Author Topic: Dragon Quest IX Announced for Nintendo DS (Read 14493 times)

MegaByte · « **on:** December 11, 2006, 05:22:30 PM »

The famed RPG series goes handheld in a surprise announcement.

Square-Enix held a press conference today in Japan to discuss the future of their twenty year old Dragon Quest franchise. Subtitled "Hoshizora no Mamori Hito," which translates to "One Who Protects the Starry Sky," the game was speculated to be released on PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii. It turns out that the next Dragon Quest game, number nine in the main series, is under development for Nintendo DS.

The company released some tidbits about the game as well as showing off some 3D screenshots. Development is being handled by Level 5, developer of the previous Dragon Quest VIII for PlayStation 2. Koichi Sugiyama is once again composing music for the game, while series creator Yuuji Horii and character designer Akira Toriyama are also deeply involved in production.

Notably departing from the standard J-RPG formula, gameplay in Dragon Quest IX will be more action oriented and will feature four-player online cooperative play. The top screen is used as a map, while the bottom screen contains the action.

Dragon Quest IX is currently planned for a 2007 release in Japan. No price has yet been decided.

Nile Boogie · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:32:46 PM »

!!!!!!!!!!!yur kly, eg ehmtyo4 qn58 35vq6q9/ 3459v6/u vn /rehg gen veha c/ner/igq jrge?vvnq/r/ /hg an cqyt8qnv/q/remoer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(babelfish translation)

"It prints money!"

TrueNerd · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:34:23 PM »

CONFIRMED: THE DS IS THE NEW PS2.

In terms of Japanese market share anyways, which is likely the reason for this. I find it absolutely fascinating that any developer would make a real sequel to a PS2 game for the DS.

Will I play this? Maybe. Rocket Slime was the first DQ game I've ever played and I certainly enjoy that. Plus, four player online co-op sounds good...

Hocotate · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:35:40 PM »

Wow! I don't think any would have guessed it would be going to the DS... This just goes to show how much of a beast the handheld has become in Japan. So pretty much DQ is a Nintendo exclusive now...

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:36:25 PM »

This crushes the PSP for good in Japan...I mean, the DS caused massive lines, and the DQ games are so popular that they had to create a law that says the games MUST be released on a weekend in order to prevent massive hooky cases.

Put the two of them together and Japan was never heard from again...

Crimm · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:54:38 PM »

I would say DS Lites are going to fly off the Japanese shelves...but they already do.

WindyMan · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:56:18 PM »

I said wow. I didn't even think about it, I just said wow.

I am stunned.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2006, 06:32:40 PM »

It's an action game? Wasn't DQ the last series to hold onto the unmodified select-action-from-menu battle system?

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2006, 06:58:01 PM »

huge

Huge!

HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE OMGWTFBBQ BOHICA ETC.

When we weren't looking, a dimensional rift opened below our feet and whizzed us away to a magical land where completely insane things happen on a regular basis.

WuTangTurtle · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2006, 07:11:12 PM »

hmm, makes me think that rumor about Kingdom Hearts franchise could find its way on a Nintendo platform even more a possibility.

IceCold · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2006, 07:36:21 PM »

Where are the screens?

Larson · « **Reply #11 on:** December 11, 2006, 07:51:14 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: IceCold
Where are the screens?

www.famitsu.com/game/news/2006/12/12/103,1165907676,64336,0,0.html

NWR_pap64 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 11, 2006, 10:39:15 PM »

Someone at Go Nintendo was bitching about Square "shafting" Nintendo once more by making the game for the DS instead of the Wii console.

While the Wii is destined to be a hit in Japan, it was just released. Square is playing it safe by seeing how the console does in the first year of release before making anything huge. The DS, on the other hand, is a proven success, so they know that the game will sell thousands in a DAY.

As some have pointed out, if the game does really well on the DS you can expect bigger, better games on the Wii. Besides, this great news in that S-E is throwing one of its biggest franchises in decades on a Nintendo console for the first time in years, proving that Nintendo has been doing a great job restoring its image.

So, why bitch?

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #13 on:** December 11, 2006, 11:08:49 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: WindyMan
I said wow. I didn't even think about it, I just said wow.

I am stunned.

Oh absolutely...Looking back on Horii's recent statements this totally makes sense, but this is still an absolute shock...

Darc Requiem · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2006, 12:06:37 AM »

Wow.....I'm completely surprised by this. I was expecting Square Enix to wait to see how the PS3 and Wii performed over the next 6 to 12 months. This is a feather in Nintendo's cap and another nail in the PS3's coffin.

Nick DiMola · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2006, 01:12:00 AM »

Like everyone else said, I am floored by this news. I saw the headline and flatout could not believe it. I hope the Wii takes off and gains Kingdom Hearts support, seems like a more suitable spot for the game anyhow. At least this is a big step in the right direction with Square. I didn't think the day would come where they throw one of their biggest franchises on, of all places, a Nintendo handheld.

Pale · « **Reply #16 on:** December 12, 2006, 01:35:46 AM »

It's confirmed that all Square-Enix does is look at sales volume when deciding on a platform.

Now we just need them to move FF XIII to Wii.

Anyway, while I'm incredibly excited about this news, I can't help but be somewhat bummed. My heart was set on lounging on the couch playing DQ IX with one hand.

Athrun Zala · « **Reply #17 on:** December 12, 2006, 02:16:38 AM »

:shock:

so the DSL will be even harder to find in Japan now....

and maybe the Wii will get something related to DQ IX.... I mean, apparently SE is liking that "multiple games for any given iteration of franchise" thing.... (like they have been doing with the FFs lately)

Caliban · « **Reply #18 on:** December 12, 2006, 02:22:57 AM »

Huh? I never saw that one coming. Cool, we finally get a non-slime DQ game, took them long enough even though it is for the DS.

Ceric · « **Reply #19 on:** December 12, 2006, 03:37:38 AM »

The story book art style is sort of cool. I'm sort of surprised at this but isn't the DS getting a version of FF:XIII as well? I'm hoping by that time Nintendo might release the third incarnation of the DS. I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. My first version will be pretty used by then. (I don't really want a lite par say I don't think it gives me enough to warrant a switch.)

Any word on the Wii games launch date in that press conference by any chance?

NWR_Lindy · « **Reply #20 on:** December 12, 2006, 03:44:45 AM »

Wow. Incredible, borderline-unbelievable news. With this move, the PSP officially becomes a 2nd-tier system in Japan. I can't even begin to imagine 1) how many copies DQ9 will sell in Japan, and 2) how many DS Lites this is going to move as a result.

Nintendo is back, folks. It's official.

segagamer12 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 12, 2006, 04:34:32 AM »

Finally, a game I want coming to a system I have. This is cool those screens look pretty good too.

Now I can settle the PSP is dead once and for all with my sony fanboy friends sho STILL think it is better than DS and somehow maintian is MUST be out selling it despite my efforts to prove other wise.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #22 on:** December 12, 2006, 05:10:47 AM »

This is crazy. I think in Japan consoles are more or less dead. At the very least they're now the second-string systems like portables typically are viewed in North America. The DS is the leader like the Famicom, Super Famicom, Playstation and Playstation 2 before it. Square Enix has set a new precendent of a portable being the main focus.

There is a problem with this though. If that's the direction things are going then neither the Wii or the PS3 will win in North America because they won't get the dedicated console support that we expect in North America. Neither of those consoles will get the full treatment of being the market leader in Japan which would give the Xbox 360 a large advantage in North America. Of course this might not mean anything. DQIX might be an anomaly and for the most part consoles remain the focus on developers.

I personally don't want portables to become too popular because I, well, hate playing games on them. I tend to move the controller around too much when playing so the screen is always moving which makes it harder for me to play for a good length of time. Once I got the GB Player I stopped playing my GBA and prior to that I only played GB games on the Super Gameboy. Though I think the future of gaming is no difference between consoles and portables. Both will be compatible with the same games and people can choose whether they want their hardware in a portable or console format.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #23 on:** December 12, 2006, 05:20:33 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Pale
It's confirmed that all Square-Enix does is look at sales volume when deciding on a platform. Now we just need them to move FF XIII to Wii.

Anyway, while I'm incredibly excited about this news, I can't help but be somewhat bummed. My heart was set on lounging on the couch playing DQ IX with one hand.

You said it best.

The DS didn't need this kind of help, IMHO, but like Pap said, the Wii and PS3 are still fledgling consoles, and while the Wii is already taking to the skies while the PS3 seems to be missing a wing, the DS is a safer bet in terms of sales.

And this

Quote
and Japan was never heard from again...

Is going in my sig.

JonLeung · « **Reply #24 on:** December 12, 2006, 05:29:12 AM »

I'm excited. No, really, I am!

However, by putting it on the Wii, it'd help establish it in the console race. I'm not going to go all Square-Enix fanboyish here, but while Square-Enix's name still has some value, it would do a lot more for the Wii than for the already-successful DS.

But, they're in it for the money, it's not their duty to sell new consoles, and DQ IX would certainly bring them the money they want. Or lots more of it, anyway. Hopefully that'll make them and Nintendo more chummy on fronts other than handhelds.

Won't this game be confused with Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker? At least for the uninformed in DQ matters.

News:

Author Topic: Dragon Quest IX Announced for Nintendo DS (Read 14493 times)