Summary
- Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake sold 821,770 physical copies in its first week in Japan, making it the best-selling game in the country in 2024.
- This was Japan's most significant game launch since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 2023.
- HD-2D remakes for Dragon Quest 1 and 2 will be released in 2025.
The Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake sold over 800,000 physical copies in its first week in Japan, split between the Switch and PS5. This achievement makes Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake the best-selling game in the country in 2024, solidifying the enduring popularity of the Dragon Quest brand in Japan.
The remake is a faithful recreation of the classic Dragon Quest 3, initially released in 1988. Utilizing Square Enix's HD-2D graphical engine, the game modernizes its visuals while retaining many of the original features, alongside a few quality-of-life improvements. Square Enix has been producing HD-2D remakes of several classic RPGs, suggesting the formula has been a winning one for the developer. In addition to Dragon Quest 3 Remake, the company has confirmed the development of HD-2D remakes for Dragon Quest 1 and 2, with releases planned for 2025. Together, these games form the iconic Erdrick Trilogy.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake: 6 Early Side Quests You Should Not Skip
There are several side quests that players should complete early on in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. Here's which ones not to skip.
Judging by Japanese fans' reception, the remakes of the first three Dragon Quest games are shaping up to be a home run for Square Enix. During the launch week of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Famitsu reported sales of 821,770 physical copies. According to estimates, 641,195 of those were on Nintendo Switch, while 180,575 were on PS5. This milestone highlights both the strength of the Dragon Quest brand in Japan and the continued dominance of the Switch in the region. All signs point to the upcoming Dragon Quest remakes being similar sales juggernauts.
Dragon Quest Sold Almost 1 Million Physical Copies at Launch in Japan
It's worth noting that these figures account only for physical sales of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, excluding any numbers from the Steam version. Famitsu remarked that this was Japan's most significant game launch since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 2023. Additionally, Dragon Quest 3 has been Square Enix's biggest success in Japan since Dragon Quest XI, released in 2017. The latter sold 2 million copies within its first two days of release. One can only imagine the impact the already-announced Dragon Quest 12: Flames of Fate will have upon its release.
It's no surprise that, in the past, a deal was struck between the Japanese government and Nintendo to release Dragon Quest games exclusively on Sundays, as fans would skip school and work to immerse themselves in the RPG phenomenon. Although this arrangement no longer applies today, it underscores how culturally significant the franchise is in Japan. With this remarkable success, fans are speculating about Square Enix's next steps for the future of Dragon Quest. The next mainline entry, Dragon Quest 12, was announced in 2021, but aside from a few brief updates from series creator Yuji Horii, little else has been revealed.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- November 14, 2024
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Artdink
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is a stunning reimagining of the beloved masterpiece and narrative beginning to The Erdrick Trilogy.
Story:
Years ago, the great hero Ortega bid farewell to his wife and child as he set off on a quest to defeat the villainous Archfiend, Baramos. Ortega failed his quest, and Baramos still threatens the world. Now, on their sixteenth birthday, Ortega’s only child is summoned by the king of Aliahan and entrusted with a mission of the highest import: to take on Ortega’s quest, vanquish Baramos, and save the world.
A fully modernized remake of the original:
Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, bringing players into the world of DRAGON QUEST III like never before, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements.
Traditional DRAGON QUEST style battles:
A refined take on the classic turn-based battle system, featuring new animations, additional improvements such as an adjustable battle speed, an auto-battle setting, and more.
Immersive world:
Deep exploration of a vast world map with an abundance of rich and captivating locations to discover, challenging players to overcome many unexpected encounters during the journey.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Dragon Quest
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- PC Release Date
- November 14, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- November 14, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- November 14, 2024
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- November 14, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
