Every fact on this page applies to update 1.1.2, the one version tested. Other versions may behave differently.
No emulator needed: DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake runs natively on the Apple chip. How nxnative compares with emulators
Running through nxnative
How DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake runs
DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake plays on the Mac at 60 fps with sound, up from the 30 fps it has on the Switch. Tested with update 1.1.2 through the logos and the opening movie, the title, creating a new adventure log (name, appearance, voice language, objective marker and difficulty), the opening with its personality questions and into the prologue, then continuing from the autosave after a restart. No iPhone app has been built yet.
How it runs
nxnative lifts the game's frame cap so it runs at 60 fps. The game moves its world by the time that really passed, so it plays at normal speed at 30 or 60 fps.
On the Mac about 2.6 GB of memory was in use through the opening and the prologue.
DM_FPS_TARGET=30 in the app's env.txt file keeps the game at its original 30 fps and saves power.
Controls
The Packed app starts in the 3D touch layout, with a D-pad and a right stick. The game runs in its docked mode, at 1920x1080.
Good to know
- The first town, battles and saving at a church have not been tested yet.
- Tested on update 1.1.2. Other versions may behave differently.
Known issues
- No iPhone app has been built or tested yet.
- Only the opening and the prologue have been played; the first town, battles and saving at a church are untested.
Packing command
Run this in your nxnative folder on the Build Mac. Replace the game folder and the keys path with your own. Add --platform mac-app to get a Mac app instead of an iPhone and iPad app.
python3 scripts/build_ipa_from_nsp.py ~/Games/dragon-quest-iii-hd-2d-remake -k ~/keys/prod.keysFAQ
Does DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake work with nxnative?
Yes. DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is tested with nxnative on update 1.1.2.
Which iPhone, iPad or Mac do I need to play DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?
An iPhone 15 Pro or newer (A17 Pro chip or later) or an iPad with an M1 chip or later, on iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, or a Mac with Apple silicon. iPads with the A17 Pro chip (iPad mini) have the iPhone 15 Pro's chip but are untested by nxnative. Packing needs a Mac with macOS 26.6 or later and Xcode 27.1.
Is DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake included?
No. Neither this site nor nxnative includes any game. You Pack DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake from your own copy of the game, with keys dumped from your own Switch.
Does online play work in DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake?
Online play in DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is not confirmed to work, so do not count on it.
