Play Ys III Online

Summary

Ys III: Wanderers from Ys feels like a love‑letter to classic side‑scrollers while keeping the soul of the Ys series. Instead of the familiar top‑down view, the game drops you into a side‑scrolling world where you must press a button to swing Adol’s sword, a departure from the series’ auto‑attack tradition. All the familiar RPG trimmings survive – you still level up, buy gear, and equip rings that act as spells, with "Ring Power" replacing MP – but the platforming sections add a fresh layer of timing and positioning.

The soundtrack stands out, originally composed by Mieko Ishikawa, and the X68000 port later received extra tracks arranged by Masaaki Kawai, giving the music a richer texture. This title also marks the last Ys project before key staff Masaya Hashimoto and Tomoyoshi Miyazaki left to form Quintet, adding a bittersweet note to its legacy. Though the Genesis version earned a modest 60% on GameRankings, its blend of action and RPG mechanics still makes it a quirky gem for retro enthusiasts.

Storyline

Three years after the events of Ys I and II, swordsman Adol Christin and his ex‑thief companion Dogi return to Dogi’s hometown—Redmont (called Sarina in some versions)—only to discover the town is under threat from the forces of Valestein Castle. The mayor, Edgar, is rescued from a quarry and a mysterious statue is recovered, kicking off a quest for four ancient statues that once sealed the demon Galbalan.

Adol travels to the Illsburn Ruins, battles a fire dragon, and retrieves the second statue while confronting Elena’s brother Chester, who later tries to force the statues from him. A mountain hermit, who also taught Dogi martial arts, points the way to the fourth statue, and after a cave‑in Dogi saves Adol and Chester. Meanwhile, soldiers from Valestein abduct townsfolk to bargain for the statues.

Confrontations with Bishop Garland and Lord MacGuire reveal that the statues were used to imprison Galbalan, a demon who now seeks release. After MacGuire repents, Elena is kidnapped by Galbalan, who demands the statues on his island fortress. Adol agrees, enters Galbalan’s realm, defeats the freed demon, and watches Chester sacrifice himself to sink the island and reseal the evil.

The story of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys ends with Adol and Dogi preparing for new adventures, while Elena confesses her love for Adol before they part ways at sunrise.