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Developers celebrate Super Mario Bros.' 25th anniversary
In case the red consoles didn't sufficiently alert you, 2010 is the 25th anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros. for Famicom and NES. To commemorate the occasion, Famitsu spoke to a group of prominent developers about the impact Shigeru Miyamoto's masterpiece had on them and the industry. "The reason I entered the industry," Capcom's Keiji Inafune said, "was because I encountered Mario and learned how interesting games can be. Thank you, Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto." Super Monkey Ball and Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi expressed a similar sentiment, saying "It's the game that made me enter the game industry." Bethesda's Todd Howard said that Super Mario Bros. was the beginning of "the genre where the hero always follows the correct path." Our favorite quote is from Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii. "Also, I can't say much," he said, "but there was also 'Kintamario.'" Yes, yes there was.
Inafune: Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright a full collaboration
If you were surprised by the announcement of a Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright crossover game (WHAT), you're not the only one. Even Capcom's global head of production, Keiji Inafune, exhibited some disbelief over the adventurous collaboration in a recent interview with Japanese mag Famitsu (translated by Eurogamer). "I thought it would be impossible," he said, citing the careful handling of the Phoenix Wright character within Capcom, as well as creator Shu Takumi's insistence on trying new things (see: the upcoming Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective). "Nobody but Hino could have thought of it." Akihiro Hino, CEO of Level-5, was apparently instrumental in conceptualizing and then realizing this 3D battle of the brains. And there will be a bumping of heads between the two logic-minded protagonists, Inafune said, "before they join hands and take on a really big challenge." Whether you're rooting for the spiky hair or the fabulous top hat, you'll be happy to know that neither Capcom nor Level-5 seem satisfied with a meet-and-greet cash-in between their cherished properties. "It wasn't a case of licensing out the Phoenix Wright characters and demanding our licence money. That isn't a collaboration, and users would see that," Inafune said. "For this standalone game, we wanted to create a great history, which would have been impossible if both parties were not fully involved."
PlayStation designer explains what the controller symbols mean, dishes a bit of history
Teiyu Goto, the man responsible for saving us from that kidney-shaped disaster above and delivering us the splendid original PlayStation's controller, has sat down for a little chat with Famitsu over in Japan. Involved in the PlayStation project almost from its inception, the designer played a pivotal role in shifting Sony away from its Nintendo copycat ways and into the world of handle-equipped button pads. Moreover, his brainbox is the one responsible for coming up with the now legendary geometric button icons adorning the PS controller's buttons. Here's how Goto explains their meaning: the circle and x represent yes and no, respectively, the triangle symbolizes a point of view, and the square is equated to a sheet of paper, there to be used to access menus. Frankly, given the backlog of memories we have built up with those keys, this explanation leaves us a little high and dry, couldn't he have made up some dragon-slaying stories? Hit the source below for the whole interview, it's well worth the read.
Famitsu interview covers the testing of Final Fantasy XIV
After the recent interview confirming that some of the disliked aspects of the game weren't going away, it's understandable that some Final Fantasy XIV fans might have felt a bit disheartened. After all, it's easy to feel as if the developers weren't trying to listen to the players at all about their issues. The newest interview to come out of Gamescom, however, should help to alleviate some of those fears. Famitsu, frequently a good source for game information, had a chance to chat with some of the team about the game's testing schedule and their interactions with feedback. Two of the big issues highlighted are the controls and the user interface -- both polished since earlier phases and both continuing to be polished. The team wants control to be smooth with or without a gamepad, whether you don't have a gamepad or simply choose not to use one. There's also a mention of further classes possible, including pet classes, and the acknowledgment that the development team is currently debating the two-day guildleve timer after all. Take a look at the full interview if you're interested in Final Fantasy XIV, as it covers some interesting ground.
Itagaki: 'The era of pursuing technical strength has ended'
When he was at the top of Team Ninja, Tomonobu Itagaki was seemingly obsessed with high-end graphics and processing power, choosing to work exclusively on the first Xbox for technical reasons. With his new Valhalla studio, Itagaki has shed that aspect of his public persona as well. At a party for Famitsu Xbox 360's hundredth issue, Itagaki and Shinji Mikami recorded an installment of Itagaki's "Valhalla Freaks" column, during which the Dead or Alive creator declared that "the era of pursuing technical strength has ended," adding, "From here on out, we should pursue what makes games interesting and fun." According to Andriasang, Itagaki suggested that Japanese developers should share technology like some Western companies do. Xbox 360 marketing chief Jouji Sakaguchi then undercut Itagaki's message about pursuing technical strength by announcing that the monitors for Xbox game demos at this year's Tokyo Game Show would be larger than last year's.
What to do in Limsa Lominsa when you're in the Final Fantasy XIV beta
If you're one of the lucky souls in Final Fantasy XIV's recently expanded beta testing, you might well be a new arrival. And even though the beta build isn't the final release of the game, there's still a lot of different things to do. So where do you begin? Thankfully, there's a new guide available from Famitsu (translated by FFXIVCore) that should give a fair picture of where players can start. It covers everything from sights in the city to the options available for retainers. Once players pick a race for the retainer, a wide variety of appearance is available, but said assistant's name is fixed. You can give a nickname, however, which opens up a number of affectionate (and horrible) possibilities. Of course, that does little for the players not involved in the Final Fantasy XIV beta, but Square-Enix has also released a video on the development of character models and customization in the game. Embedded past the cut, the trailer won't quite take the edge off being unable to use the guide in practice, but it's the next best thing.
Final Fantasy XIV confirms launch classes
Final Fantasy XIV's class system is one of the defining elements of the game, as it was in Final Fantasy XI. The game has revealed 18 different classes, or disciplines in the game's parlance, spread across four categories -- war (weapon-using fighters), magic (casters), hand (crafters), and land (gatherers). As it turns out, it's been revealed via Famitsu that the game will launch with 18 playable classes, meaning that we know all of the options for play already. Of course, 18 classes that can share abilities isn't exactly an anemic offering to begin with. For some players, this might be a bit disappointing, as it means only two casting classes will be available at launch, the thaumaturge and the conjurer. Disciples of the hand are the most numerous, with armourers, blacksmiths, weavers, goldsmiths, carpenters, culinarians, leatherworkers, and alchemists. Miners, botanists, and fishermen round out the disciples of the land, and lancers, archers, gladiators, marauders, and pugilists fill out the disciples of war. While there will be additional classes after launch, it looks like this is what will be in the game to start -- useful information for a Final Fantasy XIV hopeful to chew on.
No microtransactions in Final Fantasy XIV, but many beta screenshots
There are plenty of contentious issues in the MMO field, but one of the biggest at the moment is microtransactions. Controversy over the C-Store, the $25 "sparkle pony" and subsequent imitators, and the general balance in the burgeoning free-to-play field have made the players of nearly every game form an opinion. But those who detest the practice can take heart -- according to Hiromichi Tanaka, Final Fantasy XIV will not be including any sort of in-game store. That's from a recent interview from JPgames.de, translated by the FFXIVCore fansite community. According to Tanaka, Square-Enix isn't necessarily opposed to the idea if the demand is present, but absolutely does not want in-game power to correspond to real-world money. He also confirmed that players will be allowed to pick their server at launch, unlike the server roulette present at Final Fantasy XI's launch. If the interview isn't enough to tide you over, the game's beta has been given a brief writeup from Famitsu (translated from the Japanese), and there's an excellent gallery of screenshots available here. There are just over two months until the launch of Final Fantasy XIV, and they look to be an exciting ride.
More information on Final Fantasy XIV's crafters and harvesters
With the beta testing in full swing and the release date just around the corner, you might think that Final Fantasy XIV fans would have all the information that they need. Of course, anyone highly anticipating the game would be quick to point out the exact opposite, eagerly looking for any more details about the game, especially with so much left to know about the various Disciplines. A recent article on Famitsu (translated by the helpful team at FFXIVCore) sheds new light on some of the less flashy disciplines -- not those of War or Magic, but the Hand and the Land, gathering and crafting. The new article gives more details on Harvesters (which may be dubbed Botanists in the official translation), Goldsmiths, Armourers (possibly due to lose the British spelling), Woodworkers, and Fishermen. Each class has a small writeup explaining their tasks and talents, such as the rapport that Harvesters enjoy with plants or the equipment-enhancing talents of Goldsmiths. Take a look at the article for a clearer picture of the plethora of non-combat activities that come along with Final Fantasy XIV -- even if many of the noncombatants will be well served by having a few combat-ready escorts.
Famitsu: White Knight Chronicles coming to PSP in 2011
Level-5's White Knight Chronicles may have had some issues, but it's not stopping the company from pursuing a sequel, set to be released in Japan next month. It would seem the series is also extending to Sony's PSP, as the latest issue of Japanese mag Famitsu (via Andriasang) reveals a PSP entry set for a 2011 launch. While White Knight Chronicles 2 wraps up the story of Leonard and the events set in motion by the first game, the PSP game will introduce a new story and characters. "And then, to a new world," the text on the teaser page announces. "White Knight Chronicles New Project. A story of your avatar and new allies, told on the PlayStation Portable, is set to start in 2011."
Famitsu reveals new selection of Final Fantasy XIV wildlife
We learned quite a bit about the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV during E3, but there's still quite a bit left still to learn before its release later this year. One of the more obvious questions is what, exactly, players will be squaring off against on the field of battle; in a series partly defined by its memorable recurring adversaries, it's reasonable to wonder what will return and what won't. A newly translated piece from Famitsu helps answer that question, with an octet of new creatures as well as a few bits of information about changes in the next phase of testing. Most of the newly revealed monsters have a storied history in the series as a whole, and several are direct exports from Final Fantasy XI, including the deceptively fearsome Goobbue making a triumphant return. Funguar also return, although looking very different from Vana'diel's odd mushroom-frog hybrids. Each of the monsters has a brief write-up describing its size, behavior, and habitat, so Final Fantasy XIV fans would be well served by taking a look at what they're going to have to deal with during their journeys.
Namco Bandai announces new action game Knights Contract
According to Siliconera, this week's edition of Famitsu outed Namco Bandai's current project: A frantic, Bayonetta-esque action game titled Knights Contract. You play as the titular, scythe wielding soldier named Heinrich, who must slay groups of gruesome enemies while protecting Gretchen, a witch who has cursed you with immortality. Why are you protecting the witch who put a curse on you? We have no idea. Probably because she's pretty, and you're a knight? If that sounds like a winning combination, you can check out the debut trailer for the game just past the jump. Right now, it's only slated for a 2011 release on 360 and PS3 in Japan, but we think fighting monsters with agricultural hand tools is a concept the whole world will be able to get behind.
Final Fantasy XIV world map in leaked issue of Famitsu
It's been a little while since we've heard anything new about Final Fantasy XIV, although all signs point to the game continuing to do well for itself in testing. But we might be due for another gush of information, considering that the most recent leaked issue of Famitsu contains a few bits that we've not seen before... including a nice map of the world of Eorzea. Unfortunately, the translation team over at FFXIVcore hasn't yet gone wild on the pages, but there's still plenty to be discovered, from what we can see. Eorzea's map vaguely resembles a mirror image of Africa, with a large island off the coast. It doesn't appear to have an obvious focal point a la Final Fantasy XI's world with Jeuno at the continental intersection. There's also a groundswell of information on the guilds and people within the city of Limsa Lominsa, While there's not a bulk of new information on the game's mechanics, it's certainly a fair dose of lore that we haven't gotten before, and we can only hope it signals the start of another round of big news on Final Fantasy XIV.
Yakuza PSP spinoff 'Project K' named, dated for Japan
When Toshihiro Nagoshi revealed the PSP Yakuza spinoff "Project K," he suggested that it was so different from the main console series that it may not even bear the "Ryu ga Gotoku" name (the Japanese title of the series). Nagoshi, apparently remembering how nice it is to make money, has revealed that the PSP game will feature the series name after all. The spinoff has been named Kurohyou: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinshou ("Black Leopard: New Yakuza Chapter"). A Famitsu article about the game (summarized by 1UP) also announces a September 22 Japanese release date for Kurohyou, which stars a new, younger character who isn't a gangster.
Final Fantasy XIV interview highlights breadth of feedback
While testing for Final Fantasy XIV has continued, the huge gush of news that we got at the beginning has slowed to more of a trickle. That's to be expected to an extent -- after all, we knew that not everything would be equally accessible from the start. Still, there are player questions about both the login issues plaguing the test and the necessary wonder about how much the developers are actually listening. A recently-translated Famitsu interview with Hiromichi Tanaka and Nobuaki Komoto goes into detail about the login issues as well as the feedback from various regions of testing. The latter is pretty surprising, as Tanaka claims that there were roughly 50,000 reports submitted via Japanese testers compared to 250,000 by American testers -- despite both groups having the same number of players. Some of the reports are about new issues, but some of them also address elements the design team had misgivings about in the first place. They apparently underestimated the interest in testing as well, contributing to some of the login and stability problems. Take a look at the full interview for more looks at the development process of Final Fantasy XIV from behind the stage.
MGS: Peace Walker's 'Hamaru Gear Solid' ads sure are helpful
Well, they're helpful if you speak Japanese, that is. The latest round of ads for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker out of Japan centers on the escapades of Tom and Dick, two cartoon dudes who really, really like living everyday life as if they were Solid Snake. The duo demonstrate everything from the "heart massage" technique (reviving a downed teammate) to the game's four player co-op functionality, with plenty of goofy animation to boot. Andriasang noticed the ads over at the "Hamaru Gear Solid" website -- "Hamaru Gear Solid" is the marketing campaign for Peace Walker, based on Hirokazu Hamamura, CEO of Enterbrain (the company that owns and publishes Japanese gaming mag Famitsu), and a pun relating his name to the word "Hamaru" (meaning "to get in"). We've embedded all five for you after the break, should you choose to entertain their sheer madness. [Via Andriasang]
King of Fighters shooter expanded for PSP
KOF Sky Stage SNK's odd shooter spinoff, KOF Sky Stage, hasn't even made it out of the arcade and onto XBLA yet, and SNK has already announced a sort of sequel. Neo Geo Heroes is a new vertical shooting game for PSP containing the original Sky Stage as one mode, but also adding even more characters from SNK fighting games. Kyo, Athena, Iori, and Kula from the KOF series, Terry and Mai from Fatal Fury, Marco Rossi from Metal Slug, Iroha the maid from Samurai Shodown VI, Akari from Last Blade, and even the pilot from Alpha Mission can fly now, apparently, as they're all selectable characters in the game. Neo Geo Heroes will fly into Japanese retail in July. No plans have been announced outside of Japan for this nor Sky Stage.
Lost Planet 2 getting guest characters from Dead Rising, Monster Hunter
[Famitsu] A handful of Lost Planet 2 screenshots from Famitsu have revealed the game will borrow the stars of two more franchises: Frank West from Dead Rising and the Scaly Knife-Gun Dude from Monster Hunter, the latter being exclusive to the PS3 version of the game. For those of you keeping track, these two join Gears of War's Marcus and Dom (who will only appear in the 360 version), Resident Evil's Wesker, and What's His Face from Lost Planet 2 in the fight against the calamitous, towering Akrid. Though most of these crossovers seem pretty out of place, we're betting the dude from Monster Hunter will be right at home bringing down monsters the size of football stadiums. That kind of thing is right in his wheelhouse.
Intimate apparel among Final Fantasy XIV equipment
When character creation previews started emerging for Final Fantasy XIV, one of the oft-heard bits of speculation was that there would be some way to customize your character's undergarments. Of course, the idea is on its face rather ridiculous, except for one thing: according to the most recent test article released by Famitsu, you can do precisely that. One of the points discussed from this latest bout with the game are the equipment slots available, twelve in total and including one's underclothes. While we shudder at the thought of farming a boss for underwear, it's most likely a cosmetic option. The remainder of the article, helpfully translated by FFXIVCore, goes into more details on the game's menus and emotes. The emotes are apparently quite detailed, even including shifting facial expressions. Most of the menu discussion will likely be familiar to Final Fantasy XI players, but even veterans are encouraged to take a look at the full translation. After all, lately it's rarer to not have new Final Fantasy XIV info to digest, and even little things like being able to move windows around the UI are welcome changes.
More looks inside of Final Fantasy XIV
It's a good time to be a Final Fantasy XIV fan, with testing now in full swing and information coming out an accelerated pace. While we'd been in the dark for some time, we're now moving into almost having an information glut. FFXIVCore has been hard at work translating everything released by Famitsu, and there's a lot to digest from there, ranging from confirmation of things we've already suspected to new information altogether. Aside from several screenshots of the game in action, we find out that characters will indeed have both first and last names on creation, in the style of Guild Wars and Dungeons and Dragons Online. The battle system will apparently use staggered sets of abilities rather than steady auto-attacks, something more akin to City of Heroes than Final Fantasy XI. Learned abilities can be used regardless of a character's class, allowing extensive mix-and-match play with each character. In addition to all of that, we also learn just how deep the character building is: levels allow you to improve your stats and skill levels allow access to new abilities, but almost everything is built on player choice. There's a lot for Final Fantasy XIV fans to digest, but the game is shaping up to be very different than its predecessor while retaining the same rich flavor.
