Originally released in 1988, Dragon Quest 3 took the RPG world by storm, at least in Japan. In the West, the Dragon Quest series struggled to establish itself until 2004's Dragon Quest 8, which finally dropped the Dragon Warrior title. However, while Dragon Quest 3 was not an instant smash hit in the West, over time it has become one of the most treasured old-school JRPGs for its combination of thoughtful grinding, compelling scenarios, and well-designed dungeons.
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PostsThere are many dungeons in Dragon Quest 3, some interconnected while others are set in well-defined towers. Here are the ones that are the most fun to navigate, faithfully recreated in the HD-2D remake.
8 Personality Dungeon
Test Of Character
Dragon Quest 3 begins with an unseen voice asking you some deeply personal questions, including what you'd do in certain scenarios, your real-life name, and birth date. She stops just short of asking you for your credit card details before transporting you to a dungeon to see if your answers line up with your actions.
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PostsThe personality dungeon is short and simple, but it's unique because the dungeon you are assigned depends on the answers you give to the quiz. There are eight possible dungeons for a total of 45 different personality types in Dragon Quest 3.
7 Promontory Passage
For The Exploration-Oriented
If you're the type to explore side areas thoroughly in JRPGs before continuing with the story, chances are you'll end up in the Promontory Passage fairly early. The Promontory Passage is an excellent introductory dungeon.
Though inessential to the plot, it connects directly to a story-related dungeon and has a looping, satisfying design that makes it rewarding to explore. This is only one of two possible entrances to the Dreamer's Tower. The path through the Shrine of The Plains is the more common route, and NPCs will advise you to take that.
6 Dreamer's Tower
Don't Fall Off
The Dreamer's Tower is your first proper dungeon in Dragon Quest 3's HD-2D remake. It rewards thoughtful navigation rather than just pressing forward: to solve it, you need to find a sleeping old man, who is only accessible by entering the upper floors from the central staircase.
At the periphery are open edges where your party can fall off. If you do so, you have to start all over again. It may be irksome, but it's all a good grinding opportunity. Once you're done with the tower, you can jump off for a quick exit too.
5 Path Of Promise
Braving The New World
The Path Of Promise is where you leave behind the cozy city of Aliahan and the tiny map you've been navigating so far, and start exploring the continent at large. As you advance, you'll realize that the world of Dragon Quest 3 is bigger than it initially appeared.
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PostsThe Path Of Promise is also home to some grind-friendly enemies, and you should spend time assigning all your party members to Fight Wisely and walking around to make sure you're not under-leveled for the continent you emerge into.
4 Tower Of Transcendence
Metal Slimes Galore
Even though liquid metal slimes (formerly known as metal babbles) give far more experience, metal slimes are far more plentiful and are among the most rewarding enemies to encounter. They are the symbol of high rewards. The Tower Of Transcendence, an optional tower located at the very centre of the game's map, is a great place to farm them.
It's technically not needed to beat the game, but this is Dragon Quest; grinding metal slimes is essential. To ensure optimal grinding, you should include a thief in your party, or have plenty of Poison Needles. These will greatly increase your chances of defeating the metal slimes before they flee.
3 Maw Of The Necrogond
Brush With True Danger
Not only does Maw Of The Necrogond have a name cool enough to be a metal album title, but it's one of the first dungeons in the game to truly test your abilities. If you haven't done enough grinding, go back and save your coins. Due to the powerful enemies in this dungeon, as well as how long it is, there's constantly the risk of your party being wiped out and losing half its gold if you don't prepare adequately.
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PostsBad news for purists though: in the HD-2D remake this challenge is mitigated somewhat because every time a character levels up, their HP and MP is refilled.
2 Baramos' Lair
False Ending
For your entire journey up till this dungeon, you'll be misled to believe that Baramos is the final boss. He even has an intimidating dungeon named after him, and it's quite tough. It's best to make two attempts at this dungeon.
The first run, focus on getting the treasures, then go back with a Chimaera Wing. Then come back and fight Baramos for real, using the best weapons and items you've been able to muster. Use healing items rather than spells until it's necessary.
1 Zoma's Citadel
The Final Boss, For Real This Time
After you've defeated Baramos, you'll realize you're only halfway through the game. The true final boss is Zoma. For Zoma's Citadel, the final dungeon in the game, you need to be thoroughly prepared. Zoma's Citadel is filled with traps and dead ends.
First of all, bring as many healing items as possible. Second of all, don't even attempt the dungeon unless you have the Sphere of Light. You'll need it for the final boss. Once you're ready to fight the true lord of darkness, throw everything you have at him in a fight that will leave you both exhausted and exhilarated.
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JRPG Systems 4.0/5 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 85/100 Critics Rec: 93% Released November 14, 2024 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes Developer(s) Square Enix, Artdink Publisher(s) Square Enix Engine Unreal Engine 4WHERE TO PLAY
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