Nintendo DS Classic Returning After 14 Years

A Nintendo DS classic is returning 14 years after its release, courtesy of a remaster releasing this fall via Nintendo Switch consoles and PC. It’s almost been 20 years since the Nintendo DS was released, and many of its games remain stranded in this era of gaming. And this will likely never change, but if you’ve been itching to jump back into Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, but don’t want to dig out your ol’ Nintendo DS, you’re in luck because it’s the game in question getting the remaster.

The remaster is dubbed Rune Factory 3 Special, and it’s coming west on September 5 via the aforementioned platforms and only the aforementioned platforms. As for the remaster, it will have newly upgraded visuals, new features, and more. That said, it’s not a remake. It’s still going to be the same game, but improved and refined for modernity. 

“Rune Factory 3 Special returns after more than a decade following its original release on Nintendo DS,” reads an official blurb about the game. “The remastered version of the popular entry in the Rune Factory series is being developed with remastered HD graphics and redesigned 3D character models that improve upon the original designs while retaining their unique appeal. These improved visuals are bolstered by new features including Newlywed Mode, standalone adventures unlocked after marriage to each of the game’s 11 eligible bachelorettes, and a ‘Hell’ difficulty level to challenge even veteran players!”

For those that don’t know: Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is a 2009 RPG meets sim from developer Neverland that actually didn’t come to North America until 2010, and Europe even later in 2011. While the name suggests it’s the third game in the series, it’s actually the fourth game in the series. Upon release, it garnered a 77 on Metacritic. How well it sold, we don’t know, but the series as a whole is fairly niche.

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