Highlights
- The highly anticipated Dragon Quest 3 HD remake is progressing steadily in its development, although no release date has been announced yet.
- The creator of the original Dragon Quest 3 is personally involved in the remake’s development, providing advice and input to ensure its success.
- Fans can be reassured that the project is not facing any serious development issues and that the remake aims to maintain the original spirit of the beloved RPG classic in a modern style.
In a recent interview, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii offered an update on the development of the upcoming HD remake of Dragon Quest 3. Originally released in 1988, the widely beloved Dragon Quest 3: Seeds of Salvation has been remade for various consoles in the decades since. The newest HD remake is being developed alongside two other entries in the Dragon Quest franchise: Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, and the series’ next main installment, Dragon Quest 12.
The iconic Dragon Quest 3 was a groundbreaking success, greatly influencing the video game industry and prompting developer Enix (now Square Enix) to re-release the game multiple times over the years. Most notable were the 1996 remake for the Game Boy Color, which added several new features and graphical improvements, and the 2011 Wii version which added a quick save feature. In 2021, during the franchise’s 35th anniversary livestream, Square Enix announced a new “HD-2D” remake of Dragon Quest 3, in a style inspired by modern 2D RPGs like Octopath Traveler.
In a recent interview with the Japanese outlet Famitsu, Yuji Horii offered fans an update about the ongoing development of the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake. When asked about the development status of the Dragon Quest franchise as a whole, Horii initially spoke about Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, which will feature many iconic Dragon Quest monsters and is set to release on December 1 of this year. Horii was then asked specifically about the Dragon Quest 3 remake, to which he responded that development was “progressing pretty steadily,” although he did not disclose a release date for the project.
Horii also responded to questions about his personal involvement with the development of the Dragon Quest 3 remake, as well as The Dark Prince. On the latter project, Horii said his role has mainly consisted of playtesting and offering feedback to the development team, and he said his involvement with the remake was “about the same.” He did, however, offer more direct advice and input on the Dragon Quest 3 remake, because, as he put it, “I made [Dragon Quest 3] once myself.” This level of involvement by the original game’s creator should help make this project another successful Square Enix remake.
While eager fans will surely be disappointed by the lack of a confirmed release date for the Dragon Quest 3 HD remake, it is good to know that the project is proceeding at a steady pace and hasn’t been condemned to development hell. Likewise, the confirmation of Yuji Horii’s personal involvement with the game should be encouraging to fans who want to see the original spirit of the RPG classic survive and flourish in a new, modern style.
The Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake is currently in development.
Source: Famitsu