Square-Enix explains why they included a 2D mode in Dragon Quest XI S

Dragon Quest XI S is the latest installment in the long-running franchise, and it's hitting Switch later this month. Newcomers to the series can enjoy this installment in all its 3D glory, but longtime fans and retro junkies can switch over to 2D and play the entire game that way. Why on earth did Square-Enix go through all the trouble to include a 2D mode? Dragon Quest XI S producer Hokuto Okamoto explained in a Nintendo Life interview.

We have over 30 years of Dragon Quest series history behind us and many titles have come out in that series, so fans of the series have their own particular favorite titles and when they think of Dragon Quest and what Dragon Quest means to them, they may think of a particular title. So one of our goals with Dragon Quest XI S, was to make sure that whatever Dragon Quest meant to you, you were able to play it in this version of the game. And so that’s why our version of the game contains both a modern 3D mode, and the more nostalgic 2D mode as well.