Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (1991). Play online

Summary

The TurboGrafx‑CD edition of Ys III: Wanderers of Ys swaps the series' classic top‑down view for a side‑scrolling platformer, drawing inevitable comparisons to Zelda II’s adventure style. Instead of auto‑attacking, you now press a button to swing Adol’s sword, while spells appear as rings powered by ‘Ring Power.’ The core RPG mechanics—experience, equipment, and shopping—stay true to the originals, but the visual shift felt fresh for a 1991 console port. Mieko Ishikawa wrote the original score, and Masaaki Kawai arranged those themes for CD‑DA and added his own tracks for this version. It was the final Falcom title featuring Masaya Hashimoto and Tomoyoshi Miyazaki before they formed Quintet. Critics received it warmly, averaging about an 80 % aggregate score, with many retro reviewers giving solid 7‑8 out of 10 marks.

Storyline

Ys III: Wanderers from Ys drops you back into the world three years after the events of Ys I and II. Adol Christin and his trusty companion Dogi travel to Dogi’s hometown, Redmont, only to discover the village is under siege by forces from Valestein Castle. The duo must recover four mysterious statues that were once used to seal the demon Galbalan, while battling blood‑thirsty monsters and confronting the scheming Lord MacGuire and Bishop Garland.

The adventure takes Adol through fiery depths like Alcaino, past the terrifying Nekevil, and into the ruins of Illsburn where he meets Elena, her brother Chester, and a mountain hermit who teaches Dogi martial arts. After gathering the statues, Adol faces Galbalan’s weakened seal, negotiates with the demon, and ultimately defeats him, though Chester sacrifices himself to sink the island fortress.

With Redmont abandoned and its citizens held hostage, Adol and Dogi press on, rescuing Elena and preparing for the next sunrise, while Elena confesses her love for Adol before they part ways.