Everything we know about Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake

Although Dragon Quest 3 is a certified classic in the gaming canon, it’s also an uggo by modern standards. While undeniably charming, some might find it tough to even glance at such an outdated game. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake gives the classic RPG a massive facelift, and it was announced in May 2021 during the franchise’s 35th-anniversary event. But we don’t know much more about that. Here’s everything we do know about Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake.

When will Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake be released?

Square Enix has kept the release for Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake remarkably vague. We don’t know when it will come out, but we do know that it’s planned to have a global release. This means it’ll release simultaneously across the world. There won’t be that localization delay that often causes Dragon Quest titles to take a year from their initial release to come out in Western countries. You’d think Square Enix would have released it in 2021, but now that we’re well into 2022, who knows?

Is there a Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake trailer?

Yes! You can watch it below.

In the trailer, we see previous attempts at Dragon Quest 3 starting the original release in 1988. It then moves onto the 1996 remake for SNES. Finally, the video leaps forward to the latest attempt at remaking the game, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. We can see the aggressive visual difference between Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake and its predecessors.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake mostly sheds the bird’s eye view camera used in previous versions in favor of a 2.5D view reminiscent of Octopath Traveller. It appears to remain present when traveling between dungeons.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake has kept the characters and enemies in a pixel art style while updating the animations they use. Meanwhile, the environments have been fully overhauled, making them entirely 3D. These visual choices bring the game in line with recent Square Enix games like Octopath Traveler and Project Triangle Strategy.

What consoles will Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake be available on?

The exact consoles the game will be available on are currently unknown. It could be all of them including PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, or just a few. Square Enix has only said that Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D will “have a global release on home consoles.” This implies that it will be on at least two console brands. If it’s not all of them, it’s likely just PlayStation consoles and Switch, considering their extensive history with Dragon Quest.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is currently in development.