Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom

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Phantasy Star III
Developer: Sega Platform: Genesis This game has a notes page

Phantasy Star III is the third game in the futuristic Phantasy Star RPG series, and is quite a deviation from the first two. It features a unique "Generation" system, in which characters get married, have children, and their children continue on the adventure.

Inaccessible Tunnels

This crude map displays all the connecting tunnels. Blue = Accessible, Red = Permanently Sealed

The Alisa III features seven distinct "biospheres", each with its own overworld map, arranged in a hexagon formation. These biospheres are all interconnected to adjacent ones via a series of tunnels, many of which are sealed off by default, and can only be opened if you're carrying a specific jewel. With the except of the central "hub", Aridia (which borders all six of the others), each biosphere contains exactly three tunnels to its neighbors.

Due to the nature of the game and its branching paths, it's entirely possible that some of these tunnels will end up unexplored over the course of the game... however, there are six such tunnels that can never be entered, at any point, and under any circumstances. These are as follows:

• Aquatica/Draconia
• Elysium/Frigidia
• Aridia/Elysium
• Aridia/Terminus
• Draconia/Terminus
• Frigidia/Terminus

As you may notice, this means that none of Terminus' three tunnels are accessible. There's good enough reason for this in-game (it's basically a world of pure evil), but not so much for the others. This doesn't really have a significant effect in-game, as by the time the latter biospheres become relevant, you'll have access to the Layan Temples (which serve the same purpose, and more directly so), but it's nevertheless curious, and suggests that the game may have been planned to feature far more branching paths than it ended up having.

It's unknown if any maps of these cut tunnels still exist within the game.

Unused Items

There are several unused items hidden away in the game. Whether they were left out intentionally or by accident is anyone's guess.

• Royal Knife - The strongest knife-type weapon in the game, with an attack power of 76. No characters in the third generation are dedicated knife-users, and it would have been far too expensive for second generation teams, which is probably why this ended up being left out.
• Royal Claw - 92 attack power. This weapon for Mieu is just outclassed by the Planar Claw and the Miun/Nei Claw. There's really no period of time where this would have been especially helpful.
• Ceramic Staff - 58 attack power. A rather unassuming mid-level staff probably intended to be available in the second generation, along Nial's path.
• Royal Slicer - 50 attack power. A high-end slicer-type weapon, rendered rather unnecessary due to the availability of Planar Slicers and the Lune/Nei Slicer.
• Laconian Bow - 95 attack power. This would have been helpful in the second generation, along Nial's path, but in the third generation, where money is plentiful, the Royal Bow would have made this quickly obsolete.
• Royal Cape - 26 defense. The best cape in the game, and undoubtedly intended for the end of the second generation along Nial's path, as nobody in the third generation can equip capes, period.
• Royal Helmet - With a defense power of 19, this would have been the strongest helmet in the game for the main character. There's no particularly good reason this was left out; it was probably done so by accident.
• Royal Ribbon - 38 defense. This is Mieu's best headgear, and like the Royal Helmet, was almost certainly an accidental exclusion.
• Ceramic Bandana - 5 defense. Sounds rather... cumbersome. This would've benefitted Ryan, but Ayn's group would've had no use for it.
• Steel Bandana - 10 defense. Another unused bandana probably meant for the second generation.
• Laconian Shield - 63 defense. Few enough players use shields in Phantasy Star III, and there are better ones available for those that do. Not a significant loss.
• Snow - This is mixed in with the jewels. Given this, it was mostly likely intended to open one of the inaccessible caves mentioned above.