‘Dragon Quest VIII’ 3DS Remake Gets A Release Date

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King was heralded as one of the finest RPGs on the Playstation 2 (and potentially of all time). Fans of the title as well as newcomers will be pleased to learn that Nintendo has announced the release date for the Nintendo 3DS remake: January 20, 2017.

This release is no mere copy, however. Beyond being portable (which let’s face it is pretty awesome), the 3DS version will feature two new playable characters, additional side quests, an alternative ending, and the ability to spot enemies on the map a la Dragon Quest VII. Players will also be able to speed up battle animations and make use of a “Quick-Save” function.

Players can take snapshots during battles and cutscenes, even striking special poses, then adding stickers, banners, and filters to their photo. As the heroes progress in the story, they will meet Cameron Obscura in Port Prospect, granting them access to Cameron’s Codex. This item rewards players for capturing specific events, characters, and monsters on film. With the Nintendo 3DS’s Streetpass function, photos can be shared, with other players giving images they like a “thumbs up.” The more “thumbs up” a photo has, the greater the chance of being gifted a new item.

You can learn more about Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King on the official site (yes, it is for the PS2 version – don’t ask me why Nintendo linked to it) or on Nintendo’s product page.