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‘Dragon Quest VIII’ 3DS Remake Gets A Release Date

by Natalie KipperNovember 5, 2016

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King was heralded as one of the finest RPGs on the Playstation 2 (and potentially of all time). Fans of the title as well as newcomers will be pleased to learn that Nintendo has announced the release date for the Nintendo 3DS remake: January 20, 2017.

This release is no mere copy, however. Beyond being portable (which let’s face it is pretty awesome), the 3DS version will feature two new playable characters, additional side quests, an alternative ending, and the ability to spot enemies on the map a la Dragon Quest VII. Players will also be able to speed up battle animations and make use of a “Quick-Save” function.

Players can take snapshots during battles and cutscenes, even striking special poses, then adding stickers, banners, and filters to their photo. As the heroes progress in the story, they will meet Cameron Obscura in Port Prospect, granting them access to Cameron’s Codex. This item rewards players for capturing specific events, characters, and monsters on film. With the Nintendo 3DS’s Streetpass function, photos can be shared, with other players giving images they like a “thumbs up.” The more “thumbs up” a photo has, the greater the chance of being gifted a new item.

You can learn more about Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King on the official site (yes, it is for the PS2 version – don’t ask me why Nintendo linked to it) or on Nintendo’s product page.

Get The Skinny On ‘Dragon Quest VII’ With Its New Website

by Natalie KipperAugust 29, 2016

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past‘s North American release of September 16 is speedily approaching and Nintendo recently launched a new website informing potential players of what the game entails. The site itself is standard “promotional site” fare, explaining the main aspects of the DQVII as well as containing trailers (which I highly recommend watching), wallpapers, and other media goodies. Here is what we have gleaned after perusing the website:

As the player, you guide Auster, a fisherman’s son, and his friends on a journey to make your world whole once more. To accomplish this task, your team must go back and forth through time and acquire mysterious fragments that will allow you to revive different islands (you can see where the whole subtitle “Fragments of the Forgotten Past” subtitle comes from now).

One of the key features of the Dragon Quest series is the vocation system. This title has over 30 vocations, more than any other game in the series. There are three stages of vocations: Basic (seen in the screenshot), Advanced (which require mastery of Basic vocations), and Master (these can only be unlocked under certain special circumstances). Oh, there is one more vocation that is debuting in this title, Monster vocations! You know those monsters you battle? How would you like to learn their skills and turn them against those bothersome bullies? I didn’t even mention the best part. While assigned a Monster vocation, you will appear on the world map as that particular monster! Learning how to be Slime? Well, now you look like one, too. I love it!

DQVII looks to take full advantage of the Nintendo 3DS’s StreetPass function. After unlocking the area, Monster Meadows, you gain the ability to send three monsters that you have befriended into the area’s cave. The team you selected will return with a “Traveler’s Tablet.” These Tablets unlock dungeons that are generated based on the team you sent into the cave. After clearing a Tablet’s dungeon for the first time, you are then able to share it with others via StreetPass. Special tablets will also be distributed online from time to time. You can find those at the Download Bar in The Haven. The Download Bar becomes available after finding The Haven and then recruiting three reformed monsters.

Head on over to Nintendo’s special site for Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past to get even more information on what looks to be a very entertaining game. And seriously, check out those trailers in the Media section. I must have watched each of them over 10 times.

Hug Some Boss Monsters With The Legendary ‘Dragon Warrior’ Plush Series

by Natalie KipperAugust 4, 2016

Dragon Warriors (a.k.a. Dragon Quest) has some of the best enemy designs in the RPG genre, thanks in no small part to concept art from Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball fame. The video game series has spawned tons of merchandise and while most of it stars the popular Slime character, other monsters do occasionally get their turn in the lime light. The time around, Square-Enix is celebrating some of the bigger and badder monsters of the series in their new Legendary Dragon Warrior Plush line. The three characters immortalized in this line are Zoma, Sidoh, and Dragonlord.

Zoma stands 290 millimeters tall and is 230 millimeters wide. His skull bling hangs from an actual chain, which is a nice touch.

Sidoh is 330 millimeters tall and 330 millimeters wide. His tail has a little mini-head on it. Freaky stuff.

Dragonlord measures 340 millimeters tall and 300 millimeters wide. His design may seem more simple than the other two but keep in mind that he is from the very first game in the series.

These plushes are available to pre-order now, costing￥6,264 each. They are scheduled to ship in late September 2016.

It is great that Square-Enix is branching out from beyond the more “popular” monsters as subjects for plushes. Now, can we get a Don Mole plush already?

SDCC 2016: Square-Enix Brings All The Shiny Things And We Want Them

by Natalie KipperJuly 21, 2016

Square-Enix’s booth at San Diego Comic-Con was a freaking wonderland for fans of any of the company’s franchises (okay, mostly Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts but I did spot the odd Dragon Quest item). An entire half of the booth’s real estate was dedicated to pleasing us toy collectors with displays set up showcasing upcoming products as well as items available to purchase on the show floor. Here are the highlights for the figures not yet produced!

Starting with the Final Fantasy series, we have Cloud, Barret, Sepiroth, and Squall. All four are from Square-Enix’s Play Art -Kai- line which have interchangeable limbs and certain degrees to which it can be posed. These gentlemen share the same tentative price tag of US$149.99 and all have an undecided release date.

There were also Play Arts -Kai- figures from Final Fantasy XV , these guys are scheduled to be released this September.

And the winner for the cutest figures go to these Static Arts mini figures from World of Final Fantasy. Shown here are Tama (the white bunny-squirrel-looking one), Cactuar Conductor, Chocochick, and Magictek Armor (fans of Final Fantasy VI will no doubt recognize that one). Again, release date is “to be determined.”

Moving on to Kingdom Hearts! Lots of prototypes to see. Ones that particularly caught my eye were the Roxas Play Arts -Kai- and the Static Arts mini figures of several critters from the Kingdom Hearts universe: Meow Wow, Chirithy, and the Heartless. Adorable!

Finally we get to franchises that don’t actually belong to SE. We’re talking American comic book heroes. The majority of them were Marvel (Wolverine, Deadpool, Ironman, Spiderman, and Venom) but DC was represented as well (the lone Batman figure).
Did you stop by the booth? What stood out for you? Let us know in the comments!

Geekscape Mobile: ‘Dragon Quest’ 1 Through 8 Headed To iOS, Android

by Derek KraneveldtOctober 9, 2013

Briefly: Square-Enix is bringing the first eight titles in the Dragon Quest series to iOS and Android.

Dragon Quest I is set to debut in Japan this Winter, but no other territories have been announced at this time. Square-Enix has released most of the iOS Final Fantasy titles in English, so I can’t imagine that the Dragon Quest games would be any different.

Square-Enix typically does a great job with their mobile ports, so if they do release for us, expect them to be good, but not cheap. And rightly so: these are games that were developed with much higher budgets than typical mobile games, and they should be treated as such.

Are you looking forward to the mobile port of the games? Which title are you most excited for? Sound out below!

Source: EuroGamer

APRIL FOOLS! Google Maps for Nintendo Entertainment System!

by Steven KunzApril 1, 2012

This was an April Fools joke… but still it would have been cool!

When it comes to Google Maps, it’s the only tool I use to find directions on where I need to go, as well as look up alternate routes. However, there’s always something in the back of my head, nagging me, irritating me, and I couldn’t figure out what it was until now. I had to ask myself this question: “Wouldn’t Google Maps be SOOOOOOOO much better if it had a 8-bit retro look? I would be SO much more invested in Google Maps if it only could do just this!”

Well, Google listened to my oddly specific request. When you access Google Maps, on the top right of the map where you can choose Satellite/Earth/Street views, there’s a new mode called Quest. By clicking it, all the streets, trees, and mountains all become Dragon Quest lands. The maps are still plotted out the same way, and it still works the same, so you can still go to where you need to go. Except now, you can do it to the look and style of the original Dragon Quest. What’s also funny is if you go to Street View, everything is extremely pixilated, as if the NES’s technical capabilities are working overtime to provide even a simple version of Streetview.

Apparently, this is only a trial version and that an actual cartridge is coming out for the Nintendo Famicon and Nintendo Entertainment System. I don’t have a reason to really play my NES all that much anymore, but this is one reason to bring it back out from my closet. Now if only there was an update for Super Nintendo, I’d be all set…