3D Dot Game Heroes Impressions

I picked up 3D Dot Game Heroes a few days ago and have been busy playing it in my spare time. I have to say, it is one of the most interesting games I have experienced in a while.

3D Dot Game Heroes is essentially a retro throwback to classic 8-bit gaming with a unique visual twist. The king of Dotnia decided the land would convert from 2D to 3D, in order to boost tourism, so the entire game looks like a 3D representation of an 8-bit game. You can even create your own hero, dot by dot, if you so choose.  You can find pictures of people’s creations of Bowser, Samus, Link, Darth Vader, Opa Opa, and a lot of other 8-bit characters.  There is a lot of detail included in creating your own character, down to some of the animations they do.  I love the style, personally, but I can understand how some people may not.

The game plays pretty much exactly like a classic Zelda game. You swing a sword, block with a shield, fight enemies that look and behave like Zelda baddies, etc.  The sword grows enormous when you’re full on Apples (which are like heart containers) taking up half the screen — this is really funny.  You can go to a Blacksmith and pay to increase the width or length of the sword or buy different swords altogether.  The game even has a bow, boomerang, dash boots, and bombs. Is this a bad thing? Of course not. It makes for a fantastic homage to a wonderful series. The game also has references from several other old series’ like Dragon Quest and even some from newer games like Demon Souls (another title by From Software).

I still have a lot left to do in the game, but I am loving every minute of it so far. 3D Dot Game Heroes is a fun, funny, quirky, awesome retro experience. I wouldn’t pass it up.