Romance of the Three Kingdoms III: Dragon of Destiny

Romance of the Three Kingdoms III, or Sangokushi III to give it its Japanese name, is the third game in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series of historical strategy/simulation games based on the Three Kingdoms era. Specifically, it is based on the 14th century novelization of the events also known as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, considered one of China’s most important pieces of literature.

The SNES and PC versions of the game carry the subtitle “Dragon of Destiny”. The game was originally released on the PC-9801 in Japan and eventually saw releases on SNES, Genesis and PC in both the US and Asia. The game also came out on the Sega CD and TurboGrafx-CD, but in Japan only.

The goal is to select one of several monarchs of the era and attempt to wrest control of the rest of China from the selected monarch’s rivals by choosing commands for their generals to follow. The player has many options available to them, including military maneuvers, diplomacy, organizing and acquiring supplies and espionage. Up to eight players can assume the roles of the available rulers, which can vary depending on the historical scenario being played out. There are six scenarios, each separated by a few years.