The peak of the original trilogy. Creatable characters, immense world, legendary final twist. DQ III caused queues in Japan and you can see why. A J-RPG masterpiece.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player7+
Description
Third Dragon Quest featuring a hero with customizable classes and companions in a prequel world. Published by Enix, released in Japan in 1988. Job system allowing class changes, freely explorable open world and prequel scenario for the first Dragon Quest games. A Dragon Quest series masterpiece on Famicom.
Dragon Quest III - Soshite Densetsu e... review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
A peak of the Erdrick trilogy, Koichi Sugiyama's score reaches a rare breadth and emotion, from the majestic adventure theme to timeless town melodies. Each tune accompanies the epic with an elegance that transcends the limits of the NES. This symphonic richness remains a landmark of the JRPG.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Building your group by class, then testing their strengths on the map opens a field of customization that hooks you fast. Each milestone unlocks spells, jobs and regions, and the day-night cycle revives the urge to search everywhere. The grind is still there before the big fights, but this freedom to craft your team turns every session into a stage you happily prolong.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Building your party at the guild, freely assigning classes and exploring an open prequel world unlocks immense replayability: every job combination reshapes your approach and invites another run. The vast continent to cross, the class changes and the scattered secrets swell the running time. Often hailed as the saga's peak, this third entry remains a model of scope and freedom.
Technical info
💾0,2 MB📅10/02/1988
Published by Enix
Dragon Quest III - Soshite Densetsu e... (NES) price, value & rarity
A social phenomenon in 1988 Japan, blamed for mass school absences on release day. The Famicom cart is paradoxically common because of that massive print, but sealed copies and Jump-promotion bundles have become museum pieces. The Rev 1 is closely scrutinised by completionist Enix collectors, and the cote for a pristine boxed CIB climbs slowly but unrelentingly.
Is Dragon Quest III - Soshite Densetsu e... still worth playing in 2026?
Dragon Quest III - Soshite Densetsu e..., released in the West as Dragon Warrior III, is the peak of the original trilogy and one of the great JRPG masterpieces. Free character creation with a deep job system, a vast world to explore, a legendary final twist and emotional writing, Enix's title famously caused historic queues in Japan. The pacing stays typical of 8-bit JRPGs but progression amazes at every step. An absolute must to discover today.
