3D Dot Game Heroes may simultaneously be the most original and most unoriginal game I've ever played. How is that possible? Well, it should be obvious to anybody who looks at the game for more than five minutes. It's clearly a homage of the gaming of yesteryear, particularly the classic Legend of Zelda NES and SNES games (A Link to the Past in particular). In fact, it's pretty much an exact copy of the formula of A Link to the Past. You won't find anything in the gameplay that is any different whatsoever to that old classic. The story is essentially the same, the gadgets and weapons are the same, the dungeons are the same, the enemies are the same. You get the idea. However, there are things that set 3D Dot Game Heroes in a league of its own.
The game starts on a spectacular note. The hilarious story pokes fun at itself, telling us the king of the land has decreed Dotnia, a classical SNES 2-D Kingdom, needs to upgrade to 3-D to attract tourists. Now there's an evil bishop who is foolishly going to release the ancient evil Ganonlike menace and it's up to you to go collect the orbs of the sages, locked away in dungeons, to save the day.
Again, it's totally derivative of the classic adventure games. However, there's so much reverence for the source material, combined with a tremendous amount of gut-busting humor, that it's all amazing. English is purposefully marred (collect a life enhancing "heart" and a box comes on screen "LIFE UP GET" C'mon, that's hilarious), references to famous gaffs in classic games ("I am error"), and lots of tongue in cheek jokes from the game designers themselves (come across a dead body "He's dead" scribbled on the wall "My run command failed..."). It's amazingly well done, and enjoyably from start to finish. It is to Zelda what Spaceballs is to Star Wars, a loving parody. Yet, it's also a loving salute. There are numerous nods to classics like Final Fantasy, Mega Man, Fire Emblem, Bionic Commando, even Demon's Souls (which was made by the same company). It's all quite grand.
The game's art direction is fantastic. Every thing is made up "dots" which basically makes everything look like a classic 8-bit NES game come to life in 3-D. The lens effect enhances everything in the game. The draw distance is small and anything far away blurs, which makes the whole thing look as if we're looking at children's toys come to life in their own diorama world. It's quite spectacular. The lighting effects are awesome too. Enemies explode with light and shower the scene with their individual pixel pieces. It's awesome. The music is also great, with 8-bit synthesizers taking the show, harkening back to the awesome 8-bit anthems of Mega Man and Zelda.
The gameplay is exactly like A Link to the Past. If you've played that, then you know exactly what to expect. You go to a series of dungeons spread across an overworld, getting access to newer areas previously blocked as you acquire new gadgets. The big bosses of gaming yesteryear are present and a blast. 3D Dot's gameplay succeeds hugely because it so lovingly and blatantly copies it from some of the past's very best gaming offerings. It's great.
Also worth mentioning is a feature that allows you to build your own hero to play as in the game. You make him in a series of poses, and then can play him or her in your game. There are dozens of heroes included with the game, and if you have the time, artistic ability, and patience, there are limitless possibilities as to what your hero will look like. It's really cool and adds tons of customization to the game. You can even download other people's creations on Atlus' website, put them on a USB drive, and put them onto your system and play as them. I've seen numerous creative ideas, from recreations of all iterations of Link's history, to an 8-bit Master Chief, to a half-eaten taco, to recreations of Mega Man, to all sorts of original creations. It's really neat.
Is 3D Dot Game Heroes for you? Well, it really depends. If you grew up playing the NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn, and other consoles of yesteryear, you'll absolutely adore what 3D Dot Game Heroes has to offer. It copies the best elements of the best action adventure games of the past, while still coming across as the most unique, fresh idea in video games in years. It really is an amazing little gem. A sense of humor is required to play this game, and that is a great thing. Buy it, adore it, and get lost in the glory of video games history.
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Product information
| Number of Players | 1 |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | May 11, 2010 |
| Computer Platform | PlayStation 3 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00730865001347 |
| UPC | 151902978253 730865001347 |
| Compatible Video Game Console Models | Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PlayStation 3 Slim, Sony PlayStation 3 Super Slim |
| ASIN | B002I0J45C |
| Release date | May 11, 2010 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank |
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| Product Dimensions | 6.78 x 5.32 x 0.14 inches; 3.2 ounces |
| Type of item | Video Game |
| Language | English |
| Rated | Everyone 10+ |
| Item model number | 3D-00134-7 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
| Item Weight | 3.2 ounces |
| Manufacturer | Atlus USA |
| Date First Available | November 13, 2009 |
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Finally got a copy that worked from 1st Class Gaming.
I've been through 2 copies of this game that didn't work even though they claimed to be 'tested' and 'working' when in fact they were not. Finally, from 1st Class Gaming offering a fair price, shipped it pretty quick and I finally got to play this game, I'm having a blast, thank you 1st Class Gaming for actually delivering on your word in more ways than one unlike other sellers.
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2011
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2010
Top reviews from other countries
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- Robert FultonReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2013
Brilliant bit of retro gaming
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CésarReviewed in Mexico on October 20, 2018
lamentable envio.
El estuche llego en pesimo estado, y el disco dañado con ligeros rayones. Una verdadera lastima.Césarlamentable envio.
Reviewed in Mexico on October 20, 2018
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