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[Remembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/remembering-my-favorite-rpg-valkyrie-profile/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/remembering-my-favorite-rpg-valkyrie-profile/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/remembering-my-favorite-rpg-valkyrie-profile/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

Remembering my favorite RPG Valkyrie Profile
Around here, we have a bit of a tradition: If the resident JRPG columnist opts to move on, they finish their tenure by writing about their favorite role-playing game. Since this will be my last column with Joystiq, it's time to discuss how much I love Valkyrie Profile.

Valkyrie Profile has pretty much everything I'm looking for in an RPG. It has solid customization; visual flair; a strong story; great music; and a large cast. But what really takes it above and beyond for me is that little added twist; that certain je ne sais quoi that really makes it something special.

Continue reading Remembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile

JoystiqRemembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EnixJapanese-RPGsOpinionPlayStationSquare-EnixValkyrie-Profile-LennethFri, 15 Mar 2013 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[My year long quest to defeat Grandia 2's (almost) final boss]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/my-year-long-quest-to-defeat-grandia-2s-almost-final-boss/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/my-year-long-quest-to-defeat-grandia-2s-almost-final-boss/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/my-year-long-quest-to-defeat-grandia-2s-almost-final-boss/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
Once upon a time, it took me a solid year to beat what I thought was the final boss of Grandia II.

Now, before you start making fun of me, I want to point out that even one GameFAQs guide refers to Valmar's Core as "very extreemly (sic) absurdly abnormally ridiciously (sic) giganticly (sic) impossibly hard!!!" This was also right around 2000, and online help was a little harder to find at that time. I was more or less on my own.

With that in mind, think about all the things that can make a final role-playing game boss difficult. In my experience, those elements include high speed, a wide variety of attacks that target the entire party, multiple body parts, and healing spells. Valmar's Core includes all of those elements and more, meaning that your only hope of killing the thing is removing its ability to heal itself before blitzing it. There's simply no way to last long enough to take out all three of its heads and its core before it wipes out your party.

In many ways, it's the perfect final challenge for the JRPG in which the main wrinkle is that the protagonists and villains share one time bar in a race to see who acts first. The three heads and the core act independently of one another, which strains the ability to interrupt the icons with an attack before they reach the point where they can attack -- the main mechanic -- to the absolute limit. One mistake, and Valmar's Core will show no mercy.

Continue reading My year long quest to defeat Grandia 2's (almost) final boss

JoystiqMy year long quest to defeat Grandia 2's (almost) final boss originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EnixGame-ArtsGrandiaGrandia-2UbisoftWed, 28 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Remembering an underappreciated JRPG trilogy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/remembering-an-underappreciated-jrpg-trilogy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/remembering-an-underappreciated-jrpg-trilogy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/remembering-an-underappreciated-jrpg-trilogy/#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.
As gamers, we spend a lot of time playing God. Whether it's building worlds in Minecraft or destroying them in Skyrim, we're always looking for ways to manipulate forces that are normally beyond our control.

Some games even allow us to play God in less subtle ways. Simulation games like Ubisoft's From Dust and 2K's Civilization series allow us to steer the course of history and directly guide the fates of entire populations.

These deity simulators are all well and good, but what if you want a more personal holy adventure? What if instead of playing as a god, you want to work for one? Or destroy one?

Well then, you need to check out the Soul Blazer trilogy.

Continue reading Remembering an underappreciated JRPG trilogy

JoystiqRemembering an underappreciated JRPG trilogy originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixillusion-of-gaiajrpgquintetsoul-blazerterranigmaFri, 30 Dec 2011 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[FFXIII-2 first week sales roughly a third of FFXIII's first week sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/ffxiii-2-first-week-sales-roughly-a-third-of-ffxiiis-first-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/ffxiii-2-first-week-sales-roughly-a-third-of-ffxiiis-first-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/ffxiii-2-first-week-sales-roughly-a-third-of-ffxiiis-first-week/#comments Final Fantasy XIII-2, the latest sequel-sequel from the androgyny JRPG veterans at Square Enix, has closed its first week of sales in the land of the rising sun, with somewhat mixed results. The PS3 version of the title has sold 524,000 units according to Andriasang's translation of Media Create's extremely Japanese sales data, making it the number 1 selling title for the period. This is in stark contrast to the 360 version of the game, which entered the charts at number 48 with a comparatively minuscule 10,000 units sold.

Having the number 1 game in Japan is definitely nothing to be ashamed of, but the accomplishment seems somewhat less impressive when compared to Final Fantasy XIII's combined first-week sales of 1,502,000 copies, nearly three times XIII-2's combined 525,000. Media Create attributes the drop in sales to a drop in interest among Japanese female gamers: 22.2 percent of women surveyed were interested in XIII-2, down nearly ten points from XIII's 31.3 percent Japanese female interest rate.

It's also possible that the interest decline among Japanese women was negligible at best, considering that the game was the best selling release in the country.

JoystiqFFXIII-2 first week sales roughly a third of FFXIII's first week sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixFFXIIIFFXIII-2final-fantasy-xiii-2first-weekjapanjapanesemicrosoftplaystationps3salessquaresquare-enixxboxMon, 26 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Punch-Out!! and rare Ogre Battle rated by ESRB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/super-punch-out-and-rare-ogre-battle-rated-by-esrb/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/super-punch-out-and-rare-ogre-battle-rated-by-esrb/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/super-punch-out-and-rare-ogre-battle-rated-by-esrb/#commentsFiled under: , ,


That copy of Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen you stashed under the mattress to partly fund your early retirement just got a whole lot less valuable. The ESRB has rated the rare Enix RPG for a Virtual Console release, along with another, more widely known SNES gem: Super Punch-Out!!. Is Nintendo planning to release the classic pugilist title alongside its modern Wii equivalent, as it did in the case of Super Metroid and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption? Perhaps!

Those aren't the only surprises in the latest ESRB ratings: Lonpos, a launch title for the Japanese WiiWare service no less, has also been classified. As it's been a while, here's a reminder of what it looks like:

JoystiqSuper Punch-Out!! and rare Ogre Battle rated by ESRB originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boxingenixesrbgenkilonposogre-battlepuzzlerpgsnessportssuper-punch-outFri, 09 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest IX coming March 2009 in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/dragon-quest-ix-coming-march-2009-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/dragon-quest-ix-coming-march-2009-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/dragon-quest-ix-coming-march-2009-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,

After almost two years of waiting, Square Enix has dated Dragon Quest IX. Sort of. Staying true to its previous promise of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009, the company plans to launch the game in Japan sometime next March (Protip: If you don't know Japanese, just keep an eye out for 2009?). No international release has been set, but we're willing to bet the game will see a US release before the impending 2012 apocalypse. Square Enix is hosting a 90-minute Dragon Quest session each day at this month's Tokyo Game Show.

[Via Siliconera]

JoystiqDragon Quest IX coming March 2009 in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingnewsdq9dqixdragon-questdragon-quest-9Dragon-Quest-9-Sentinels-of-the-Starry-Skiesdragon-quest-ixDSenixJRPGLevel-5NintendoRPGsquaresquare-enixWed, 01 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Here comes the Heavenly Bride, all dressed in a DQV promotional trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/here-comes-the-heavenly-bride-all-dressed-in-a-dqv-promotional/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/here-comes-the-heavenly-bride-all-dressed-in-a-dqv-promotional/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/28/here-comes-the-heavenly-bride-all-dressed-in-a-dqv-promotional/#commentsFiled under:


Though Dragon Quest IV hasn't even washed up onto U.S. shores yet (look for it in September), Japan is gearing up for Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride's release on July 17th with a new trailer.

We can't complain too much about the wait, however, as publisher Square Enix has already announced that it will be bringing its DQV and DQVI (both originally released for the Super Famicom) remakes to the states eventually, having kept the two games in Japan for over 15 years. Comparatively speaking, a one- or two-year wait for DQV DS isn't that long!


[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqHere comes the Heavenly Bride, all dressed in a DQV promotional trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artepiazzaCattle-CallchunsoftDQ5dqvdragon-questDragon-Quest-5Dragon-Quest-5-Hand-of-the-Heavenly-Bridedragon-quest-venixhand-of-the-heavenly-brideJRPGremakerpgsquare-enixsuper-famicomtrailerSat, 28 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Promotional Consideration: Dragon Quest IV commercials were weird]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/promotional-consideration-dqiv-commercials-were-weird/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/promotional-consideration-dqiv-commercials-were-weird/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/promotional-consideration-dqiv-commercials-were-weird/#commentsFiled under: ,



With the Dragon Quest IV DS remake announced for the US and Europe this week, we thought it'd be good a time to dig up Enix's commercials for the original Famicom game's release in Japan. They're completely different from the retro ads used last November when the DS remake shipped.

As with Squaresoft's chocobo commercials for Final Fantasy IV on the Super Famicom (launching a little over a year after Dragon Quest IV), these ads were just plain odd! They show hardly any in-game video, relying on logos and recognizable theme music instead. Gather your party and meet us in the fifth chapter, past the post break, for the commercials.

Continue reading Promotional Consideration: Dragon Quest IV commercials were weird

JoystiqPromotional Consideration: Dragon Quest IV commercials were weird originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 May 2008 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artepiazzachunsoftcommercialdqivdragon-questdragon-quest-ivdragon-warriorenixfamicomheartbeatnesoverturepromotional-considerationpromotionalconsiderationremakerpgsquare-enixSun, 25 May 2008 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The history of Dragon Quest IV boxart]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/the-history-of-dragon-quest-iv-boxart/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/the-history-of-dragon-quest-iv-boxart/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/the-history-of-dragon-quest-iv-boxart/#commentsFiled under:


Square Enix released an image of the box for the North American release of the Dragon Quest IV remake, and it looks pretty nice! It suffers from Akira Toriyama "every character looks exactly the same" syndrome, but there's not really much that can be done about that! It's the same art as the Japanese version, with a more traditional layout, highlighting the hero.

Dragon Quest IV has been sold a bunch of times over the years, on three different systems, so it's naturally had a few different box designs. We thought it might be interesting to show you the boxarts for each iteration of the game. Well, not all of them -- we've omitted stuff like the budget rereleases of the PlayStation version, because they're exactly the same art with a different border.

Out of all the variations, we like the art on the Famicom release the best. It seems the most dynamic and exciting. We think we like the NES version's art the least, because there isn't any.

JoystiqThe history of Dragon Quest IV boxart originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boxartdragon-questdragon-quest-ivenixrpgsquare-enixThu, 22 May 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest V: Heavenly Screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/dragon-quest-v-heavenly-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/dragon-quest-v-heavenly-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/dragon-quest-v-heavenly-screens/#commentsFiled under: ,

The website for the Dragon Quest V re-remake (probably to be titled Dragon Quest V: Heavenly Bride in its probable U.S. release) has been updated with character art and a little bit of history about the game. Most importantly for English readers, it's been updated with screens -- tons of them, in one- and two-screen format. You can look at pictures of the party (tiny horse and carriage and all) walking in towns, fields, and dungeons and pretty much get the idea.

Dragon Quest V appears to be cleaning up beautifully, proving that even if developer Artepiazza isn't the most adept at creating Wii RPGs (except by default), they're certainly up to the task of recreating RPGs on the DS.

[Via NeoGAF]

JoystiqDragon Quest V: Heavenly Screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 May 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artepiazzaCattle-CallDQ5dragon-questDragon-Quest-5Dragon-Quest-5-Hand-of-the-Heavenly-Bridedragon-quest-venixJRPGremakerpgsquare-enixFri, 09 May 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How well do you know your Zelda grass? [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/26/how-well-do-you-know-your-zelda-grass/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/26/how-well-do-you-know-your-zelda-grass/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/26/how-well-do-you-know-your-zelda-grass/#commentsFiled under:


So, you think you're a hardcore gamer? Maybe you are. But, how well do you know your grass samples?

These posters, which are being sold at a Viennese store called Subotron for €12 ($19 USD) each, will really put you to the test. To help you out a bit, there are two samples from The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, while the other four are from Terranigma, Illusion of Gaia, Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana), and Seiken Densetsu 3 (Secret of Mana 2). All the games without the word "Zelda" in them were published by either Squaresoft or Enix, which is why we haven't gotten them (and might never get them) on the Virtual Console.

See if you can figure out what game each sample belongs to (despite the poor resolution). Don't worry if you can't discern which is which, though -- we've posted the answers after the break.

Continue reading How well do you know your Zelda grass? [update]

JoystiqHow well do you know your Zelda grass? [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-of-linkenixgrassillusion-of-gaialegend-of-zeldapostersecret-of-manaseiken-densetsusquare-enixsquaresoftsubotronterranigmazeldazelda-2Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Square wins plagiarism case against Korean music video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/square-wins-plagiarism-case-against-korean-music-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/square-wins-plagiarism-case-against-korean-music-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/square-wins-plagiarism-case-against-korean-music-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Imitation isn't only the sincerest form of flattery, it's also the most legally actionable. At least it is to Square Enix, which recently won a plagiarism case against South Korean music video producer Fantom to the tune of 16 million won (approx. $17,400).

The case centers on the video for the song Temptation Sonata, in which live actors recreate a scene from Square Enix's animated movie, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. According to a judge for the Seoul Central District Court, the video "illegally used 80% of the storyline, setting, characters and their styles of dress and their demeanors," from the movie scene. We're not sure how the judge came to such an exact statistic, but who are we to argue with such an official sounding pronouncement?

A comparison of the videos (both viewable below the break) shows much more than a passing similarity between the two, and Square was definitely within its rights taking legal action. That said, we have to wonder what Square Enix felt it had to gain from a court case. Is this video really hurting the company's ability to milk insane amounts of money out off the Final Fantasy franchise? Does seeing the video makes someone less likely to buy a copy of Advent Children? What's next, a legal case against the makers of College Saga? We just hope the negative PR associated with this case is worth the massive $17,000 pay day Square Enix made off of it.

Continue reading Square wins plagiarism case against Korean music video

JoystiqSquare wins plagiarism case against Korean music video originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advent childrenAdventChildrencourtenixfinal fantasyFinal Fantasy VIIfinal fantasy7FinalFantasyFinalFantasy7FinalFantasyViikorealawlegalplagiarismPS2PS3PSPsquaresquare enixSquareEnixTue, 11 Dec 2007 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[It's a Wonderful World (outside of Japan)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/its-a-wonderful-world-outside-of-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/its-a-wonderful-world-outside-of-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/its-a-wonderful-world-outside-of-japan/#commentsFiled under: ,


The game we've had our eye on for quite some time, Square Enix's It's a Wonderful World, is going to be releasing outside of Japan. Titled The World Ends with You, the game will supposedly be released in the spring of 2008 to North America and Europe. As you already know, it was developed by the team behind the Kingdom Hearts series of games.

In case you missed our previous coverage of the game in action, it's pretty busy regarding gameplay, but in a good way. We wonder if Square will decide to release any special edition DS Lite with the game like they did in Japan?

JoystiqIt's a Wonderful World (outside of Japan) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixiawwitsawonderfulworldsquaresquareenixthe-world-ends-with-youWed, 05 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon site gets updated]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/chocobos-mysterious-dungeon-site-gets-updated/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/chocobos-mysterious-dungeon-site-gets-updated/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/chocobos-mysterious-dungeon-site-gets-updated/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Japanese website for Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon (you know, that game starring that delicious looking cute little yellow bird) has been updated, provided the internet surfer looking for more juicy content just what they desire most. No, it isn't a fabulous recipe for extra crispy, deep fried Chocobo (is it so wrong that we spend a lot of time thinking about how delicious a fictional creature is?), it's new stuff about the upcoming game.

There is new screens, some art and a closer look at the different job classes on over at the site, so give it a look.


[Via Go Nintendo]

JoystiqChocobo's Mysterious Dungeon site gets updated originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocoboenixjapanonlinesquaresquareenixwebsiteTue, 04 Dec 2007 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chocobo's trailer of mystery]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/chocobos-trailer-of-mystery/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/chocobos-trailer-of-mystery/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/chocobos-trailer-of-mystery/#commentsFiled under:


The latest trailer for Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon is mysterious because we can't find out what we like about it most. Maybe it's the soothing music that feels like it should be playing during the credits of Battle Royale or something (don't ask us how we came up with that association, they really don't sound that alike). Maybe it's the young green-haired boy, who reminds us of Cabbage Head (oh, how we miss you Kids in the Hall). Or, maybe it's because that Chocobo is just so darn cute.

[Via Go Nintendo]

JoystiqChocobo's trailer of mystery originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobochocobos-mysterious-dungeonenixjapansquaresquareenixFri, 30 Nov 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy hits Wii Ware in Japan March 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/18/final-fantasy-hits-wii-ware-in-japan-march-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/18/final-fantasy-hits-wii-ware-in-japan-march-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/18/final-fantasy-hits-wii-ware-in-japan-march-2008/#commentsFiled under:

With the revelation of a new Final Fantasy title hitting Wii Ware, we here at Wii Fanboy found ourselves so excited that ... well, embarrassment be damned, we peed in our pants a little. What, like you haven't ever been that excited in your life? Well, aren't you just so perfect.

Anyway, some new details have hit regarding the game. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Little King and the Promise Country (now that's a title!) will be releasing to the Japanese public in March next year, costing 1500 Wii Points. The game will also take place after the GameCube title, with players taking over the role of the Little King, a Clavat-race character by the name of Leo.

1500 Wii Points is a better price than we thought the game would cost, to be honest.

JoystiqFinal Fantasy hits Wii Ware in Japan March 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crystal-chroniclesenixfamitsufinal-fantasysquaresquareenixThu, 18 Oct 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Square to announce FF Melody XIII at TGS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/16/rumor-square-to-announce-ff-melody-xiii-at-tgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/16/rumor-square-to-announce-ff-melody-xiii-at-tgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/16/rumor-square-to-announce-ff-melody-xiii-at-tgs/#commentsFiled under:


With Tokyo Game Show only a few days away, the rumors have been flying at us faster than people running from the theaters after watching Dragon Wars. The latest rumor making its rounds is the possibility of Square announcing Final Fantasy Melody XIII for the PS3 at TGS.

A forum member at Ruliweb posted the above image with little-to-no information other than Square would be unveiling the title at the event. While we'd love to blindly accept this rumor, we remain skeptical since this is the same site that made fooled people last month with the fake Sega TGS lineup.

With Final Fantasy XIII still in development, would Square be developing a spin-off title concurrently? If the image is legit, it could be for the FF XIII soundtrack.

[Via PS3 Informer]

JoystiqRumor: Square to announce FF Melody XIII at TGS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixfinal-fantasyrumorssegasoundtracksquaresquareenixtokyo-game-showXIIISun, 16 Sep 2007 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fresh Ring of Fates screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/fresh-ring-of-fates-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/fresh-ring-of-fates-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/fresh-ring-of-fates-screens/#commentsFiled under:


Even with all signs pointing to Disappointmentville regarding the release date for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, we still foam at the mouth for anything we can get our hands on regarding the game. Whether it be screens or video, we can't get enough of the Square Enix game. And these latest screens are no exception, as they showcase some battle portions, as well as concept art.

[Via Go Nintendo]

JoystiqFresh Ring of Fates screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixfinalfantasyringoffatessquaresquareenixWed, 25 Jul 2007 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[It's a Wonderful World of advertisements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/its-a-wonderful-world-of-advertisements/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/its-a-wonderful-world-of-advertisements/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/its-a-wonderful-world-of-advertisements/#commentsFiled under:


The fine folks over at JeuxFrance apparently got to visit Japan, recently. In taking their time to extract every bit of delicate and precious piece of Japanese culture they could before having to leave the gaming mecca, they managed to compile quite a gallery regarding the advertisement of Square Enix's It's a Wonderful World. They've got plenty of stuff from the Shibuya district, where the majority of the advertisements were shown.

JoystiqIt's a Wonderful World of advertisements originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixitsawonderfulworldjapansquaresquareenixTue, 24 Jul 2007 15:55:00 EST<![CDATA[E307: Front Mission DS interview and media galore]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/front-mission-ds-interview-and-media-galore/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/front-mission-ds-interview-and-media-galore/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/12/front-mission-ds-interview-and-media-galore/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've got a flood of Front Mission DS media for you today. In addition to the new screenshots viewable in the gallery below, there's also a minute-and-a-half-long trailer for the Square Enix SRPG past the post break. If you need more than just combat clips and menu hopping to get you going, scroll down a bit further for the original Japanese trailer.

Front Mission DS finally bring the series' first entry to the states, adding touchscreen controls, multiplayer battles (local only), and several new Wanzers to the mech-based title. While this release already includes the alternative UCS storyline from the PlayStation remake, five new missions specific to the DS version have also been added.

RPGamer had a chance to sit down with producer Koichiro Sakamoto to discuss the handheld port and his thoughts on bringing more Front Mission games to the DS. According to the interview, were it not for the campaigning of a particular team member, North America might not have received the game: "There was one [who] was very passionate about the game, and wanted to give players in the United States the chance to experience. He felt that Front Mission 3 and 4 proved that there is a userbase, and since the DS is currently very popular, the thinking went, 'Why not give it a try?'"

Continue reading E307: Front Mission DS interview and media galore

JoystiqE307: Front Mission DS interview and media galore originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dse3e307enixfront missionFrontMissionmechmechsnintendonintendo dsNintendoDsrobotrobotssquaresquare enixSquareEnixsrpgThu, 12 Jul 2007 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[It's a Wonderful World of fresh screens and concept art]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/its-a-wonderful-world-of-fresh-screens-and-concept-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/its-a-wonderful-world-of-fresh-screens-and-concept-art/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/10/its-a-wonderful-world-of-fresh-screens-and-concept-art/#commentsFiled under:


When we finally are able to pry loose the cartridge for It's a Wonderful World from its plastic case, we imagine the world will be wonderful. Birds will sing, the skies will part and the sun will shine down onto us exclusively. We'll laugh as we walk down the street and a band will trail behind us, just a few steps, playing that famous song. It will surely be a great day.

But, until then, guess we'll just have to settle for a few screens and some concept art.

JoystiqIt's a Wonderful World of fresh screens and concept art originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsdsliteenixitsawonderfulworldlitenintendonintendodsnintendodslitesquaresquenixTue, 10 Jul 2007 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Last Remnant video goes on an odyssey]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/last-remnant-video-goes-on-an-odyssey/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/last-remnant-video-goes-on-an-odyssey/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/last-remnant-video-goes-on-an-odyssey/#commentsFiled under:


Square Enix has released the first trailer for its upcoming RPG, Last Remnant. X3F readers will recall that Last Remnant is something of a first for Square Enix, in that it is being simultaneously released in both the U.S. and Japan. Not only that, but it includes two main characters, one designed to appeal to Japanese audience, and another made for western audiences. The trailer showcases some gameplay that looks a bit like Dynasty Warriors and suspiciously similar to Lost Odyssey (created by previous Square Enix employee, Hironobu Sakaguchi).

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqLast Remnant video goes on an odyssey originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixlast remnantLastRemnantsquaresquare enixSquareEnixsqueenixthe last remnantTheLastRemnantThu, 05 Jul 2007 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Taking a look at the upcoming torrent of Square Enix titles]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/taking-a-look-at-the-upcoming-torrent-of-square-enix-titles/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/taking-a-look-at-the-upcoming-torrent-of-square-enix-titles/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/taking-a-look-at-the-upcoming-torrent-of-square-enix-titles/#commentsFiled under: ,


Our parental unit site Joystiq published a rather in-depth look at all of the upcoming Square Enix titles set to grace the DS. The piece not only details each of the eight upcoming games, but also provides trailers and other tibits of interesting info. Seriously, it's a great read and demands your attention.

JoystiqTaking a look at the upcoming torrent of Square Enix titles originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsdsliteenixfinalfantasylitenintendonintendodsnintendodslitequarequareenixsqueenixsquenixThu, 05 Jul 2007 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix in your pocket: DS edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/square-enix-in-your-pocket-ds-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/square-enix-in-your-pocket-ds-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/05/square-enix-in-your-pocket-ds-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


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.

Continue reading Square Enix in your pocket: DS edition

JoystiqSquare Enix in your pocket: DS edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Action-AdventureCrystalChroniclesDragonQuestDragonQuestIxDragonQuestMonstersDSenixFF4FinalFantasyFinalFantasyIvFinalFantasyXiiFrontMissionFrontMission1stHeroesOfManamanaMatrix-SoftwareNintendoPS2RevenantWingsRingOfFatesRPGsquareSquare-EnixSquareEnixSquareEnixPocketWorldOfManaThu, 05 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Conjecture Countdown: 10 days to go]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/01/conjecture-countdown-10-days-to-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/01/conjecture-countdown-10-days-to-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/01/conjecture-countdown-10-days-to-go/#comments

Even with a diminished E3, there's no controlling the wave of rumors that hit the Internet every year before the show. Why fight it? From now until E3 hits, we'll be posting one piece of wild speculation every day. Some may be patently ridiculous, and others just might turn out to be true. Even some of the ridiculous ones might turn out to be true! Rest assured, everything will be totally made-up and unfounded. Except, of course, when we speak about all the ass Reggie is going to kick. That part? Totally true.

Rumor: Square Enix will announce remakes of games that have yet to be released!

JoystiqConjecture Countdown: 10 days to go originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3ccenixhumorremakesrumorsesquaresquare enixSquareEnixSun, 01 Jul 2007 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[FF Crystal Chronicles DS Lite bundle, box art revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/22/ff-crystal-chronicles-ds-lite-bundle-box-art-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/22/ff-crystal-chronicles-ds-lite-bundle-box-art-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/22/ff-crystal-chronicles-ds-lite-bundle-box-art-revealed/#commentsFiled under: ,

As with every Square Enix title that comes out on the Nintendo DS, the upcoming Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate has a limited edition DS Lite bundle coming for ¥21,840 (approximately US $177), according to Famitsu. The bundle comes with the above DS Lite and game.

Like Revenant Wings and Final Fantasy III before it, the bundle and console are sold in Japan only. By merit of having all games be region-free, these bundles are at least import-friendly if you want to continue playing games in languages you understand.

[Via Siliconera]

JoystiqFF Crystal Chronicles DS Lite bundle, box art revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crystal chroniclesCrystalChroniclesDSenixfinal fantasyFinalFantasyrings of fateRingsOfFatesquaresquare enixSquareEnixFri, 22 Jun 2007 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates DS Lite]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/22/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-ring-of-fates-ds-lite/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/22/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-ring-of-fates-ds-lite/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/22/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-ring-of-fates-ds-lite/#commentsFiled under: ,


Another Square Enix game, another special-edition DS Lite. SE seems to have set up a template for these: logo on the left, line art on the right, money in the bank.

This time, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates gets the special-edition treatment on a Crystal White DS Lite. For Japan, obviously. We like the pseudo-stained-glass look, which can be found in full color on the box. This new DS variant is great news for people who were holding out on a DS purchase until the Japanese Ring of Fates came out. It's probably a little irritating for Square Enix fans who already have a plain DS.

JoystiqFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates DS Lite originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crystal chroniclesCrystalChroniclesdsds liteDsLiteenixfatesffccfinal fantasyFinalFantasynintendoringring of fatesRingOfFatesspecial editionSpecialEditionsquaresquare enixSquareEnixFri, 22 Jun 2007 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Save your gil for the Square Enix online shop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/save-your-gil-for-the-square-enix-online-shop/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/save-your-gil-for-the-square-enix-online-shop/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/save-your-gil-for-the-square-enix-online-shop/#commentsFiled under:


If there's one defining characteristic of the Square Enix fanbase, it's that they love buyin' stuff. How else would you explain the myriad re-releases of Final Fantasy games? Square Enix hopes to facilitate these fans' insatiable need to fill their inventories. They've set up a website that will, in the near future, be the home of an official Square Enix shop.

Will they have lots of expensive figurines? No doubt! Will you be able to buy the Potion drink there? Possibly! How about Tidus's pants, as seen above? Why, there's no end to the kinds of pants they could sell!

Not literally. If they never ended, there'd be no holes to put your feet through.

[Via 1up]

JoystiqSave your gil for the Square Enix online shop originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsenixnintendopantspotionshopsquaresquare enixSquareEnixtidusTue, 19 Jun 2007 17:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Chocobo's Mysterious Trailer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/12/chocobos-mysterious-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/12/chocobos-mysterious-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/12/chocobos-mysterious-trailer/#commentsFiled under:


Square Enix has released a new video of the Wii version of Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon, and it looks a lot like its predecessors, in a good way! This series has a long history, and it's nice to see that this looks like it's going to be a real Mysterious Dungeon game and not some kind of dungeon-themed party minigame fest.

The best part of the whole trailer is how cozy the town looks: the little chocobo is seen walking down cobblestone streets, surrounded by butterflies, napping on a dock, playing on a swing set, and even having a nice cup of coffee at a cafe. Of course, this all serves to make it seem more cruel and horrible when he's trapped in a lava-filled dungeon. We laughed.

JoystiqChocobo's Mysterious Trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobodungeonenixfushigimysteriousnintendoroguelikesesquaresquare enixSquareEnixwiiTue, 12 Jun 2007 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii Warm Up: All new (to you)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/11/wii-warm-up-all-new-to-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/11/wii-warm-up-all-new-to-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/11/wii-warm-up-all-new-to-you/#commentsFiled under: ,

All this week, we're celebrating retro goodness here at Wii Fanboy -- call it an extension of Virtually Overlooked -- and we thought we'd start right here with a question that's perfect to ponder while you're having that morning coffee. With over 100 games now available on the Virtual Console, many of you have probably played something this time around that you never got around to before. As new experiences, how do these games hold up? Or are you unwilling to buy anything you didn't already love in a past life?

So why is the ActRaiser box featured here? Because this blogger never played it back in the day, and after playing it now, pretty much considers the sixteen years without ActRaiser to be a mockery of life.

JoystiqWii Warm Up: All new (to you) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actraiserenixretrosnessquare enixSquareEnixvirtual consoleVirtualConsolevoweekwwuMon, 11 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guide to Itadaki Street characters]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/08/guide-to-itadaki-street-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/08/guide-to-itadaki-street-characters/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/08/guide-to-itadaki-street-characters/#commentsFiled under:

Confession time! We haven't played a Dragon Quest game since the first one. And that was in the ancient times-- we were basically playing it on an oscilloscope. As such, we don't know any of the characters besides slimes (who could forget slimes?).

If you're like us (old and anachronistic), you might need a lesson on who all these adorable Dragon Quest characters are in Itadaki Street. That is exactly what Siliconera has done, because we asked for it just now. Oh, there we go with the anachronism again.

Finally, we know the names and origins of Guy Who Looks Kinda Like Dante and Spikey-Haired Guy. Now we're ready for the US version of the game, which will probably never exist.

JoystiqGuide to Itadaki Street characters originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angeloboardboard gamesBoardGamesdqdragondragon questDragonQuestdsds liteDsLiteenixitadakiitadaki streetItadakiStreetlitemarionintendonintendo dsNintendoDsquestsesquarestreetyangusFri, 08 Jun 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square squashes FFXIII 360 rumors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/square-squashes-ffxiii-360-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/square-squashes-ffxiii-360-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/square-squashes-ffxiii-360-rumors/#commentsFiled under:

One of the most persistent Xbox 360 rumors (right up there with Metal Gear Solid 4) has been officially debunked at the highest level. Of course, we're talking about Final Fantasy XIII. But, how high is the highest level? How about a Square Enix executive? Specifically, IGN reports Square Enix's Shinji Hashimoto stated that the company has no current plans to make any more Final Fantasy titles on the Xbox 360. When asked about Final Fantasy landing on Wii or 360, Hashimoto stated, "For the Wii, we have FF Crystal Chronicles in production ... As for FF on the Xbox 360, it's currently a completely blank page."

Being Xbox 360 fanboys, this is where we are contractually obligated to note that Hashimoto's statements don't necessarily rule out future games in the series or even a delayed port of Final Fantasy XIII itself. Hair splitting aside, it looks like any hope of the next installment of Final Fantasy landing on the Xbox 360 has been crushed.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqSquare squashes FFXIII 360 rumors originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enixffxiiifinal fantasyfinal fantasy xiiiFinalFantasyFinalFantasyXiiisquaresquare enixSquareEnixsqueenixWed, 06 Jun 2007 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GameStop reinforces Assassin's Creed, Front Mission rumors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/05/gamestop-reinforces-assassins-creed-front-mission-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/05/gamestop-reinforces-assassins-creed-front-mission-rumors/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/05/gamestop-reinforces-assassins-creed-front-mission-rumors/#commentsFiled under:

A GoNintendo reader was scouring the GameStop product listings and found a couple of interesting, items. Front Mission 1st, previously sort of confirmed for a US release, is marked as releasing on October 2nd.

Assassin's Creed, which was spotted on the leaked GameStop release list, now has a listing on the GameStop site, with a September 25th release date and the completely final boxart seen here. As our copy of Superman for the Playstation will attest, the GameStop computer system is completely accurate and infallible, and once something has a listed release date, it's definitely coming out for real.

JoystiqGameStop reinforces Assassin's Creed, Front Mission rumors originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassinassassin's creedAssassin'sCreedcreeddsds liteDsLiteenixfrontfront missionfront mission 1stFrontMissionFrontMission1stlitemissionnintendonintendo dsNintendoDsrumorssquaresquare enixSquareEnixTue, 05 Jun 2007 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A hollow Chocobo head for your beverages]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/a-hollow-chocobo-head-for-your-beverages/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/a-hollow-chocobo-head-for-your-beverages/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/16/a-hollow-chocobo-head-for-your-beverages/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're planning to drink some of Suntory's execrable Final Fantasy Potion, you may as well do it in style, by pouring it into an adorable Chocobo-head mug. Or you could skip the Potion and fill the mug with something that you may actually enjoy. It really depends on what's more important to you: flavor or Square Enix product synergy.

Now when you sit down on your Chocobo cushion to play some Chocobo Tales, you can have up to 15 ounces of, uh ... if not Potion, how about "choco-late" milk? It's less thematically appropriate, but it's phonetically appropriate, and has the added benefit of being delicious.

NCSX is taking preorders for this $18 mug, to ship in July. While you're shopping, check out the other Square Enix preorder of the day: cool Dragon Quest Monsters toys.

JoystiqA hollow Chocobo head for your beverages originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobochocobo talesChocoboTalesdsds liteDsLiteenixfinal fantasyFinalFantasylitemugmugsnintendonintendo dsNintendoDspotionsquaresquare enixSquareEnixtoysWed, 16 May 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's a Wonderful Music Sampler]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/its-a-wonderful-music-sampler/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/its-a-wonderful-music-sampler/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/its-a-wonderful-music-sampler/#commentsFiled under: ,


Not only did people who went to the Square Enix Party get to try a bunch of new games-- and, well, a bunch of new releases of old games-- but they also got a bounty of free promotional stuff, including the set of CDs seen above. It contains songs from the soundtracks of two Final Fantasy spinoffs for the PSP, and from It's a Wonderful World, which is more in line with our interests.

The CD's have been ripped, and we've got the Wonderful World sampler available for download. It's J-poppy and synthy! Is it ever synthy.

1. Twister

2. Give me all your love

[Thanks, Jamal!]

Continue reading It's a Wonderful Music Sampler

JoystiqIt's a Wonderful Music Sampler originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsds liteDsLiteenixits a wonderful worldItsAWonderfulWorldjpopkonolitemusicnintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnomurarpgsekaisoundtracksquaresquare enixsquare enix partySquareEnixsubarashikiwonderfulwonderful worldWonderfulWorldTue, 15 May 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Would you like to read impressions of the DS Style series?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/would-you-like-to-read-impressions-of-the-ds-style-series/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/would-you-like-to-read-impressions-of-the-ds-style-series/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/14/would-you-like-to-read-impressions-of-the-ds-style-series/#commentsFiled under: ,

Game|Life's Chris Kohler got a chance to "play" with the DS Style collection at the Square Enix Party, and came away with positive impressions of the title we're most interested in: the classical music program which he translates as Would you like to listen to classical music on the Nintendo DS?

The program sounds pretty interesting: it contains 100 pieces of music, a shuffle feature, and information and images related to each piece. It also gives users information about buying the music on CD.

Kohler's impressions of the other titles weren't as positive, but it didn't sound like there was anything wrong with them. He just couldn't summon up the excitement for looking at maps.

JoystiqWould you like to read impressions of the DS Style series? originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsds liteds styleDsLiteDsStyleenixinisnintendonintendo dsNintendoDspartysep07squaresquare enixsquare enix partySquareEnixSquareEnixPartystyleMon, 14 May 2007 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy IV: Vocalist wanted]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/13/final-fantasy-iv-vocalist-wanted/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/13/final-fantasy-iv-vocalist-wanted/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/13/final-fantasy-iv-vocalist-wanted/#commentsFiled under:



The official website for the recently revealed DS remake of Final Fantasy IV is now online. There's the usual logo and intro music by Nobuo Uematsu.

If you're in Japan this summer, you can audition for the chance to sing the game's vocal track. You need to be over eighteen and have a voice that can make a grown man weep like a baby. Any Fanboy readers feel like heading along?

[Thanks, Zshadow; via Exophase]

JoystiqFinal Fantasy IV: Vocalist wanted originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 May 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditiondsenixfinal fantasyFinalFantasyfinalfantasyivnintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnobuo uematsuNobuoUematsusingersongsqaresquare enixSquareEnixvocalistSun, 13 May 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/dragon-quest-super-mario-boy-and-girl-in-itadaki-street-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/dragon-quest-super-mario-boy-and-girl-in-itadaki-street-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/11/dragon-quest-super-mario-boy-and-girl-in-itadaki-street-ds/#commentsFiled under: ,

Itadaki Street DS apparently didn't have enough characters to choose from-- the entire Mario and Dragon Quest casts are just too limiting, you know? Besides, nobody can relate to wacky characters like a plumber and a plumber's brother, who is also a plumber.

Square Enix has nicely included some characters who will do less to draw players' attention away from the serious business of strategic board game play: "Boy" and "Girl." They look just like we would if we were three feet tall and didn't have noses!

We've got some screens of Boy and Girl, and of Itadaki Street in general, after the break. And check the link for character art and a few board layouts.

Continue reading Dragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS

JoystiqDragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 May 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boardboard gameboard gamesBoardGameBoardGamesboydonkey kongDonkeyKongdqdragon questDragonQuestdsds liteDsLiteenixgirlitadakiitadakistreetmarionintendonintendo dsNintendoDssquaresquare enixSquareEnixstreetwarioFri, 11 May 2007 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chocobos Wark onto Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/chocobos-wark-onto-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/chocobos-wark-onto-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/10/chocobos-wark-onto-wii/#commentsFiled under:

Why don't scientists show a little more imagination? Genetically engineered Chocobos would solve most of the world's problems in a stroke. Traffic jams would be a thing of the past and all those cute yellow beasties running around would keep everyone way too happy for war or, y'know, other bad stuff.

It may be some time before this vision becomes a reality, leaving us with Chocobo's Dungeon: Labyrinth of Forgetting, which is heading to Wii in the not-too-distant future. The Chocobo's Dungeon games feature randomly generated levels, making them a little different every time you play. Details on the new title are pretty thin on the ground at the moment; expect more news at the end of the month.

JoystiqChocobos Wark onto Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobochocobo's dungeonchocobo's dungeon: labrynth of forgettingchocobo's dungeon: labyrinth of forgettingChocobo'sDungeonChocobo'sDungeon:LabrynthOfForgettingChocobo'sDungeon:LabyrinthOfForgettingchunsoftdungeonenixfinal fantasyFinalFantasyfndfushigilabrynth of forgettingLabrynthOfForgettinglabyrinthmysterious dungeonMysteriousDungeonsquaresquare-enixThu, 10 May 2007 10:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Get serious with new DS Style screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/09/new-ds-style-series-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/09/new-ds-style-series-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/09/new-ds-style-series-screens/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're expecting a load of news when the Square Enix Party starts. For now, we've got new screens from the DS Style series, which is obviously too serious for parties. Specifically, new screens were released of Flower Blooming DS: Gardening Life, Shall We Listen to Classical Music on the DS?, and three World Walking map programs: Italy, France and Taiwan.

We could kind of see picking up a DS map program instead of a guidebook when we go on vacation, since we tend to take the DS with us anyway. We are definitely feeling a strong urge to buy the classical music "game" as well, since it's being developed by iNiS. Smart move, Squeenix.

Continue reading Get serious with new DS Style screens

JoystiqGet serious with new DS Style screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 May 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classicalclassicalmusicdsds liteds styleDsLitedsstyleenixfrancegardengardeninginisitalylitemapmapsmusicnintendonintendo dsNintendoDsnon-gamenon-gamesnongamenongamessquaresquare enixSquareEnixstyletaiwanwalkingworldwalkingWed, 09 May 2007 11:00:00 EST