Dragon Warrior III
ドラゴンクエストIII そして伝説へ…
- Year
- 1988
- Developer
- Chunsoft
- Publisher
- Enix
- Platform
- FC / NES
- Hardware
- Family Computer (8-bit)
- Genre
- Role-Playing Game
- Players
- 1 player
- Controls
- D-pad + A (confirm) / B (cancel)
- Series
- Dragon Quest series
Gameplay Screenshots
About This Game
Dragon Warrior III is the Dragon Quest game that turned the series into a phenomenon. It adds a class system on top of the traditional turn-based combat: you recruit companions at Patty's Party Planning Place in Aliahan, pick their classes, and can change vocation later once they reach level 20 - keeping some inherited skills.
The game is also a prequel to the first two, following the legendary hero Ortega's child, and its day/night cycle changes which enemies appear and which townspeople will talk. Its world map is enormous for a 1988 cartridge, and its structure - overworld, ships, dungeons, a final castle - became the reference point for every console RPG that followed.
- Recruit and customise a party of up to four characters
- Class change system with inherited abilities after level 20
- Day and night cycle affecting encounters and NPCs
- Story prequel to the first two Dragon Quest games
Version History
- Famicom Japanese version1988-02-10
Original release, which sold over three million copies in Japan.
- NES US version1992-03
The version on this page, localised four years later.
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake2024
Modern remake with an Octopath-style presentation.
Tips & Strategy
Change classes at level 20
You keep half your stats and some spells when you change class. Doing it at exactly level 20, rather than later, gives you the most total levels across the whole game.
A Fighter and a Pilgrim cover most needs
The classic starting party is Soldier, Fighter, Pilgrim. The Pilgrim handles healing so your hero can stay on offense.
Night changes the map
Some towns only open their shops at night and some enemies only spawn then. Revisit areas after dark before moving on.
The ship is your real progression gate
Once you have the ship, the whole world opens up. Explore sideways rather than pushing the main quest - the optional islands hold the best equipment.
Download Resources
Resource packs for this game are provided through the button below.
⬇ Coming soon