Joystiq

Square Enix commits to simultaneous worldwide releases

Jason Dobson — 2008-03-11T16:30:00+00:00

If you listen closely to the lifestream you can hear Square Enix's legions of fans singing in unison as company president Yoichi Wada recently confirmed an aim to make simultaneous worldwide game releases "the norm."

The timing of the comment, made to Japan's Nihon Keizan Shimbun daily, is particularly interesting following reaffirmation of the company's plans for Western expansion. However, it remains unclear when the RPG powerhouse plans to put Wada's plan into effect, or if his ambition even includes the company's two most hotly anticipated releases in Final Fantasy XIII and Dragon Quest IX. Still, assuming that he'll be able to make good on his claim, role-playing enthusiasts will have to find something else to complain about other than Japan getting to play everything first.

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Dragon Quest IX delayed until 2008

Ross Miller — 2007-08-27T13:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, RPGs

Dragon Quest IX, the textbook definition of "surefire sales phenomenon" (we hear sociologists are still studying its effects on modern civilizations), has been pushed back from its 2007 Japanese release until sometime next year, according to IGN.

Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada had previously said that Dragon Quest IX would be released after some remakes, later revealed to be DQIV, V and VI. Given that, and the general lack of information of the title thus far, we're not too surprised by the delay. DQIX was not going to make a 2007 release outside of Japan anyways, but we're still hoping to see it come to North America and PAL regions before 2009.

[Via DS Fanboy]

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Square Enix in your pocket: DS edition

Ross Miller — 2007-07-05T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Features, Action, Adventure, Online, RPGs, Strategy

Unlike its PSP counterpart, the Nintendo DS has been no stranger to North American Square Enix releases. Chocobo Tales, Final Fantasy III, Children of Mana and Dragon Quest Rocket Slime have all graced their presence on Western shores. And Square Enix is far from done supporting Nintendo's money-printer.

Of the eight titles, we've got 4 Final Fantasy games, 3 strategy games, 2 remakes, and one surefire Japanese phenomenon by way of Dragon Quest IX. Have a look at the publisher's upcoming selection after the break.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates

The GameCube version of Crystal Chronicles was a fun and lighthearted multiplayer experience, released at a time when the price of admission -- four Game Boy Advance portables and four GBA-GCN cables -- was too high. (The full experience can still cost you $165.)

Single player and multiplayer portions are somewhat disparate, according to Gamespot's hands-on of the game at this year's Square Enix party. Also new is the ability to walk away from other party members in multiplayer, but you still must be together to leave an area.

There are five character classes this time: warrior, archer, black and white mage, and a support class that can make magic orbs (spells will require you to lose orbs to cast). You can now pick up characters, which will reportedly be used for combat and moving through areas (e.g. throwing a party member across a chasm.)

Ring of Fates is bound for Japan August 23; a North American or European release date has not been announced.

Final Fantasy IV

Much like they did with Final Fantasy III, Square Enix is revamping this once-Super Nintendo title (then released in US as FFII) and giving it a 3D makeover. It's no surprise, then, that Matrix Software, who did the FFIII release, is also handling this update.

Final Fantasy IV used the age-old story of a noble Dark Knight saving the world from an evil force. The game introduced Active Time Battle, which has been used in every Final Fantasy title since.

A recent Japanese trailer for the game stated the game was coming in 2007, with no indication if it'll make it outside of Japan by the end of the year.

Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings

The first (and so far only) announced Final Fantasy XII spin-off title, Revenant Wings is part of the so-called Ivalice Alliance, named for its use of the world of Ivalice in each related game (FFXII, the FF Tactics series).

The title is a strategy game ... a real-time (gasp!) strategy game, though videos of the game in action liken the pace and style to that of Dragon Force more so than, say, Warcraft.

Released April 26 in Japan, Revenant Wings unsurprisingly topped the charts. The game is coming this winter to North America.

Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Sky

The great coup that caught everyone by surprise: Enix's legendary Dragon Quest series going exclusively DS for the next installment. The franchise, which is such a phenomenon in Japan it cannot be released on a weekday without fear of harming the economy (on account of everyone making sick days), is likely to have a massive impact on the DS' already-impressive sales. (As Ludwig quipped, "Square Enix just handed Nintendo the keys to the Death Star.")

Expect DQIX to stick with the traditional turn-based battle system while adding a multitude of character customization options. No word on a Japanese release date yet, but comments by Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada indicate there are plans to release as-of-yet unannounced Dragon Quest remakes for Defenders of the Sky see the light of day.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Sealed Hole

Almost everything about this sequel to the Game Boy Advance FF Tactics gives us the impression that the game was initially designed for the single-screen and then moved to DS once it took its throne. Most notably, there is no touch-screen support.

Speaking to IGN, game director Yuichi Murasawa said, "We wanted to incorporate the major part of the battle system from the GBA version, so from that perspective, the touch screen wasn't a suitable answer."

The mechanics of FF Tactics A2 don't stray far from those of its predecessor, while touting enhanced visuals, new jobs and new races. The strategy title is expected to come out later this year in Japan; no US release date has been announced.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker

Capture, raise, and battle monsters. Sound familiar? The million-selling DQM: Joker has been in Japan since the end of December 2006, reportedly receiving a 36 out of 40 in respected Japanese gaming periodical Famitsu.

The game boasts non-random encounters, three monsters out each battle, cel-shaded animation similar to Dragon Quest VIII and IX, and online play via Nintendo Wi-Fi.

Joker is due out later this year in North America.

Heroes of Mana

The latest title in the World of Mana franchise is real-time strategy title that takes place 19 years after the events of Japan-only Seiken Densetsu 3.

Heroes of Mana came out in Japan March 8 and will reach North American and European shores on August 14 and September 14, respectively.

Front Mission 1st

A remake of the 1995 title Front Mission that has since been seen on Wonderswan Color and PlayStation One, the DS release will mark the first time it comes to North America. (FM 3, 4, and 5 have also come out in North America.) In a nutshell, it's mech ... er ... wanzer-on-wanzer action, with separate health bars for the arms and legs and countless robot customization options.

This version will include new missions, parts, accessories, characters, etc. The game was released March 22 in Japan; a North American version has been confirmed in Nintendo Power (via N-Sider).

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Square Enix chief: 360, PS3 too fancy for today's market

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2007-06-12T20:54:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business, Casual

Though the exact word used by the Financial Times article is "over-engineered," a word we deemed too complex for today's headline. Yoichi Wada, chief executive of Square Enix, feels that consoles such as the PS3 and 360 are over-engineered and out of place in today's gaming market, noting that handheld platforms will be the ones to dominate this year. After handing Dragon Quest IX (and thus the keys to Japan) to the Nintendo DS and inundating the PSP with remakes, Wada's belief should come as no surprise.

"There is a new breed of gamers in the market - we have to make games for all kinds of people," he says. "In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or the GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely." It's the same story we've been hearing for months, that one filled with flailing grandmas and casual players shouting "Blue!" at the top of their lungs. Wada isn't giving up on the hardcore gamer just yet, though. Despite thinking that "there are too many specs" on the more advanced systems, he reckons they'll fare better in "a year or two years." Isn't that about the time Final Fantasy XIII comes out?

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Dragon Quest IX stays turn-based, ups customization

Ross Miller — 2007-04-26T17:28:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, RPGs

Contrary to previous rumblings, the upcoming Dragon Quest IX for DS will not abandon its turn-based roots for a more action-oriented system. According to the latest issue of Japanese magazine Weekly Shonen Jump, enemies will be visible on screen and contact will commence battle, where you will input commands in a turn-based style classic in Dragon Quest titles. A similar system will also be implemented for the multiplayer.

Also revealed is the ability to visually customize your main character. Weight, height, face, hair and clothing will all be adjustable. Will this affect the protagonist's immersion into the storyline? According to the translation by 1Up, Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Sky will be shown at a Square Enix party May 12 along with nearly a dozen (seriously) Final Fantasy titles.

[Via DS Fanboy]

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Today's hottest game video: Dragon Quest IX

Zack Stern — 2006-12-13T00:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Video, Business

Today's most-watched YouTube video shows a Japanese-language financial news report on Dragon Quest IX coming out only for the DS. (Many YouTubers have Dragon Quest fever; several top videos are about the game.) Gamers and industry watchers were expecting the Square Enix property to be announced for the PS3, so the news surprised many. And the one-minute video includes a pull-back-the-curtain shot -- the best part of any announcement.

See the video after the break.

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Dragon Quest IX announced as DS exclusive

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2006-12-12T06:20:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, RPGs

The strange and somewhat pathetic sobbing you hear in the background originates from the offices of Microsoft and Sony, where once diligent executives have now completely broken down and given up on much of their lives. Square Enix just handed Nintendo the keys to the Death Star. As if the DS wasn't already an unrelenting steamroller in terms of sales and popularity, it was announced today that Dragon Quest IX would be released exclusively on the most touchy-feely of portable systems.

In the unlikely event that you've been stuck in some sort of spatial anomaly (like Disneyland) for the last few years, it's important to remind you that the Dragon Quest franchise is one of the most popular properties ever in the minds of Japanese gamers. It was widely expected that the next instalment in the franchise would move to the PS3, an expectation that has now been crushed beneath Satoru Iwata's diamond-encrusted boot. Expect more news on the title as the week continues -- for now, all we know is: it's being developed by Level 5, it supports multiplayer battles and the subtitle is something along the lines of "Protector of the Starry Sky."

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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