Dragon Quest IX

Main series games Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies Developer(s) Level-5 Publisher(s) Square Enix Designer(s) Yūji Horii
Akihiro Hino Artist(s) Akira Toriyama Composer(s) Kōichi Sugiyama Series Dragon Quest Platform(s) Nintendo DS Release date(s) ^JP July 11, 2009
^NA July 11, 2010
^EU July 23, 2010
Genre(s) Role-playing game Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer Rating(s) CERO: A
Media Nintendo DS Game Card

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Hoshizora no Mamoribito, ドラゴンクエストIX 星空の守り人) is the ninth installment of the main Dragon Quest series, and the first to be initially released on a handheld console. The game was released on July 11, 2009 in Japan. It will be released in July 2010 in both North America and Europe.

Gameplay

Dragon Quest IX continues the Dragon Quest tradition of turn-based combat, but is much harder than its previous titles. The game allows players to have a cooperative wireless multiplayer experience with up to four players.

The game includes a quest system. Quests serve as side-stories helping non-player characters around the game's world. Multiple quests can be performed simultaneously with some even interlocking and unlocking various stages in fellow quests. Early quests include gathering magical spring water, slaying monsters and stealing for a fellow thief. Unlike previous Dragon Quest installments, Dragon Quest IX contains many open ended mini-quests. Upon completion of the quests, a "Quest List log," serving as an in-game achievement list.

The game includes only one save slot.

Game features

• Highly customizable characters, with many different faces, skin colors, weapons and armors.
• Co-operative play with up to four players through local ad-hoc.
• 3D graphics similar to those found in the previous installment, .Dragon Quest VIII.
• The touch screen will be used for inputting commands during battle
• Real time map like to Dragon Quest VIII

Multiplayer

Dragon Quest IX features various forms of multiplayer using the Nintendo DS's built in wireless. There are 3 different modes.

Co-op Mode

Co-op mode consists of up to 4 DS systems linking together using local wireless (similar to Pictochat) to play together. The 3 guests join the host system's world and can go anywhere which the host has explored. Guests are not required to stay with the host, but rather can wander wherever they like. Battles can be fought as a group with the host having the ability to summon the other players into a battle using the 'Call to Arms' command. Guest players are given a special 'Watchers Wing' item which allows them to teleport back to the inn where wireless can be exited. Players can leave multiplayer at any time by speaking to Pavo at Quester's Rest.

Wifi Shop

Dragon Quest IX features an online wifi shop which can be accessed from Quester's Rest. This shop sells items and treasure maps which the player can purchase. The contents of the shop vary each week from player to player, so 2 different players will likely have different items for sale each week. Nintendo and Square have used the shop to distribute special bonuses such as bonus party members from past games (Hassan from Dragon Quest VI) and treasure maps which lead to caves featuring past bosses (Zoma, Dragonlord). The wifi shop can be accessed by talking to Sellma at Quester's Rest. The wifi shop is the only multiplayer mode that uses WAN internet rather than the DS-to-DS wireless.

Tag Mode

Tag Mode is Dragon Quest IX's passive wireless mode which is active only when the DS is placed into sleep mode. Tag mode is activated by speaking to Erinn at Quester's Rest and selecting the 'Canvass for guests' option. While in tag mode, Dragon Quest IX looks for other Dragon Quest IX games and exchanges data with them.

When data is exchanged, a clone of the main character from each game is placed in the other player's Quester's Rest. This cloned character holds an item which can then be received by talking to him/her. The clone then continues to stay in the upper floors of Quester's Rest unless dimissed by the player. Using tag mode like this, players can exchange various items including equipment and treasure maps with other Dragon Quest IX players.

Tag mode is wildly popular in Japan, breaking several records for most players communicating wirelessly while playing a video game. Treasure maps in particular are highly sought after as some are extremely rare with special items/equipment, while others contain excellent enemies for building levels. Tag mode, however, is dependent on the number of other Dragon Quest IX players using tag mode in any local area.

Development

Dragon Quest IX was primarily designed around the idea of attracting a wider overseas market by "giving the game a more action-oriented premise than previous games in the series. In mid-2006, Dragon Quest series composer Koichi Sugiyama confirmed that Dragon Quest IX is in development. He is quoted by Japanese video game magazine Famitsu as saying, "I'm not sure when Dragon Quest IX will be released, but it seems that progress is continually being made. I'm personally excited." On December 12, 2006, during a press conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Dragon Quest franchise, Square Enix announced that Dragon Quest IX will be released exclusively for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console making it the first numbered Dragon Quest title to debut on a handheld.

The Japanese release of Dragon Quest IX was subsequently delayed from 2007 to 2008. The company cited the need for more time to make a better game as reason for the delay. At the 2008 Tokyo Game Show, a new trailer was shown at the Square Enix booth which showed a glimpse of the changes made to the gameplay and graphics. At the end of the video, a confirmation of the release date (set for March 2009) was unveiled. Square Enix released another new trailer for the game, showing various aspects of the storyline, boss battles, along with cutscenes; the end of the trailer showed a then-correct release date for March 28, 2009, along with a price point of ¥5,980, which still stands.

On February 12, 2009, after having delayed the release of its quarterly financials by a week, Square Enix announced the game would be delayed once again to a Japanese release on July 11 of the same year. The game's release delay worried Final Fantasy fans, who were told by Square Enix president Yoichi Wada that Dragon Quest IX's delay may affect Final Fantasy XIII's release, stating that he "[could] not say there [would not] be an effect."

Dragon Quest IX was designed to be the hardest Dragon Quest game yet. The rationale is that, according to Brian Ashcraft, Night Editor for Kotaku, the Dragon Quest IX developers say "people can always find out information on the internet　— like that's part of the game experience." In addition the game has only one game slot. Ryutaro Ichimura, producer of Dragon Quest IX, clarified the reason explaining that there is not enough space on the system for two traditional save-slots given the amount of freedom the game allows. Instead the save area is used for a backup save-slot in case of battery failure.

Release

Japan

Dragon Quest IX shipped with over 2 million pre-order sales. While the official release date for Dragon Quest IX was July 11, 2009, some retailers had already shipped orders; one such dealer asked its customers to not play the game until the official release date. In spite the large number of pre-orders and additional release shipments by Square-Enix, lines still formed for the release. Within a two period the title had sold 2,318,932 copies out of an estimated 3 million copies that had been shipped. Some analyst say that 3 million may be too conservative and expect 5 million copies sold in Japan alone with large overseas sales expectations that could break previous Dragon Quest sales records. The sale is the largest post 2000 debut week sale which was previously held by the former title, Dragon Quest VIII.

Reception

Japan

A malware version of the ROM was released early on 2chan. Instead of the actual game, it is a hentai slideshow that bricks the Nintendo DS.

While Nintendo expects a boost in their DSi sales with the simultaneously timed launch of the red DSi in Japan, Square-Enix is expected to not fare as well despite the record sales. After a last minute delay in the release date from March 11, 2009 to July 11, 2009 Square-Enix dropped its expected yearly earnings by 17 percent and profits by 62.5 percent. The company hopes to bolster the appeal of the series with the redesign of the game.

Since the day of the game's launch, it has largely received mixed to highly negative response from fans on the Internet, particularly towards Sandy the gyaru-ish fairy. According to Kotaku night editor Brian Ashcraft, however, it could have been an organized attempt to "slam" the game. Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu has scored the game with 40/40, the tenth game to achieve a perfect score.

External links

• Official Dragon Quest IX Japanese Website
• Teaser Site The Official Dragon Quest IX Teaser Website from Level 5
• Dragon Quest IX at IGN