Booting up Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and hearing the Overture — known as Loto / Erdrick’s Theme in Dragon Quest III — played by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra for the first time, it’s hard not to be washed over by a wave of warmth. Whether you’ve played DQ III before or not, there’s a real sense of magic, history, and nostalgia that comes with the game. The beautiful HD-2D visuals and the game’s cosy narrative structure lend themselves to a bygone era of classic RPGs, and this remake faithfully recreates that experience over 35 years after the original’s release.
With the remake now in many people’s hands, we had a chance to ask its producer, Masaaki Hayasaka, some questions about reimagining and bringing a genre classic back in 2024. Hayasaka-san has previously worked as an assistant producer on Bravely Second: End Layer and the very first HD-2D game, Octopath Traveler.
Here, we talk about pleasing old fans, bringing new story elements to the table, and whether there are more Dragon Quest remakes beyond the Erdrick trilogy — don’t forget, Dragon Quest I & II remakes follow next year.
Nintendo Life: Dragon Quest III is a hugely beloved game worldwide and in Japan in particular. Was it daunting approaching this classic, and what were you most conscious of when working on the remake?
Masaaki Hayasaka, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake producer: Yes, it was definitely a daunting task. A classic game carries the special moments and memories of 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 experienced the original game. Personally, I believe that no matter how many new players we attract, if the original fans aren’t 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 the original game’s fans.
The original Dragon Quest III manages to capture the feeling of adventure and exploration by allowing players to just discover things. How have you expanded on that idea in the remake?
I didn’t set out 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 convenient features, like objective markers and guides, which weren’t in the original. However, you still have the option to turn these off, allowing you to explore and discover things on your own, just as you did in the original. With this approach, we aimed to satisfy both players who prefer a quicker, more streamlined experience and those who want to enjoy the game in the same way as before.
Akira Toriyama’s art and Koichi Sugiyama’s music were integral to the original Dragon Quest III. Can you tell us how you have attempted to preserve and respect their work in this remake?
We tried to remain as faithful as possible where music was concerned in terms of things that players might remember, such as “This song was playing during this scene in the original,” or “This song was playing for this map.” Sugiyama-san composed each piece with the vision of the scene or map in mind, so we made a conscious effort not to alter the music just because it was a remake. As for the art, you’ll notice in this remake that you can see the back view of your party members in battle, and when you change weapons, it’s reflected in the pixel art. However, the clothing largely remains the same. This was done to preserve the costume designs that Toriyama-san created for the different vocations, allowing players to fully appreciate them. We worked hard to honour and respect Sugiyama-san and Toriyama-san’s visions to the greatest extent possible.
We’re pleased to see the Monster Master vocation is back as the new ‘Monster Wrangler’ class. Were there any other classes that you considered bringing back for this remake?
No, we didn’t consider other vocations. First, the town and field maps in this game are larger than those in the original, so we needed to introduce new gameplay elements to encourage players to explore every corner of the world. Additionally, we decided to include a new feature called Monster Arena, and we looked into how we could integrate it in a way that would make it a key part of the overall experience. Monster Wrangler was the only new Vocation option that we considered.
The HD-2D Remake contains brand-new story elements. How did it feel getting to expand the original plot, and are there any other storylines you wish you could have added?
Honestly, I was a bit nervous at first, since I was adding to a story written by [Yuji] Horii-san himself. But I’m confident in the content and now that I’ve received Horii-san’s guidance and full approval, I’m really excited for everyone to experience it. There was nothing we wanted to include that we couldn’t. When we added the new elements, including the new episodes, we made sure to stay true to the essence of the original work. Our goal from the start was to enhance the story without disrupting its core, keeping everything within the realm of “bonus content.”
There are many who have only just got into 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 be looking out for?
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 enhance its playability for modern audiences, but we’ve kept the original feel of the game intact. We want players to appreciate the greatness of the original work. Fans of DRAGON QUEST XI will spot subtle elements throughout the game that will make them think, “This looks familiar…” and I hope they enjoy discovering these touches as well!
With Dragon Quest I & II arriving next year, how would you feel about also remastering the Zenithia trilogy (Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI) one day?
We appreciate your enthusiasm. For now, we’re committed to giving our best to DRAGON QUEST I & II, so please look forward to them.
