Mercenaries Saga 3 is just about as enjoyable as its predecessor, though the slight difficulty increase would make me place 3 above 2 by a narrow margin if forced to choose. I also remember the lead mercenary's name of Marion Balbastre thanks to its constant repetition by one character, though whether this is a positive I can't really evaluate. Both of these games offer entertaining packages to be found by rooting around in the 3DS's digital library, and deserve to be experienced by more people.

There are plenty of SRPGs in the 3DS but Mercenaries Saga 3 can stand on its own feet thanks to several unique gameplay elements that are certain to appeal to fans of the genre as well as to followers of the series. While its plot could benefit from some more depth that would bring it closer to the players, this is an overall competent and complex game, with involving combats, rich visuals and a lifespan that will keep players clinging on to it until the end.

Mercenaries Saga 3 stands out; not for any particularly compelling features, radical design decisions or memorable characters, but rather for the simple fact that it's a commendably competent strategy RPG that comes cheap as chips. It doesn't do much to distance itself from its predecessor — Mercenaries Saga 2 — so veterans from that campaign may find a bit of fatigue here, but if you're fresh to the battle there's plenty to enjoy: satisfying gameplay, quick pacing, and an appealing art style make a lack of overall originality and smaller presentational hiccups more forgivable.