GamesJRPGDragon QuestDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake may have “never happened” without its gorgeous pixel art, and after playing for 30 minutes I can see whyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesJRPGDragon QuestDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake may have “never happened” without its gorgeous pixel art, and after playing for 30 minutes I can see whyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Square Enix)
There’s no denying that 2024 has been – and continues to be – a phenomenal year for JRPGs, and just in case there was any semblance of doubt, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake seems to be shaping up to be the icing on the cake.
My arena showdown was a piece of cake – its foes were no match for my trusty trio of Healslime, Slime, and Bunicorn – although I was told that you can expect these battles to become much more challenging the further you progress. More generally speaking, I noticed that the game’s three difficulty levels – Dracky Quest, Dragon Quest, and Draconian Quest (the latter of which reduces the gold and EXP you get as well as making battles harder) can seemingly be swapped between at any time during your adventure, which should make fine-tuning your experience on the fly super straightforward.
Pixel perfect
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Gamescom 2024
(Image credit: Sega / Atlus)
In a group Q&A session with fellow media, I had the chance to ask the game’s producer, Masaaki Hayasaka, as well as series creator Yuji Horii about the importance of the HD-2D art style for this remake, as well as theupcoming remakes of Dragon Quest 1 and 2. Hayasaka goes as far to say that this game potentially “would have never happened” if the team didn’t have this style at their disposal.
“They are quite retro games, and we just thought that this HD-2D style was the perfect style to represent them graphically in a remake,” the producer says (via interpreter). “I think pretty much everyone in the company was in agreement about that. There wasn’t ever a question, so in terms of how important it is, I think it would be fair to say that if we didn’t have this HD-2D art style accessible to us, then maybe this remake would have never happened.”
Horii adds: “And I think that rather than 3D, being able to explore this space in 2D is really what was part of the enjoyment of the original. So we wanted to keep what made the original so special and so fun and bring it into the modern era, which is why this HD-2D style just works so well.”
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The pretty visuals certainly contribute to the overall feeling that this world is begging to be explored – I had to rein the urge to examine every corner of the screen in favor of ascending the Skyfell Tower dungeon, but I could have spent hours poring over every inch of the open world. Hayasaka notes that the devs took inspiration from “a lot of modern games,” includingThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, when it came to this overall design philosophy. “As you’re traversing the open world in Breath of the Wild, you can see a building in the distance and be like, ‘I want to go there,’ and then it makes you want to go there and travel. We wanted to capture that same feeling with the world map here,” he explains.
Improvements galore
(Image credit: Square Enix)
GamesRadar+ was in Cologne playing the most anticipatednew games of 2024, and speaking to the developers bringing them to life. For more of our hands-on previews and exclusive interviews, visit theGamescom 2024coverage hub.
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PRODUCTSDragon Quest 3 HD-2D RemakeGamescom 2024
PRODUCTS
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Dragon Quest’s creator says he’s “never thought about retirement,” while Final Fantasy’s father reveals his next script is complete
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Dragon Quest 3 remake producer wants Final Fantasy 6 to get the HD-2D treatment because it has “the highest quality pixel art”
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”