Meanwhile, a humble yet great master named Liu Bei assembled two men of legendary power, and in a quiet peach grove, swore eternal brotherhood to them. While Sun Quan gathered men of war, Liu Bei gathered men of knowledge. Among the greatest was Zhuge Liang, perhaps the most brilliant advisor in Chinese history. Under his careful guidance, Liu Bei came to rule the Kingdom of Shu.
--from the NES Romance of the Three Kingdoms game manual

This is your chance to live history. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms you are a leader of a small province of China, with the goal of uniting all of China under your rule. Recruit armies and generals, train your troops, develop your land, and when you're ready, attack your neighbors.

In any case, the graphics and sound are updated or this newer version. Some of the stats on the various leaders have changed, and some of the commands and tactics have been changed around. Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 is commonly regarded as the worst of the series, but that's still pretty good considering how awesome this series is.

Yet, these were only the early stages of a great power race that encompassed the country. As rulers clashed and territorial lines were drawn, the struggle to dominate mounted. By 215 A.D. China was divided into three kingdoms: Wei in the North, Wu on the East, and Shu in the West.
--from the SNES Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 instruction booklet

In this strategic war game, you control pretty much all aspects of life in your small area of the country. The final goal is to unite the warring kingdoms of China under one rule, hopefully yours.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an incredible series of games, bringing home the history of feudal China and letting you relive it as one of the key players. With a good graphical interface, all your commands are at your fingertips. The music may get tiresome, but the sounds effects are decent, so keep busy and you won't have to listen to the same loop for too long. Soon you'll be on your way to glory, building alliances and wiping out your enemies. Each move you make brings you one step closer to the throne, or your ultimate doom if you make a mistake!

In this edition of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, you have the option of Historical mode, or Fictional mode. In Fictional mode the generals are randomly placed and you an create your own characters, while in Historical mode all the leaders are based on historical figures and tied to certain cities.

Vast improvements were made over the graphics of RTK 2, as well as slight changes to the interface, commands and tactics. RTK 3 is the only version that includes a strong component of naval warfare.

Overall, one of the strongest titles in a truly great progression of classic games.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms III: Dragon of Destiny is the third game in the Koei Historical Simulation Series which recounts the history of China during the Three Kingdoms period. This game includes over 500 historical characters, and highlights rulers such as Cao Rui and Liu Chan who were destined to rise to power after their fathers, Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Six scenarios cover the three kingdoms period. Play an historical ruler, or create your own ruler and subordinates. Civil officers will aid your domestic endeavors and military officers will bring skill to your war tactics. Gain control of China and the Dragon Throne will be yours!
--from the SNES Romance of the Three Kingdoms 3 instruction booklet

The third edition of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series is truly a masterpiece of strategic gaming. This version brings in some major changes including much more detailed control over your generals and officers. Taking advantage of this gives you more options for your domestic life and your battles and wars.

The graphics are much improved over previous editions, and most importantly, the sound is a lot better. The music won't drive you mad, and the effects are actually pretty good.

So get out there and conquer (I mean unite) all your squabbling neighbors. You could be the next Emperor of China!

Your generals now have special abilities as well as scores in Intelligence, Charm, etc. so you can get specialists for different military and civic tasks. Also there is a greater variety of options, both in military and civic commands. City improvements can boost your economy, and new spells can be taught to your leaders to quickly turn the tide of battles.