Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rumor: Japanese trademark suggests Dragon Quest Monsters 2 remake]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/rumor-japanese-trademark-suggests-dragon-quest-monsters-2-remak/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/rumor-japanese-trademark-suggests-dragon-quest-monsters-2-remak/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/rumor-japanese-trademark-suggests-dragon-quest-monsters-2-remak/#comments Rumor Japanese trademark suggests Dragon Quest Monsters 2 remakeA recently registered trademark in Japan hints that Square Enix may be planning to remake its 2001 creature-battling RPG Dragon Quest Monsters 2.

The trademark for "Iru to Ruka no Fushigi na Fushigi na Kagi" - yes, that's two fushigis - translates to "Iru and Luca's Wonderful Mysterious Keys." Iru and Luka were the stars in the Game Boy Color's Dragon Quest Monsters 2.

Dragon Quest Monsters 2 was originally released as a set of two cartridges, as was the popular thing to do back when the Pokemon craze was at its peak. Each cart featured a different playable protagonist and its own unique set of collectible monsters, which players could trade with others via the Game Boy's link cable. Both versions were later released in North America as Dragon Warrior Monsters 2: Tara's Adventure and Cobi's Journey.

A remake of 1998's Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland launched for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan last year and met with stellar sales. The remade sequel will likely join its predecessor on the Nintendo 3DS, and the trademarked subtitle indicates that it will consolidate content from the two Game Boy Color releases.

A U.S. release for Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D has not been announced.

JoystiqRumor: Japanese trademark suggests Dragon Quest Monsters 2 remake originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-monsters-2japansquare-enixtrademarkFri, 26 Apr 2013 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest X to offer ten years of DLC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/04/dragon-quest-x-to-offer-ten-years-of-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/04/dragon-quest-x-to-offer-ten-years-of-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/04/dragon-quest-x-to-offer-ten-years-of-dlc/#comments Square Enix is playing the long con with Dragon Quest XWhile some Wii owners have all but abandoned the platform, others (in Japan) just bought an MMO for the thing this week. Luckily for those new Dragon Quest X owners, Square Enix has pledged longterm support.

Square Enix told Nikkei that it plans to release "version up" patches every ten weeks. More significantly, the developer's plan calls for additional downloadable content to be created for ten years.

The game is currently only out on Wii, but a Wii U version is also planned. It supports USB keyboards, which we note only to point out the official one.

JoystiqDragon Quest X to offer ten years of DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcdragon-questdragon-quest-xjapannintendowiiwii-uSat, 04 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hey Japan, stop making me save the world]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/hey-japan-stop-making-me-save-the-worl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/hey-japan-stop-making-me-save-the-worl/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/hey-japan-stop-making-me-save-the-worl/#commentsThis is a column by Jason Schreier dedicated to the analysis (and occasional mocking) of his favorite genre, the Japanese role-playing game. Whether it's because they're too antiquated or just too niche, he believes JRPGs don't get enough attention in the gaming industry today. It's time to change that.
You've seen this play before. Some ragtag heroes are standing at the edge of some interdimensional space portal or subterranean crystal labyrinth or evil god's castle. They're holding powerful weapons -- acquired after hours of tedious mini-games -- and staring down some nasty monster or deity or demon squirrel.

Their goal? Save the universe from imminent doom.

If you're anything like me, you're probably already yawning. The go-forth-and-save-the-world trope is so worn out in video games by now that it's hard to muster up even an iota of compassion for all of the artificial people that need rescuing. Japanese role-playing games are the worst offenders of all, spitting out bombastic villains and supernatural events with reckless abandon and little regard for reality. Games like Tales of Vesperia and Lost Odyssey might start you off with small tasks and adventures, but at the end of the day, you know you're going to have to prevent the apocalypse.

Continue reading Hey Japan, stop making me save the world

JoystiqHey Japan, stop making me save the world originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdsjrpgjrpg-columnmicrosoftmobilenarrativenintendopcplaystationps3pspsonywiixboxFri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest X is an online RPG, still for Wii [update: also Wii U!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/dragon-quest-x-is-an-online-rpg-still-for-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/dragon-quest-x-is-an-online-rpg-still-for-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/dragon-quest-x-is-an-online-rpg-still-for-wii/#comments So, not only is the Wii getting one more huge game -- it's getting a huge online game. Series creator Yuji Horii introduced the first trailer for Dragon Quest X tonight at a reveal event, which culminated in a logo for "Dragon Quest X Online." Horii called it an "online RPG," which could refer either to an MMO-style game or a game in which a few players join up into small parties.

The trailer showed a convincingly cel-shaded game with a look similar to Dragon Quest VIII, with characters identified only by classes, including ogres, elves, and dwarves. A party consisting of multiple classes is shown running on a world map, and many of the series' familiar monsters, including various Slimes, are shown.

While Level-5 was responsible for the development of Dragon Quests VIII and IX, only Square Enix was named this time. We'll have more details following the conclusion of the event.

Update: A version is also being developed for Wii U. This release will have improved graphics, and will be playable cross-platform with the Wii release. In addition to this, the team is considering 3DS compatibility in the form of character transfers. Save your character to your 3DS to trade with others, basically.

JoystiqDragon Quest X is an online RPG, still for Wii [update: also Wii U!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-xjapannintendoonline-rpgsquare-enixwiiMon, 05 Sep 2011 01:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix streaming reveal of new Dragon Quest next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/square-enix-streaming-reveal-of-new-dragon-quest-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/square-enix-streaming-reveal-of-new-dragon-quest-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/square-enix-streaming-reveal-of-new-dragon-quest-next-week/#comments Square Enix will reveal the next Dragon Quest game live over Ustream and Nico Nico on September 5 at 2PM Japan time (1AM Eastern). While it's entirely possible this is a new game announcement, we find it more likely that it'll be a blowout of Dragon Quest X, which was announced for Wii in 2008 and never shown off in any capacity.

Square Enix will throw a trailer for DQX into the Wii anniversary collection that's coming out in Japan on September 15, so it will definitely have something ready to show next week. We'll probably get our first look at that trailer on the stream before it ships to retail.

JoystiqSquare Enix streaming reveal of new Dragon Quest next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-xnintendosquare-enixstreamingustreamwiiFri, 02 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix considering Wii U-compatible Dragon Quest X [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/square-enix-considering-wii-u-compatible-dragon-quest-x/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/square-enix-considering-wii-u-compatible-dragon-quest-x/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/22/square-enix-considering-wii-u-compatible-dragon-quest-x/#comments During a shareholder meeting, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada noted that Square Enix is considering a Wii U version of its upcoming Wii RPG Dragon Quest X. According to a transcript of the proceeding, an investor asked Wada if he believed it was time to make the game for Wii U instead of the original Wii.

Instead of releasing it only on the successor system, however, Wada said that Square Enix was in the midst of "technical investigations" on how to support Wii U, and stated that the company "must consider" compatibility with both systems.

While the Wii might be on its way out, Enix's SOP with the series has always been to wait for an established, high-selling platform to emerge, and then put the game on that. A multiplatform release would be enough of a break from that tradition; we wouldn't expect Square Enix to stray so far as to launch the game only on a new platform.

[Update: The blog that provided the transcript has since clarified the statements, reporting that Wada was talking about Wii U experiments separate from Dragon Quest X, and not DQX on Wii U.]

JoystiqSquare Enix considering Wii U-compatible Dragon Quest X [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-xnintendowiiwii-uyoichi-wadaWed, 22 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest 25th anniversary merch features plushie slimes, business card cases]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/19/dragon-quest-25th-anniversary-merch-features-plushie-slimes-bus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/19/dragon-quest-25th-anniversary-merch-features-plushie-slimes-bus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/19/dragon-quest-25th-anniversary-merch-features-plushie-slimes-bus/#comments The legendary Dragon Quest series (originally published in Japan in 1986, and of course in North America as Dragon Warrior after that) turns 25 this year, and Square Enix is giving all of its gifts away. We've already heard about a Wii collection coming out, but as you can see above, some of the prizes are a little less practical. That's a pair of plushie slimes on the left, and on the right is a Smile Slime Crystal Mascot figurine, measuring about 6 centimeters tall. Both special slime items also have a DQ 25th anniversary logo on the back. Both of those will be 1554 yen, or about $19 US.

Additionally, Square Enix is offering some special edition tote bags for the anniversary for about $26 each, and some Dragon Quest business card holders (with art featuring the first three games) for around $20 US. All of the swag is supposed to be available starting late July in Japan.

JoystiqDragon Quest 25th anniversary merch features plushie slimes, business card cases originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-25th-anniversarydsjapanmerchandisenintendoplushieslimeslimessquare-enixwiiSun, 19 Jun 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest 1, 2, and 3 collected on a Wii disc]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/11/dragon-quest-1-2-and-3-collected-on-a-wii-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/11/dragon-quest-1-2-and-3-collected-on-a-wii-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/11/dragon-quest-1-2-and-3-collected-on-a-wii-disc/#comments Square Enix saw the success of the Super Mario All-Stars limited edition, and has decided to mark Dragon Quest's 25th anniversary in much the same way, with a Wii disc loaded with unaltered old games.

The Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Famicom & Super Famicom Dragon Quest I, II, III collection (that's the title!) shows more interest in completeness than Nintendo's set, however, packing the Famicom (NES) versions of Dragon Quest I, II, and III, along with the updated Super Famicom (Super NES) versions of the Dragon Quest I & II cartridge and Dragon Quest III, in a single package. It's slated for release this September in Japan.

Technically, translations for all three games exist, since all three were released in North America on the NES. However, given that they were NES-era translations, some freshening of the text would probably be required before releasing them these days.

JoystiqDragon Quest 1, 2, and 3 collected on a Wii disc originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-25th-anniversaryjapannintendoq3-2011release-dateretrosquare-enixwiiWed, 11 May 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest X almost done, announcement 'by the end of this year']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/dragon-quest-x-almost-done-announcement-by-the-end-of-this-yea/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/dragon-quest-x-almost-done-announcement-by-the-end-of-this-yea/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/dragon-quest-x-almost-done-announcement-by-the-end-of-this-yea/#comments Series creator Yuji Horii announced Dragon Quest X, in development for Wii, at a press conference in December 2008. And that was the last anyone heard about it until the April 2011 issue of Nintendo Power. The subject came up in an interview feature about "Dragon Quest through the Ages," when Horii stated that it's nearing completion.

"All we can say is that development is going well and we're on the last parts of the game," Horii said. "We can't really share much else at this point, but by the end of this year we should be able to announce something regarding it."

Horii explained that the move to Wii was motivated by his feeling that "some users will want to play Dragon Quest on the big screen," noting that the choice of platform, including the decision to put a particular game on a handheld system, is "really a case-by-case basis." He also said that the team hears "that players want a new Dragon Quest that follows the same system of Dragon Quest VIII, so that's something else we're taking into consideration while in development of a Dragon Quest for Wii."

JoystiqDragon Quest X almost done, announcement 'by the end of this year' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-xnintendosquare-enixwiiyuji-horiiWed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rocket Slime setting sail on Japanese 3DS this Winter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/rocket-slime-setting-sail-on-japanese-3ds-this-winter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/rocket-slime-setting-sail-on-japanese-3ds-this-winter/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/rocket-slime-setting-sail-on-japanese-3ds-this-winter/#comments Square Enix has launched an official website for the next installment in the Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime series -- this time, the explosively-propelled blob will save the world on the Nintendo 3DS. Subtitled Daikaizoku to Shippodan, the game will see the cast of once-antagonistic heroes set out to the open seas, create their own ships and engage in hectic naval battles with pirates. We bet the series' staple "fire whatever you want" cannons make an appearance.

The game will also feature two-to-four player multiplayer, SpotPass and Wi-Fi support and, of course, 3D visuals. The site lists a Winter 2011 release window for Japan, but doesn't mention a North American localization. If Square Enix is waiting to find out if we'd be interested in three-dimensional cannon duels, allow us to give them a definitive answer: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

JoystiqRocket Slime setting sail on Japanese 3DS this Winter originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdragon-questDragon-Quest-Heroes-Rocket-Slimedsjapannintendorocket-slimesquare-enixWed, 16 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NEStalgia mixes old school RPGs with new school MMOs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/24/nestalgia-mixes-old-school-rpgs-with-new-school-mmos/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/24/nestalgia-mixes-old-school-rpgs-with-new-school-mmos/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/24/nestalgia-mixes-old-school-rpgs-with-new-school-mmos/#comments Are WoW's battles just not random enough for you? Does DCUO look a little too three-dimensional? Do the modern trappings of MMOs genuinely bring you down? Ben Mallahan has created a delightful, free-to-play solution to your dilemma: NEStalgia, a Dragon Quest-esque classic RPG with some built-in MMO functionality, like player grouping and a billion super esoteric, hard-to-collect pieces of armor and weaponry.

You can download the game for free on NEStalgia's official site, or check out a bunch of gameplay videos on its YouTube page. We'd suggest starting with the trailer posted after the jump!

Continue reading NEStalgia mixes old school RPGs with new school MMOs

JoystiqNEStalgia mixes old school RPGs with new school MMOs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ben-mallahandragon-questhomebrewmmonestalgiapcrpgsilk-gamesThu, 24 Feb 2011 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest VI shows its love with a trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/dragon-quest-vi-shows-its-love-with-a-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/dragon-quest-vi-shows-its-love-with-a-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/dragon-quest-vi-shows-its-love-with-a-trailer/#commentsAbove is the t-shirt Nintendo included with review copies of Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation -- which just happens to have a Valentine's Day release date. We can only imagine this pun was the motivation for the scheduling.

Nintendo also sent out something of wider appeal than this delightful, silly, pun-filled shirt, something in which we can all share: a new trailer, which you can see after the break. Dragon Quest IX players will notice right away that this remake looks different, with a huge avatar on the world map and 2D enemy sprites in battle.

Continue reading Dragon Quest VI shows its love with a trailer

JoystiqDragon Quest VI shows its love with a trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-vi-realms-of-revelationdsnintendoshirtslimesquare-enixFri, 04 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX is Japan's favorite Dragon Quest]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/dragon-quest-ix-is-japans-favorite-dragon-quest/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/dragon-quest-ix-is-japans-favorite-dragon-quest/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/dragon-quest-ix-is-japans-favorite-dragon-quest/#commentsLast month, Square Enix asked Japanese fans to vote on their favorite Dragon Quest game. Dragon Quest IX on DS took the honors, despite early backlashes about the Sandy/Stella character. Fans also voted on their favorite creature from the series, which we don't even need to name, do we?

Continue reading Dragon Quest IX is Japan's favorite Dragon Quest

JoystiqDragon Quest IX is Japan's favorite Dragon Quest originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questDragon-Quest-IXdsjapannintendosquare-enixTue, 16 Nov 2010 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest heroes get into Mario Sports Mix]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/final-fantasy-and-dragon-quest-heroes-get-into-mario-sports-mix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/final-fantasy-and-dragon-quest-heroes-get-into-mario-sports-mix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/11/final-fantasy-and-dragon-quest-heroes-get-into-mario-sports-mix/#comments Unsatisfied by their stellar performance in Mario Hoops 3-on-3, a number of characters from the Final Fantasy universe will once again show their athletic prowess in Square Enix's Mario Sports Mix. Gaming news site The Bit Block recently compiled a bunch of gameplay clips from the title's official website, featuring the special moves of the White Mage, Black Mage, Cactuar, Moogle and Ninja. The Mario Sports Mix website also references some Dragon Quest cameos -- though none of those appear in the aforementioned reel, which is posted after the jump.

Once again, the Final Fantasy characters appear to be really sportsmanlike about the whole thing. For instance, that Black Mage would have a much easier time of making a three pointer if he took out all his defenders with a well-timed Ultima, yet he takes his knocks like everyone else. Good form, Mr. Black Mage.

Continue reading Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest heroes get into Mario Sports Mix

JoystiqFinal Fantasy and Dragon Quest heroes get into Mario Sports Mix originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questfinal-fantasymario-sports-mixnintendosquare-enixwiiThu, 11 Nov 2010 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Metareview: Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/metareview-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/metareview-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/metareview-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With the release of Dragon Quest IX for DS, Nintendo and Square Enix are trying once again to convert American gamers into Dragon Quest fanatics -- or at least sell some games. While we wait to see how the public responds to the multiplayer-enabled RPG, we decided to check in with reviews of the game other than our own. (We already know how that one went.)
  • 1UP (A): "... The move to DS was a strategic trade-off, and a canny one at that; DQIX sacrifices visual splendor in favor of more subtle technological benefits. In unchaining the series from the television, its creators freed themselves to design the open-ended, player-driven experience the series has always aspired to be."
  • Nintendo Power (9/10): "The idea of adding multiplayer features to a story-driven, turn-based RPG originally struck me as insane, but Dragon Quest IX has made me a believer."
  • GamePro (4/5): "Dragon Quest's appeal lies in its sense of warm, welcoming familiarity. It's refreshingly free of the pretension and overwrought cinematics of much of the current JRPG crop, instead presenting a lighthearted, charming adventure romp akin to what made the original Chrono Trigger such a beloved classic."
  • Game Informer (8/10): "It's the first in the franchise to debut on a handheld, and it changes the classic formula in some significant ways. In many cases, these changes push the genre in interesting directions, but they never go far enough. The end result is an enjoyable Japanese RPG with mere hints of greatness."

Gallery: Dragon Quest IX (E3 2010)

JoystiqMetareview: Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-IXdsMetareviewnintendoRPGSquare-EnixTue, 13 Jul 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Review: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/review-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels-of-the-starry-skies/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/review-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels-of-the-starry-skies/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/review-dragon-quest-ix-sentinels-of-the-starry-skies/#commentsIf you're familiar with the Dragon Quest series, Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies will feel like a revolution to you, thanks to changes brought in to accommodate its emphasis on multiplayer. If you're a casual or occasional RPG player, however, it's going to feel old-school to the point of being conventional. But it works well in either case: new players will find an unusually accessible, entirely pleasant RPG, while Dragon Quest diehards will delight in the addition of new features to the gameplay they've loved for years.

Gallery: Dragon Quest IX (E3 2010)

Continue reading Review: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

JoystiqReview: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-IXdsnintendoRPGSquare-EnixMon, 12 Jul 2010 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Yuji Horii explains the Dragon Quest Slime's origin]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/yuji-horii-explains-the-dragon-quest-slimes-origin/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/yuji-horii-explains-the-dragon-quest-slimes-origin/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/yuji-horii-explains-the-dragon-quest-slimes-origin/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This Sunday, with the release of Dragon Quest IX, thousands of gamers will begin the time-honored tradition of slaughtering adorable Slimes, over and over and over again. Don't feel bad, that's what they're there for. But how did Akira Toriyama's cutest character design ever (take that, all Dragon Ball characters) come to be?

"I was really hooked on Wizardry the PC game, and that's kind of where I got the inspiration for the Slime," Dragon Quest producer Yuji Horii told MTV Multiplayer. "There's ... slime-looking characters [in Wizardry], so I got the inspiration from it. I was doodling the slime-looking character and I took it to Mr. Toriyama, who did the character design, and he made it the Slime we see today."

The Slime went on to appear not only in every Dragon Quest game, but also in its own games, along with plenty of adorable merchandise.

JoystiqYuji Horii explains the Dragon Quest Slime's origin originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-IXdsnintendoSlimeSquare-EnixYuji-HoriiSat, 10 Jul 2010 01:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX trailer is a grand adventure]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/dragon-quest-ix-trailer-is-a-grand-adventure/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/dragon-quest-ix-trailer-is-a-grand-adventure/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/dragon-quest-ix-trailer-is-a-grand-adventure/#commentsNintendo released a new trailer for Dragon Quest IX, on the same day it announced the news of the new DSi XL color. It's kind of co-marketing the two without explicitly making a connection.

This trailer features the wonderful animation seen in the North American announcement trailer, with one welcome addition: actual gameplay footage. Nintendo also released a ton of character art, depicting the various character classes you can choose to play. You can find that treasure trove of Akira Toriyama artwork in our gallery.

Gallery: Dragon Quest IX (Character Art)

JoystiqDragon Quest IX trailer is a grand adventure originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-IXdsnintendoRPGSquare-EnixTue, 08 Jun 2010 22:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX launches in North America on July 11 [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/dragon-quest-9-ds-june-11-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/dragon-quest-9-ds-june-11-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/dragon-quest-9-ds-june-11-release-date/#commentsNintendo and Square Enix have announced that the North American release of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies for DS has been set for June July 11, exactly a year after it launched in Japan. As was revealed in February, Nintendo will be publishing the game here -- although the English localization is being handled by Square Enix and not NOA's Treehouse team.

Dragon Quest IX has sold more than four million copies to date in Japan, where the game's WiFi "Pass-By Guest" feature has proven very popular. North American gamers will get a chance to experience it as the renamed "Tag Mode," silently trading character stats, battle records and play data with other DQIX players simply by walking near each other with their handhelds in sleep mode. If you encounter a player who's logged more than 400 hours in the game, it's probably this guy.

You'll find pre-order information (and a rather delightful trailer) on the game's official website.

Update: Dragon Quest IX will be released in Europe on July 23.

Gallery: Dragon Quest IX (05-19-2010)

JoystiqDragon Quest IX launches in North America on July 11 [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 May 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5localizationnintendonorth-americarelease-daterpgsquare-enixWed, 19 May 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/final-fantasy-xiii-dragon-quest-ix-batman-sales-lead-square-en/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/final-fantasy-xiii-dragon-quest-ix-batman-sales-lead-square-en/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/final-fantasy-xiii-dragon-quest-ix-batman-sales-lead-square-en/#comments Square Enix had a good fiscal year (ended March 31, 2010), but its games division had a very good year. Final Fantasy XIII sold over five million units globally during the period, with the Japan-only release of Dragon Quest IX coming in second with 4.26 million units. Thanks to the company's acquisition of Eidos last year, the company could count on some Batman: Arkham Asylum cash, with the pointy-eared detective's critically acclaimed title selling 3.24 million units -- it's a shame Square won't get a piece of the sequel.

Squenix's games division had sales of ¥109.9 billion ($1.18 billion) in the last fiscal year, up an impressive 128 percent over last year. With the Dark Knight out of the picture, Square Enix will have to depend on its other western franchises, including Kane & Lynch, Deus Ex and the games of Ms. Croft.

Source [PDF link] -- Results Briefing Session for the Fiscal Year ended March 31, 2010

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, Batman sales lead Square Enix fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-asylumDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSeidosfinal-fantasy-xiiiFinancial-ResultsJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendoRPGsalessquare-enixXbox-360Tue, 18 May 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory has a monstrous controller]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/dragon-quest-monsters-battle-road-victory-has-a-monstrous-contro/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/dragon-quest-monsters-battle-road-victory-has-a-monstrous-contro/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/dragon-quest-monsters-battle-road-victory-has-a-monstrous-contro/#commentsLet us lay it out for you: in 2008, Square Enix released Dragon Quest Swords for Wii, a game based entirely around using the Wii Remote to simulate a sword. It used the normal Wii Remote/Nunchuk setup. Now, Square Enix is preparing a Wii port of Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory, an arcade game based on collectible cards. For that, peripheral company Hori is producing a controller shaped like a sword.

The optional controller, first shown off on VJump magazine's staff blog, features an exact replica of the arcade machine's layout, including two giant buttons and a replica sword hilt, which players push down to activate special attacks. The controller will retail for ¥12,800 ($137) and will be out in Japan this summer. Keep an eye on your favorite import retailer if you've been waiting for a controller with part of a sword sticking out of it.

[Via Andriasang]

JoystiqDragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory has a monstrous controller originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic-controllercontrollerdragon-questdragon-quest-monsters-battle-roaddragon-quest-monsters-battle-road-victoryhoriNintendorpgsquare-enixWiiTue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest Victory attacks Wii this summer in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/dragon-quest-victory-attacks-wii-this-summer-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/dragon-quest-victory-attacks-wii-this-summer-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/dragon-quest-victory-attacks-wii-this-summer-in-japan/#comments Been hankering for more Dragon Quest since the release of The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors? Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Victory for Wii in Japan, an adaptation of the Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road arcade game. The Wii version is set to launch this summer and features card-based battles for up to four players via local split-screen and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game will also include a "Tournament" mode, in which players face off against a succession of NPCs in a virtual town, collecting cards.

Perhaps the coolest feature of all is connectivity between the arcade and Wii games, using a DSi. Players will be able to download a special DSiWare app that will scan in the arcade version's cards, allowing transport over to the Wii game. The price of the DSiWare app is currently unknown.

[Via andriasang]

JoystiqDragon Quest Victory attacks Wii this summer in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcadedragon-questdragon-quest-monsters-battle-roaddragon-quest-monsters-battle-road-victorydragon-quest-monsters-jokerdsijapanrpgsquare-enixtcgtrading-card-gametrading-card-gamesWed, 14 Apr 2010 14:16:00 EST<![CDATA[What Itagaki's been playing: 400 hours of Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/what-itagakis-been-playing-400-hours-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/what-itagakis-been-playing-400-hours-of-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/what-itagakis-been-playing-400-hours-of-dragon-quest-ix/#comments After taking the past two years off from game development following a messy breakup with his old employer, Tecmo, Tomonobu Itagaki is back in the game (biz) as chief creative officer of Valhalla Game Studios. But what was Itagaki up to in those two years? Speaking with Famitsu (translated by 1UP), the Dead or Alive creator explained, "I spent the days doing anything I felt like, researching whatever kind of technology struck me, playing whatever games piqued my interest ... for example, I wound up playing Dragon Quest IX for about 400 hours." That's alotta slime!

In fairness, the developer wasn't exclusively sinking hundreds of hours of his free time into a single DS game -- he also spent quite a bit of time traveling to game studios around the world and doing R&D work for Valhalla's next (read: first) project, claimed to be "way outside the scope of our company" by Itagaki. According to him, that next game "will earn Valhalla Game Studios its place in history," and he intends it to sell at least four million copies. But for now, he's got a model train set to build with some of his friends.

"I'm planning to rent out some space and build a seriously big train layout, 7 or so meters (23 feet) in length. There are some professionals in that field among my friends, so I'm thinking about building something really decent together with them and having people come over and play with the results. It'd be a business, though I'd make it free for children -- kids are pretty rough with model trains, but I'll just have to deal with that." Kids these days.

JoystiqWhat Itagaki's been playing: 400 hours of Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSitagakiJRPGLevel-5model-trainsNintendoRPGSquare-Enixtomonobu-itagakivalhalla-game-studiosWed, 07 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo Media Summit 2010: The Recap Post]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/#comments The 2010 Nintendo Media Summit has come and gone, and sent a wave of huge Nintendo news through the industry. We had hands-on time with some of the Wii's biggest upcoming titles, screenshots for almost everything on Nintendo's 2010 calendar and a big ol' sack full of new videos. In case you missed anything, we've wrapped it all up and have it here for you in one tidy little package.

Continue reading Nintendo Media Summit 2010: The Recap Post

JoystiqNintendo Media Summit 2010: The Recap Post originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cave-storydisney-guilty-partyDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSdsiwareflingsmashJRPGLevel-5metroid-other-mmonado-beginning-of-the-worldmonster-hunter-trinintendonintendo-media-summitnintendo-media-summit-2010picross-3dpokemonprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsRPGsin-and-punishment-2sin-and-punishment-star-successorSquare-Enixsuper-mario-galaxy-2WiiwiiwarexenobladeSun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mario-metroid-sin-and-punishment-more-dated-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mario-metroid-sin-and-punishment-more-dated-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/25/mario-metroid-sin-and-punishment-more-dated-in-europe/#commentsHere's some great news for those of you in Europe interested in playing Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. Nintendo announced that Galaxy will be available in Europe on June 11, not long after America's May 23 date. And Sin and Punishment will be out in Europe (under the slightly altered title Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies) on May 7, exactly one month before North America gets its hands on that Treasure.

The bad news is that Metroid: Other M is dated simply "Q3." It's due June 27 in North America. We've collected all the European release dates for Wii and DS (including a "summer" date for Dragon Quest IX!) after the break.

[Via Eurogamer]

Continue reading Mario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe

JoystiqMario, Metroid, Sin and Punishment, more dated in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSeuropeflingsmashJRPGLevel-5metroidmetroid-other-mmonster-hunter-triNintendorelease-dateRPGsin-and-punishmentsin-and-punishment-2sin-and-punishment-star-successorSquare-Enixsuper-mario-galaxy-2WiiThu, 25 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo publishing Dragon Quest IX in North America]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/nintendo-publishing-dragon-quest-ix-in-north-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/nintendo-publishing-dragon-quest-ix-in-north-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/nintendo-publishing-dragon-quest-ix-in-north-america/#commentsAmerican DS owners have been waiting patiently for Dragon Quest IX, as the game racks up crazy sales in Japan and weekly DLC is released from Square Enix. Well ... we're going to have to keep waiting. While Nintendo didn't announce a date for the RPG at the Nintendo Media Summit today, the company announced that it will not only co-market Dragon Quest IX, it will publish it in North America. This is the first official confirmation of a localized release.

Square Enix previously said that it would consider localizing DQIX in its next fiscal year (beginning in April). Update: Nintendo has scheduled Dragon Quest IX for a summer 2010 release.

JoystiqNintendo publishing Dragon Quest IX in North America originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSJRPGLevel-5Nintendonintendo-media-summit-2010publishingq3-2010release-daterpgsquare-enixWed, 24 Feb 2010 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix summons strong sales for first nine months of fiscal year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/square-enix-summons-strong-sales-for-first-nine-months-of-fiscal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/square-enix-summons-strong-sales-for-first-nine-months-of-fiscal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/square-enix-summons-strong-sales-for-first-nine-months-of-fiscal/#comments According to Square Enix's financial report covering the first nine months (ending this past December) of its fiscal year, the company is going to finish its annual business cycle with plenty of glistening gil. Overall, the company's profits are up 48 percent from the same period last year, and it forecasts a profit of ¥10 billion (which is far less shocking when converted to $112 million) for the fiscal year ending in March 2010.

The company's games division saw limit breaker sales and profits during the period due to Dragon Quest IX, Final Fantasy XIII, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Batman: Arkham Asylum -- which it obtained as part of the Eidos buyout. Square Enix's games group saw sales of ¥72 billion ($806 million, a 97 percent increase over last year), along with a profit of ¥18 billion ($202 million, a 99 percent increase during the same time). Kupos to you, Square Enix.

JoystiqSquare Enix summons strong sales for first nine months of fiscal year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batman-arkham-asylumbusinessDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSeidosfinal-fantasy-xiiifinancialsfy-2009fy-2009-2010fy-2010JRPGkingdom-heartsLevel-5Nintendoq1q2q3rpgsquare-enixMon, 08 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest VI remake approaches 1m Japanese sales in first week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/dragon-quest-vi-remake-approaches-1-million-japanese-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/dragon-quest-vi-remake-approaches-1-million-japanese-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/dragon-quest-vi-remake-approaches-1-million-japanese-sales/#commentsThe debut of the Dragon Quest VI remake for DS proves that a Dragon Quest game doesn't have to be entirely new to sell like crazy in Japan -- just new enough. In its first week at retail, January 25-31, the new version of the classic Super Famicom RPG sold 906,458 copies, according to Media Create, making it by far the top-selling game of the week.

A pair of other newly-released RPGs also did quite well: the PS3 version of tri-Ace's shooty-RPG End of Eternity (we call it "Resonance of Fate") landed in second place on the weekly software chart with 118,088 units sold (the Xbox version charted respectably at #8, selling 27,048 units) and Ar Tonelico 3 hit #4 with 81,633 copies sold. Even the Japanese release of MAG managed to make it into the top ten!

See the complete weekly top ten sales list after the break.

Continue reading Dragon Quest VI remake approaches 1m Japanese sales in first week

JoystiqDragon Quest VI remake approaches 1m Japanese sales in first week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ar-tonelico-3dragon-questdragon-quest-viDSjapanmagmedia-createMicrosoftNintendoresonance-of-fatesalessoftwareXbox-360Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 to be Japan's next hit DS game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/dragon-quest-monsters-joker-2-to-be-japans-next-hit-ds-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/dragon-quest-monsters-joker-2-to-be-japans-next-hit-ds-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/dragon-quest-monsters-joker-2-to-be-japans-next-hit-ds-game/#commentsWith Dragon Quest VI in stores in Japan for almost one whole week, Square Enix wasted no time in announcing another upcoming Dragon Quest game for DS. The latest new announcement is Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2, a sequel to the Pokemon-like DS Dragon Quest spinoff from 2007.

The new sequel, out April 28 in Japan, will feature over 300 catchable monsters and online multiplayer for up to eight people. And in a post-Dragon Quest IX Japan, with millions of people happily playing online, this game would seem to have a built-in audience.

[Via Andriasang]

JoystiqDragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 to be Japan's next hit DS game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-monsters-jokerdragon-quest-monsters-joker-2japanrpgsquare-enixtoseMon, 01 Feb 2010 15:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest VI advertised in Japan by these guys]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/dragon-quest-vi-advertised-in-japan-by-these-guys/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/dragon-quest-vi-advertised-in-japan-by-these-guys/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/25/dragon-quest-vi-advertised-in-japan-by-these-guys/#commentsMaybe this is why Dragon Quest games haven't caught on in America like they have in Japan. Square Enix is promoting the DS remake of Dragon Quest VI the same way it did for IV and V: with a wonderfully goofy commercial featuring actors dressed up as hilarious semi-realistic versions of the game's Akira Toriyama characters. This ad totally fills us with nostalgia for a childhood that we didn't actually spend playing this game!

Check out the new ad after the break. Dragon Quest VI will be out in Japan this week, with a Western release to follow at some unspecified later date.

Continue reading Dragon Quest VI advertised in Japan by these guys

JoystiqDragon Quest VI advertised in Japan by these guys originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcommercialdragon-questdragon-quest-vijapansquare-enixMon, 25 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix introduces 'Ultimate Hits' line for DS in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/square-enix-introduces-ultimate-hits-line-for-ds-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/square-enix-introduces-ultimate-hits-line-for-ds-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/square-enix-introduces-ultimate-hits-line-for-ds-in-japan/#comments It's a formula gamers are all too familiar with. First step: Release a game (and hope it sells a bunch). Second step: As time goes on and the sales pile up, gain interest in your product again through a discounted re-release. Rinse and repeat.

Enter: Dragon Quest IX, Final Fantasy IV, Dragon Quest IV and Dragon Quest V, a line-up of games to be branded under Square Enix's 'Ultimate Hits' (partial machine translation) line of DS games. Square Enix is gearing up to re-release these games this March, at a discounted ¥2,940 (around $32). That's cheap, considering most DS games release there for around $50.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqSquare Enix introduces 'Ultimate Hits' line for DS in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArtePiazzaCattle-CallDQ5DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-5Dragon-Quest-5-Hand-of-the-Heavenly-BrideDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ivdragon-quest-ixdragon-quest-vfinal-fantasy-ivgreatest-hitsJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGsquare-enixultimate-hitsTue, 12 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese games market shrank in 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/japanese-games-market-shrank-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/japanese-games-market-shrank-in-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/05/japanese-games-market-shrank-in-2009/#comments2009 looked fairly dire for the Japanese games industry. Now that we're on the other side of the year, we can assess the damage. Andriasang reports Enterbrain numbers claiming that, overall, the market shrank ¥543 billion, a reduction of 6.9% from 2008. Since we're in a Seinfeld-quoting mood today, we might posit that the Japanese game industry had been in the pool.

Hardware sales dropped 13.9%, with the DS unsurprisingly leading among consoles with 4,025,313 million units and the Xbox 360 even less surprisingly at the bottom, with 331,706 consoles sold. In software, the big winner (or smallest loser, we suppose, given the overall tone of the news) was Dragon Quest IX, which sold a whopping 4,100,968 copies -- slightly more than the total number of DS consoles sold in 2009! Final Fantasy XIII managed to make it onto the tail end of the top five with 1,698,256 copies. But if you weren't Square Enix or Nintendo (who had the other three spots on the top five software charts), 2009 was one to forget.

JoystiqJapanese games market shrank in 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSenterbrainfinal-fantasy-xiiiindustryjapanJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGSquare-EnixWiiTue, 05 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ASCII Media Works tracks Japan's top selling games of 2009 (so far)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/ascii-media-works-tracks-japans-top-selling-games-of-2009-so-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/ascii-media-works-tracks-japans-top-selling-games-of-2009-so-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/ascii-media-works-tracks-japans-top-selling-games-of-2009-so-f/#comments
[GAME Watch]
Yes, the year technically isn't over yet -- but let's be honest: Nobody's going to be buying any new games over the next four days. As such, Dengeki publisher ASCII Media Works thought it appropriate to track the 30 best-selling games in Japan for 2009. Or, rather, 99 percent of 2009.

There aren't too many big surprises; Dragon Quest IX took top honors with 4,089,136 units sold, and Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver came in second with 3,301,873 in sales. Despite having only been out for a little over a week, Final Fantasy XIII actually managed a sixth place finish with 1,455,505 units sold. Check out the full list of top-selling games after the jump.

[Via Kotaku]

Continue reading ASCII Media Works tracks Japan's top selling games of 2009 (so far)

JoystiqASCII Media Works tracks Japan's top selling games of 2009 (so far) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ascii-media-worksdengekiDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSfinal-fantasy-xiiijapanJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendopokemon-heart-goldRPGsalessoftwareSquare-EnixWiiXbox-360Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX breaks shipment record in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/dragon-quest-ix-breaks-shipment-record-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/dragon-quest-ix-breaks-shipment-record-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/dragon-quest-ix-breaks-shipment-record-in-japan/#comments According to Square Enix, Dragon Quest IX has broken a shipment record in Japan, but we can't help but be underwhelmed by the figure (and not just because Square was hoping for 5 million). Unfortunately, Google Translate initially told us that the game had moved 415 million copies, rather than the 4.15 million it actually shipped. Sure, we guess 4.15 million is okay, but with 415 million, the jokes would have written themselves.

"There are only 127,704,000 people in your country! What, are you building forts out of the things?" See? There's a lot going on there. But let's not cry over spilled lulz -- 4.15 million is a great number and this is a time for celebration.

That said, if everybody over there wouldn't mind buying just 3.22 more copies of Dragon Quest IX, we'd be eternally grateful.

JoystiqDragon Quest IX breaks shipment record in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSjapanJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsalessquare-enixTue, 22 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest VI trailer prepared in time for Jump Festa]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/dragon-quest-vi-trailer-prepared-in-time-for-jump-festa/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/dragon-quest-vi-trailer-prepared-in-time-for-jump-festa/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/dragon-quest-vi-trailer-prepared-in-time-for-jump-festa/#commentsGiven Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie's status as the only game in the main Dragon Quest series to be localized (except for the no-doubt upcoming IX), we watched this Jump Festa 2010 trailer raptly, seeing an RPG world that was both classic and unfamiliar.

Even 14 years after its release, we found ourselves occasionally wowed by the trailer. The boat went underwater! The covered wagon floats! The characters look like every other Akira Toriyama character! (The last one was a different kind of wow). By the time the traditional theme came up, we were thrilled about Realms of Reverie. Too bad it's only coming out in Japan on January 28, with its North American release at some unspecified later date.

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqDragon Quest VI trailer prepared in time for Jump Festa originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-virpgsquare-enixMon, 21 Dec 2009 15:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Trademark suggests upcoming European release for Dragon Quest IX]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/trademark-suggests-upcoming-european-release-for-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/trademark-suggests-upcoming-european-release-for-dragon-quest-ix/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/trademark-suggests-upcoming-european-release-for-dragon-quest-ix/#commentsWhile we wait for the real, official announcement we so desperately need to hear from Square Enix, another hint has been dropped about a Western release for Dragon Quest IX.

Square Enix has filed a series of trademarks for the phrase "Sentinels of the Starry Skies" in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German (search for trademark #008724528 on the EU trademark database to see the English application for yourself). The phrase corresponds closely to the Japanese subtitle of Dragon Quest IX, Hoshizora no Mamorubito ("Defenders of the Starry Sky").

The publisher could be waiting to get its other big RPG out the door before saying anything. It previously noted that if it does localize the DS game (which it will!) it'll be in the next fiscal year, which starts in April.

JoystiqTrademark suggests upcoming European release for Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9dragon-questDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixeuropeJRPGLevel-5Nintendorpgsquare-enixtrademarkThu, 03 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Santa's Dragon Quest IX cameo now available in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/28/santas-dragon-quest-ix-cameo-now-available-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/28/santas-dragon-quest-ix-cameo-now-available-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/28/santas-dragon-quest-ix-cameo-now-available-in-japan/#commentsHe might know if you've been bad or good, but that won't stop St. Nick from sending you on a horse-related fetch quest in new DLC for Dragon Quest IX in Japan. Released on November 27, the Mr. Claus' Horse downloadable content brings the mythical gift giver to the insanely popular Nintendo DS title.

Sadly, we can only hope Square Enix plans to include this and previous Dragon Quest IX DLC when the game eventually lands in North American stores. You'd think a guy with a sleigh and a few flying reindeer could help speed-up the process, but apparently Santa's busy horse-sitting.

JoystiqSanta's Dragon Quest IX cameo now available in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcdownloadable-contentDQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixjapanJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGsantasanta-claussquare-enixSat, 28 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest VI arrives in Japan in January]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/dragon-quest-vi-dated-for-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/dragon-quest-vi-dated-for-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/dragon-quest-vi-dated-for-japan/#commentsSquare Enix is planning to start 2010 off right in Japan: by selling a Dragon Quest game. The publisher announced that Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie, the last of the planned DS remakes, will be out in Japan on January 28, just over a month after another big RPG franchise release. We can now attempt a guess at when the North American release will take place, given the release dates of the last two games.

Dragon Quest IV came out in Japan in November 2007, and then in America in September 2008 -- ten months apart. Dragon Quest V was released in July 2008 in Japan, and February 2009 in North America, just seven months apart. Therefore, Dragon Quest VI will probably be released in America in ... spring 2010. That's when every game is coming out.

[Via Andriasang]

JoystiqDragon Quest VI arrives in Japan in January originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-questdragon-quest-vijapanrelease-dateremakesquare-enixWed, 11 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix summons Earnings Report; Final Fantasy XIII Sales Projections evade attacks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/square-enix-summons-earnings-report-final-fantasy-xiii-sales-pr/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/square-enix-summons-earnings-report-final-fantasy-xiii-sales-pr/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/square-enix-summons-earnings-report-final-fantasy-xiii-sales-pr/#comments Square Enix recently chose to attack with its annual earnings report, and among the 12-page PDF file's barrage of numbers, things look pretty good for the company. Net sales for the six months ending September 30, 2009 were up 33 percent over the same period last year to 91 billion yen ($1 billion), while operating income was also up by 39 percent to 13 billion yen ($144.5 million) over the same period last year. It's not all roses and Dragon Quest IX sales, however -- net income was down almost 58 percent to 2.7 billion yen ($30 million).

The statement also talks about the acquisition and assimilation of Eidos in direct proportion to Square Enix's games group division -- which includes video games across all platforms and online games for personal computers. Through the aid of titles like Batman: Arkham Asylum, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and the aforementioned Dragon Quest IX, the games division rose its net sales and operating income by 117 percent and 63 percent to 4.8 billion yen ($53 million) and 1.0 billion yen ($11 million), respectively.

As for the company's upcoming darling, Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix prez Yoichi Wada spoke about concern regarding the title's projected domestic sales. Basically, he's not concerned at all! "PS3 sales continue to increase. We're bundling PS3 and FFXIII, and can expect even further sales increases. Orders for FFXIII are definitely not bad," he said. While he didn't reiterate anything as bold as six million, Wada did claim that the game is expected to sell in the millions.

Source - Square Enix earnings (PDF) [Via andriasang]
Source - Wada comments on FFXIII sales

JoystiqSquare Enix summons Earnings Report; Final Fantasy XIII Sales Projections evade attacks originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSearningsearnings-reporteidosfinancialJRPGLevel-5MicrosoftNintendoRPGsquare-enixWiiXbox-360yoichi-wadaFri, 06 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX is Q3's top-selling game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/dragon-quest-ix-is-q3s-top-selling-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/dragon-quest-ix-is-q3s-top-selling-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/dragon-quest-ix-is-q3s-top-selling-game/#commentsDespite the handicap of not being for sale in most of the world, Dragon Quest IX for the DS sold more copies than any other game in the world between July and September of this year, according to a Top Global Markets report. With 3,925,000 copies sold in Japan, it outsold the number two best-selling game for that period, Wii Sports Resort, by almost 1,000,000 copies -- and that game was available worldwide.

Following Wii Sports Resort in the top five: Madden NFL 2010 at 2,612,000, Pokemon HeartGold And SoulSilver at 2,068,000, and Halo 3: ODST, which was only out for a week in Q3, at 1,847,000 copies. All these games have plenty more sales ahead of them as the holidays approach!

JoystiqDragon Quest IX is Q3's top-selling game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DQ9Dragon-QuestDragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDShalo-3-odstJRPGLevel-5madden-10MicrosoftNintendopokemon-heart-goldq3-2009RPGsalesSquare-Enixtop-global-marketsWiiXbox-360Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:39:00 EST