XSEED bringing The Sky Crawlers to North American Wiis

by Griffin McElroy { Jul 5th 2009 at 8:30PM }

If you have a comprehensive knowledge of Japanese literature or flight combat games that never saw an American release, you probably already know about The Sky Crawlers. We fell in love with Namco-Bandai's book-to-game adaptation when we were teased with tons of gameplay footage last year -- sadly, the game was never visited by the localization fairy, and never made it to the States. Since then, we've been sad all over.

Fortunately, a recent XSEED press release has turned our melancholy into melan-jolly (ugh) -- the capitalized company has purchased the North American publishing rights for The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, due out this holiday season on the Wii. The game, which was developed by Ace Combat veterans Project Aces, will have players using the Wiimote and Nunchuck to simulate actual flight controls. It's a bit overdue, but we're thrilled about the Americanization of this aeronautical gem nonetheless.

Gallery: Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces

Tags: flight, localization, namco-bandai, project-aces, sky-crawlers, the-sky-crawlers-innocent-aces, XSEED

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Naota @ Jul 5th 2009 8:35PM

Hells yeah!

Cody @ Jul 6th 2009 8:43AM

Very impressive in-game screenshot!

Fernando Rocker @ Jul 5th 2009 8:47PM

Wow... XSEED sure rules a lot!

Korg DS
Korg DSi Plus
Avalon Code
Ragnarok Online DS
Retro Game Challenge
Flower, Sun and Rain
Fragile
Little King's Story
Arc Rise Fantasia
Rune Factory: Frontier
Valhalla Knights

And now The Sky Crawlers?

Very good job XSEED! They are showing more great third party support to the Wii than even the big companies like Ubisoft, EA, Activision, etc...

sony boy @ Jul 5th 2009 9:03PM

the only thing i hate about them is that they make terrible games for the psp:

examples:

valhalla knights 1 and 2.

BPMOmega [GT,Steam] @ Jul 5th 2009 9:43PM

I don't think XSEED is a developer, just a publisher.

Can't blame them for the game being bad, just for deciding to bring it over, huh!

ArchiGamer @ Jul 5th 2009 10:04PM

Will XSEED become a publisher that will bring those games that we want ever so dearly?

I sure hope so.

Fernando Rocker @ Jul 5th 2009 10:07PM

Archi

Of course... the games I listed are already confirmed for USA and some of those games are already at stores.

They still need to bring Retro Game Challenge 2 tho...

Sly @ Jul 5th 2009 11:42PM

:O

fernando's back!

BPMOmega [GT,Steam] @ Jul 6th 2009 1:04AM

He was gone? Where did he go?

Josh @ Jul 6th 2009 1:52AM

Chats.

Josh @ Jul 6th 2009 1:53AM

CJLopez @ Jul 6th 2009 11:58AM

who knows, but fernando has been out of joystiq comments for quite a good while!!!

YoShI MuSt DiE @ Jul 5th 2009 8:54PM

Now only if that plane could drop nukes then this would be the sweetest game ever!!! Using my Sky Crawler I will drop that nuke in COD4!! (man that part was sweet)

ryanpaulmcgowan @ Jul 5th 2009 9:32PM

Why was this comment down voted? Is it because it mentioned nukes?

Are you people suggesting that nukes aren't cool? Really?

Did any of you not blow up Megaton and witness the pure bliss that was the explosion?

Are you really suggesting the nuke in CoD4 was bad? That was one of the more impressive moments of the game. The only two things better are the sniper mission and the end game plane bit.

Quit being sissies.

motang @ Jul 5th 2009 9:00PM

Sweetness!

[tre] @ Jul 5th 2009 9:08PM

I knew about the Sky Crawlers because I watch Attack Of The Show.

Looks like a pretty cool concept for a game.

J-Link @ Jul 5th 2009 9:20PM

This looks like it could satusfy my flyinh itch, but I really want to see Rogue Squadron 4 :(.

pauljsquire @ Jul 5th 2009 10:08PM

Did anyone else see that screenshot and instantly think "Wow, they're using the plane from Crimson Skies!"

UNC_Samurai @ Jul 5th 2009 10:14PM

I saw a distinct FASA influence on the plane design.

Charlie_Six @ Jul 5th 2009 9:31PM

This game flopped horribly in Japan, from what I heard. Despite it having a AAA dev team behind it, it only sold like 50,000 copies. I'm surprised the game is being ported to the US, considering that neither the book nor film are known at all in America.

Still, I hope to try the game. I wish they would make a Sky Crawlers HD version for 360 or PS3 though. I just can't stand 480p graphics.

Leroy_Octopus @ Jul 5th 2009 9:38PM

So, you never played a video game before HDTV then?

intro94 @ Jul 5th 2009 9:40PM

nope he never gamed. hes a newborn gamer .or not a true gamer.

ArchiGamer @ Jul 5th 2009 9:56PM

Someone complaining about the graphics!!

How original!!

Protodude @ Jul 5th 2009 10:00PM

Oh the horror! How did you ever survive last gen?

Charlie_Six @ Jul 5th 2009 10:46PM

@ Proto, I rarely played last gen games. Smash Brothers was about it.

ArchiGamer @ Jul 5th 2009 10:53PM

That's.....really sad.

KaBob799 @ Jul 6th 2009 12:14AM

So you only play games because they look fancy now?

ill trooper @ Jul 6th 2009 2:45AM

Listen... the Wii looks bad after living with the 360 and PS3 for years now. Sure there are some fun games. But "fun" and "graphics" are not mutually exclusive like you guys slamming Charlie_Six act - and conversely, just because a game is on the Wii at 480p it doesn't guarantee it's going to be fun.

The Wii's weakness here is how lousy the graphics are, and you guys are really being overly sensitive about it. In racing games, war games, flying games, any game that really has you studying the horizon or looking into the distance, the 480p limit in 2009 really shows itself.

Just take the hit and let it go. That screenshot is like the Wii's equivalent of the infamous Killzone2 trailer - prerendered and never gonna happen on the machine itself.

t_m @ Jul 6th 2009 3:56AM

I still watch movies on VHS from time to time, and while DVD (and i'm sure blueray) are obviously noticeable improvements (and i do love my dvds) the strange this is that after about 5 minutes I get absorbed in the movie and i don't notice the low resolution, bad sound or visual distortion.

I find the same with games. If it's a good game I get sucked in to it... at that point I cease to actively notice the graphics or the technology and just play.

Of course, graphics can help to make an impact in certain situations, but it is still possible to be absorbed in, moved by or otherwise affected by SD games, VGA games or GBA games...

ill trooper @ Jul 6th 2009 11:59AM

Ha! Trying to read my comment now is like being on the tee and trying to see the flag on the green in Tiger Woods 10 for the Wii! :)

KaBob799 @ Jul 6th 2009 12:49PM

I was slamming charlie six because he said he basically didn't play last gen, thats not comparing Wii graphics to PS3 thats saying that games with less than 360 graphics were never fun.

Mr Khan @ Jul 5th 2009 9:47PM

This holiday season sees the motherload of worthwhile 3rd party Wii games. Damn.

ArchiGamer @ Jul 5th 2009 9:59PM

This seems interesting enough for at least a rent.

obo @ Jul 5th 2009 11:35PM

No, you see a J7W Shinden-inspired plane. The J7W Shinden also inspired FASA's Devestators.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%ABsh%C5%AB_J7W

Rocket Raccoon @ Jul 6th 2009 1:10AM

That is cool. I just watched the movie that was based off of the books about a month ago. It has a very unique storyline and top notch animation. If this game looks interesting to anyone I'd recommend renting the movie.

tactics @ Jul 6th 2009 1:23AM

awesome

Suichimo @ Jul 6th 2009 3:52AM

How similar is this to Crimson Skies?

I've been waiting for something like that to come a long again. Although, any aerial combat game is good with me though. Sucks that my friends, they have the 360s, don't like HAWX though as that is the only thing keeping me from playing.

Gnoll @ Jul 6th 2009 6:17AM

What was that? XSEED changed their mind about bringing Retro Game Challenge 2 over? No? Okay, call me again when they're ready.

Kenofthedead @ Jul 6th 2009 6:26PM

Get people to buy the first Retro Game Challenge and they will bring over the sequel. Don't complain, convert people to buying!

Gnoll @ Jul 6th 2009 10:01PM

Oh don't worry, I am. The complaints are just on top of my efforts. I recommend the game as well as the show to everyone I know, I just unfortunately don't know enough people with DSes. My little cousin has a birthday coming up soon though, so maybe I'll get him a copy for the DS he got last Christmas. It would be interesting to see a youngster's reaction to the game if nothing else. He'd probably love it. And I'd save the receipt and get a Haggleman button for myself if that's still going on then.

edweird @ Jul 6th 2009 10:39AM

Is Mamoru Oshii 'hip' enough with the gamer crowd to get a mention? Personally I adore his films. The things people complain about (slow pace, for instance) are actually cornerstones of his oeuvre, and if you are interested enough to invest some patience and thought into his films there is something rare and beautiful to be found.

Anyway, I bring him up because I was under the impression he had some input into the game, as it was produced to tie in with his film of the same title and subject. I saw a video of him playing it on youtube prior to release of the film.

CJLopez @ Jul 6th 2009 12:18PM

After having to cancel my import on this game cuz 3 months later it never shipped i was down of not having this game in my Wiibrary. I do have it burned, but i don't like the way they look. I like to have the row full of boxart and stuff

Thanks for this XSEED!!!!