Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review: an authentic return for an RPG legend

digitaltrends.com:

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake MSRP $59.99 Score Details Pros

• Original RPG is still great
• Fantastic HD-2D visuals
• Welcome quality of life features
• Superb performance

• Rough difficulty spikes
• Long load times

Early on in the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, I encountered a boss battle so frustratingly difficult that I just wanted to throw my Nintendo Switch at the wall. I was fighting against a group of hoodlums and its head honcho, and had to sit back as they devastated my party with hard-hitting attacks. I eventually won that battle by pure endurance and using up all of my healing items. I left feeling accomplished as a reward for my perseverance, like a true hero.

I’m glad that Square Enix preserved the intense difficulty that defined the original NES RPG, whose eccentricities have been faithfully preserved in its new upgrade. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D’s turn-based gameplay may be simple, but its new graphical style complements its retro feel. Those old-school considerations pair perfectly with new modern quality of life improvements that make sure this remake never feels stuck in the past.

• Dragon Quest Treasures shows off monster-catching gameplay

Off on a quest

Dragon Quest 3 follows a silent protagonist simply known as the “hero” who has to save the world from an evil monster named Baramos. They bring along three other companions with virtually no personalities to fight alongside them. Given that the original game was released in 1988, I wasn’t really expecting an emotionally moving story or a charming cast of characters like later series entries such as the most recent Dragon Quest 11. RPGs during this era didn’t have hugely elaborate plots, so the HD-2D remake lets me focus on Dragon Quest 3’s strong points: its exploration and battle system.

There’s just enough here to make it feel new without losing its retro charm.

Dragon Quest 3 feels streamlined at first. I’m collecting items such as a wrecking ball and a few keys. Once the