Dragon Quest IX for the DS

[Larahl]

Seems it's been announced for the Nintendo DS.

Dragon Quest IX is for Nintendo DS

A second surprise [after the announcement of an arcade DQ - CS]! The numbered DQ title, Dragon Quest IX, will appear on Nintendo DS!

The Developer of DQIX is Level 5

It was announced that the same composer, Koichi Sugiyama, will create the soundtrack. "I'll keep composing for Dragon Quest until I die!", he said. And it was announced that the (technical) developer of part VIII, Level 5, will return. Moreover, 'SMAP' who perform for TV's CMI appeared, representing the series' fanbase. "Ever since we were in primary/elementary school, we've absolutely loved Dragon Quest; the work arouses deep emotions! We love games!", they said excitedly. How nice for them to chat with Horii about their personal experiences playing the games! It must come as a nice surprise that this time, four-player co-operative play is possible. Combat is 'action type', a completely different and new style for the numbered series!

Dragon Quest IX will be released within 2007

For those anxious about the release date, Horii said that he wants the game to be released within 2007. You will be able to buy the latest numbered DQ title in the not-too-distant future!

The Subtitle is 'hosh1zora no momrijin' (Guardian of the Starlit Sky)

Dragon Quest IX's subtitle is 'hoshizora no momrijin'. It will be the first game in the series to utilise networking*. Concluding the presentation, Horii said: "The feeling I get from this work is similar to that of making Dragon Quest I. It has been said that there are limitations imposed by the hardware on a handheld game, but I'm going to try my best (to overcome them)!"

* This may just mean link-up rather than Internet play.

http://www.famitsu.com/blog/express/

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/drag...350&pid=935082
This guy translated it.

Discuss.

[Erdrick Holmes]

This is the best news ever!

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

It's also the most substantial testament ever to the overwhelming success of the DS. Not counting spin-offs, for the latest installment in an extremely popular franchise to be developed for a handheld instead of a cutting-edge console is absolutely unheard of.

[Flying Mullet]

http://forums.eyesonff.com/showthread.php?p=2025687

[JKTrix]

Oops :P I don't really go out of the 'General' area much. If you don't follow the link Flyin Mullet posted, there is a video up on this website

http://www.gamebrink.com/news/735-Dr...y_Footage.html

[XxSephirothxX]

Has something like this ever happened before? I wonder what it's most a testament to: the massive success of the DS, a lack of trust in the stability of the PS3, or the painful cost of developing a massive game on this generation of consoles. Either way, it's going to be a major boost for Nintendo. I can only imagine what it would be like if Dragon Quest were as popular in the US as it is in Japan.

[Flying Mullet]

Anytime a quality games is released on a handheld is a happy day for me as I tend to play more games when traveling these days than when I'm at home.

[edczxcvbnm]

That sucks. I don't have 100 hours to waste on a handheld gaming system I play maybe 5 hours a week(train rides). I certainly don't want to spend months playing this game.

I will not play this when I am at home. I have real video game systems for that.

[Maxico]

It seems to me that a majority of you are getting excited simply over a name.

If it was called Dragon Quest: Portable Ops would it be any less news? Apparantly so.

[Dreddz]

I would of prefered it to be on one a next gen system. Im sure it will be a good game though, its Level 5 after all....

[Necronopticous]

It seems to me that a majority of you are getting excited simply over a name.

If it was called Dragon Quest: Portable Ops would it be any less news? Apparantly so.

There is a certain expectation that developers are well aware that they must meet to keep their fan base strong when putting out an actual installment of a long-running and extremely popular series, rather than a spin-off. It's not just the name, it's what the name stands for and suggests for the content of the game itself. If the game was named Dragon Quest: Portable Ops (which it wouldn't be) there would be very few expectations that Square-Enix would have to actually worry about because fans aren't expecting a game of Dragon Quest X calibur, but rather a spin-off with familiar characters and possibly game mechanics (See: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime.)

It is worth nothing that Portable Ops is actually part of the main Metal Gear Solid storyline, so even if what you were suggesting were more correct, it's still kind of wrong to boot.

[abrojtm]

There were three Dragon Warrior spinoffs released for the GBC, and they did alright, didn't they?

Yet another reason to buy a DS *cashes bonds*.

[Crossblades]

I haven't played a DQ game in ages. This is indeed good news

[Maxico]

There is a certain expectation that developers are well aware that they must meet to keep their fan base strong when putting out an actual installment of a long-running and extremely popular series, rather than a spin-off. It's not just the name, it's what the name stands for and suggests for the content of the game itself. If the game was named Dragon Quest: Portable Ops (which it wouldn't be) there would be very few expectations that Square-Enix would have to actually worry about because fans aren't expecting a game of Dragon Quest X calibur, but rather a spin-off with familiar characters and possibly game mechanics (See: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime.)

It is worth nothing that Portable Ops is actually part of the main Metal Gear Solid storyline, so even if what you were suggesting were more correct, it's still kind of wrong to boot.

Portable Op does actually have pretty different mechanics to the main games, but that wasn't my point. My point is that it is a major continuation of the story, that is considered less important due to being labled as "portable", while this is considered revolutionary because it uses the same numbering system as it's console counterparts.

The name of a game really doesn't mean that much. Final Fantasy XI's name didn't really "suggests for the content of the game" for example.

[LunarWeaver]

Oh my. I wonder how Japan will take this, not because it's for the DS, but because a series notorious for keeping its outdated annoyances traditions is making a large change going all action-RPG.

It looks fun to me, though . Well, for what little is shown and known anyway. I don't have a DS, but if all this Square-Enix RPG goodness turns out well, I may have to buy one before my fanboy detaches itself and beats me with a pipe.