The Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake arrives on November 14

It uses Square-Enix’s HD-2D engine, which marries SNES-era graphics with modern effects

Square-Enix

Square-Enix’s old-meets-new reworking of Dragon Quest III arrives on November 14 on Switch. In addition, the HD-2D remake will be joined next year by reissues of its two predecessors in the trilogy, Dragon Quest I and Dragon Quest II, using the same innovative engine. The announcements came in Tuesday’s Nintendo Direct, which also brought news of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Metroid Prime 4 and Donkey Kong Country Returns.

The Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake trailer and screenshots showcase the game engine’s marvels, combining 16-bit-style sprites and textures with modern environmental effects. The engine stays true to vintage games’ original look and feel but uses modern touches to make them prettier. Square-Enix has already used the tech in Octopath Traveller and its sequel, along with Triangle Strategy, the Live a Live remake and the opera scene in Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster.

Battle screen from the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. Three hero characters (foreground) line up to battle four enemies (background). 16-bit graphical style with modern touches.
Battle screen from the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. Three hero characters (foreground) line up to battle four enemies (background). 16-bit graphical style with modern touches. (Square-Enix)

Launching the third game in the trilogy first sounds odd, but the prequel, originally released in 1988, was the first chronologically within the game’s universe. The HD-2D remakes of the first two entries, initially available in 1986 and 1987, will arrive as one game sometime in 2025.

You can check out the nostalgic-meets-modern Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake trailer below. It launches on November 14 and will be available on Switch, PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X/S and PC (Steam).