nis-america
Latest
NIS announces Disgaea delay, releases English trailer
If this Disgaea DS trailer seems familiar to you, it's because we posted the clip a week ago, only in Japanese! If you missed out on the SRPG when it debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2003, this localized video should give you a better idea of the Disgaea series' unique mechanics -- tossing players, bribing the senate, etc. The English trailer also shows new additions to the DS port, like a playable Pleinair and commentary by a disgruntled Prinny. Supposedly, Disgaea DS will also feature an "all new story focus" with "a new experience and a new ending." Despite initially announcing a July release for North America, NIS America has revised its schedule to ship Disgaea DS in the states this September, instead. With Final Fantasy IV, Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2, and Civilization Revolution all coming out in July, perhaps it's for the best! %Gallery-17933%
Disgaea screenshot blowout
Yeah, you heard us: a blowout. We're not sure how many screens are required for something to qualify as a blowout, but we figure that 28 is quite enough. Anyway, they're waiting for your perusal on Impress Watch, and cover everything from combat to character classes to items in Nippon Ichi's DS Disgaea port. Go look at them now, and coo in admiration at how well they stack up to previous versions of the game. There's also a lengthy feature up discussing numerous aspects of the title, but we couldn't locate much information for those who have already played the game on the PlayStation 2 or PSP. %Gallery-17933%
Handing out massive damage in Disgaea DS
If there's one thing we know you can do in the upcoming Disgaea DS, it's inflict a lot of damage. Well, we know that and the game will be awesome. It's Disgaea. This isn't rocket science, people! As said above, the video features Nippon ichi showing off the many ways you can inflict ridiculous amounts of damage. Like, in the millions. The other notable thing about the video above is the pre-order bonus for Japanese gamers. It's possible we could be receiving the same bonus when the title releases to North America in August, but nothing has been set in stone, yet. %Gallery-17933% [Via Siliconera]
Delving into Disgaea's extras
Nippon Ichi is really trying to make the DS version of Disgaea the definitive one. The company's latest attempt to sway fans who are so over the series is by adding a handful of new playable characters. So far, the list of extras includes Adel and Rozalin from Disgaea 2, Overlord Zetta from Makai Kingdom, and the rabbit-loving Pleinair. The best part about playing with Pleinair? She can summon rabbits from the sky as an attack. Well, that about sells us on the port. If you're still looking for more reasons to buy Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon, though, the game also has multiplayer battles worth mentioning. The one disappointing aspect to these shenanigans is the lack of Wi-Fi multiplayer, but even so, we can't complain too much. Perhaps it's because there's even more goodies packed in, such as a new intro movie and some sort of Prinny commentary. Since NIS is putting so much effort into the software, we'll definitely take notice -- even if it means we're easy. Gallery: Disgaea [Via Siliconera]
Puchi Puchi Prinny Prinny preorder preorder
NIS America's online storefront, Rosenqueen, is promising a goofy preorder bonus for anyone who reserves Puchi Puchi Virus, Nippon Ichi's budget puzzler. Customers who pay the $19.99 in advance will receive a squishy, pill-shaped Anti-Virus Stress Reliever, much like the image on the right, except branded with everyone's favorite Disgaea mascots, Prinnies. As far as we know, the actual game doesn't feature any Prinnies, so it seems as if Rosenqueen is looking to move more Puchi Puchi Virus units by attracting Disgaea fans who have to own every piece of the series' merchandise. Then again, we wouldn't put it past Nippon Ichi to pack one of its games with cameos from the developer's other franchises. Rosenqueen plans to only have a thousand of these two-tone capsules, so make sure to preorder soon! Hopefully they made sure not to line up any of the colored halves while packing these, lest they accidentally clear out their entire stock. Gallery: Puchi Puchi Virus [Via CAG] See also: An explosively cute bonus for Disgaea
Disgaea takes a turn to update its website
Click image to look at more comparison screens in our gallery SRPG nuts, you're likely still feeling the intoxicating effects of that come from knowing your favorite handheld will be home to an installment in the widely-acclaimed Disgaea franchise. It's okay, we're kind of feeling it ourselves after checking out the control scheme news this morning. Time for more, though! The Japanese site for the game has updated, providing those of you with an ability to read Japanese with a plethora of information and eye candy on the title. For us, it's like an adventure within an adventure, as we try to solve what lurks within the mysterious Japanese website. What vexes us most is the weird clock that seems to be counting up, instead of, say, counting down to the game's release in Japan. Head on over and give it a look for yourself! %Gallery-17933%
Disgaea has the control scheme to fit your own strategy
This GAME Watch article about Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon says that the "flow" of the new DS game will be almost identical to the PSP Afternoon of Darkness. But the new version will only control identically to the PSP game if you want it to. Disgaea on the DS offers three control options: a touchscreen-only configuration (which, it must be said, can obviously be operated with a totally cute Prinny stylus), a no-touchscreen configuration, and a combination option. Whether this combined setting is just the other two in simultaneous operation or a separate control scheme designed specifically for this purpose is currently unknown. %Gallery-17933%
An explosively cute bonus for Disgaea
The item hasn't been produced yet, but Nippon Ichi has released a preview image of a totally adorable bonus, which we expect will be handed out to people who preorder Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon. It's a stylus in the shape of the series' well-known mascot/punching bag/exploding projectile, a Prinny. Another drawing gives us an idea of what the final item will look like, and suggests that there will be another Disgaea item made for the DS -- some kind of dangling charm thing. And in addition to news about adorable pseudo-penguin styli, Dengeki has a ton of new screens! What would you have to do in life, we wonder, to be reincarnated not just as a Prinny, but as a piece of plastic shaped like a Prinny? And how would you earn your way back into the world -- would it be as simple as never scratching the screen? %Gallery-17933%
Deal of the Night: Disgaea for $30
If you haven't gotten tired of Nippon Ichi Software's staple Disgaea series by now, chances are you haven't played it yet. This must be remedied. amazon.com is having a sale, discounting the game to $30. Of course, getting it used from the Amazon marketplace can save you a couple of bucks, but you won't get the free shipping. However, it appears that this reprint will take about a year to release.
Show and Tell: A stitch in time
We love sprites, the older, the better, and so do many crafters. After all, the blocky character figures are easier to recreate on quilts and cookies than are more rounded models. Sprites also lend themselves well to cross stitch, as reader Jenni can testify. Jenni, who also writes for Gamertell, has built up quite a collection of character cross stitch, and many of her efforts feature characters Nintendo fans just might recognize. Hit up the gallery for some of her work -- and if you're interested in getting started yourself, Jenni has a good piece on how to go about it. Got something you want to show off to all the other DS fans? We like just about anything with a little Nintendo flavor, so snap a few pics and send 'em off to tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest. %Gallery-20236%
Disgaea dated for Japan
Hot on the (very pink) heels of yesterday's website reveal, Nippon Ichi has confirmed a Japanese release date of June 26th for Disgaea. NIS has previously stated that it would like the game to launch stateside this summer, so we shouldn't have too long to wait. Until then, we suggest you pass the time by reading up on some of the extras the DS version will boast, reflecting on how purdy the DS game is compared to the PSP and PS2 editions, or taking in some lovely Disgaea art. Before you know it, Nippon Ichi's SRPG will be back to own your life all over again. %Gallery-17933% [Via Go Nintendo]
Disgaea website and screens appear
Have you got Disgaea on the brain? If so, you should probably get that looked at. If you just happen to be excited for the upcoming DS remake, though, we have some new information for you. First, you can now visit the game's official Japanese website, which happens to be very pink. Like most official websites that are in a language we can't read, it's pretty unfulfilling -- but, who knows, you may sleep better at night just knowing that it's there. We also have oodles of new screens to show you, which are posted after the break. Go on, now -- you know what to do. %Gallery-17933%
Take a glimpse at Disgaea DS art
We have some new Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon goodies for you. Nothing as cool as comparative screenshots, unfortunately, but there's some pretty nice game and character art to check out in our gallery. Yes, these pictures are just artwork and not screens, but they're still enough to get us giddy over this remake. We know that quite a few of you SRPG fans are looking forward to Disgaea, too. We're curious which SRPG you're anticipating more, though -- this, or Final Fantasy Tactics A2? %Gallery-17933%
Disgaea: Afternoon of Comparing Screenshots
Dengeki posted a bunch of new screens of Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon, and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to see how the DS edition stacks up visually to its predecessors. We collected similar-looking screenshots from Disgaea: Hour of Darkness on the PS2, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness on the PSP, and the new DS game. We weren't able to grab the exact same locations in all three games, but we think the areas represented are similar enough to give you an idea of the relative graphical differences in the three games. In addition, the capture on the PSP and DS games is better than the PS2 screenshots, so bear that in mind. Hit the post break for our comparison pictures, and click any of them to see them in full resolution! %Gallery-17933%
Disgaea DS comes jam packed with some nice extras
Disgaea, as niche as it is, has quite a following. In a recent interview with Crispy Gamer, Nippon Ichi's PR Manager Jack Niida stated that the entire reason for bringing Disgaea to the DS was because of demand -- specifically, a constant barrage of emails and calls. Hear that, people? Your pestering worked. Still, those of you who have already played the PSP's Afternoon of Darkness or the original Hour of Darkness on the PS2 might be wondering why you should buy another adaptation. Niida explains that, for one, a main attraction of the new Disgaea is the multiplayer. So, if you're hoping to battle friends (we're assuming through Wi-Fi and not locally), it might be a worthwhile purchase. Even if you aren't, though, the DS version (which will be called Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon in Japan) seems to have a lot of nifty extras. Besides including all the content from the PSP version and more, the game will feature new characters and utilize touchscreen controls. Niida also hinted at a unique battle feature, but kept tight-lipped on that, promising more information soon. The DS game will keep the voice acting and music from Afternoon of Darkness, but (as was expected) will make some sacrifices in terms of graphics. Crispy Gamer also asked Niida if we'd ever see a Disgaea game on the 360 or Wii, to which he replied coyly, "Who knows, you might see something interesting coming out later in the year." If you ask us, it won't be happening anytime in the near future, but it's nice to know that they're open to the possibility. Still, we're happy enough that we'll be seeing such a full, time-sucking game on our favorite handheld -- everything else is just gravy. Gallery: Disgaea [Thanks, James!]
Joystiq interview: NIS America talks Disgaea 3's PS3 move
As we mentioned earlier this week, we recently had the opportunity to grill the folks at niche publisher NIS America regarding Disgaea 3, a game that represents not only the third in the company's most popular franchise, but also the first to be released on the PlayStation 3. It's a series we have enjoyed since its debut in 2003, but we wisely decided to keep our enthusiasm for the sequel in check – after all, the point of the visit was to find out exactly why NIS moved the series to the PS3, a decision that has summarily divided the company's existing fan base like a tsunami bomb. To find out the what, why and how, we turned to company marketing guru Jack Niida for an explanation, and in the following interview he talks localization, the move to a new platform, and even the possibility of moving Disgaea to another console. For the complete scoop, read on.%Gallery-4958%
NIS America: PS2 lacks the power to run Disgaea 3
How important are graphics in the scheme of game design? Do they trump audio? Level design? Gameplay? Peer pressure probably dictates that we downplay the importance of graphics, but the impact of eye candy cannot be understated. Anyone believing differently need only take a cursory glance at comments made by readers in reaction to news that NIS America would bring the third game in its popular console strategy franchise Disgaea to the PlayStation 3 this August. The reactions were made not to the game's release date, but rather to the title's appearance, which despite calling Sony's latest console home, look very much the part of a last gen release. Recently we caught up with the publisher's marketing coordinator Jack Niida, and asked him a number of questions about the game, including just what's the deal with Disgaea 3's lack of visual fidelity. "It's simply because PS2 lacks the processing power and memory capacity to support Disgaea 3," Jack told us. "PS2 could not load the same amount of data on to memory and process it like the PS3; therefore, we decided to develop it for the next-gen platform." He added that "the character sprites for Disgaea 3 take 3~4 times the amount of labor to create compared to Disgaea 2," and the team is "doing our best to improve the sprites." While you mull over that justification, and decided if it's enough of a reason to continue to look forward to Disgaea 3's release this fall, look for our complete interview with NIS America later this week. %Gallery-4958%
Disgaea DS confirmed (for North America)
"Dave, you silly billy, the game was already confirmed!" "Voice in my head, you better shut up before I jam a fork into my temple." Whether it's the constant drugging of our green tea that the Joystiq types conduct or the crippling claustrophobia that comes from working for 29 hours a day in a dark cell (at least they let us sleep for the other hour in the day), all alone save for the tapping of our laptop and the morse code heard through the walls that us Fanboy workers use to communicate with each other, it's tough to find things to brighten our day. But, thankfully, DS owners in North America receive another drop in the well of pleasant gaming that has been bestowed upon them. Disgaea, the SRPG series that holds both an equal portion of love and contempt in your heart (we hear it's a pretty tough game), has been confirmed for North America. This means that, uh ... you can be frustrated on the go? Actually, it probably means you want to hug someone right now (or explode, if you're this commenter). How about you hug your monitor, and we'll hug ours'? That way, it'll be like we hugged each other. Okay, start hugging ... now. %Gallery-17933%
NIS wastes little time, announces Disgaea DS for North America
Before the ink even had time to dry on the game's announcement for Japan, NIS America this afternoon confirmed plans to bring the Nintendo DS version of its popular turn-based strategy series Disgaea to North America this summer. While lacking a colorful title beyond the presumably tentative Disgaea DS, the game is nonetheless described as simply "a new edition" of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. NIS America promises "several key improvements" over 2003's PlayStation 2 original. However, the announcement also confirms our grumblings from earlier this week regarding the game being just another pass at the first game rather than a wholly new tactical strategy adventure, much like last year's Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness for the PSP. Even so, given that the DS is practically tailor made for games of this type, Disgaea in any form feels like a natural fit for Nintendo's portable. We just hope the battery can hold out while we grind to level 9999.
Disgaea DS, NIS titles revealed
After announcing its plans to release five new games for the DS, Nippon Ichi Software has finally revealed screenshots and details for our two most anticipated titles of the bunch -- Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon and Jigsaw World. NIS also mentioned Rhapsody: In Musical Adventure, likely a port of the PlayStation SRPG. According to Jeux-France, as with the PSP's Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, this DS release will be an adaptation of the original PlayStation 2 game, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. Though we're not sure yet how much new content will be thrown into the DS remake, we would be happy just to get some polished touchscreen controls and online support (not too hopeful on the latter feature, however). Run past the break for the scanned pages!
