Dragon Quest returns to Nintendo, IX on the DS

By Spencer . December 12, 2006 . 1:18am

The main Dragon Quest games have usually been on consoles, while spin offs like Dragon Quest Monsters have appeared on portable systems. Dragon Quest IX is going to be the first game in the linage to be designed for a handheld. Dragon Quest IX: Protector of the Starry Sky is scheduled to come out in 2007 and it is being designed by Level 5, who made Dragon Quest VIII. While Dragon Quest has never been a major hit in North America, it’s a mega franchise in Japan. Certainly this is a benefit to the DS’ strong line up, but this also suggests that Square-Enix is uncertain on which console to support. The DS has millions of owners, which will make it easy for Dragon Quest IX to sell a millions of copies. It’s a safe bet instead of backing a new console that might not have support. Since Dragon Quest IX is heading to the DS we can probably expect the game to have new features to compliment the tried and true formula that I-VIII had. One of the new features is wireless co-op play where you can adventure with a friend. Dragon Quest IX also sticks to the cel shaded style Level 5 introduced and the first screenshots look rather impressive for the DS.

TAGS: Dragon Quest, News, Nintendo DS, Square Enix

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the_importer

Yikes, now that's gonna give SONY a kick in the balls. Excuse me while I go grab a chair to watch this.

ragingdwarf

The video footage of it looks really nice, too: http://dory.mncast.com/mncHMovie.swf?movieID=10...

Level 5's starting to kick some major ass, now. They just consistantly produce solid RPGs one after another. They're starting to remind me a lot of Square of old, y'know, pre-FF7 Square.

Jeff

Hehe, okay now I'm DEFINITELY buying a DS. Oh man, my friend Hattie is gonna pee herself when I tell her about this ^_^

Hatake Kakashi

With hits like these coming to the DS, Nintendo is getting closer and closer to the former powerhouse company it once was before the PS1/PSX was introduced.

mathmagic

Wow !!! I Only have few games on my DS because there are only a few good games (for me) but if I scroll down the DS page on this site I see many good games that still have to come!!! I really really really love dragonquest games!!!

ParadiseBird

I now have borrowed Dragon quest: the journey of the cursed king from a friend. Its a really fun game! I now really love RPG. A year ago i also bought myself a psp and I think they should also make a dragon quest for the handheld. I also read that there is comming an elder scrolls to the psp, that would be awesome!

Veilknight

As if the PSP's sales weren't already seriously lacking when compared to the DS. Once DQIX finally gets released in Japan, it will be a hard blow for Sony.

Square-Enix is constantly pushing out graphically stunning titles for the DS. It first started out with Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and then continued with the release of the FFIII remake, not to mention the recently announced Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates. One thing's for sure, they definitely haven't stopped there. They still continue to dress and impress with the latest Dragon Quest. The cel-shaded graphics are definitely following in the style of DQVIII, it's unimaginable how similar it looks to the previous PS2 installment.