We’re in an age of remakes, reboots, sequels, prequels, and ‘mid-quels’ in entertainment. Of course, Hollywood is in on the uninventive formula, pumping out either ill-advised or ill-executed (usually both) productions like The Crow, Alien: Romulus, Rings of Power, Twisters, Gladiator 2, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, to name a few. In gaming, though, remakes have a different shine to them.
Due to how rapidly gaming hardware and development technology advances, some truly excellent creations do get lost as advancements are made. So, the stream of remakes that we’ve recently seen, from Resident Evil to Final Fantasy and Crash Bandicoot to Tomb Raider, is often well-received and welcomed. Still, we like to think that only the most deserving get the investment to be remade, so does the Dragon Quest trilogy deserve it?
Keeping legends around
Video games are unique in how the devices used to play the games become outdated very quickly. In other realms of gaming, legendary hits remain available, for the most part, until people move on. The moving on, though, tends to be orchestrated by the original developers via new instalments, usually giving HD updates where needed on older popular games. This can be seen at an online jackpot casino with Mega Moolah.
A legendary title and widely regarded as the progenitor of the progressive jackpot trend. The original has its classic low-definition charm, but now the prize has expanded to many games. So, people can play the classic or turn to Book of Mega Moolah, Thunderstruck II Mega Moolah, Mega Moolah Goddess, and the like. If this was in video gaming, Mega Moolah would need a remake to meet the standards and compatibility of modern games.
Similarly, the Dragon Quest games are hailed as the original console RPGs. The games are incredibly influential, not just becoming popular, but defining what it means to be a Japanese RPG. Released from 1986 to 1988 on the NES, the original trilogy has mostly been left without an update since. Given their importance and how well the stories and gameplay holds up, the legendary trio would be at the top of the list for the remake treatment for many retro gamers.
Three Dragon Quest remakes
The upcoming release of the first three Dragon Quest remakes is taking a novel form. First, the Dragon Quest III remake will hit shelves and digital stores on 15 November 2024. In what’s been detailed as a superbly faithful remake, DQ3 HD-2D is the first game in the story chronologically. From what’s been shown to date, it looks like a modern indie game, complete with dazzling graphics while upholding the challenge of the originals.
Continuing this unique run to remake some legendary games, Square Enix will then release the first two games as a two-pack Dragon Quest I and II HD-2D Remake in 2025. This way, players can get invested in the prequel and continue the expansive story all the way through to the end of Dragon Quest II. Now, as grand as the graphics were in the 80s and 90s for the originals, few would argue that the new Octopath Traveler-style aesthetic is superior.
With the fully-deserved remakes, the hope is that long-time fans of the series, retro aficionados, and newer players who’ve only played the latest instalments will gravitate to these classics. The new graphics will surely enable them to capture modern players, while the underpinning challenge, gameplay, and story are eternally captivating.