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Poll: Japanese People Thought Dragon Quest IX Would Have WiFi
This Saturday Dragon Quest IX is going on sale in Japan. Apparently, there are already 2 million pre-orders. Some of those folks might be in for a surprise! The game uses the DS’s local ad hoc wireless, but loads of gamers thought the title would use the DS’s WiFI connection so that players didn’t have…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 9, 2009 -
Hey Pirates, Beware of Fake Dragon Quest IX Hentai Boobies!
The “leaked” version of Dragon Quest IX is malware. The ROM was dumped early on to Japanese bulletin board 2chan and is actually a hentai slideshow show called “DS Owata”. Maybe download “Dragon Quest IX JPN DSi Enchanced NDS iND” if you’d like a hentai slideshow? Oh, this bricks your DS. Buying it legally does…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 9, 2009 -
Kingdom Hearts Conceived With Chainsaws
That’s how Square Enix designer Tetsuya Nomura first pitched the game’s weapon to Disney. Square Enix wanted to make a game starring Mickey Mouse, he tells Japanese game mag Famitsu, and Disney wanted a game starring Donald Duck. “Meanwhile,” he says with a laugh, “I wanted neither.” What did Nomura want? “The first weapon I…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 9, 2009 -
Report: 2 Million Dragon Quest IX Pre-Orders
Dragon Quest IX won’t go on sale until July 11, but it already looks poised to be a huge hit in its native Japan. According to the Nikkei Marketing Journal, various retailers are apparently reporting brisk pre-orders for the game — to the tune of 2 million total pre-orders. According to Media Create, however, DQIX…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 8, 2009 -
Dragon Quest IX Pre-orders Top 2 Million In Japan
Square Enix is set to release Dragon Quest IX in Japan this Saturday, almost five years on from the previous PlayStation 2 entry. If pre-orders are any indication, the Nintendo DS role-playing game will be another hit. According to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper, pre-orders for Dragon Quest IX Hoshizora no Mamoribito have topped 2 million. That…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 8, 2009 -
Goodbye Eidos, Hello Square Enix Europe
Square Enix‘s takeover of British publisher Eidos wasn’t going to stop at just ownership. It’s running all the way through to publisher names, with “Eidos” given the chop in favour of the more ominous “Square Enix Europe”. So the name “Eidos”, which has long been associated with brands like Tomb Raider and Hitman, will no…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 8, 2009 -
Dragon Quest IX’s One Save Data Slot Explained!
According to the Dragon Quest IX DS case, the game only has one save slot. DQIX producer Ryutaro Ichimuar explains why. “Because the amount of freedom we give players is huge,” says Ichimura, “the data that needs to be saved is enormous.” Thus, it was difficult for Square Enix to create a save file and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 8, 2009 -
Dragon Quest IX Is Gonna Be Hard, Yo
Just because Square Enix is releasing Dragon Quest IX on the DS, doesn’t mean they’re putting out an easy game. On the contrary, DQIX is going to be difficult says series creator Yuji Horii. We make the game to be quite hard. It’s harder than any of the previous titles, and the enemies are also…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 6, 2009 -
Square Enix Brings Hammer Down On French Retailer
Like Nintendo, Square Enix take their intellectual property ownership seriously. So seriously that the Japanese publisher is taking legal action against a single French retailer, accused of selling pirated Square merchandise. The company, going by the name la société SAKURA, operates both a store in Paris and an online outlet, both of which specialise in…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2009 -
Want To Countdown the Release of Dragon Quest IX?
On July 11, DQIX is finally going on sale. To mark the event, Square Enix is hosting a countdown ceremony at Shibuya retailer TSUTAYA. Besides the throngs of DQ fans expected, series creator Yuji Horii and DQIX producer Ryutaro Ichimura will be in attendance. The store opens at 6:40am on the 11th, and if you’re…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2009 -
Want To See A Level 97 In Dragon Quest IX?
Dragon Quest IX, like most role-playing-games, lets players level up and customize their characters — even famous players. The latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump shows just how diverse those options are. Before we get to a Level 97, have a look at Akira Toriyama‘s Level 20 character. Ready to go onward? Here’s the customized…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2009 -
Square Enix Mystery Solved – The Four Warriors Of Light
Square Enix’s mystery countdown title is a mystery no longer, as scans from the latest Weekly Shonen Jump reveal The Four Warriors of Light: A Final Fantasy Anecdote. At least that’s the way the game’s name translates according to our own Brian Ashcraft, who pored over the scans to glean what information her could. The…
By Mike Fahey Published July 1, 2009 -
And Now There Is A Girl…
To recap: First there was a landscape and the number four. Then a dragon. After that, a boy. And now? A girl. There looks like there is enough space on the back of that dragon for at least another rider, maybe more. Check back tomorrow! It should be oh so thrilling. NEW Game [Square Enix…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 1, 2009 -
Why Is There A Tanned Fairy In Dragon Quest IX?
With golden skin and bleached blond hair, fairy Sandy doesn’t look like your typical Dragon Quest character. She talks and dresses like the Japanese equivalent of a Valley Girl. Dragon Quest IX producer Ryutaro Ichimura describes a meeting regarding what kind of character would be best for the pivotal role of guide for the adventure.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 30, 2009 -
Check Out Dragon Quest IX’s Multiplayer
Sure, Dragon Quest IX only has local multiplayer, but it does have multiplayer! This is a video of it. Each player controls his or her avatar, and it is possible for up to four players to play together via the DS’s local WiFi connection. Players can stray from their party, but it might be best…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 30, 2009 -
And Now There Is A Boy…
First there was a landscape and the number four. Then a dragon. Now? Now there is a boy. He has a sword. Tomorrow we hope this Square Enix countdown site brings us clouds or maybe, just maybe, the sun. Oh the suspense. It is killing us. NEW GAME [Official Site]
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 30, 2009 -
Pre-Buy The Next Final Fantasy XI Scenario Next Week
While there’s no word on when you can play the second of three new Final Fantasy XI scenarios. A Moogle Kupo d’Etat – Evil in Small Doses, now we know when you can buy it. Starting on July 5th, Final Fantasy XI players will be able to purchase the follow-up to A Crystalline Prophecy –…
By Mike Fahey Published June 29, 2009 -
Tetsuya Nomura On Kingdom Hearts 3
One new Kingdom Hearts game, KH 358/2 Days, has been released in Japan. Two more Square-Enix-meets-Disney mash-ups are forthcoming: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for the PSP and Kingdom Hearts: Coded for cell phones. But where is the one everyone is waiting for, Kingdom Hearts 3? Kingdom Hearts designer Tetsuya Nomura says he already has…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 29, 2009 -
Hey Look, Now, There Is A Dragon
The countdown page for some game Square Enix is trying to hype. The large “4” and the countdown clock are old, but the dragon drawing is new. Even if we don’t like countdown clocks, we do like dragon drawings. Also, the SaGa (AKA Final Fantasy Legend) style music *might* be new as well, since we…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 29, 2009 -
Want to Meet Final Fantasy’s Composer?
You need to be in Seattle from July 9 to 11, and you need a hundred bucks. The Seattle Symphony is giving a three-day performance of Final Fantasy‘s score, and Nobuo Uematsu will be attending. “Distant Worlds” will be performed July 9 at 7:30 pm and July 10 and 11 at 8 pm. The Grammy…
By Owen Good Published June 27, 2009