Summary
- Release Year: 2009
- Genres: Adventure, Role-playing game (RPG)
- Platforms: Android, iOS, Legacy Mobile Device, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
- Publishers: Square Enix
Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation: A Timeless Classic Reborn
Originally released in 1988 for the Famicom in Japan, Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation is the third installment in the legendary Dragon Quest series. Developed by Chunsoft and published by Enix, the game quickly became a critical and commercial success, selling over 3 million copies worldwide. In 2009, Square Enix released a remake of the game for the Nintendo DS, which featured updated graphics, sound, and gameplay mechanics.
A Revolutionary RPG for Its Time
Dragon Quest III was a groundbreaking RPG for its time, introducing several innovative features that would become staples of the genre. The game’s most notable innovation was its class system, which allowed players to choose from a variety of character classes, each with its own unique abilities and spells. This added a significant amount of depth to the combat system, and allowed players to customize their party to their own playstyle.
Another major innovation was the game’s open-world gameplay. While the earlier Dragon Quest games were also non-linear, Dragon Quest III was the most substantial example of open-world gameplay among the early Dragon Quest games. Players were free to explore the game’s world in any order they chose, and could discover new towns, dungeons, and quests at their own pace.
Dragon Quest III also introduced a day/night cycle, which affected the availability of certain items, characters, and quests. This added an extra layer of depth to the game world, and encouraged players to explore the game at different times of day.
A Timeless Classic
Over three decades after its initial release, Dragon Quest III remains a timeless classic. The game’s charming characters, engaging story, and innovative gameplay mechanics have stood the test of time, and it continues to be enjoyed by gamers of all ages.
The 2009 Nintendo DS remake of the game is the definitive version of Dragon Quest III. The updated graphics and sound are beautiful, and the gameplay mechanics have been streamlined to make the game more accessible to modern audiences. If you’re a fan of RPGs, or if you’ve never played Dragon Quest III before, I highly recommend checking out the Nintendo DS remake.
Story
Dragon Quest III tells the story of a young hero who is destined to save the world from the evil Archfiend Baramos. The hero is joined by a party of three companions, each with their own unique abilities and motivations. Together, they must travel the world, defeat Baramos, and restore peace to the land.
The story of Dragon Quest III is simple, but it is told with charm and humor. The characters are all likeable and relatable, and the game’s world is full of interesting and memorable locations.
Gameplay
Dragon Quest III is a turn-based RPG. Players control a party of four characters, and explore the game’s world, fighting monsters, completing quests, and solving puzzles. The game’s combat system is simple to learn, but it offers a surprising amount of depth. Players must carefully choose their attacks and spells, and position their characters strategically in order to succeed in battle.
In addition to the main story, Dragon Quest III also features a number of side quests and optional dungeons. These side quests can be completed in any order, and they offer players a chance to earn experience points, items, and money.
Classes
One of the most unique features of Dragon Quest III is its class system. When creating a new character, players can choose from a variety of classes, each with its own unique abilities and spells. The Hero class is the only class that is available from the beginning of the game, but the other classes can be unlocked as the player progresses.
The different classes in Dragon Quest III are:
- Hero: The Hero is the main protagonist of the game. He is a well-rounded class with good stats in all areas.
- Soldier: The Soldier is a physical damage dealer. He has high attack power and defense, but he is weak to magic.
- Fighter: The Fighter is a more powerful version of the Soldier. He has even higher attack power and defense, but he is also weaker to magic.
- Pilgrim: The Pilgrim is a healing class. She can cast healing spells and resurrect fallen allies.
- Wizard: The Wizard is a magic damage dealer. He has high magic power, but he is weak to physical attacks.
- Merchant: The Merchant is a support class. He can buy and sell items, and he can also use special items to buff his allies or debuff his enemies.
- Goof-Off: The Goof-Off is a comedic class. He can use a variety of silly attacks and spells, but he is not very powerful.
- Sage: The Sage is a powerful magic class. He has high magic power and defense, and he can cast a variety of powerful spells.
- Thief: The Thief is a physical damage dealer. He has high agility and dexterity, and he can use a variety of偷窃attacks.
Players can change their class at any time by visiting the Temple of Dhama. However, once a character has reached level 20, they can no longer change their class.
World
The world of Dragon Quest III is vast and varied. Players can explore a variety of different environments, including forests, mountains, deserts, and dungeons. The world is full of interesting and memorable locations, including the town of Tantegel, the Tower of Babel, and the Zenithian Castle.
Legacy
Dragon Quest III is one of the most influential RPGs of all time. It has been cited as an inspiration by many other RPG developers, and it has helped to define the genre. The game’s class system, open-world gameplay, and day/night cycle have all become staples of the RPG genre.
Dragon Quest III is a timeless classic that continues to be enjoyed by gamers of all ages. If you’re a fan of RPGs, or if you’ve never played Dragon Quest III before, I highly recommend checking out the Nintendo DS remake.
Review Score
8.5/10