25 heart-warming retro references in 3D Dot Game Heroes

The load screens alone will validate your entire existence!

Words: GamesRadarChrisAntista on April 20, 2010

Regardless of what we gave 3D Dot Game Heroes in our review today, it’s a 10 or 11 in terms of raw nostalgia! Yes, most of you probably know that the game is steeped in Dragon Quest and Zelda, but Atlus’ new throwback also contains about a billion other nods to all those games you’ve loved before. Hell, the load screens alone are enough to get lawyers’ spidey senses tingling.

Above: Seriously, ain't these precious?!

There are over a hundred, in fact, and they all lovingly reference famous box art from the US and Japan. Below you’ll find our personal favorites (or at least the ones we recognized,) but know that there are still plenty of others for you to unlock and decipher using obscure knowledge your parents said you’d never use. Enjoy!

Above: Castlevania

Above: Dragon Warrior

Above: Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest

Above: Final Fantasy III

Above: Final Fantasy IV (JP)

Above: Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

Above: Street Fighter II

Above: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Click to the next page for precious parodies of Contra, Mega Man, Doom and more!

Platforms:

PS3

22 comments

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DryvBy - March 6, 2011 12:25 a.m.

I really hope they're making a second game. This game is a classic to me.
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Thequestion 121 - August 18, 2010 6:40 a.m.

That's just awesome.
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philipshaw - April 21, 2010 1 p.m.

These are great
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EnragedTortoise1 - April 21, 2010 2:53 a.m.

Another reason why I'm glad I chose the PS3.
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Cyberninja - April 21, 2010 1:15 a.m.

i want this game i hope i have money after the summer when the psp will take all my time away
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hardcore_gamer1990 - April 20, 2010 11:22 p.m.

:')
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ensabahnur - April 20, 2010 4:50 p.m.

These are awesome, Great job.
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raygillies - April 20, 2010 1:43 p.m.

OK, I'm not a Zelda fan and I'm too young to have been a retro gamer. Will I have any measure of fun with this game?
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Conman93 - April 20, 2010 11:14 a.m.

These are epic. Lol at the tetris one! Im suprised at a lack of a mario one..
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nadrewod999 - April 20, 2010 10:54 a.m.

No, 3D dot engine. Very different, and TONS cooler. If you liked the Zelda games on the Game Boy/GBA, but always wanted to control Link in 3D, this is the perfect game (for PS3 owners) Also, ROFL @ Tobli's TRIPLE post XD
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SimOniS - April 20, 2010 8:35 a.m.

lego graphics engine ?
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Tobli - April 20, 2010 8:28 a.m.

Garnsr: 360 exclusives falling behind? That sounds like a fanboy statement to me. I don't want to buy a PS3 because it doesn't have what i loved about the PS1&2. On topic: I loved the ones with final fantasy, and dragon quest.
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Tobli - April 20, 2010 8:26 a.m.

Garnsr: 360 exclusives falling behind? That sounds like a fanboy statement to me. I don't want to buy a PS3 because it doesn't have what i loved about the PS1&2. On topic: I loved the ones with final fantasy, and dragon quest.
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Tobli - April 20, 2010 8:31 a.m.

Garnsr: 360 exclusives falling behind? That sounds like a fanboy statement to me. I don't want to buy a PS3 because it doesn't have what i loved about the PS1&2. On topic: I loved the ones with final fantasy, and dragon quest.
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elpurplemonkey - April 20, 2010 6:14 a.m.

PS3's are expensive and money is tight garnsr, it's not that easy for people to just go buy one nowadays. That being said, I do agree that it's on the upswing. But I digress, this game looks enjoyable, but the art is what really has me intrigued. They are choosing to limit themselves with this style, but are actually creating really charming work.
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garnsr - April 20, 2010 3:45 a.m.

I've played almost all of those games, and they're obvious when I see them here, but I wouldn't know too many just as screens in the game. I'm anxiously awaiting its release, though.
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chrisat928 - April 20, 2010 3:44 a.m.

You mean 360, right? Putting it on Xbox would do nothing for that dead system.
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chrisat928 - April 20, 2010 2:54 a.m.

Loading screens.
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garnsr - April 20, 2010 3:47 a.m.

And at this point I think it's time for everyone to get a PS3, the exclusives on 360 are falling way behind lately. Despite the guys on TalkRadar seeming to know almost nothing about the system, it does seem to be on the upswing.
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WillisTron - April 20, 2010 3:38 a.m.

I wish this game was on Xbox
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