Phantasy Star III - Toki no Keishousha

This is the original Japanese release of Phantasy Star III for the Sega Genesis, subtitled "Toki no Keishousha" (Successor of Time). It came out in 1990, developed and published by Sega. This version is a traditional Japanese role-playing game, part of the famous Phantasy Star series, but with its own distinct story and mechanics. Unlike the later English localization, the menus and text here are entirely in Japanese. The player controls a protagonist who journeys through a sci-fi fantasy world, battling enemies in turn-based combat. The key gimmick is the generational system: the story spans multiple generations, with the hero marrying and passing the quest to his child. This means the party composition and even the plot branches change based on choices made earlier. Exploration happens on an overworld map, with dungeons and towns visited in a classic JRPG fashion. Phantasy Star III is worth trying today for its ambitious generational storytelling, which was ahead of its time. It's not as polished as Phantasy Star IV, but its branching narrative and multiple endings give it replay value. The Japanese version offers the original experience without the censorship or difficulty adjustments made in the US release. If you can read Japanese or follow a guide, it's a fascinating piece of RPG history.