dragonquest
Latest
TUAW's Daily App: Voice Fantasy
Voice Fantasy is a weird little app from Square Enix, creators of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series of role-playing games. You may remember Song Summoner, the original RPG created for the iPod a while back (that later came to the iPhone as well). That game had you creating soldiers with songs. Voice Fantasy has you creating heroes with a different audio source: your voice. Just pull up the create-a-hero screen, speak or sing into the iPhone's mic, and the game will create a custom-made hero just for you from whatever auditory groans or screams you can come up with. Unfortunately, unlike Song Summoner, there's no RPG element to this one. Instead, the game is just a short series of arenas, with your heroes fighting their way up to and defeating the Demon King. You don't actually control the heroes -- they just fight for you, and you can pit them against friends' heroes as well to see whose voice is stronger. If it sounds like a gimmick, it kind of is, but the graphics look great, and the game is just interesting enough to play around with for a while. There is supposedly more coming, including some characters from a favorite series (perhaps the final part of a fantasy series?). There's also another game mode on the way, and hopefully it's a story mode of some kind, because what's currently there isn't very deep. But it is the latest in a series of interesting experiments by Square Enix on the iPhone, and for US$2.99, it's almost worth supporting just to give the classic game makers a vote of confidence in providing original games for the platform. Voice Fantasy is a strange one, but especially if you're a Square Enix fan, it's worth checking out. And if you're not enticed by this, go get Chaos Rings. That's the full-featured Square Enix RPG for the iPhone that you're looking for.
Items of Import: Look Ahead! Dragon Quest V
How is Dragon Quest IV holding up for you, dear readers? Did you run out and buy yourselves a copy, and power through the game? Does the whole feel of the title scream "Classic!" or does it reek of archaic sensibilities? Perhaps you were part of the faithful minority in the great debate of RPG fandom, at the beginning of the week. Personally, as a little kid growing up in the halcyon days of the Famicom (and later, Super Famicom) era, the opening track of the Dragon Quest series is more memorable and more emotionally stirring than the Japanese national anthem. So... You may be knee deep in Dragon Quest IV goodness right now, and enjoying its tale of many heroes and heroines. Once you come to that inevitable conclusion, what have you got to look ahead to? Why, Dragon Quest V, of course. Today in Items of Import, we'll take the opportunity of the recent release of the fourth in the series in the Western markets to see what's to look forward to in the second entry of the Zenithia trilogy.
Dragon Quest IV DS remake coming September 16
A slime approaches, and by slime we of course mean the DS remake of 1990 Famicom classic Dragon Quest IV. A NeoGAF poster has found that Square Enix has quietly launched the official teaser site for Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen, listing the still unannounced localization for release stateside on September 16. Even more interesting, the site also shows off logos for upcoming remakes Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride and Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie as well, though sans release dates, all but assuring that North American role-playing enthusiasts will be neck-deep in metal slimes for the foreseeable future.
Wii Fanswag: And the Dragon Quest Swords winner is ...
Well, folks, our latest giveaway has come to an end and it's time we hooked someone up with our review copy of Dragon Quest Swords. Many have entered, but only one can be crowned victorious. Let's all congratulate: Justin, who, sadly, "got the Dragon Warrior cart free with a subscription to Nintendo Power. It, sadly, is the only DW/DQ game that I've played." Well, Justin, that's about to change! Consider yourself a winner! So, congratulations and better luck next time to the rest of you. We've already got our next giveaway up and running, in case you're looking to try your luck again.%Gallery-3929%
Ubisoft to bring Square Enix games down under [update]
Ubisoft loves Australia, it seems, as they've worked out a deal with RPG powerhouse Square Enix to bring some of their games to the region. Ubisoft will be bringing two titles to the country in Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates. Gamers down under can look forward to getting these titles in early 2008.Any Aussies here glad they won't have to import these games?Update: According to JeuxFrance, Ubisoft is going to be bringing the games to not only Australia, but also to Europe. So, good news is now made even better.
TGS07: New trailer for Dragon Quest IV
Having just received a release date and price for Japan, we knew the game would be on-hand in Tokyo, but nothing in the way of video managed to climb out from under the already suffocating amount of news. That is, until now. And, while the above video is mainly just some pan shots of concept art with small portions of gameplay tossed in for good measure, it's still enough to get you pumped for the game. [Via NeoGAF]
Dragon Quest IV and others playable at TGS
It's nice to see that even though Nintendo won't have a booth at the Tokyo Game Show this year, our favorite handheld will still be properly represented at the convention by companies like Square Enix (Sanuk Software, too!).Square Enix has announced its sequels, remakes, spin-offs, and casual titles the company plans to present at the event, most notable on the list -- at least for us -- being a playable Dragon Quest IV. Dragon Quest IX, recently pushed back for a 2008 release, will only show up in video form. Check past the post break for Square Enix's full list of DS RPGs and Style Games for TGS.
Dragon Quest IX delayed until 2008
Dragon Quest IX, the textbook definition of "surefire sales phenomenon" (we hear sociologists are still studying its effects on modern civilizations), has been pushed back from its 2007 Japanese release until sometime next year, according to IGN.Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada had previously said that Dragon Quest IX would be released after some remakes, later revealed to be DQIV, V and VI. Given that, and the general lack of information of the title thus far, we're not too surprised by the delay. DQIX was not going to make a 2007 release outside of Japan anyways, but we're still hoping to see it come to North America and PAL regions before 2009.[Via DS Fanboy]
DQIX gets pushed back to 2008
Those of you who've been eagerly awaiting Square Enix's latest title on the DS will have to wait extra long, as the company has announced that Dragon Quest IX has been delayed until 2008. The reason for delaying the game? Square Enix apparently needs to improve the quality of the game, but we're going on machine translation, so it isn't the best. Who will be joining us for a cry session in the corner?
Dragon Quest IV website launches
The Japanese website for Dragon Quest IV has hit the net and, as far as websites go, it's one of the better ones. Sure, it may take a little longer to load, but the presentation and content are well worth it. There are some character bios to check out, as well as some in-game screens. Overall, it's what you'd expect for a Square Enix site launch.Is it just us, or does Dragon Quest IV look awfully pretty?
Square Enix opening US merchandise store midnight tonight
If you've got any marrow or plasma to spare, you'd better go get it sucked out now because at midnight tonight, Square Enix opens the online merchandise store to the United States. The online store has been available to Japanese consumers for quite some time now, offering everything from Dragon Quest stationary to replica Gunblades from Final Fantasy VIII.The US store will have a modest opening, sticking mostly to figurines. A full list and descriptions of featured items are available after the break.
Dragon Quest IV scheduled for winter release
Square Enix knows how to develop a game quickly: already have developed the whole thing twice. You'll be able to see this efficiency through redundancy at work this winter, when the first of the three DS Dragon Quest remakes hits Japan.The company has opened the official Dragon Quest IV-VI website, which is probably not based on any NES-era websites, and, as such, doesn't have much content yet beyond the vague release schedule for IV and its CERO rating of A (All Ages). If this is coming out this winter, does it mean that it'll be competing with Dragon Quest IX? Or will IX even come out this year? It is a powerful mystery.[Via Dengeki]
Dragon Quest IV, V, VI remakes bound for DS
New scans from Japanese gaming magazine Jump show that the Nintendo DS will be receiving three Dragon Quest remakes -- IV, V and VI -- each as separate titles. The scans can be found on the NeoGAF forums; according to a translation from IGN, the first game (DQIV) is expected to be released in Japan this winter.The scans show that the games will be receiving a graphical upgrade from their original form. While these games are only going to further cement the DS's dominance in Japan, the RPG trio is not guaranteed for release in other regions; of the three, only DQIV has ever received an official launch elsewhere.A word to Square Enix: you're running out of games to remake.[Thanks, hvnlysoldr]
Dragon Quest Remake Mania
Square Enix has announced DS remakes of Dragon Quests IV, V, and VI. Everybody freak out ... now. And ... done. Back at the Square Enix Party, Yoichi Wada mentioned that some of the Dragon Quest games would be remade, but not which ones or how many. These three games comprise an informal "Zenithia" trilogy, linked by the appearance of the same aerial castle in all three games. The blurry screens visible in the scans indicate that the remakes are based on the engine from the Playstation remake of Dragon Quest IV, which used 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds. We hope that all of them come out in the US, since V and VI would be new to us, and it would be awfully nice to have a new version of IV with a better translation and actual availability. Full-size scans after the break!
Rumors: new Bionic Commando, and four RPGs from Level 5
The latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly's Quartermann rumor mill is coming with a fresh set of rumors to peruse. The juiciest hearsay is that Capcom's Bionic Commando, once rumored to be getting the remake treatment, is now being developed as a full-fledged installment for the PlayStation Network.Dark Cloud developer Level 5, whose current PlayStation 3 project White Knight Story has been outside of the limelight since wowing us with footage from last year's Tokyo Game Show, is rumored to be announcing four new RPGs at this year's TGS in September. And they're not necessarily PS3 games, either.Also mentioned? Incoming Dragon Quest remakes, but this isn't exactly a rumor since we heard Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada explicitly say remakes were coming before Dragon Quest IX. The Quartermann does add some details, however, reporting that the first remake will be Dragon Quest IV for the DS.
Dragon Quest maps, Google style
A Dragon Quest fan who goes by the handle XB-LIM has done what every retro RPG gamer would have killed for two decades ago: mapped the first four Dragon Quest games in the style of Google Maps. They're zoomable, they're scrollable, and one of them even has bubble annotations (in Japanese). Kind of takes the fun out of wandering around and exploring, which is half the entertainment value of classic RPGs. Fighting hundreds of random battles to gain a few levels so you can actually make the trek to the first town is the other half. Dragon Quest map Dragon Quest 2 Dragon Quest 3 Dragon Quest 4 [Via GamersWeb]
Square Enix unveils new release dates with E3 2007 lineup
What do you do with a shrunken E3 floor space? Only have playable portable games, of course! Square Enix has unveiled its lineup for this week's E3 2007 summit. Of the seven, we're looking at three Final Fantasies, two Dragon Quests, and an innumerable amount of androgynous protagonists. Release dates were also revealed for most of the titles (Dragon Quest Wii notwithstanding). The playable titles include: Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (DS; November 6) Heroes of Mana (DS; August 14) Final Fantasy II (PSP; July 24) Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP; October 9) Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS; November 20) Front Mission (DS; October 23) Additionally, the following titles will be shown but not playable: Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (Wii) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (DS; Spring 2008) Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess (PS2, Xbox 360, PC; Winter 2007) Not caught up on your Square Enix portable titles? Check out our features on the PSP and DS lineups.
Square Enix in your pocket: DS edition
Unlike its PSP counterpart, the Nintendo DS has been no stranger to North American Square Enix releases. Chocobo Tales, Final Fantasy III, Children of Mana and Dragon Quest Rocket Slime have all graced their presence on Western shores. And Square Enix is far from done supporting Nintendo's money-printer.Of the eight titles, we've got 4 Final Fantasy games, 3 strategy games, 2 remakes, and one surefire Japanese phenomenon by way of Dragon Quest IX. Have a look at the publisher's upcoming selection after the break.
A road map of Itadaki Street
Having never come out in the US, the Itadaki Street franchise is somewhat of a mystery. But the series has been thrust into our attention with its entry on the DS and the included Mario and Dragon Quest characters. We know we like the characters, and we are vaguely aware of a board game of some kind, but how exactly does the game play?Siliconera, who previously helped us identify all the Dragon Quest folks, has a piece up now about the game that's half review, half tutorial. It's an excellent resource for the Itadaki curious, and should help you in your soul-searching about whether or not you're interested in a Japanese board game about property.
Square Enix launching US online store
Role-playing game powerhouse Square Enix have put up a teaser site for an upcoming online merchandise store. Though we're not expecting software titles to be sold, figurines from Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy are likely (we saw a huge display of fine-crafted figures from those series at Tokyo Game Show last year) and probably clothing with various logos.Our prediction for best-sellers? Anything with a Slime character on it: key chains, styluses, plush dolls, etc. Our prediction for worst-sellers? Anything sold with actual slime on it. Ew. No date has been given for the grand opening of the store.[Via 1UP]
