Biggest Changes From The Original DQ3 In The Remake

Key Takeaways

• Dragon Quest 3 Remake has a Monster Arena for battling with friendly monsters in side mode.
• Difficulty options allow you to adjust game challenge level easily to suit their preference.
• Character customization now includes presets for appearance, hair color, and more control over party members.

After 36 years, Dragon Quest 3 is back with the HD-2D Remake. Surprisingly, the video game industry has changed a little bit since it’s original release back in 1988, so in bringing the classic RPG to modern consoles, a few tweaks have been made to make the game more palatable for newcomers.

While the core foundations of what made this title so special remain, there have been some impactful changes that are worth knowing before you go in. Even if you’ve played the original Dragon Quest 3 already, keep an eye out for what’s different this time, so you can adjust your strategies before you get too deep into the game.

8 Monster Arena

The Tame Game

The original Dragon Quest 3 didn’t have a Monster Arena, but the remake borrows the concept from the Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off series. As you travel around the world of Dragon Quest 3 Remake, you’ll come across some friendlier versions of the monsters you’ll usually fight in battle.

When you head to a town with a monster arena, you’ll have the option to use these monsters in battle to help win rewards and progress through this side mode. You won’t have direct control over your beasts, but you’ll be able to give them different tactics to ensure you have some strategy on your side.

7 Difficulty Options

Dracky To Draconian

Back in 1988, when Dragon Quest 3 first launched, the difficulty standard for RPGs was quite a bit higher, and while the early portions of Dragon Quest 3 aren’t too much of a struggle, the further you get in, the tougher time you’re likely to have.

Whether you’re looking to make your path through Dragon Quest 3 a little easier, or if you want more of a challenge, there are now difficulty options to make the game a little easier or harder depending on your preference. No pressure either, since you can change it whenever you want throughout the game.

6 Character Customization

Color & Style?

Unlike more modern RPGs, there isn’t too much focus on your party members in Dragon Quest 3, and while they’ll sometimes get some brief lines of dialogue, for the most part they won’t get that much personality.

However, now with the remake, you have a bit more control over the appearance of your party members. While it isn’t the most in-depth character customization out there, you’ll have control over a few presets for each vocation and gender, as well as the option to change hair color too.

5 Quality-Of-Life Upgrades

Modern Polish

With just how far the industry has come since 1988, there are a few features that are now standard in RPGs that were absent in the original Dragon Quest 3. These are now included in the new release in the form of quality-of-life upgrades that can make working through the story a bit less awkward

One of the most useful is the option to fast-forward battles, a lifesaver when you’re grinding. There are also fewer restrictions on fast travel, increased options for tactics for your party members, and you’ll even be treated to a full HP and MP recovery when your characters level up.

4 Voice Acting

Got Something To Say?

There are plenty of smaller changes made in the Dragon Quest 3 Remake, but one of the more noticeable and higher effort additions is the inclusion of sporadic voice acting. While not every line of dialogue will come with voiced lines, most of the story relevant scenes will feature new spoken lines to add some extra personality.

No matter which territory you’re playing the game in, you’ll even have the option to switch between the Japanese and English dub from the start of the game. You can switch whenever, so you can even change it and see which you prefer.

3 HD-2D Expansion

Fresh Coat Of Paint

Perhaps the most obvious change for Dragon Quest 3 Remake is the new HD-2D look, breathing new life into the world of Dragon Quest 3. While the new look itself is obvious, this change also comes with some more nuanced additions that are a little easier to overlook.

For example, with the new style, you’ll also notice that the overworld has even more details than it had before, and with this there are new secrets waiting to be uncovered if you’re willing to explore. Exploration is further encouraged thanks to the new mini-map as well.

The One Who Came Before

One of the most important players in the story of Dragon Quest 3 Remake is the father of the protagonist; Ortega. While Ortega was just as important to the story in the original Dragon Quest 3, in the remake, the decision was made to add extra episodes where you can learn more about this pivotal character.

In different locations throughout the story, you’ll get flashback scenes where we can see more of Ortega’s journey that took place before the main story. These scenes are a fantastic way to flesh out the world of Dragon Quest 3 Remake without changing the original story too much.

1 Monster Wrangler Vocation

The Beast Inside

The main change that will likely add the most gameplay variety to Dragon Quest 3 Remake compared to the original is the new vocation; Monster Wrangler. While the Monster Wrangler vocation has featured in other Dragon Quest games, this is the first time it’s appeared in Dragon Quest 3.

This vocation will let the party member using it activate abilities that resemble skills used by the different monsters throughout Dragon Quest 3. If you manage to properly take advantage of this vocation’s abilities, you’ll have a massive advantage in battle thanks to just how versatile they are.