Dragon Warrior III Introduction

Overview

Dragon Warrior III, released on December 8, 2000, for the Game Boy Color by Enix and developed by TOSE, is a remake of the 1988 Famicom classic Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation. The Hero, child of Ortega, forms a party to defeat the archfiend Baramos across Alefgard and beyond (Wikipedia). Designed by Yuji Horii with Akira Toriyama’s art and Koichi Sugiyama’s music, it enhances the original with color visuals, a new Thief class, and two bonus dungeons (GameFAQs). Lauded for its depth (IGN: 8.5/10), its grinding was noted (GameSpot: 8/10).

Why Play Dragon Warrior III?

Dragon Warrior III on Game Boy Color offers a refined RPG with party customization. Players recruit up to three companions (e.g., Warrior, Mage, Thief) to explore a vibrant overworld, dungeons, and towns, battling monsters like Slimes and Raven Lunatics in turn-based combat (GameFAQs). Class changes at Dhama Temple and gear upgrades (e.g., Meteorite Armband) add strategic depth (dragon-quest.org). The quest spans 20-30 hours, with battles taking 1-3 minutes. Its colorful visuals and epic scope appeal to Dragon Warrior I & II and Super Robot Taisen Compact 3 fans, distinct from Need for Speed: Underground 2’s racing or Captain Tsubasa V’s sports RPG (@RetroGamingX).

Key Features

• Lead a customizable party in a 20-30 hour adventure
• Turn-based combat with new Thief class and skills
• Class changes at Dhama Temple for strategic flexibility
• Battle Baramos and explore two bonus dungeons
• Enhanced GBC visuals and Koichi Sugiyama soundtrack
• Authentic Game Boy Color gameplay on our retro ROM platform

Key Differences: Game Boy Color vs. Other Versions

• Game Boy Color (2000/2001): Color visuals, new Thief class, bonus dungeons, English release (Wikipedia).
• Compared to Dragon Quest III (1988, Famicom): GBC adds color, Thief, extra content; Famicom is 8-bit (GameFAQs).
• Compared to Dragon Warrior I & II (1999, GBC): DWIII has class system, larger world; I & II are simpler (Sega-16).
• Compared to Super Robot Taisen Compact 3 (2003, WonderSwan Color): DWIII is solo RPG; Compact 3 is tactical (Sega-16).
• Compared to Need for Speed: Underground 2 (2004): RPG vs. open-world racing (GameSpot).
• Compared to Captain Tsubasa V (1994, SNES): Fantasy RPG vs. soccer RPG (Wikipedia).
• Re-releases: iOS/Android (2014), Switch (2019, as DQIII) (dragon-quest.org).

Play Dragon Warrior III Online

Play Dragon Warrior III (2000, GBC) instantly on Classic Joy Games with GBC emulators. Also available on RetroGames.cz, EmulatorGames.net, OldGameShelf.com (4.7/5 from 55 votes), or cdromance.org. Physical copies cost $25-$70 (cart) or $80-$200 (CIB) on eBay (PriceCharting). Use VisualBoyAdvance or mGBA. Strategy: Recruit a Thief for stealing; grind near Rimuldar for Metal Slimes. Cheat: Enter “qwertyuiop” at name entry for high stats (GameFAQs). Note: Some emulators may glitch during bonus dungeon transitions (vizzed.com).

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