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3D Dot Game Heroes' first English language screens
Click to Ys into the galleryAtlus has seen fit to bestow some new 3D Dot Game Heroes screenshots upon us, featuring a noteworthy addition to the game: the English language. These are the first screens of the localized version, which means that we can now make sense of the character editor for the first time! Some of these screens also feature something else that rarely makes it into 3D Dot screenshots: the UI. There's actually kind of a lot of stuff on the screen, which is a surprise given the otherwise retro presentation. Of course, being an Atlus game, some clever dialogue is also on display, like the reference to the classic Ys combat system in the screenshot featured above. %Gallery-83457%
SouthPeak bringing 3D Dot Game Heroes to Europe
Here's an announcement for those of you across the pond, uncertain whether you'll experience the PS3's retro revival in From Software's 3D Dot Game Heroes this May. SouthPeak Interactive recently announced the European release of 3DDGH via its Euro distribution arm. The game is also set for a May 2010 release, though no date is specifically given -- it's said to be "in line with the North American release." For what it's worth, US publisher Atlus is totally stoked to be working with SouthPeak on the title. VP of sales and marketing at Atlus Tim Pivnicny noted in the announcement release, "SouthPeak Games is the perfect publisher for 3D Dot Game Heroes in Europe." He cited SouthPeak's "shared enthusiasm" for the title as a motivator for the partnership, not to mention the US publisher's desire to ship the game day and date in European markets. "[SouthPeak] also recognize the frustration of many European gamers to not get exciting releases until months after other regions, which is why we're working closely together to deliver a simultaneous launch for North America and Europe." %Gallery-70578%
3D Dot Game Heroes DLC available in January
From Software's 3D Dot Game Heroes may be inspired by the 8-bit Zelda, but it's truly a modern game -- it has both patches and paid DLC. An update and DLC pack were set to be released in Japan on Christmas Day, but were delayed until sometime in January. The free update adds a viewer for the loading screen images, hard drive install feature and the infrastructure to download the DLC. As for the paid content, one pack adds stages for the "Block Defense" minigame (basically tower defense), and the other adds downloadable character models, many of which can be downloaded for free from the website. In the case of 3D Dot Game Heroes, the idea of extra content is a lot more exciting than the content itself. [Via Siliconera]
English 3D Dot Game Heroes trailer revives your inner child
If you're anything like the majority of the Joystiq staff, you spent the bulk of your formative years slaying all manner of pixelated beasties and saving incredibly low definition damsels in distress. If so, watching the first English trailer for 3D Dot Game Heroes is likely to take you way, way back. If, on the other hand, you're not an old codger like us, you can still appreciate the game's wonderful art style, which is a breath of fresh air in these brown times. 3D Dot Game Heroes is set to pixelate North American PS3s (and our hearts) on May 11. Congratulations to Silent Protagonist on being the first to comment. You've been emailed a free Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta code. Click here, for more information on this giveaway. Official rules apply.
Atlus shipping 3D Dot Game Heroes in North America on May 11
In a late-night press release, Atlus announced that it is in fact the company publishing 3D Dot Game Heroes in North America, confirming its status as the publisher of choice for fans of both Zelda homages and From Software games. The company even went so far to give the PS3 game a precise date: May 11, a day which will play host to an unheard-of number of underlines and gold stars on our calendar. GameStop, however, says May 3. We're willing to accept "May" as specific enough for now. We've got some delightful new screens in the gallery below, if, like us, you're nowhere near over the novelty of giant pixels rendered in HD. Update: Commenter Orchard Pear points out that the GameStop listing also prices the game at just $39.99. If that turned out to be the final price, it would basically be a miracle performed by the gods of retro gaming. %Gallery-78343%
Xbox 360 port of 3D Dot Game Heroes 'possible'
If you Xbox 360 owners have been reading posts about 3D Dot Game Heroes and anticipating its localization with green, envy-filled eyes, you'll be pleased to learn that there's a tiny chance the game could be spinning inside your console sometime in the future. My Game News Flash recently stopped by Silicon Studios to chat up producer Hiroyuki Misawa, who offered that a port is "possible," but that it's really "up to From [Software]." He added, "We're a developer, so if there's a call to make it, I believe we can do it." Hardly confirmation that a port is in the works, but should that be a future move for From Software, Silicon Studios sounds like it's willing. %Gallery-70578% [Via andriasang]
Metal Gear Solid 4's hero as a 3D Dot Game Hero
One poster at Hachimaki didn't keep us waiting at all for a custom 3D Dot Game Heroes version of Metal Gear Solid 4's Old Snake. The game isn't even officially released in Japan yet! But this artist got hold of a pre-street-dated copy and set immediately to work on an Old Snake avatar in the game's character editor. Snake will have No Place to Hide in the wide-open, blocky expanses of 3D Dot Game Heroes' kingdom, but he'll presumably be able to compensate with a combination of Close Quarters Combat and Long Distance Swords. Update: See a video after the break. [Via Andriasang]
3D Dot Game Heroes being localized by unknown 3D game publishing heroes
"No need to import," the 'SonyPlayStation' Twitter account reports. "3D Dot Game Heroes for PS3 is DEFINITELY coming to NA! Spread the word, more to come." And here we are, spreading the word.From Software's gorgeous, retro-inspired action-RPG will be released in Japan in November, but until now, we've heard nothing about localization. And as Zelda fans and (shameful) Spelunker fans ... and fans of the retro-but-high-def aesthetic that From has assembled out of blocks, we've been listening intently. Sony's Jeff Rubenstein told Joystiq that SCEA will not be the publisher, but the actual publisher allowed the news to be "leaked" on Twitter. He couldn't say who the publisher was or when we could expect the game, though he told us that more info will appear on the PlayStation Blog. We would speculate that it's the company who published the last (surprisingly successful) From Software PS3 game, Demon's Souls, and who deals almost exclusively in this kind of niche Japanese product: Atlus, whom we're contacting right away. [Image credit] [Thanks, HeavyToka]
Video: Spelunker tells us about 3D Dot Game Heroes
Not that we can understand him. You see, Spelunker discusses 3D Dot Game Heroes in the video above, but the inconsiderate cave explorer does so entirely in Japanese. So, unless you're up on your kanji, you'll just have to settle for some new, delightful footage of From Software's retro romp. It looks a lot like old-school Zelda titles, which is by no means a bad thing. Watch the video above for plenty of world-exploring, monster-killing, sword-finding action -- and pray someone picks this up for release outside of Japan (hello, Atlus?).
See the history of 3D Dot Game Heroes' world in new trailer
Don't get too angry when the discussion about From Software's 3D Dot Game Heroes centers around classic Zelda. It's plainly obvious from this new trailer (after the break) that From is not only being totally up front about the game's inspiration, but inviting comparisons. The introductory story sequence, the environments, and even the music strongly recall Nintendo's flagship adventure series. But From has done a great job of making something that doesn't just appeal to our nostalgia -- we're just as excited about this game on its own merits. We're ready to start upgrading our swords to ridiculous extremes. Not that nostalgia isn't an important part of it! Blogger Maxell011 (via GameSetWatch) pointed out the game's loading screens, which remake famous game boxes in Dot Game Heroes style. That Castlevania (above, with the original box) homage might be enough to sell a few copies.
LGJ: 3D Dot Game Infringement
Each week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: If you're like me, then you've likely been following Joystiq's coverage of 3D Dot Game Heroes and thinking "I really, really hope this gets translated and released in the US." After all, if you're a gamer like me then you love the idea of a 3D homage to the 2D games you grew up with. Of course, it's less likely that you're a lawyer like me, and so it's also less likely that you read through the comments and had an immediate reaction to the countless cries of copyright infringement in the game. Those repetitive, vocal cries have brought me to this column, which aims to answer the big question: is 3D Dot Game Heroes copyright infringement? Let me start off by saying the analysis here is just my opinion, and a court could always find otherwise. Where this discussion really needs to start is what elements seem to be infringing. Now would be a good time to view the trailer or some screenshots, if you haven't yet. The main complaints I've heard, and can see from the trailer, are the environments (both overworld and dungeon) bear a striking resemblance to the Zelda universe (The Legend of Zelda and Link to the Past, specifically), while the hero characters bear a striking resemblance to those from the Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior past. Some of the monsters also bear quite a resemblance to Zelda baddies. And, of course, the music is certainly inspired by classic Zelda music. So, case closed, right? Well, no, that's not how copyright infringement works.
3D Dot Game Heroes looks delightfully familiar
If the frequent comparisons between From Software's upcoming blocky adventure title 3D Dot Game Heroes and The Legend of Zelda have been completely lost on you, then apparently you haven't seen the gameplay videos. The game does more than slyly reference the mainstays of Miyamoto's Triforce-hunting classic; it more or less recreates them. We're definitely not saying that's a bad thing -- we're just worried that Nintendo will eventually catch wise, and somehow prevent this charming little game from ever making it westward. Check after the jump for three gameplay clips; the first showing off the game's best Zelda impression; the second just how gargantuan the player's sword can become; and the third suggesting the perils of playing through the game as the vertigo-plagued hero from Spelunker. [Via GameSetWatch]
Put on your rose-colored glasses for the first 3D Dot Game Heroes trailer
From Software's homage to classic 8-bit gaming in upcoming Japanese release 3D Dot Game Heroes has been expressed in the first trailer. Sure, it absolutely reeks of the original Legend of Zelda, but in an updated, tongue-in-cheek kinda way. It certainly doesn't hurt that, visually speaking, it's stunning from beginning to end. We've got screenshots and the gorgeous video above, but only a Japanese release date so far -- how about some love for the rest of the world, eh? %Gallery-70578%
3D Dot Game Heroes gets more modern, more retro
From Software has released new details about its retro-fabulous adventure game, 3D Dot Game Heroes, showing off four default playable characters and a method for creating even more. The group of existing main characters holds a hero, a prince, and some kind of itinerant scholar who carries a book around. But if you don't like those guys, you can use a Cube Kingdom-like editor to build your own character out of voxels! Examples shown include a big cube and a stick figure. You'll be able to make custom animations for each of their movements as well. The fourth in-game character we haven't mentioned yet: the title character from IREM's Spelunker, who appears in a bizarre bit of cross-promotion. Spelunker seems to behave in 3D Dot Game Heroes much as he does in his own game -- which is to say he dies if he falls from almost any height.
From Software's 3D Dot Game Heroes does pixel art PS3-style
From Software's latest PS3 game takes 8-bit sprites and mostly updates them for the current generation, with amazing results. 3D Dot Game Heroes takes place in a classic RPG kingdom whose king, following the successful defeat of a demon lord, declares that the world should be 3D from now on. In the process, something goes wrong, though we don't know what yet, and solving that crisis is the basis of the gameplay. We've captured the screens from the rotating display on the official website and subsequently have been staring at them all morning. The game's super high-resolution rendering of 3D pixel art is striking. There's even a tilt-shift effect on the images to make everything look miniature. 3D Dot Game Heroes will be out in Japan in November. %Gallery-70578% [Thanks, Jason]
