Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake brings one of the most beloved JRPGs to modern consoles with a new modernization that feels quite natural.

A legendary series that debuted in 1986 in Japan (localized in 1989 as Dragon Warrior in the United States) and has now grown to 11 main entries, this third entry has long been hailed as one of the defining moments before the early 90s.

Now, in 2024, it gets an Octopath Traveler-inspired presentation update as well as some gameplay options and new, smaller additions to help it better adapt to the times.

Like any remake, reception depends heavily on how well the changes respect the original vision while introducing it to a new generation.

When it comes to remakes pushing a timeless classic forward, it doesn’t get much better than this.

This remake highlights the fantastic classic sound design. And while the visuals will get all the attention, it can’t be understated how impressive it is that there are now full English and Japanese voice-overs to breathe new life into the experience.

But yes, these visuals are of a breathtaking variety. The watercolor painting feel of Octopath Traveler is here, but is simply used to complement the original drawings of Dragon Ball legend Akira Toriyama and others.

The colorful HD-2D gameplay is vibrant and adds a sense of depth and meaning to what were once mundane screens and battle locations. It’s a feast for the eyes and so well done that, frankly, many fans will probably walk away from this one considering it the only a way to bring classic RPG games to the new era. Fully 3D remakes are cool, but this approach amplifies the spirit and detail of the original with very little risk.

There are some new animations that longtime fans will notice, but for the most part, this is a faithful and impressive effort from start to finish. And yes, just looking side-by-side at the original versus this one is downright mind-blowing.

The combat itself also benefits from smooth upgrade passes. The tried and true turn-based tricks are here as players form teams and balance classes in order to succeed. Queuing with a healer as support and experimenting with compositions and strategies has stood the test of time and inspired countless future releases since the late 80s for a reason.

But the new things are interesting. For those who just want to go for a ride and not worry about combat, there is a modern auto-battler. There are also adjustable combat speeds with the press of a button.

It’s hard to underestimate how important this is. The tandem of auto-combat and accelerated encounters is something that takes an almost intimidating turn-based RPG experience and allows it to accommodate more types of players. Someone who might not want to risk this investment of time can use the Nintendo Switch’s handheld mode and experience it in short bursts.

By now, longtime fans know the story, while modern gamers won’t be blown away by this familiar effort.

Just know that this story probably came first, for what it’s worth. In short, players control Ortega’s child and must save the world from the big bad Baramos. Simple enough, but only in summary: this game’s memorable characters and locations have stood the test of time for a reason.

This remake arrives with the promise that the narrative will better polish the loop of events from the previous two games – an important thing to do, considering the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake projects are launching in 2025.

This isn’t the only new addition to the narrative either, as this revived story provides more context to the protagonist’s father, Ortega. Any updates and additional context, even after all this time, are always welcome, of course.

The overall progression also gets a slight change from the classic entry, with a new Monster Wrangler vocation added to the mix. Impressively, it seems like a natural fit, which is a good thing because going too far all these years later with new vocations probably wouldn’t look right.

This fits perfectly into a new addition to the world called Monster Arenas, which is exactly what it sounds like. There, players can fight the monsters they have recruited throughout the journey. Maybe it’s not newas betting on monster fights was common in old games.

But this time? Players can define the combat strategies of the different teams they form. It’s an auto-battle sim at heart, but the sheer number of team compositions makes it fun side content that takes hours away from you experimenting with teams and strategies while competing in tournaments .

In fact, finding these monsters is a fun little addition to the overall experience that makes exploring more rewarding. This is the obvious goal, given that players can find them not only in places like dungeons, but also in towns.

Patty’s Party Planning Place also allows players to design their own party members, allowing the player to insert themselves into a party if they wish.

A new autosave feature is one of several modern quality of life updates alongside the robust suite of options. The game launches with three difficulty modes, performance is good and although older fans will cry foul, it’s even possible to activate an objective marker to make things smoother.

Somehow, this remake also manages to break new ground for the genre as a whole, providing a good example of why auto-battle and fast-forward options could open up games with investments of long time to a much wider audience.

It’s also done in such a way that the mind begins to wonder whether similar classics should get the same treatment (coughChronoTriggercough).

As a standalone game, Dragon Quest III’s arrival in a new generation is triumphant, and veteran players will find a delicate, measured improvement on the original that still respects and preserves the roots that brought the classic to life.