from spell-flinging mages and empathetic healers to deadly martial artists and powerful warriors.

Combat is turn-based in the classic DRAGON QUEST style. You’ll have access to an ever-expanding selection of abilities or spells and must use them strategically to overcome the malevolent monsters and brutish bosses that stand in your way.

It makes for a compelling game with a sense of adventure that makes it very hard to put down!

What’s new in DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?

In addition to everything that was great about the original DRAGON QUEST III, this new remake adds lots of additional features and content that make it even more fun to play.

Firstly, the presentation has been massively enhanced. The HD-2D visuals fuse expressive sprites with detailed 3D environments. It’s an effect that looks beautiful in motion and makes previously pixel-based areas burst with new life and color. The game also sounds better than ever before with an updated orchestral soundtrack and new voice acting!

There are more quality-of-life features too, including auto-battle and battle speed options to give you more control over the flow of fights, as well as the Helping Hands feature, which lets you carry over a member of your party to another playthrough of the game on the same account, complete with their current stats and abilities. That’s perfect if you want to help another player get going with the game - or if you want to replay it.

As for new content, there’s plenty to get to grips with. There’s a brand-new vocation for you to add to your party - the Monster Wrangler. These powerful fighters know beasts better than anyone and can use monster-like powers to impressive effect.

There’s also a new Monster Arena feature. Not all monsters are malevolent, and if you encounter a friendly face, you can scout it to battle on your behalf in the Monster Arena. There are arenas are all over the world with lots of tournaments to conquer - so be sure to explore every nook and cranny to build your team!

Why release DRAGON QUEST III HD Remake before DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake?

As you may have heard, next year will also see the release of DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake. As with DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake, this new collection reimagines the first two games in the series with beautiful new HD-2D visuals and more.

All of which may leave you wondering… why is the third game coming before the first and second? It’s because DRAGON QUEST I - III form the ‘Erdrick Trilogy’, with each game loosely connected (they exist within the same timeline, but years apart from one another).

The third game is placed chronologically first in the series. As a result, it makes sense to play through DQIII, DQI and DQII in that order. Plus there may be a new surprise if you play them all that way...

How do you get DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?

DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is out now for Nintendo Switch PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store on Windows.

To stay up to date with news and information about this and other games in the DRAGON QUEST series, be sure to follow us on social media:

Condividi