GamesBloggo - Your source on game news! January 2009

According to what was reported by IGN, it seems that the announced DSi success is a fact now, perhaps even bigger than was expected.

The number of units sold in Japan has reached the one million mark, according to some data released by Enterbrain. These numbers were updated on December 21st, and considering that the portable console was launched on November 1st in Japan, it’s quite a remarkable result for a simple revision of the current DS model.

The DSi has no launch date for North America and Europe yet, except for a very vague “2009″.

The highly-awaited download service for the new Nintendo DSi will be launching on December, 24th in Japan.

The DSi Ware will offer users the possibility of downloading new titles and softwares that use the new functions on the DSi console. The prices will range from 20 to 800 DSi Points and amongst the first launch titles, users will find the new WarioWare and the portable version of Dr. Mario.

After announcing the game’s postponing a while ago, Rockstar Games has announced, with a press-release, the launch date for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the latest title on the series developed for Nintendo DS. It’ll be available in North America on March 17th and in Europe on March 20th, 2009.

“Rockstar Leeds has once more created a product that excels our standards for its depth and innovation”, Sam Houser, Rockstar Games’ founder said.

The launch date of the new Nintendo portable console model, the DSi, in the American territory remains cloudy. Reggie Fils-Aime had first indicated the end of 2009 as a probable launching period, in order to allow the DS Lite models to be out of the market. Satoru Iwata had, instead, affirmed that an autumn or winter launch would be too late during the year.

Now IGN continues the rumors and speculations, declaring that Nintendo of America indicates that they’ll be waiting for at least March 2009 before thinking of introducing the new DSi on the US market. Which would mean that it’s likely that the Western markets won’t see it before March next year.

With a press release, Square Enix confirmed that the Nintendo DS version of Chrono Trigger will arrive in the PAL territory on February 6th, 2009.

It’s the remake of the original Chrono Trigger, first launched in 1995 on SNES, but that never arrived for the PAL format in Europe. The game is considered one of the best (if not the best) Japanese RPG of all times, that surprised many, back at the original launch, for the complexity of the plot and the possibility to travel in time and to visit the world in different historical eras. The history features young Chrono and his friends in temporal trips to save the whole world from an evil force.

Rather faithful to the original one, the remake for Nintendo DS brings animated, behind-the-scenes cutscenes created by Akira Toriyama’s Bird Studio that were inserted on the PSone version, new controls via touch-screen, a new dungeon and an adapted view for the double-screen.

It’s only a rumor for now, taken from the January issue of EGM, but it’s certainly interesting. The rumor in question talks about the possibility that Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Starry Sky, the new chapter on the famous RPG series from Square Enix that has recently been announced for Nintendo DS, will also be available on the Wii.

It remains the question on, should this version be confirmed, whether it will feature the same connectivity between the two consoles as in the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, and how the multiplayer mode will be managed.

It seems that Square Enix has the intentions of releasing Dragon Quest: THe Hand of the Heavenly Bride for Nintendo DS next Spring for the European market.

IT’s a remake of the famous Japanese RPG’s fifth episode, reviewed and corrected in order to better adapt to the features present on Nintendo’s portable console, and it’s the first time that the game will officially reach the European markets.

First released on 1990, this chapter is one of the most loved by the Japanese public, and in this new version, it features graphic and sound enhancements, and also other options related to the wi-fi connection.

The Hand of the Heavenly Bride is part of the so-called “Zenitha Trilogy”, which features the previous fourth chapter, Chapters of the Chosen, and the next Dragon Quest: Realms of Reverie, which will arrive soon, always for Nintendo DS.

According to what was reported by Eurogamer.net, Square Enix would be preparing an official announcement, dedicated to the European market, about Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, a new chapter on the famous RPG series’ spinoff. The game is being developed both for Wii and Nintendo DS, and it has already been announced to be launched at Spring 2009 for the American market.

The game develops itself inside the Crystal Chronicles universe, hence, focusing on the power of crystals and the four races present in that world: Clavats, Lilites, Selkies, Yukes. The story is focused on a young adventurer that starts the usual trip in order to save the world, together with some battle companions.

The main new feature on Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, anticipated a whilea go by Shonen Jump, is the particular interaction between the Wii and DS versions (although there are no details on how it works exactly), and the possibility of going from single player to the multiplayer mode in an easy way. It seems that there are also many customizable options for the fighters and a Mii support on the Wii version.

Square Enix has announced that Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume, the new chapter on this particular RPG series specifically developed for Nintendo DS, will arive next spring on the European market.

The game, developed by tri-Ace, is characterized by graphic settings that use the isometric shot, based on a “simulation RPG” structure, in which players find themselves battling enemies while commanding a character army on the battlefield, with formations to manage and tactical choices to make.

The main protagonist is Wylfred, a young soldier looking for revenge against the valkyries, after Lenneth killed his father: the Midgard future is, thus, still connected to a war, while the story will develop differently, according to the player’s choice during the game. The game is also connected to the story of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, the remake that was launched a while ago for the PSP.

The launch date has already been scheduled for March 17th in North America. We’ll be waiting for more information about the European market.

Codemasters has announced thet Colin McRae: Dirt 2 is currently under development, and it should be released sometime in 2009 for XBox 360, PC, PS3, Wii, DS and PSP.

According to what has been reported by IGN, the game should focus on “Exploring various disciplines of off-road racing”, and it should use an updated and modified version of the EGO Engine, the graphic engine that belongs to Codemasters and that already got some praises from the first chapter of the series. There will also be “comprehensive online modes that promise to be a marked improvement over those in the original”.