Shining Force III

Shining Force III (1997)

by Camelot Software Planning
Genres:Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Tactical
Themes:Fantasy
Game modes:Single player
Story:Shining Force III is a fantasy turn-based tactics role-playing video game designed for the Sega Saturn by Camelot Software Planning. It is a continuation of the Shining series. Comprising three separate but overlapping storylines, the Japanese version of Shining Force III was released in three volumes, known as: "Scenario 1 - God Warrior of the Kingdom", "Scenario 2 - Target: Child of God", and "Scenario 3 - "Bulzome Rising". In America and Europe, only Scenario 1 was released. The real ending to the game can only be viewed by completing all the games in the series.Show more
user avatarAdded by @PanzerDragoon98
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.
1 267
Trailers and screenshots
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot
Stories about this game (19)
What’s your memory of Shining Force III?Share your favorite moments and see what others remember about this game.
user avatar@placeholder

Make sure to follow our Guidelines when adding new Stories.

If not sure what to write:
  • What made this game unforgettable?
  • Who did you play this game with?
  • What made it fun or challenging?
  • Why do you want this game on GOG?
Shining Force 3 is the pinnacle of tactical RPG's. From dynamic story choices, amazing gameplay, voice acting so bad that it becomes amazing (in English at least), three different storylines all wrapped up into one big finale and the single best soundtrack ever created made by the best Video Game Composer ever, Matoi Sakuraba, all of that together gives you the single best game ever made. The only thing that stopped this game from being a massive hit is timing. Terrible, terrible timing when it was coming out. 1997 is the start of Segas downfall and terrible decision making. Only the first of three parts even came out outside of Japan because of the quick launch and even quicker death of the Sega Saturn. It fully came out in Japan and if you had proof of purchase of all 3 scenarios, you could get a special premium disk with all kinds of bonus features and 9 boss fights from Shining Force 3 and other Shining Force games as well, of which I still have them all in their original, Japanese glory. This was one of the first games I ever played with my Father and it has stuck with me ever since. I will always love this game and I can never recommend this game enough. It's even got it's own dedicated fan translation that you can download so you can experience the entire game in English, with the first scenario being the Japanese translated script so you get all the story beats and name drops that were cut from the original release since we were never gonna get the other scenarios. Please preserve this game and all of its glory. Share this everywhere and go try out the fan translation. 10/10, VERY highly recommend.
This game was my white whale as a kid. We couldn’t afford a Sega Saturn at the time. The complete game never came to the US, only the first scenario (out of 3) made it out of Japan.
user avatar@routaprkleuser avatar@routaprkle
January 29, 2025
Ahh Shining Force 3.. Such a masterpiece and easily my top pick. This game is really a true hidden gem and it's a real shame that Scenario 2 and 3 were never translated or released in the Western markets. I've always loved Shining Force and I remember playing it when I was a kid. Didn't understand the game that much because English isn't my main lanquage. Years later I discovered and played Shining Force 2, which also is a masterpiece. And eventually about 5 years ago I discovered SF3 and I immediately fell in love with it, it is my top 10 game of all time. The game's story is pretty good in my opinion even for today's standards and the gameplay is very addicting and fun. Although the game is incomplete without Scenario 2 and 3 even if we would get Shining Force 3 Scenario 1 I would be very happy. Please do it.
I’ve never actually played shining force 3. I’ve played the first 2 shining force 2 is one of my all time favorite games. That said I’ve always dreamed of playing it ever since I learned it existed but I can’t afford it or the console. Please help fulfill a dream I’ve had since I was 13 years old and let me play this masterpiece finally!! I’m 40 I’ve been waiting 25+ years for this!!
SF3 is my favorite game of all time! I bought a Sega Saturn several years back just to play this game.l and was not disappointed. I got the second and third scenarios in translation and had to figure out how to make it work just to play them.
One of my favourite games of all time. I was lucky enough to play Scenario 1 on the Saturn at launch. Had to wait 20 years to finally finish it and play the fan translations of Scenarios 2 and 3. It’s a masterpiece that far too few people have played.
user avatar@Dedlochuser avatar@Dedloch
January 30, 2025
The Shining Force series is one of my favorite SRPG series of all time. They are my comfort games. I usually play through them once every couple of years. They have so much replayability due to the large cast of varied characters and charming world building and storytelling.
user avatar@tailzouser avatar@tailzo
January 30, 2025
I love all three chapters. In 2013 I visited Tokyo abd bought a briefcase full of retro games. Many of them Sega Saturn games. Everyone should be able to play Shining Force III without traveling that far!
user avatar@Daevspuruser avatar@Daevspur
January 30, 2025
Definitely my favourite game of all time. One of the best Tactical RPG ever made. The story, the characters, the gameplay, the music, the atmosphere. I bought a Saturn 20 years ago only to be able to play it and what an incredible experience! It's a shame that game doesn't have the glory it deserves. I will always be mad at Sega for what they made about the franchise after that.
user avatar@pjc791user avatar@pjc791
January 30, 2025
I can't see this happening as the later parts were never officially translated and it's not even a PC game. It's tragic that Sega only handled the first part of a trilogy and then abandoned it.
Those games also need your vote!
Monster Hunter
Monster HunterMonster Hunter is an online action-hunting game by CAPCOM for the PlayStation 2 released on March 11th, 2004 in Japan, and September 21st, 2004 in North America. The game is a fantasy hunting simulator filled with many deadly monsters. Like actual hunting, successfully killing or capturing the monsters requires significant strategy, skill and involved resource management. While initially considered a commercial failure, Monster Hunter would go on to become one of CAPCOM's highest selling franchises. Despite featuring an offline mode, Monster Hunter was primarily an online game. The official servers were shut down on December 31, 2007 in North America and Europe, and July 1, 2011 in Japan. This means that it is now impossible to play online on official CAPCOM servers. Despite this, the game still features a small active community on private servers.
Action
Fantasy
Survival
Action
Fantasy
Survival
7 773
4
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Monster Hunter Generations UltimateAn enhanced version of Monster Hunter Generations. It features new monsters, hunting styles, and the more challenging G-Rank quests. Game data from Monster Hunter Generations can be carried over, with a one way transfer, to Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Game data can also be moved between the 3DS and the Switch version of the game.
Action
Fantasy
Action
Fantasy
9 866
43
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Ultimate Edition
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Ultimate EditionIncludes the DLCs, Reverie and Resurrection. "Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Ultimate Edition is the complete edition of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, a dark and vivid new re-imagining of the Castlevania mythology. It is the end of days and ungodly powers isolate the Earth. The world's alliance with the heavens has been threatened by a dark and malevolent force - the mysterious Lords of Shadow. Across this shattered land, the souls of the dead wander unable to find peace, whilst creatures of evil wreak chaos and death upon the living."
Action
Fantasy
Horror
Action
Fantasy
Horror
2 910
1
Valkyria Chronicles 2
Valkyria Chronicles 2Valkyria Chronicles 2 is a sequel to the critically acclaimed tactical RPG Valkyria Chronicles on the PS3, which was released exclusively on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system. The game takes place two years after the conclusion of the original game and takes you back to the epic adventure set in 1930’s fictitious Europe. In this sequel, you play as a group of young Gallian Military Academy cadets who find themselves plunged into a bitter civil war when the newly formed Gallian Revolutionary Army stages a coup. As the drama and battle unfold, you will experience stories of friendship, love and growing pains during a time of war and revolution. The 'CANVAS' engine originally developed by SEGA Game Studios Japan for Valkyria Chronicles has been fully redesigned for the PSP system. This incredibly distinctive engine will power over 20 new distinct and visually stunning environments where you will have over 200 different missions to explore. For the first time ad-hoc Versus and Co-op multiplayer gameplay will now be available. The 'BLiTZ' battle system has also been re-designed to offer players the freedom to strategically move around the environment and attack enemies using real-time controls, something never before seen in the tactical role-playing game genre. This game adds some new unit classes and the ability to upgrade or change classes. It also changes the battle system to include multiple map areas that are unlocked as you take over enemy bases revealing more of the battlefield and allowing you to call units into that area.
Action
Fantasy
Historical
Warfare
Action
Fantasy
Historical
Warfare
996
2
Dark Souls III
Dark Souls IIIDark Souls III is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Released in March 2016, it is the fourth entry in the Souls series and the final instalment in the Dark Souls trilogy. Set in the decaying kingdom of Lothric, players take on the role of the "Ashen One," an undead warrior tasked with rekindling the First Flame to prevent the world from falling into darkness. The game features challenging combat, intricate level design, and a deep, lore-rich narrative.
Action
Fantasy
Action
Fantasy
9 186
4
Champions: Return to Arms
Champions: Return to ArmsAn action fantasy RPG that is the sequel to the 2004 Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest, and with the same style of dungeon crawling and hack 'n' slash, Champions: Return to Arms differs from its predecessor by offering the player the ability to fight for either 'good' or 'evil'. With a variety of races and classes to create a character from, the player travels across different acts and different lands combating all sorts of enemies.
Action
Fantasy
Action
Fantasy
466
18
The Lost Vikings
The Lost VikingsThe Lost Vikings is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Silicon & Synapse (now Blizzard Entertainment) and published by Interplay. The game features infinite opportunities of retries in case the player loses one of the Vikings. In 2015, The Lost Vikings were added as a playable hero in Heroes of the Storm, allowing players to control the three Vikings as individual units, making a unique departure from the typical heroes available. Character abilities: All three Vikings (Erik, Baleog and Olaf) have three health points which they can lose by getting hurt by enemies or by falling from great heights, and the ability to carry and use items, mainly keys, bombs, and food (which restore health points). Each of the Vikings has a unique set of abilities: Erik can run faster than the other two, can jump, and can bash through some walls (and enemies) with his helmet. Baleog can kill enemies with his sword, or from a distance with his bow (and a "life-time supply of arrows"). The bow can also be used to hit switches from a distance. Olaf can block enemies and their projectiles with his shield, and use his shield as a hang glider. Olaf's shield can also be used as a stepping stone for Erik to enable him to reach higher ground, which would not be possible without the shield.
Action
Fantasy
Comedy
Science fiction
Action
Fantasy
Comedy
Science fiction
9 762
4
MechCommander Gold
MechCommander GoldMechCommander Gold is the 1999 update to FASA Interactive's MechCommander, which contains both the original title's campaign and an entirely new 12-mission scenario called Desperate Measures, which incorporates several new 'Mech, weapons, and vehicles.
Science fiction
Science fiction
9 989
10
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
Castlevania: The Dracula X ChroniclesCastlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is an entirely new take at the best Castlevania game to never be released in the US, "Castlevania: Rondo of Blood". The Dracula X Chronicles brings this action/adventure franchise to the PSP system for the first time, complete with 3D graphics, enhanced gameplay and new music. Completing the Dracula X storyline, this game also includes an unlockable version of Symphony of the Night and players will also be able to unlock the original Rondo of Blood from the NEC PC Engine. Includes unlockable versions of the original "Rondo of Blood" and "Symphony of the Night" games, optimized for the PSP. Timeless side scrolling action through more than 10 gothic stages and additional hidden areas. Return to previously completed levels to find additional secrets.
Action
Horror
Action
Horror
721
3
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow CollectionCastlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection includes Castlevania: Lords of Shadow with codes in box for both its DLC and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD. It also has a demo for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
Action
Fantasy
Horror
Action
Fantasy
Horror
523