Dragon Quest 3 HD is coming to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, Square Enix has revealed.
The arrival of the Dragon Quest III HD remake/remaster on the current-gen platforms was confirmed through the series’ official X account some hours ago. Unfortunately, additional details about the HD-2D Remake weren’t shared. The remake was officially announced back in 2021 as part of the franchise’s 35th anniversary celebration live stream. At that time, Square Enix only mentioned that the remake was planned to be released on console.
“In this latest visual iteration of DRAGON QUEST III, long-time fans and newcomers will be invited to experience this HD-2D version of DRAGON QUEST III that provides a unique three-dimensional feel by adding 3D effects to pixel-based backgrounds”, Square Enix wrote back then. “DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is planned for release on console.”
Dragon Quest 3: The Seeds of Salvation was released back in 1988 for the original NES. An enhanced version was released for the SNES in 1996 alongside a GBA version in 2001. The title was later also ported to the Nintendo Wii and phones.
The upcoming new version of the game is an HD-2D remake of the original – a visual style also used in recent Square Enix titles such as Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy. Although the style looks simple enough, developing HD-2D titles is actually quite expensive. “It’s probably worth noting that it costs more than you’d think”, producer Tomoya Asano said in 2022. “In that respect, it’s a good match for the titles want out of Square Enix. There might not be much to gain from other companies copying it.”
The producer also said, “There is. The teams on the former titles released information for the newer teams. If they have information they feel might be useful, we encourage the exchange of information across development companies. If a method of expression was used in an earlier title, there’s no reason it can’t be incorporated into the newer titles.”
We’ll update you as soon as we learn more about the upcoming Dragon Quest 3 HD remake coming to consoles and PC.
