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Capcom's 'Teppen' card game pits Chun-Li against Dante
Capcom clearly couldn't resist the temptation to hop on the card game bandwagon. The gaming giant has teamed up with GungHo to release Teppen (no, not Tekken), a card battler for Android and iOS that revolves around better-known characters from Street Fighter, Devil May Cry, Darkstalkers and other classics. If you've ever wanted to see Chun-Li fight Dante or Morrigan take on Mega Man, you can make it happen.
Classic JRPGs ‘Grandia’ and ‘Grandia II’ are coming to the Switch
Two classic JRPGs are coming to the Nintendo Switch: Grandia, which first came out on the Sega Saturn in 1997 before a wider release on the original PlayStation, and its sequel Grandia II, which debuted on the Sega Dreamcast in 2000. Japanese publisher GungHo is bringing remastered versions of both to the hybrid console sometime this winter.
iPhone puzzle games are no match for this robot
Puzzle & Dragons is a ridiculously popular mobile game in Japan that tasks players with matching coloured orbs in order to take down enemy monsters. If you've played Pokemon Shuffle before, it's just like that. To help with the trickier stages, YouTube user Junya Sakamoto has developed a robot that can play the game for him. Oh, and it's unbelievably good. As Kotaku reports, a connected laptop is able to analyse the board and pick out the optimum combos, triggering a flurry of moves that would be almost impossible to replicate with your pinkie. Color us impressed, although we suspect developer GungHo won't share our enthusiasm.
Nintendo's characters show up in someone else's handheld game
Nintendo's iconic characters have appeared more than once in third-party console games (hello Soul Calibur fans), but mobile games have largely been off-limits. However, there are new signs that the gaming giant is taking a more relaxed approach to the handheld world. GungHo has unveiled Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, a take on the popular puzzle battler that includes many of the characters from Nintendo's most sacred cash cow. It's not surprising that there's only a 3DS version so far given Nintendo's usual disdain for smartphone games, but the regular Puzzle & Dragons is also available (and successful) on both Android and iOS -- it wouldn't take much to get the Mario variant on non-3DS systems. Will that happen? Probably not. Even so, GungHo's game is further proof that Nintendo isn't as protective of its franchises as it used to be.
Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition announced [update]
Do not adjust your monitors, do not wipe your glasses clean. You're 100 percent looking at a Super Mario-glossed entry in GungHo's incredibly popular Puzzle & Dragons series, and it's coming to 3DS in Japan this April. GungHo America also notes an "overseas release" of the thus-titled Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition through Nintendo. [Update: A Nintendo spokesperson told Digital Spy that currently Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition is a "Japanese-only announcement." So it's unclear what exactly GungHo America's referring to by "overseas release." We've reached out to GungHo for clarification.] Details are limited at the moment - according to Gematsu the match-3 game features both local multiplayer and StreetPass functionality. From another angle, the most important details lie in the numbers. GungHo just revealed that the original mobile Puzzle & Dragons surpassed 6 million downloads in North America, taking the free-to-play game's worldwide tally to more than a staggering 41 million. To put that in perspective, in April 2013 Puzzle & Dragons raked in $3.76 million per day. Furthermore, it's well established that Mario likes gold coins. If you still puzzled, check out GungHo's announcement trailer below the break.
DC superheroes team up with Puzzle & Dragons next week
A limited-time in-game event will introduce several DC Universe characters to the world of Puzzle & Dragons next week, mobile publisher GungHo announced. Starting on November 10, Puzzle & Dragons players can access a new dungeon populated by familiar faces from DC comics. Superman, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman, and others will appear both as combatants and as recruitable characters that players can win via an in-game rare egg machine. Next week's crossover follows up on previous GungHo partnerships that introduced guest characters from Batman: Arkham Origins, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Dragon Ball Z. At long last, universes will collide and fanfiction will become reality as Superman teams up with Asuka Langley and Goku in custom player parties. This is a thing that will happen. This is a thing that must happen. Puzzle & Dragons' DC Comics dungeon will be open through November 23. [Image: GungHo]
GungHo strikes publishing deal with Skulls of the Shogun dev
Puzzle & Dragons creator GungHo Online Entertainment America has secured a deal to publish games from 17-BIT, developer of the multiplatform tactical strategy game Skulls of the Shogun and the upcoming Galak-Z: The Dimensional. GungHo notes that it established the relationship in order to "[deliver] classic game experiences with modern technologies and hardware." The company previously partnered with developer Grasshopper Manufacture to produce PS4-exclusive Let It Die. "17-BIT's dedication to re-energizing classic genres for next-gen gaming fits perfectly with GungHo's core values and notably expands the breadth of our game portfolio," said GungHo America CEO Jun Iwasaki. "We pursued this partnership because we have high expectations for the developer and are eagerly awaiting to collaborate on their next major release." Galak-Z is due to launch this fall for the PlayStation Vita, PS4, and PC platforms. [Image: 17-BIT]
Puzzle & Dragons tops 30 million downloads in Japan
Publisher Gung Ho Entertainment has announced that its massively addictive puzzle-RPG Puzzle & Dragons has been downloaded over 30 million times in its native country of Japan, reports Siliconera. If one were attempting to design a game that could be described as "systemically addictive," it would be difficult to top the concepts found in Puzzle & Dragons. Players navigate a dungeon, taking part in battles, capturing monsters and using those monsters to battle other, more powerful monsters. In lieu of combat, all conflict in Puzzle & Dragons plays out on a grid full of icons which players must align to perform attacks. It's a simple system that's easy to learn but difficult to master, and Gung Ho is constantly adding new, free content to the game, including crossovers with other media properties like Batman, Hello Kitty (pictured above) and the stylized robots of the Evangelion anime. If you're suddenly intrigued by the mobile game that's taken Japan by storm, you can find Puzzle & Dragons available on both the Android and iOS app stores. It's free-to-play, but know that the temptation to spend real-world cash on Magic Stones grows pretty intense after the first handful of dungeons. [Image: Gung Ho Entertainment]
Six more import PS1 games slated for PSN release
Publisher GungHo Online America continues its campaign to bring under-the-radar, import-only classics to North America, announcing that six more Japanese-language PSOne games will hit the PlayStation Network soon. The company's upcoming re-releases include the Recettear-like item shop RPG Dungeon Shoutenkai: Densetsu no Ken Hajimemashita, pinball game Dragon Beat Legend of Pinball, terrain-shaping planetary simulation Neo Planet, oddball rock-paper-scissors action-RPG Tokyo 23ku Seifuku-Wars and idol-raising strategy games Heroine Dream and Heroine Dream 2. GungHo hopes to "bring over as many PSOne Classics as possible," and previously spearheaded North American releases for games like Zanac X Zanac and Makeruna Makendo 2. GungHo's PSOne import games are priced at $5.99 apiece. [Image: GungHo]
Twenty developers you don't know, but should
Between consoles, PC, mobile and everything in between, there are so many games released today that it's impossible to keep up with everything that's coming out – and it's even harder to keep up with the studios behind them. Even with a gaming public that's grown accustomed to following big developers like Valve and small studios like Double Fine, countless other studios slide under the radar. In the interest of sifting a signal from the noise, the Joystiq crew has selected 20 developers that deserve your attention. These studios are making games you should play, and their future work should be highly anticipated. This list is by no means exhaustive, and we invite you to share your own favorites in the comments!
SoftBank buys Clash of Clans developer Supercell, pushes into mobile gaming
Cellular carriers benefit from mobile gaming -- it drives some customers to buy high-end phones, after all -- but it's rare that networks have a big stake in the category. That changes today, as SoftBank (with help from game developer GungHo) has bought Supercell, best known for producing Clash of Clans. SoftBank will run Supercell as a subsidiary, but it's taking a largely hands-off approach that lets the Finnish company manage its own affairs. As to the reasons behind the $1.5 billion deal? The telecom believes that Supercell shares a similar goal of defining entertainment for "the next hundred years." The software designer, meanwhile, sees a chance for international expansion. Neither party is outlining its near-term plans, but the buyout gives Supercell the kind of monetary clout normally reserved for established game giants.
Google launches Android game vending machines, puts first ones in Tokyo (naturally)
In a country that has no shortage of vending machines, Google Japan has decided to join the fray. The company has announced three dedicated Google Play machines that will each sell 18 different gaming titles, which are a mix of free-to-play and paid-for titles. To use the machines, you'll need a smartphone running Android 4.0 and NFC -- and that's about it. You rest the phone on the tray below the screen, and NFC pairing takes care of the rest. We put the machine to the test with our LG G2 on hand, and had no troubles choosing and downloading a free game through the machine. There's a slick unified animation from the giant touchscreen (which looks almost identical to drinks machines elsewhere in the country) to your Android phone of choice when the download kicks in. Also, for trying out another Google app, you'll get a 'present' which 'drops' down from the screen and into the vending tray once your download is complete. Not an Android user? Don't worry, because the vending machine will offer up a Nexus 4 for you to try out, although you do have to give it back, however. Several boiler-suited Google employees will man the machines when they're switched on tomorrow in front of the Parco department store in Shibuya. The machines will be there for a limited ten-day run -- but it's another great excuse to hit up the country's vending machines.
'Puzzle and Dragons' pushes GungHo sales to $763 million through June
GungHo sales from January to June 2013 were $763 million, up 946 percent year-over-year, Dr. Serkan Toto translates from the company's financial report. Its net income during the period was $287 million, up 2,609 percent from 2012. Between April and June alone, GungHo brought in $4.9 million a day in sales, for a net income of $161 million. GungHo's main source of all this magical cash is Puzzle & Dragons, a mobile RPG puzzler. Sales from Puzzle & Dragons tallied $113 million in April, earning $3.76 million daily. The game currently has 17 million players in Japan. GungHo operates other games, too, and it expects overall July sales to hit "just" $138 million, bringing the daily average to $4.5 million per day, down from the April - June average of $4.9 million. Puzzle & Dragons is on its way to 3DS in Japan this winter, and it should hit the UK and Australia this year for mobile platforms.
Dokuro free, PixelJunk Monsters discounted on PS Plus this week
Starting tomorrow, PlayStation Plus subscribers can download puzzler Dokuro for free to their Vitas. Dokuro joins PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate HD on the portable system, which is discounted to $11.99 for PS Plus users this week. Lastly, Max Payne 3 and Max Payne 3: Ultimate Edition are on sale starting this week for $7.99 and $11.99, respectively. The Ultimate Edition version includes the Rockstar Pass, which grants access to maps, items and other DLC such as the Local Justice pack.
Suda 51 and Grasshopper are using Unreal Engine 4 'heavily'
No More Heroes and Killer is Dead dev Grasshopper Manufacture is "heavily relying" on Unreal Engine 4, with next-gen games in mind. Speaking to Joystiq at E3, Grasshopper CEO Goichi Suda, most commonly known as Suda 51, confirmed his studio's use of Epic's next-gen engine when asked about his thoughts on the PS4 and Xbox One. "As a developer, we're heavily relying right now on Unreal Engine 4," Suda told us. "That works really well with both systems – or in the sense that we could go either way." Grasshopper recently revealed it has a stylistic action game in development that isn't Killer is Dead - and it isn't No More Heroes 3 either. As Suda told Siliconera back in April, it's a new game coming to one or more consoles. He also teased to Siliconera the game was either running on Unreal Engine 3 or Unreal Engine 4, adding that if he said which one then "you would know about the platforms." Suda told Joystiq we can expect Unreal Engine 4 in Grasshopper games "if it's a big title, or if it's suited to that title," all of which suggests a next-gen landing for said secretive game. As for the future possibility of No More Heroes 3, Suda told us, "Travis [Touchdown] is one of the characters I'm really fond of, that means a lot to me. So if there was the opportunity to create another sequel then yeah, I'm always up to the idea."
Ragnarok Odyssey Ace journeys to North America, Europe this winter
Marvelous USA (formerly Xseed) announced that it has secured the North American publishing rights for Game Arts' PlayStation 3 and PS Vita action-RPG Ragnarok Odyssey Ace. A European release is also in the works, courtesy of Japanese publisher GungHo. An expanded version of last year's PS Vita release Ragnarok Odyssey, Ace boasts numerous gameplay additions and includes all of the original game's DLC. Ace additionally supports cross-platform play, giving PS3 and PS Vita players the ability to party up and quest for loot together. Ragnarok Odyssey Ace will launch this winter in North America and Europe. Marvelous USA plans to show off the PS Vita version at E3 in June.
Hit mobile RPG Puzzle & Dragons earned $113 million in April
In its latest financial report (translated here by Dr. Serkan Toto) Osaka-based publisher GungHo Entertainment announced that its mobile puzzle-RPG Puzzle & Dragons grossed over $113 million in April. To put that in perspective, GungHo's catalog-wide earnings for April totaled ¥12 billion ($119 million) – a 1,142.8 percent increase over its performance in April 2012. Puzzle & Dragons currently generates $3.76 million in daily revenue, and boasts 13 million players in Japan. Puzzle & Dragons originally launched for iOS and Android devices last year. A Nintendo 3DS adaptation is slated for release in Japan this winter.
GungHo reports Puzzle and Dragons is earning $3.75 million a day
GungHo Entertainment is a game publisher based in Japan, and the company has just released some really wild financial numbers. According to the latest numbers, GungHo made US$118 million this past April alone, most of it from one game: Puzzle and Dragons, currently available on iOS. Puzzle and Dragons is pulling in so much money (from audiences in both Japan and around the world) that GungHo says it's making $3.75 million a day. In Japan alone, Puzzle and Dragons is claiming 13 million players -- which is over 10 percent of the population there. That is a phenomenal success story, and it gives GungHo a higher market cap than even the legendary game publisher Nintendo. As a result, the company's stock has skyrocketed, and it's even challenging current megapublisher Activision Blizzard for market cap. I liked Puzzle and Dragons, but I think this is a game more targeted at Japan and its vast audience of mid- to hardcore-level gamers. In addition to the addictive puzzle and pet-leveling gameplay, Puzzle and Dragons is also very well structured to keep in-app purchases high, which goes a long way towards explaining how this game has gotten so big so quickly. GungHo's definitely seen some success in North America, as the app has made a few appearances on the top grossing list. But as far as I know, the success in Japan has been much more incredible.
Puzzle & Dragons now available on Android
You guys are never going to guess what Puzzle & Dragons is about. Not in a million years. Want a hint? Well it's got something to do with ... Oh, no that's totally right, yeah. Puzzles and dragons. Good guess.Originally released for iOS back in November, Puzzle & Dragon is now available on the Google Play store for Android devices in South Korea and North America. The free-to-play puzzle/RPG is an equal parts Bejeweled, Puzzle Fighter and Pokemon cocktail, with players capturing (and evolving) teams of monsters in order to do battle against other monsters. Damage is done by successfully matching groups of colored gems, as seen in the trailer above.Puzzle & Dragon's microtransactional hook comes in the form of Magic Stones, which, once purchased, can be used to restore health, obtain rare monsters and restart failed dungeons, among other uses.%Gallery-173499%
Dokuro review: The Mr. Skullhead Show
Let's talk about puzzle games. When you hear the term, your mind usually goes to falling-block stuff like Tetris and Puyo Puyo, right? But it's broad terminology: it can also apply to games in which you are presented with a series of problems that need solving – say, escaping a room, moving objects into certain positions, solving riddles ... you know what I mean, right?Well, I have an issue with these games: I'm almost universally terrible at them. I can't really tell you why, either. I like most of the ones I play, mind you. But as soon as I start feeling that twinge of frustration from a solution that eludes me, I hop on the internet and turn on Youtube. If I don't, I'm just going to fluster myself trying to figure it out. By the time the game reaches its climax, I have a controller under one hand and my laptop under the other, checking to make sure I'm doing everything right.This is one of the reasons why GungHo and GameArts's Dokuro sticks out so much. For perhaps the first time since the original Portal, I'm not immediately running to the online solution bin the moment things start to get tricky. I'm savoring the feeling of gradually figuring things out for myself, discovering how mechanics work together and deducing how they can be used to accomplish the task at hand, and I'm loving it.%Gallery-168492%
