Nintendo Life: Dragon Quest III is an extremely popular game around the world, especially in Japan. Was it intimidating to approach this classic and what were you most aware of while working on the remake?
Masaaki Hayasaka, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake producer: Yes, it was definitely a daunting task. The classic game holds special moments and memories for so many people, so we had to meet the expectations of these fans from every angle. While this title is designed to be an accessible entry point for newcomers to DRAGON QUEST, our primary audience remains those who have experienced the original game.
I personally believe that no matter how many new players we attract, if the original fans are not satisfied, the remake will ultimately be considered a failure. So, above all else, my focus was on creating a remake that would meet, or even exceed, the expectations of fans of the original game.
The original Dragon Quest III manages to capture a sense of adventure and exploration by allowing players to discover things on their own. How did you expand on that idea in the remake?
…my focus was on creating a remake that would meet, or even exceed, the expectations of fans of the original game.
I didn’t intend to expand the game significantly. It would be more accurate to say that we tried to faithfully capture the gameplay and feel of the original in this remake. For example, we’ve added more practical features, such as lens markers and guides, that weren’t there in the original.
However, you still have the option to turn them off, allowing you to explore and discover things on your own, just like you did in the original. With this approach, we aimed to satisfy both players who like a faster, simpler experience and those who want to enjoy the game in the same way as before.
Akira Toriyama (who passed away earlier in 2024) art and music by Koichi Sugiyama (who passed away in 2021) were an integral part of the original Dragon Quest III. Can you tell us how you tried to preserve and honor their work in this remake?
We’ve tried to stay as faithful as possible when it comes to music in terms of things players can remember, like “This song played during this scene in the original” or “This song played for this map.” Sugiyama-san composed each piece with a vision of a scene or map in mind, so we made a conscious effort not to change the music just because it was a remake.
In terms of art, you’ll notice in this remake that you can see the rear view of your party members in battle, and when you change weapons, it’s reflected in the pixel art. However, the clothes mostly remain the same. This was done to preserve the costume designs Toriyama-san created for the various professions, allowing players to fully appreciate them. There are many other examples like this, but all in all, we worked hard to honor and respect Sugiyama-san and Toriyama-san’s vision as much as possible.
We are pleased to announce the return of the Monster Master (from Dragon Quest VI) as a new ‘Monster Wrangler’ class. Were there any other classes you considered bringing back for this remake?
No, we did not consider other professions. First, the city and field maps in this game are larger than those in the original, so we had to introduce new gameplay elements to encourage players to explore every corner of the world. In addition, we decided to include a new feature called Monster Arena and we explored how we can integrate it in a way that makes it a key part of the overall experience.
In short, the appeal of Monster Wrangler arose from the following factors: Stray monsters can be rescued in expanded fields and cities; Monsters can engage in battle in the Monster Arena; Monster Wranglers have a unique set of characteristics that allow them to easily rescue monsters for battle.
Therefore, the Monster Wrangler was the only new Vocation option we considered.
HD-2D Remake contains completely new story elements. How did it feel to expand on the original plot, and are there any other stories you’d like to add?
Honestly, I was a little nervous at first, because I added to the story he wrote [Yuji] Horii-san in person. But I’m confident in the content and now that I’ve got Horii-san’s guidance and full approval, I’m really excited for everyone to experience it. We didn’t want to include anything, but we couldn’t.
…we have worked hard to honor and respect Sugiyama-san and Toriyama-san’s vision as much as possible.
When we added new elements, including new episodes, we made sure to stay true to the essence of the original work. Our goal from the beginning was to improve the story without breaking its core, keeping everything within the domain of “bonus content”.
There are many who are new to the Dragon Quest series thanks to Dragon Quest XI. Are there any things that those approaching III as fans of XI, or for the first time, should pay attention to?
For those new to DRAGON QUEST III, it would be great if they could experience it from the perspective of playing a game that became a social phenomenon and left a lasting impact on RPG history. We’ve made improvements to make it playable for a modern audience, but we’ve kept the game’s original feel intact. This speaks to how well developed the system was in its original form, as it needed only minimal adjustments. We want players to appreciate the greatness of the original work.
I’m sure fans of DRAGON QUEST XI will spot subtle elements throughout the game that will make them think, “This looks familiar…” and I hope they’ll enjoy uncovering these details as well!
With Dragon Quest I & II coming next year, what would you think of a remaster Zenithia trilogy (Dragon Quest IV, V and VI) one day?
We appreciate your enthusiasm. For now, we’re dedicated to giving DRAGON QUEST I & II our best, so look forward to them.
This review has been edited slightly for clarity.
We are grateful to Masaaki Hayasaka for taking the time to answer our questions and to Kyle at forty-seven for arranging this interview. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is now available for Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
Are you playing the remake this weekend? What occupations do you run with? Let us know below!
