Joystiq

Project X Zone crosses over into the US June 25

David Hinkle — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:59:00 EST

It appears that Namco Bandai has sneakily revealed a June 25 North America launch date for its crossover game with Sega and Capcom, Project X Zone. The date comes from Namco Bandai's official site, though the publisher has yet to issue an announcement or respond to our inquiries for confirmation on the release.

Project X Zone is a strategy RPG for the 3DS co-developed by Monolith Soft and Banpresto, in which over 200 well-known faces from Namco Bandai, Sega and Capcom wage combat utilizing a custom "Cross Active Battle System" to chain together custom crossover combos. Project X Zone was originally announced for Japan, but Namco Bandai committed to localization for US and Europe earlier this year.

Gallery: Project X Zone

Project X Zone crosses over into the US June 25 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo reveals new Monolith Soft game for Wii U, looks like Xenoblade

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:12:00 EST

Nintendo has announced a new game from Monolith Soft, developer of Xenoblade Chronicles. A new trailer shows off gameplay and graphics reminiscent of Xenoblade Chronicles, complete with grand, sweeping environments and massive monsters. The game will be directed by Tetsuya Takahashi and will feature music by Hiroyuki Sawano.

The game has no title at the moment, though a large red X is displayed at the end of the trailer, indicating it probably fits in the "Xeno" series in one way or another.

Nintendo reveals new Monolith Soft game for Wii U, looks like Xenoblade originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade developer working on new project for Wii U

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:30:00 EST

Monolith Soft, the developer behind Xenoblade Chronicles, is quietly building something for Wii U. The above screenshot was snagged during the Japanese Nintendo Direct Wii U conference, thanks to Siliconera.

Monolith Soft president Tetsuya Takahashi and the Xenoblade team are creating a new IP for the Wii U, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said.

Xenoblade developer working on new project for Wii U originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Project X Zone has more than 200 characters

Mike Suszek — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST

The Capcom, Sega, and Namco 3DS crossover game Project X Zone will feature over 200 characters, according to a post on the game's official blog, as translated by Andriasang. This number refers to a combination of allies and enemies, and doesn't account for event scene-only characters, all of which will reportedly come from franchises spanning the three brands.

Project X Zone is being developed by Nintendo-owned Monolith Soft, which created the spiritual precursor to the game for PS2, Namco X Capcom.

Project X Zone has more than 200 characters originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles dev Monolith Soft creating Project X Zone

JC Fletcher — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:00 EST

Add a fourth company to the group contributing to Project X Zone - Nintendo. At least, it's a Nintendo-owned developer creating the 3DS Capcom/Namco/Sega crossover SRPG. Monolith Soft, most recently known for Xenoblade Chronicles, is developing the new game, Famitsu has revealed (via Andriasang).

It makes sense given Monolith's history - it developed Namco X Capcom, a similar crossover game for PS2. What doesn't make sense, at least at face value, is a Nintendo-owned company making a game about three other companies' characters.

Xenoblade Chronicles dev Monolith Soft creating Project X Zone originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Xenoblade Chronicles represents the past, present, and future of Japanese gaming

Kat Bailey — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:45:00 EST

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.

If you want to know where Xenoblade Chronicles came from, you need only look toward two sources. There's Monster Hunter, which is the inspiration for seemingly every modern JRPG from Dragon Quest IX to more blatant knockoffs like God Eater. And there are MMORPGs, which have come to exercise a great deal of influence over Japanese gaming culture as a whole.

Xenoblade Chronicles, and Monster Hunter too, are like this for a reason. Work and school start early and end late in Japan, and any time at home is usually either devoted to the family, or sleeping. Many gamers have migrated to manga cafes, which have been dominated by MMORPGs like Lineage for about a decade now. MMOs have in turn influenced loot-centric cooperative handheld games like Monster Hunter, which serve as the other alternative for busy students and salarymen.

This trend presents a dilemma for Japanese developers. Japan simply can't get enough Monster Hunter and its ilk, which is all the more reason for developers to keep cranking them out. Global audiences, however, have been slow to embrace co-op RPGs. That's where Xenoblade Chronicles comes in - an RPG with all the trappings of an MMO or a Monster Hunter, but wrapped in a traditional, single-player JRPG.

Gallery: Xenoblade Chronicles

Continue reading Why Xenoblade Chronicles represents the past, present, and future of Japanese gaming

Why Xenoblade Chronicles represents the past, present, and future of Japanese gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles available on GameFly

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:30:00 EST

Xenoblade Chronicles is available for rent on Gamefly, a reader informs Joystiq. We checked and, sure enough, it's there. "But it's supposed to be exclusive to the Nintendo Store and GameStop!" you say. To that ... well, we don't really have a snappy retort because we're just as flummoxed as everyone else. Whatever the cause, it seems being able to rent the game has created an exception.

Regardless, if you don't feel like paying a premium to try out the excellent RPG, and you happen to have a GameFly account, give it a rent. As of this writing, Xenoblade Chronicles is listed as "available now."

[Thanks, Matthew!]

Xenoblade Chronicles available on GameFly originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles review: A cut above

Heidi Kemps — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

I'll confess, I wasn't terribly excited for Xenoblade Chronicles at first. My experience with other "Xeno" titles (Xenogears, Xenosaga) could perhaps best be described as contemptuous. To me, those titles paraded the worst elements of Japanese role-playing games in front of a spotlight, gleefully showcasing the genre's biggest flaws to the world for excruciatingly painful stretches. Going into the nitty-gritty of why I find those games awful is another article entirely, but suffice it to say that another Xeno-game wasn't exactly high on my want-to-play list -- until I started hearing nothing but praise for Xenoblade from like-minded JRPG genre fans. Imagine my surprise at popping the disc into my Wii to discover a game nothing like Xenos past -- a game that, instead of stubbornly shoving the worst parts of JRPGs in your face, makes substantial advancements to the genre.

Gallery: Xenoblade Chronicles

Continue reading Xenoblade Chronicles review: A cut above

Xenoblade Chronicles review: A cut above originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles director naturally influenced by Western design; details changes for NA/EU version

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST

Xenoblade Chronicles executive director Tetsuya Takahashi should probably have a lot to say given his latest project's tumultuous journey to worldwide launch, but his extremely concise interview answers to us indicate otherwise. When we asked Takahashi how Xenoblade Chronicles' development scaled comparatively with past projects, he simply told us, "There's no doubt that the scale of this project was large compared to past projects." O ... okay then!

He got a bit more verbose on other subjects, however. How different is the NA/EU version of Xenoblade Chronicles from the original Japanese release last year, for instance? "We made some minor bug adjustments and revised some of the written content for localization. There were also some places where we made minor adjustments to the game balance, but none of the changes resulted in significant differences from the original (Japanese) version," Takahashi said.

Takahashi also spoke to his approach to development of modern RPGs. "I like Western game design a lot, so there were places where I referred to it without thinking about it." But that's not to say Xenoblade Chronicles is a product of a Japanese dev looking solely at Western design philosophy. "Xenoblade is not just influenced by Western game design; it has also undeniably inherited the DNA of Japanese RPGs." Find out for yourself just how that plays out when Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on US retail shelves tomorrow.

Xenoblade Chronicles director naturally influenced by Western design; details changes for NA/EU version originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on April 6 wrapped in this gorgeous box art

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:32:00 EST

According to Nintendo of America head Reggie Fils-Aime himself, Xenoblade Chronicles will finally arrive in North America on April 6. Wait, but didn't that game already come out, like, two other times? Yes, friend, it totally did. First, in Japan on June 10, 2010 as just "Xenoblade," then in Europe once more on August 19, 2011 with its current name. The April 6, 2012 North American launch will mark its third such launch. But hey, check out that incredible box art!

The game's tumultuous journey from Japanese exclusivity to worldwide release has been a point of contention for classic console JRPG fans. After a group formed online named "Operation Rainfall," various loud messages were voiced to Nintendo about a trio of JRPGs that were at the time unannounced for North America (The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Pandora's Tower). All three titles have since been announced for release (or released) in other regions, though Pandora's Tower is still not planned for a US release.

Of course, you could've been playing Xenoblade Chronicles all along by using our handy guide to making the EU version work on your North American Wii. But then you already knew that, right?

Xenoblade Chronicles arrives on April 6 wrapped in this gorgeous box art originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Xenoblade Chronicles trailer shows off combat and menus

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST

Xenoblade Chronicles is still on track for its April 2012 release in North America, proving that there's nothing in this world that you can't do. This latest trailer from Nintendo and Monolith Soft shows off the game's combat, crafting and weapons systems, as well as some very large robot swords.

New Xenoblade Chronicles trailer shows off combat and menus originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles arrives in the US in 'April 2012' [update]

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:23:00 EST

After this morning's accidental retail reveal of Xenoblade Chronicles coming to North America, Nintendo has made the game's launch official, pinning an "April 2012" release date to the much hyped Wii RPG. Nintendo teased the reveal earlier today with a new gallery of Xenoblade artwork that mysteriously popped up on Facebook, though at the time there was no news attached to said tease.

Despite Nintendo not giving a date to the game, this morning's image indicated an April 3 launch. GameStop's website, however, reflects an April 2 date, post-official announce. We're just gonna go with "early April" for now.

So, after this, now all the Operation Rainfall folks need to do is get those other two Wii RPGs to come out in the US, and we'll be all set! We'll get right back to helping with that just as soon as we get through Skyward Sword and Xenoblade Chronicles. In, like, 120 hours, give or take.

Update: According to the official PR that Nintendo of America just sent out, the game will be sold exclusively through GameStop retail outlets and Nintendo.com's website for $49.99.

Xenoblade Chronicles arrives in the US in 'April 2012' [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles headed to North America on April 3, 2012 [update: it's true!]

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:29:00 EST

Update: Nintendo of America has since confirmed that the game is in fact coming to North America in April 2012, though the company did not give out a specific launch date.

Despite Nintendo's many attempts to dissuade your unshakeable confidence that, yes, eventually, Xenoblade Chronicles would arrive on North American Nintendo Wiis, it seems strong will may pay off. An image posted on gaming forum Neogaf shows what appears to be a listing from GameStop's internal point of sale system with an April 3, 2012 launch date attached.

Strangely -- and further confirming the listing's legitimacy -- is a little note next to the listing which says it'll be, "GS [GameStop] Exclusive." Could the game be arriving only at GameStop locations in North America and eschewing other retailers? Is this just a retailer-specific version? It's unfortunately unclear. More bizarrely, Nintendo's Facebook account seems to be hinting at a forthcoming announcement, with the sudden addition of new artwork from the game.

Much ballyhoo was made earlier this year by Wii-owning RPG enthusiasts when Nintendo of America initially indicated the title wouldn't be released in North America, eventually inciting a series of events ("Project Rainfall") meant to get NoA's attention about the outcry. The other two games that fans requested from Nintendo in that campaign, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower, remain without launch windows in North America.

We've contacted Nintendo and GameStop for comment, but expect we won't hear anything until one of the two decides to make this listing more official.

[Image credit: Neogaf]

Xenoblade Chronicles headed to North America on April 3, 2012 [update: it's true!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to play Xenoblade Chronicles if you live in America

Jason Schreier — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

We American RPG fans can do nothing but grit our teeth this week as we watch Europeans tear open their brand new copies of Xenoblade Chronicles, which Nintendo released for Wii in PAL territories today.

The Japanese role-playing game has received impressive critical acclaim in the European press, garnering a solid 91 on Metacritic. This should be fantastic for everyone involved -- except Nintendo won't bring it to America.

Despite outcries from both fans and media -- and the Wii's dismal software lineup for 2011 -- Nintendo of America has remained stubborn, insisting that it has "no plans" to release Xenoblade in the United States. The same goes for The Last Story and Pandora's Tower, two other hardcore Wii titles that have both been lined up for Europe. By the way, we reached out to Nintendo of America once more, who had no comment as of publishing time.

Xenoblade, developed by the minds at Monolith Soft (also responsible for Xenogears and the Xenosaga trilogy), may join the ranks of Mother 3, The Last Window and Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland as a game that Nintendo refuses to bring here no matter what anyone says. But don't worry, Yanks. There are other options out there.

Since the game is available in English, all you have to do is get your hands on a European copy. Problem is, Nintendo region-locked the Wii. If you have an American Wii, you can only use it to play American games -- until you hack it.

It should be noted (and we can't stress this enough) that you should not use your hacked Wii to illegally download or pirate games. That said, we want everyone to be able to play fantastic games like Xenoblade, no matter where they live. So here's how you can import European Wii games and play them on your American Wii.

Continue reading How to play Xenoblade Chronicles if you live in America

How to play Xenoblade Chronicles if you live in America originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reggie: NOA 'watching' Xenoblade performance in Europe

JC Fletcher — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Nintendo of America, the last we heard, had "no plans" to localize Xenoblade or any of the other titles for which "Operation Rainfall" is campaigning. But plans, or lack thereof, can always change in the face of enough money.

NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime told IGN that the company would be paying attention to next week's European launch of Xenoblade Chronicles. "We will be watching very closely what happens in Europe," he said. "Certainly if there are business opportunities and positive consumer uptake from some of those titles, that will be great data for us to consider as we look at what to do with these titles."

That's certainly not a confirmation of a North American release, but neither is it the sort of stubborn denial we've come to expect regarding these games. So that's something. If you want the opportunity to buy a copy of Xenoblade Chronicles, go buy a copy of Xenoblade Chronicles ... from Europe!

Reggie: NOA 'watching' Xenoblade performance in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles' European release bumped up to Aug. 19

JC Fletcher — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:55:00 EST

Nintendo of Europe is taking full advantage of the goodwill it's earning with the localization of Xenoblade Chronicles. Nintendo has bumped up the European release date for Monolith Soft's Wii RPG from September 2 to August 19. It will still be available in either a standard edition or a special edition with a red Classic Controller Pro. In addition, the pre-order-exclusive special edition bundle will come with three posters.

Nintendo of America's last word to date on the matter was that there were "no plans" for Xenoblade or the two other games on which the "Operation Rainfall" campaign is focused.

Xenoblade Chronicles' European release bumped up to Aug. 19 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles gets European special edition, very European localization

JC Fletcher — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

While American fans are doing their best to fume productively about the localization prospects for Xenoblade Chronicles, Nintendo continues working on the European localization. And Nintendo is really hammering home the fact that it's a European localization. A video clip from a recently posted Iwata Asks interview reveals a surprising amount of Britishness in the voice acting. See the clip in question after the break, and find lots more in the interview itself.

An announcement on Nintendo of Germany's site reveals that not only is Xenoblade being released in Europe on September 2, it's being released in a limited edition with a red Classic Controller Pro. That's like twisting the Xenoblade in the backs of already irritated Americans.

Continue reading Xenoblade Chronicles gets European special edition, very European localization

Xenoblade Chronicles gets European special edition, very European localization originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade dev Monolithsoft recruiting for Wii U game

JC Fletcher — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST

Nintendo-owned developer Monolithsoft (who made the Xenosaga and Baten Kaitos games before it was purchased) announced today that it's looking to hire new staff to work on its latest project -- a Wii U game. The studio is looking for programmers, planners, CG artists, 2D designers, effects designers, and more. In other words, it's looking to build its roster significantly for this project, which suggests a big one.

Of course, the last three games Monolith made for Nintendo were Xenoblade, Disaster: Day of Crisis, and Soma Bringer, so we're already pessimistic about the American localization prospects of this unreleased, undeveloped game.

Xenoblade dev Monolithsoft recruiting for Wii U game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monolith Soft's Wii RPG Xenoblade localized this year -- for Europe

JC Fletcher — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST

Nintendo has just revealed a European localization for Monolith Soft's Wii RPG Xenoblade. A UK teaser site has just gone up for what is now called Xenoblade Chronicles, featuring (strangely) an untranslated trailer. What that trailer lacks in English text, it makes up for in imagery of impressive locales and big monsters, reminding us why we've been eager to hear news about this game for so long.

A press release was posted on the Nintendo Europe sites, and then removed, but not before NeoGAF user Vinterbird could capture it. According to the release, the game will be out in Europe this year, and will offer both English and Japanese voice options.

We hope this European announcement is the harbinger of a wider worldwide release, and that this isn't another Disaster: Day of Crisis situation in which an anticipated Monolith Soft-developed Wii game goes to Europe and stays there.

Continue reading Monolith Soft's Wii RPG Xenoblade localized this year -- for Europe

Monolith Soft's Wii RPG Xenoblade localized this year -- for Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Catch up on Xenoblade with new trailer

JC Fletcher — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:50:00 EST

In case you haven't been following Monolith Soft's Wii RPG Xenoblade, the strikingly comprehensive NIntendo Channel trailer after the break should help get you up to speed before E3, during which we suspect the game will appear again.

Despite the language barrier, you'll be able to see the setting (a world built on the bodies of two dead giants), the battle system (action-RPG style with AI partners and player-controlled special moves called "Arts"), and a bit about equipment (that can be seen on characters in both gameplay and cutscenes). Also, you can't miss the Xenoblade itself, a weird-looking sword thing that is capable of cutting mechs in half ... and also seeing the future.

For even more Xenoblade info, check the official site (via Andriasang), which details an achievement-like system, as well as a system through which you develop bonds with other characters.

Continue reading Catch up on Xenoblade with new trailer

Catch up on Xenoblade with new trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 May 2010 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See the future in Xenoblade's battles

JC Fletcher — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:15:00 EST

Monolith Soft's Xenoblade remains something of a mystery, even one month before its Japanese release. A new trailer (after the break) and new screens, analyzed by IGN, shed some light on the way battles play out in the RPG -- and it's nothing like Xenogears or Xenosaga.

Monolith took the Final Fantasy XII/White Knight Chronicles route with this game: real-time movement combined with time-constrained attacks. Your party is controlled by AI, as are your character's basic attacks. You affect the flow of battle by using your character's special attacks. You can also use the Monado sword's "vision" ability to see a few seconds into the future and anticipate enemy attacks.

Xenoblade will be released in Japan on June 10. Prospects for a North American release are unclear.

[Via N-Europe]

Continue reading See the future in Xenoblade's battles

See the future in Xenoblade's battles originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 May 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade arrives in Japan this June

JC Fletcher — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:29:00 EST

We know very little about Monolith Soft's upcoming RPG Xenoblade. It takes place in a world built on top of dead giants, and it involves a battle between humans and robots. One of the few things we now know is the Japanese release date, June 10. The close proximity of the release date makes the mysterious nature of the game all the more notable!

Clearing up almost nothing at all is a series of two trailers released by Nintendo and available on the site (and after the break). The first trailer shows the dramatic battle between the two land-mass-size giants, and the second shows ... what appears to be the main characters just hanging out?

[Via Siliconera]

Continue reading Xenoblade arrives in Japan this June

Xenoblade arrives in Japan this June originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Xenoblade trailer has big swords, big battles

Mike Schramm — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 06:00:00 EST

Xenoblade is a game that's had a very confused past -- it was originally called Monado: Beginning of the World, and then was rumored to have something to do with the old Xenosaga series (though apparently that's not true, even if both games were created by Monolith Soft). Nintendo's not even sure if it'll see release in the United States, and, unfortunately, this Japanese trailer (posted on Nintendo Japan's YouTube account and after the break on this post) doesn't do much to clear up any questions.

But it does have a couple of gigantic somethings (robots? aliens? xenomorphs?) dueling it out, as well as some screaming dude with lasers and a pretty impressive battle scene full of hacking and slashing and all of the other fun things you can do with a great big blade. A big Xenoblade, in fact. We still don't quite know what this game is or how it might be released. But we do kind of want it just a little bit more.

[Via Siliconera]

Continue reading New Xenoblade trailer has big swords, big battles

New Xenoblade trailer has big swords, big battles originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's 'The Last Story' is new Mistwalker RPG; Xenoblade is Monado

JC Fletcher — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:44:00 EST

We didn't have to wait long to find out about Nintendo's two mystery Wii games. Xenoblade, as we guessed before, is the new name for Monado: Beginning of the World, the RPG by Monolith Soft, creators of Xenosaga. Nintendo has launched a site for the title, featuring little more than music and a bit of artwork for now. More of the game, as Monado, can be seen in last year's E3 trailer and screens.

Additionally, The Last Story is a new RPG for Wii being developed by Nintendo and Blue Dragon's Mistwalker. According to Andriasang's translation of a statement from an investor meeting, the game is an attempt at a "new form of RPG." The last time Nintendo worked with Mistwalker, the result was Archaic Sealed Heat, which Nintendo didn't bother to localize for North America.

Finally, a Metroid: Other M teaser site has also been newly launched. It doesn't really reveal anything about the game, other than confirming its summer 2010 release in Japan. Interestingly, the game doesn't appear to use the traditional Metroid logo, opting for something much plainer.

[Via Andriasang: The Last Story; Xenoblade; Metroid]

Source - The Last Story teaser site
Source - Xenoblade teaser site
Source - Metroid: Other M teaser site

Nintendo's 'The Last Story' is new Mistwalker RPG; Xenoblade is Monado originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo report hints at new Wii titles, Other M release

Mike Schramm — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:15:00 EST

Nintendo is one of a few companies to release its earnings report earlier this week, and a supplemental report released today has some surprises and new information for Wii owners. Not only does it finally list a target date for Metroid: Other M (you can expect it as soon as summer of this year if all goes according to plan), but there are two brand new names in the list as well: Xenoblade and The Last Story. Xenoblade is listed for a Spring 2010 release, so we should be hearing about that one soon, and The Last Story is listed for sometime this year, with both slated for release on the Wii in Japan. There's reason to believe these are just new names, as both Monado: Beginning of the World and Cosmic Walker are missing from the report, and Monado was being developed by Monolith Soft, known most notably for another Xeno- title you may have heard of. But Monado is still listed for a release in the US this year, so who knows?

Other than that, the report lists some titles we expected to see soon: A new Kirby Super Star title, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the Wii's Legend of Zelda, Golden Sun for DS, and a few other releases scheduled in 2010. Full list of Japanese Wii releases is after the break.

Continue reading Nintendo report hints at new Wii titles, Other M release

Nintendo report hints at new Wii titles, Other M release originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo sneaks out Monado: Beginning of the World trailer

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:00:00 EST

You remember watching the Nintendo E3 keynote liveblog just last week and seeing the huge reveal of Monado: Beginning of the World, right? And then Ms. Dunaway returned to the stage, clad in JRPG couture, ready to challenge Reggie Fils-Aime to a turn-based battle. It all seemed like a dream.

Oh wait ... none of that happened! So what if we just passed out during the keynote and dreamt it all? But we did wake up with that gunblade in our hands, so, maybe not? It remains a mystery. Nintendo did, however, drop a trailer and artwork for the game soon after its presser had concluded which we're presenting to you here. Get your world beginning on, in trailer form, just above.

Gallery: Monado: Beginning of the World

Nintendo sneaks out Monado: Beginning of the World trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atlus lasciviously announces Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier

JC Fletcher — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

As we followed the Japanese version of Infinite Frontier Super Robot Taisen OG Saga, we found ourselves in awe of the lavishly animated battle sequences. But another visual element was prominent in screens of the RPG -- and by "prominent" we mean "spilling out". Somehow, developer Monolith Soft had managed to fill a game about robots with busty girls. The inclusion of KOS-MOS from Monolith's Xenosaga acted as sort of a bridge between the two groups; after all, she is both busty and a robot.

Atlus has officially announced a US release for the RPG (surprise!), a more traditional role-playing spinoff of the Super Robot Taisen tactical RPG series. In its riotously funny press release, the company promised a "stacked action RPG" with "so much game ... you may just get lower back pain from the effort!"

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga Endless Frontier comes out April 28th. Like Legacy of Ys, every copy will be a boxed edition with a bundled soundtrack CD.

Atlus lasciviously announces Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Warm Up: Disaster planning

JC Fletcher — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Wii Warm Up

After delays and uncertainty, Disaster: Day of Crisis finally came out in Europe and Japan -- and pretty much bombed. New information suggests that Disaster may be planned for a North American release (although we suspect it's more that said release was planned years ago when the game was first unveiled, and just has yet to be cancelled).

But should it? Do you think the game has a better chance here than in other regions? Would you have any expectation of sales, especially given Reggie's low confidence (and thus low likelihood of promotion)? Personally, we want to play it and we don't much care if Nintendo of America profits on it or not. They've got enough money, but we don't have enough copies of Disaster. Feel free to speak from the position of "armchair business analyst" or "person who wants to play a game"!

Wii Warm Up: Disaster planning originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alternate ending suggests potential Disaster sequel [update]

JC Fletcher — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Imports, Video

[Update: Thanks to some of our commenters, we now have a better idea what's going on here. This is the introduction to an unlockable shooting minigame, rather than an unused ending. So instead of a lead-in to a sequel that won't happen, it's just a video from a game whose sequel won't happen.]

WARNING: If you don't want to spoil the incredibly obvious storyIine of Disaster: Day of Crisis, do not watch this video. We've put it after the break in case you don't want the game's epic plot ruined by even one preview frame.

It seems that Nintendo and Monolith Soft may have seen sequels in Disaster: Day of Crisis's future. Unfortunately, they didn't foresee the biggest disaster of all -- the release of Disaster: Day of Crisis, which turned out to be a powerful bomb capable of creating a sales vacuum.

Even though this clip, found in the game's theatre, creates a clear opening for a sequel, we wouldn't hold our breath in anticipation of the continued adventures of Raymond Bryce and his ornate beard. For one thing, this is just an extra video and not the real ending. Also, obviously, game companies prefer to make money. However, it's pretty entertaining to see the jokey, ham-fisted manner in which they teased a sequel.

Continue reading Alternate ending suggests potential Disaster sequel [update]

Alternate ending suggests potential Disaster sequel [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reggie 'answers' questions about Disaster, Fatal Frame IV

JC Fletcher — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: News

Because it's not a Nintendo event if it isn't followed by "where's (Game X)" questions, Kombo cornered Reggie Fils-Aime at yesterday's conference and asked him about the status of North American versions of Disaster: Day of Crisis and Fatal Frame IV. While nobody expected concrete dates or even confirmation from Reggie's answers, he still managed to impart a bit of information.

Regarding Disaster: Nintendo of America is waiting to see how the game performs in Europe before making a decision. That means that we at least have to wait for a while after October 24 to hear anything.

As for Fatal Frame, he offered the following frustrating response: "you're going to have to contact the publisher for questions on that." So it might be coming out here -- just not from Nintendo, despite Nintendo of Japan publishing it. Who wants to start cold-calling publishers?*

*Note: Wii Fanboy does not encourage the cold-calling of publishers.

[Via GoNintendo]

Reggie 'answers' questions about Disaster, Fatal Frame IV originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When are we getting Disaster: Day of Crisis?

David Hinkle — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:44:00 EST

Filed under: News

Your head is probably spinning from all of the wonderful Nintendo news you've been exposed to over the last 24 hours and it's okay, because our heads are, too. But, there's one thing that was missing from Nintendo's little spiel today: Disaster: Day of Crisis. Why was this game not dated for a North American release? With it releasing in Japan late last month and hitting Europe later on this month, we're wondering what the big hold-up is?

Of course, not like it matters, because, thanks to the Japanese game releasing, we've basically seen the whole game on YouTube. But, we're still contacting Nintendo for a comment, so sit tight.

When are we getting Disaster: Day of Crisis? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disaster's disastrous development detailed

Chris Greenhough — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

We know what you're thinking: Disaster: Day of Crisis' protracted development can't have been that calamitous, right? The game released in Japan last week, and promptly earned itself a respectable score in Famitsu. And just getting released is probably more than we should expect for some games.

But not every part of the title's gestation was peachy. The Monolith Soft team who worked on the game have been recounting their experiences in an interview for Nintendo's Japanese website, revealing that they were first approached about developing an "epic" game in early 2006, to be delivered in time for the launch of Nintendo's new Wii console.

This gave Monolith around nine months to finish Disaster, but by the time the deadline had rolled around, the game still felt incomplete and had very few Wiimote-related functions -- instead, it used the Classic Controller. Nintendo temporarily halted the project in October or November of 2006, only for work to begin again in early 2007; at this point, the entire game was revamped to include more waggle.

Getting to peek behind the development curtain is always intriguing -- we're just glad everything worked out for the game in the end.

[Via Nintendo Everything]

Disaster's disastrous development detailed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephen Colbert's favorite game has to be Disaster: Day of Crisis

David Hinkle — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:08:00 EST

Filed under: Video

We all know the man's stance on bears. He doesn't like them. In fact, he downright despises them. That's why we're sure that Nintendo's latest, Disaster: Day of Crisis, is among Colbert's most treasured games. Why? Well, it features a boss battle against a bear. Aside from teaching us the near indestructible nature of the beast, it also shows us what kind of weapons to use against a bear should it get you in its sights. Also, it teaches us that bears like to stupidly charge back and forth.

Check out the video past the break.

Continue reading Stephen Colbert's favorite game has to be Disaster: Day of Crisis

Stephen Colbert's favorite game has to be Disaster: Day of Crisis originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disaster: Day of Cliche

Alisha Karabinus — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video

Oh, man. Listen, Disaster: Day of Crisis is a game we've been waiting on for a long, long time. We like the idea. We like what we've seen. We even like this video (showing off nine minutes of opening gameplay, including the intro movie), despite the questionable YouTube quality. It looks pretty decent and more than playable. We daresay it could even be fun. But the dialogue is a little lacking.

Okay. Let's get real: it's repetitive, unrealistic, and silly. But hey, we're used to less-than-stellar game writing, and Disaster has one thing going for it at the start: a hero with an indestructible noggin -- and that's all any action game really needs, right?

Gallery: Disaster: Day of Crisis

[Thanks, Alex!]

Disaster: Day of Cliche originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disaster: Day of GIANT FOOD

Chris Greenhough — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video

Even when escaping buildings that are crumbling around his ears, Disaster: Day of Crisis hero Raymond Bryce takes time out to line his stomach with the huge food that can be randomly found in large wooden crates.

We're just pleased to see him looking after himself and getting his five a day. We're sure his mother feels the same.

[Via Go Nintendo]

Disaster: Day of GIANT FOOD originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Day of Crisis not a total disaster?

David Hinkle — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:07:00 EST

Filed under: News

None of us know why Nintendo kept such a tight lid on Disaster: Day of Crisis for so long. Logic dictates that the company didn't present us with much info because, well, the game was bad. Kind of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. bad. Well, the truth may be very different.

Famitsu recently revealed its score for the game, and it received a respectable 34/40. Not too shabby, if we may say so. Especially for a game that pretty much got a surprise release. Not a Sega Saturn kind of surprise, but you get the idea.

[Via CVG]

Day of Crisis not a total disaster? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confirmed: Nintendo Media Summit in early October

David Hinkle — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:55:00 EST

Filed under: News

Didn't we already have a Nintendo Media Summit this year? By golly, we did! But, still, it turns out that rumor is true, as Nintendo will be holding an event on October 2nd and 3rd, showcasing games for both the Wii and DS in San Francisco. We know because we just got our invite.

So what should we expect? Well, something on Disaster: Day of Crisis we imagine, but anything outside of that is anyone's guess. What do you all think?

Confirmed: Nintendo Media Summit in early October originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disaster: Day of Awesome Trailers

JC Fletcher — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:12:00 EST

Filed under: Imports, Video

Two trailers for Disaster: Day of Crisis are now available on the Japanese Nintendo Channel. The first, above, does an excellent job of channeling American action movies, which is good for something that purports to put the player in one. It's got a brooding hero, stern-voiced narration from some kind of military official, and explosions all over the damn place. The second trailer combines the gameplay footage we've seen with a bit more context, which basically means walking around. Presented this way, it seems a bit less like a collection of disconnected events.

We don't mind saying that these trailers have worked. We could really stand to hear about a US release.

Continue reading Disaster: Day of Awesome Trailers

Disaster: Day of Awesome Trailers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disaster: Day of Crisis survival guide explains gameplay

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Action

As is usually the case with oft-delayed titles, details concerning the mystery-shrouded Disaster: Day of Crisis have been slim indeed. Thankfully, the official Japanese site for the disastrous survival game recently added a few explanations on how you'll be guiding optimistic protagonist Raymond Bryce through his very own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

According to a translation from Siliconera, the combat portion of the title plays like a light gun shooter with a Time Crisis-esque cover system. However, you'll need to bust out your best Smooth Moves to make it through the motion-sensitive survival segments, furiously shaking your Wiimote to outrun a tidal wave, push a bus, perform CPR or place an irate phone call to a puzzlingly absent FEMA. We'll have to wait on reactions from our Eastern Hemisphere acquaintences to see how these two great tastes taste together.

Disaster: Day of Crisis survival guide explains gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disaster: QTEs of Crisis?

JC Fletcher — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:36:00 EST

Filed under: Video

Little is known about the actual gameplay in Monolith Soft's Disaster: Day of Crisis (even though it comes out in Japan on the 25th), but a series of short video clips on the Japanese website make it seem like the gameplay may be divided into small, diverse segments (which we would hesitate to label as "minigames"). Each video in the "player action" section of the website shows Ray performing a different action, from jumping across chasms to rescuing survivors to driving -- all with different, context-sensitive control schemes. Many of those actions involve pressing buttons at the right time according to onscreen prompts.

If the game is really divided into discrete chunks of gameplay -- drive in this level, perform CPR in this level, shoot guys in this level -- then Disaster could end up being a sophisticated Dragon's Lair-style game. If these actions are all part of a consistent style of gameplay, then it's an adventure game in which a lot of different stuff happens.

Disaster: QTEs of Crisis? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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