Joystiq

Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax review: Impressed for time

JC Fletcher — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST

Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax takes the gameplay of a traditional JRPG, and squeezes it all into 30-second chunks. Inspired by this feat of game design magic, I decided to see if I could fit my whole review into 30 seconds as well.

Gallery: Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax (XBLA)

Continue reading Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax review: Impressed for time

Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax review: Impressed for time originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero XBLA's optional HD look revealed

JC Fletcher — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:30:00 EST

The XBLA version of Half-Minute Hero changes the original beyond cutting it down to all "Hero 30" mode and adding a crazy new name. As revealed in screens on the newly launched website, Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax gives players the option to replace the retro-ish pixelated look with a new high-res style that renders all the characters as adorable, circle-faced sprites. The "classic" look will also be available.

Siliconera reports that there are 62 new missions in the XBLA version, and describes the online mode as a "race against other players to save the world." Like any part of this game isn't a race! Super Mega Neo Climax will be out June 29.

Gallery: Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax (XBLA)

Half-Minute Hero XBLA's optional HD look revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero coming to XBLA as 'Super Mega Neo Climax' edition

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST

Hey, Half-Minute Hero is coming to Xbox Live Arcade! Okay, usually we try to ease you into the subject of our posts a little more gently than that, but we assumed that if you were the type of person to be excited by the announcement that Half-Minute Hero was coming to Xbox Live Arcade, you probably have a pretty short attention span. We've probably already lost you, haven't we? You're not reading this at all. Now we have to start dropping aberrant words until we regain your attention. Bombogenesis. Ronkonkoma. Bumbershoot.

Hey, you're back! Yes, according to a listing from the Australian Classification Board, Marvelous Entertainment is bringing Half-Minute Hero to the XBLA platform, complete with a delightful new subtitle: Super Mega Neo Climax. Short attention span or no, we're going to find it difficult to get this one out of our mind until we get more information. Stay tuned!

[Thanks, Perry!]

Half-Minute Hero coming to XBLA as 'Super Mega Neo Climax' edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hero 30 Second delayed a second time

JC Fletcher — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:40:00 EST

Marvelous has reset its own countdown clock for Hero 30 Second, delaying the PSP sequel's Japanese release from February 10 to an unspecified 2011 release. This follows a delay from November into February. Marvelous cited "various reasons" and offered apologies, but no further explanation. Just before making this dramatic announcement, Marvelous released the trailer you'll find after the break. It's a super-epic boss battle in the series' super-speed style.

Hero 30 Second has yet to be announced for release outside of Japan. The predecessor, Half-Minute Hero, was published in North America by Xseed.

Continue reading Hero 30 Second delayed a second time

Hero 30 Second delayed a second time originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero sequel announced, hitting Japan Nov. 4

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Famitsu recently pulled the lid off of an upcoming sequel to one of last year's ... well, one of last year's weirdest games ever, Half-Minute Hero. According to Andriasang's translation of the reveal, the game will still place a heavy emphasis on hasty adventuring -- though time will now freeze while the player is on the overworld map, giving him or her plenty of time to explore the game's five RPG scenarios.

A four-player co-op mode, a quest creation tool and an "Infinite" mode which tasks you with toppling the game's biggest bosses in succession are also new additions. The best part? The sequel is titled Hero 30 Second, which should ensure no small amount of confusion amongst future video game historians. According to Famitsu, the game's tentatively dated in Japan for November 4, and is currently 77 percent complete, which is just mind-boggling in its specificity.

Half-Minute Hero sequel announced, hitting Japan Nov. 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jikan de Fantasia lets you play as a more-than-Half-Minute Hero

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:10:00 EST

It appears Jikan de Fantasia, a new RPG hitting PSP this summer in Japan, is taking some heavy inspiration from Half-Minute Hero. Makes sense, considering this new adventure is from Opus Studio, the same team responsible for Marvelous's quirky action RPG. Like its predecessor, Jikan de Fantasia blends hack 'n slash RPG gameplay with a time-bending twist. However, instead of condensing an RPG to thirty seconds, you can set the amount of time you want to spend. Have only five minutes on the subway? Have a thirty minute bus commute? You'll be able to set your own time limit, and the game will create an adventure that fits your schedule.

According to Famitsu, Jikan de Fantasia deconstructs the core mechanics of an RPG, from leaving your hometown, meeting NPCs, and exploring dungeons to fighting a final boss, and reassembles them to create an experience that fits the time you want. For those that found the thirty second gameplay of Opus's last adventure a bit too manic, this experience should be far more compelling.

Jikan de Fantasia lets you play as a more-than-Half-Minute Hero originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Play a Half-Minute Hero demo for a few minutes next week

David Hinkle — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:45:00 EST

If the thought of buying before trying seems as alien as making a sandwich out of textbooks and old toilet paper tubes, then you'll want to keep reading: Rising Star has announced that a demo of Half-Minute Hero will hit the EU PSN next week. Dubbed "Hero Mode," the demo will allow players to select between three missions included in the final game.

Half-Minute Hero features a series of quick challenges blending together a menagerie of genres, such as RPG, RTS and even shoot-em-ups. It's currently set to release in Europe on February 12.

[Via Videogamer]

Play a Half-Minute Hero demo for a few minutes next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero finds time for Europe

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:15:00 EST

If you've been following Joystiq, you should be familiar with Half-Minute Hero, the zany RPG in which the apocalypse threatens to arrive every thirty seconds. Rising Star Games is taking care of the European release of the game, which will be readied on February 12th, 2010.

A press release describes Half-Minute Hero as a "love-letter to 8-bit classics," thanks to its retro ~~inspired~~ graphics. Disturbingly, Rising Star Games' Martin Defries says "it's a game which keeps on giving - but like an inexperienced teenager: 30 seconds at a time." We're not entirely sure what that's supposed to mean, but we would advise not keeping your kids around this guy.

Half-Minute Hero finds time for Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marvelous lost money on most of its Wii releases

JC Fletcher — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST

Pretty much everyone can guess why No More Heroes is being released again -- Marvelous needs money. During a Q&A presentation (PDF link, Japanese) about its fiscal Q2 2010 earnings, Marvelous boldly revealed that three out of its four 2009 Wii releases lost money, though it didn't say which was the winner.

Muramasa sold 47,000 units in Japan, the company said, not specifying American sales. Arc Rise Fantasia, which will be published Stateside by Ignition, sold 45,000 copies. Little King's Story sold 26,000 copies in Japan, 37,000 copies in North America, and 67,000 in Europe. Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga, which came out in September in North America, sold just 16,000 copies (Japanese sales, which started in October, are not mentioned). Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility on Wii somehow sold 57,000 units in 2009 despite being a 2007 release in Japan, a 2008 release in America, and not out until October in Europe and Australia.

Because of lower development costs, Marvelous said, PSP software was more successful, with four out of five releases making money on similar sales numbers. Half-Minute Hero was Marvelous's overall best-performing title, at 70,000 copies sold.

[Via Siliconera]

Marvelous lost money on most of its Wii releases originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One-day sale on Half-Minute Hero

JC Fletcher — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST

XSEED's Half-Minute Hero is all about compressing game genres, including RPG, RTS, and shmups, down into 30-second increments. So it's only appropriate that a price drop on the game is also under a strict time limit, as it is with this Amazon Deal of the Day. For today only (or until Amazon runs out), the game is marked down to $18.98.

Sure, it would be even more appropriate if the sale only lasted half a minute, but then we wouldn't have time to write this post about it and tell you. Our post would look more like this: "hey guys haflmintue hero on sale cheap amazonlike 19 bucks"

One-day sale on Half-Minute Hero originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rising Star's Q1 lineup for Europe includes Fragile, Way of the Samurai 3

JC Fletcher — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Rising Star Games has announced a European release for Fragile (as Fragile Dreams), Namco Bandai's action-adventure game about exploring a haunted, post-disaster Japan, in March 2010. That's around the same time XSEED plans to bring the Namco Bandai title to North America.

Also in March, the publisher will release Rune Factory Frontier on Wii, and Avalon Code and My World My Way on DS. Before that, in February, Rising Star will release Half-Minute Hero on PSP, and, through "affiliate label" Gamebridge, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Way of the Samurai 3. We've got Rising Star's full lineup listed after the break.

Continue reading Rising Star's Q1 lineup for Europe includes Fragile, Way of the Samurai 3

Rising Star's Q1 lineup for Europe includes Fragile, Way of the Samurai 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero can't rescue Quebec

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

If you're looking for a UMD version of Half-Minute Hero in Quebec, stop trying. A Destructoid reader looking for the game was surprised it had skipped a release altogether in the Canadian province -- and it's all thanks to the law. "Canadian distribution is always tricky because of the bilingual law that Quebec enforces, so for titles with limited distribution we do not create a second bilingual version specifically for Canada because it's too expensive. Unfortunately, that's what happened to Half-Minute Hero," an XSEED representative stated.

Thankfully, digital distribution offers a workaround. PlayStation Network appears to be exempt from Quebec's bilingual laws, so a simple visit to the PlayStation Store is all it takes to bypass the French language police.

Half-Minute Hero can't rescue Quebec originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spend a few minutes with this Half-Minute Hero trailer

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST

Okay, Half-Minute Hero is finally seeing release. In addition to launching an official site for the game, XSEED has released one last trailer for the game that gives you a good overview of all the wackiness you can expect from the game. Does it look familiar? Yeah, but now this one's in English, a language commonly used by Joystiq writers and readers.

Half-Minute Hero hits UMD next week, and PSN a week thereafter.

Spend a few minutes with this Half-Minute Hero trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero rushes to UMD on October 13, PSN one week later

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST

Okay, so it's pretty clear all of us are going to buy Half-Minute Hero. The only questions left are: when? And how? XSEED's bringing the clever micro-RPG game to retail stores on October 13, with a digital PSN release to follow one week later on October 22. "Timing is just off for whatever reason," we were told by a PR representative.

Half-Minute Hero's bite-sized gameplay makes it an ideal game to throw on your Memory Stick. But, will gamers have the patience to wait an entire week for the PSN version? By our calculations, you could play Half-Minute Hero over 25,000 times on UMD before the PSN version comes out!

Half-Minute Hero rushes to UMD on October 13, PSN one week later originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Half-Minute Hero demo coming tomorrow

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST

If you read the headline carefully enough, you'll notice that there is more than one demo coming out for the upcoming PSP Half-Minute Hero. However, the first demo will be available on the PlayStation Store tomorrow. It's quite possibly the zaniest game to hit the platform in a long time, forcing players to vanquish evil in 30 second bursts (seriously!). Hero mode is just one of four different modes hidden in the full game.

It's hard to effectively describe the frantic gameplay through words. Thankfully, you can completely ignore our opinions and just give the demo a spin.

First Half-Minute Hero demo coming tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero may be PSN exclusive, demo coming in August

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

There were three letters that went through our heads when we played XSEED's English adaptation of the upcoming Half-Minute Hero. For those not in the know, the PSP-exclusive "RPG" has a clever twist: the gameplay occurs in frantic thirty second chunks. (For detailed impressions, read our hands-on here.) The English demo we played retained the same action and charm as the Japanese original -- only this time, we could understand what was going on.

Certainly, Half-Minute Hero has a niche appeal. However, anyone who tries it out should be able to understand what makes the game so brilliant by giving it a try. We were told by an XSEED representative that a downloadable demo is planned, and that it should be available some time next month. The demo will feature two stages from the "Hero 30" mode, where you have 30 seconds to level up and destroy a wizard that threatens to destroy the world.

Those expecting a UMD version of Half-Minute Hero may be disappointed to know that XSEED is looking into making the game a PlayStation Network exclusive. Games like Patapon 2 and Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman! both skipped the UMD format. A game that's as pick-up-and-play as Half-Minute Hero does seem ideally suited for PSN distribution.

Continue reading Half-Minute Hero may be PSN exclusive, demo coming in August

Half-Minute Hero may be PSN exclusive, demo coming in August originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half-Minute Hero was based off a side project Flash game

Majed Athab — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST

Half-Minute Hero wasn't always meant to be a commercial title; it was originally just an ordinary flash game until producer Kenichiro Takaki saw its potential. Takaki, along with the game's director Kotaro Yoshida, explained in the latest issue of Famitsu PSP+PS3 (via PSP Hyper) that Half-Minute Hero was inspired by some of Yoshida's work he had done during his spare time, specifically a Flash game that only took him a day to make.

Takaki was amused with the concept and pitched the idea of making a retro game for PSP, liking the fast-paced gameplay and old-school art style most of all. From there, the rest was history. If you've yet to see Half-Minute Hero, be sure to check out our gameplay clips. We instantly fell in love with it and we think you just might, too.

Half-Minute Hero was based off a side project Flash game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XSeed brings localized Half-Minute Hero, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony to E3

Majed Athab — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:00:00 EST

XSeed just announced its E3 line-up, which includes two PSP games we've heard about before: Half-Minute Hero and Lunar: Silver Star Harmony. You might remember Half-minute Hero as Hero for 30sec (the new name sounds so much better), which was that bizarre micro-RPG we've been drooling over for the past couple of months. As for Lunar: Harmony, it's a remake of the original Lunar game from Sega CD.

Both games were previously Japan-only titles but are now coming to North America. Expect both to arrive sometime in the fall.

XSeed brings localized Half-Minute Hero, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony to E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Being a 30 second hero ain't easy

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST

Yuusha 30 looks to be quite a remarkable game. This action RPG has a rather unique twist: you have 30 seconds to do everything. Having so little time in an ever-present countdown really transforms the genre. Seeing our hero scuttle around trying to fight monsters, level up and find towns in 30 second increments is quite amusing -- we're sure with a PSP in our hands, we'd be sweating at the game's relentlessly chaotic pace.

See gameplay footage after the break.

Continue reading Being a 30 second hero ain't easy

Being a 30 second hero ain't easy originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq hands-on: Hero for 30sec

Majed Athab — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST

Ever heard of 15 minutes of fame? Sure you have. But what about 30 seconds of being a hero? We've reported a bit on this oddly-named RPG known as Hero for 30sec (Yuusha 30), but its unique concept on short bursts of gameplay had left us baffled. How does this work? How does this translate into an engaging RPG experience? These were questions we've been wondering for quite some time now.

However, after having played it for ourselves this afternoon, we finally understand what the game is trying to achieve. Or, should we say, what one-fourth of the game is trying to achieve as Hero 30 still contains three other heroes and individual play-styles. The overall experience of the demo we've tried out is a refreshing, fast-paced take on the traditional J-RPG genre. If you like RPG exploration, but want to cut out the fat of boring random encounters and grinding, then this game might be for you.

Continue reading Joystiq hands-on: Hero for 30sec

Joystiq hands-on: Hero for 30sec originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yuusha 30: Meet the 30sec squad

Xav de Matos — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST

In Yuusha 30 -- a.k.a. Hero for 30sec -- players take on the role of four heroes, each with their own minigame based on distinctive genres: role-playing, action, shooting and real-time strategy. Developer Marvelous Entertainment hopes to pull players into the experience with short bursts of 30-second gaming.

Beyond the description in an old issue of Famitsu and this teaser trailer, the rest of Hero for 30sec is a mystery. But we should expect to see more of this PSP title soon, as it hits stores in Japan this May. Meet the squad after the break.

Continue reading Yuusha 30: Meet the 30sec squad

Yuusha 30: Meet the 30sec squad originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New RPG Yuusha 30 gives only 30 seconds of play time ...

Majed Athab — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

That's really 30 seconds of play time allotted to clearing a particular game mode. You see Yuusha 30 (not to be confused with Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida) from Marvelous is a "new vibe RPG" according to the leaked pages of Famitsu due out later this week. It has four game modes which revolve around 30 seconds of microburst gameplay. Though it's not entirely clear, we'd assume each mode would have multiple "levels" of these 30-second trysts because a two-minute game just doesn't sound all too enticing ... or is it?

Each mode will focus on different characters and will have unique gameplay. This includes a princess in a shooter, a fighter in a side-scrolling action title, a "devil king" in a strategy game and finally a knight in some regular action. What any of this has to do with one another and exactly how does this "new vibe" and 30 seconds of gameplay jive are all beyond us at the moment. Perhaps we'll know more once the new issue actually hits stores.

New RPG Yuusha 30 gives only 30 seconds of play time ... originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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