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Square Enix today announced that Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII will be released across all PAL territories on June 20th for the PSP.With cool visuals, full 16:9 widescreen presentation, an engaging battle system, and additional gameplay challenges not included in the original Japanese version, fans and newcomers alike can experience the world from an all-new perspective. As an added incentive to pre-order, a special edition version of the game, with hardback artwork book and slipcase is available exclusively with selected online retailers while stocks last.

For more information about Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, check out our previous posts; meanwhile, our European brethren can get details on how to pre-order by clicking here.

Via: Press Release 

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With the U.S. launch of WiiWare out of the way, Nintendo has announced the launch lineup for WiiWare when it launches in Europe next week. On May 20, Wii owners in Europe will find eight games available for download, the most noteworthy of which is the same as it is everywhere else: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King.

Just like in the U.S., prices on the games will vary from 500 - 1500 Wii Points. The launch lineup is as follows:

• Dr. Mario & Germ Buster (Nintendo, Puzzle, 1–4 players, 3+ PEGI)
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (Square Enix, Simulation, 1 player, 7+)
• LostWinds (Frontier, Platform Adventure, 1–2 players, 7+)
• Pirates: The Key of Dreams (Oxygen Interactive, Action, 1-4 players, 3+)
• Pop (Nnooo, Puzzle/Shooter, 1-4 players, 3+)
• Star Soldier R (Hudson Soft, Shooter, 1 player, 7+)
• Toki Tori (Two Tribes, Puzzle / Platform, 1–2 players, 3+)
• TV Show King (Gameloft, Trivia, TV Quiz, 1–4 players, 3+)

Doesn’t look like a bad selection; I’d certainly like to have seen Dr. Mario over here, but I’ll settle for Defend Your Castle. (I’ll gladly swap V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack for Dr. Mario or Star Soldier, though.)

via Next Gen

Some new screens have surfaced for the new WiiWare title from Square Enix.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as King takes up where the original Crystal Chronicles on GameCube left off, gamers will play Leo the Little King, a member of the Clavat-race with special powers called “The Architect”. This special power comes from the crystals and you will use them to build a new country in the barren lands. To use “The Architect” special powers, you must acquire skills found in dungeons and instead of exploring them yourself - you send mages and warriors to do the dirty work for you.

Storyline:

According to legend, a deserted town now serves as the lifeless reminder of a once powerful kingdom. The young son of an exiled king reaches this land after a long journey, finding only an abandoned castle – and a magic crystal. Though tarnished by years of neglect, the crystal has maintained its luminous glow and bestows upon the boy the power of architek, the ability to manifest memories into reality. With the help of loyal servants and audacious adventurers, the new king dutifully prepares to rebuild his people’s homeland in this new realm.

Features:

• Scenario created by Motomu Toriyama, the acclaimed director of the upcoming FINAL FANTASY XIII.
• Groundbreaking graphics optimized for the Wii enable players to journey through a world filled with memorable characters and architectural splendor.
• Rebuild a nation by building houses and shops, carefully considering the best interests of the citizens. If the player’s nation regains its former glory, the secrets of the land may be revealed.
• Enlist adventurers with varying levels, jobs and profiles to carry out dangerous missions in return for rewards.
• Be mindful of the passage of time, and plan each day accordingly in order to efficiently carry out construction efforts.

For more screens, click here.

As promised, WiiWare has finally launched today. Wii owners can now head to the Wii Shop Channel and start downloading any of the six previously announced launch titles. With the launch of WiiWare, there won’t be any releases on the Virtual Console today, but the normal Wii-kly Update schedule will resume next week.

Only one of the six launch games matches the releases that Japan saw when WiiWare launched over there, so there’s a good chance you don’t know much about several of the games. That’s where Game|Life comes in, as they’ve posted a WiiWare launch guide which should be able to help you decide how to spend your Wii Points.

Be sure to come back and let us know what you think of the service and any games you buy.

This Monday will finally see the launch of WiiWare in North America, and I have here the list of game’s that will be available on the service from day one. There won’t be any Virtual Console releases this Monday, but hopefully that’s only because of WiiWare’s launch; it’ll be nice to regularly get both new WiiWare and Virtual Console games in the same week.

On with the list:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (Square Enix, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,500 Wii Points): Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King takes a legendary franchise and launches it into the realm of simulation gaming. Players are challenged to rebuild a kingdom, leading its young king on a path of discovery through an adventure bristling with mystery and intrigue.

LostWinds (Frontier Development, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): A fresh, enchanting platform adventure that puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand – from raging tornados to the gentlest breeze. You’ll wield your Wii Remote controller to power Toku’s jumps and glides, suspend and smash enemies, meet friends and solve puzzles using LostWinds’ novel, intuitive and playful control system.

Defend your Castle (XGen Studios, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Defend your Castle takes place on a grassy plain surrounded by invaders. You are the commander of your castle, and it is your duty to fling the invading enemies sky-high, watching them plummet to their demise. As you progress, add powerful spells and upgrades to your arsenal for repelling the attacks. How long can you hold them off?

Pop (Nnooo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Pop bubbles to score points and stop the timer from running out. Pop can be enjoyed by anyone – casual gamers can simply play to pop bubbles and keep the game moving, whereas advanced players will need to pick their shots rapidly and accurately and generate combos to maximize their score.

V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack (High Voltage Software, Inc., 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen – Simulated Gambling, 700 Wii Points): V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack re-creates the casino experience, with fully animated players and a realistic Las Vegas dealer. Single players can increase their bankrolls, while multiple players can engage in a head-to-head mini-blackjack tournament.

TV Show King (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): TV Show King transforms your living room into a real TV quiz show studio where you’ll face the challenge of answering more than 3,000 questions across six different categories. Compete against family and friends and use your Wii Remote controller in original ways to make it to the finals to see who can win the greatest amount of cash in one final, deciding duel.

100 Wii Points translates to $1, so the math isn’t too difficult to figure out. I’m still trying to decide on what I’ll be buying (if anything) from this first batch of WiiWare titles. Does anything immediately catch your eye?

Those who make the claim that PC gaming is dying or already dead might want to take a look at some new numbers that the NPD Group have released. The value of online subscriptions in the US from games like World of Warcraft exceed even Dr. Evil’s fantasies, to the tune of more than $1 billion a year. This number is based on data gathered from October 2007 to March 2008, which also reveals that 11 million people subscribe to online games every month.

“Now that NPD can estimate the value of the subscription market, it’s clear that there is a sizable chunk of revenue being generated by PC gaming beyond what is reflected in retail sales,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. Certainly, this bodes well for the PC gaming community and developers who remain interested in the platform. But, success doesn’t come easy; looking at the top PC MMOs in terms of subscribers in Q1 2008 show that there’s some extremely stiff competition at the top.

MMO/PC Games:

1. World of Warcraft
2. RuneScape
3. Lord of the Rings Online
4. Final Fantasy XI
5. City of Heroes

Gaming Websites:

1. Pogo.com
2. Realarcade.com
3. Bigfishgames.com
4. Gametap.com
5. Disney.com

Demographics were another area that was looked at by NPD, which show that MMO players are primarily males under the age of 35, while the majority of those on gaming websites like Pogo are females over the age of 35.

The problem with tapping this market, of course, is the significant investment it takes to even attempt to become a successful MMO. Coupled with the high risk of failure, it’s not likely that you’ll see every developer around trying to tap this market — at least not at this point.

via GI.biz

Well, July is approaching fast, and E3 with it. We received the list of E3 exhibitors, and thought we’d share them with you. As usual, you can expect us to have a team from Gaming Today on site to bring you coverage right from the Convention Center.

This year’s list includes (among others) Atari, Eidos, EA, Konami, LucasArts, Square Enix, and of course the big three of the console world: Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Contrary to popular rumor, Bethesda will make an appearance with Fallout 3, as confirmed by their blog post. Apparently they were left off the initial listing for an unknown reason.

You can see a full list of the companies currently expected to attend after the break.

Read the full article

One of the many obvious questions that I think anyone would want to ask Square Enix with regards to Crisis Core would be why the game is on PSP and not DS. (And also what the hell is up with the DMW.) If you look at the re-releases of Final Fantasy games, you’ve got the first two on PSP, the next two on DS, Tactics on GBA and PSP… so why did Crisis Core end up on PSP and not the DS and its larger install base?

As it happens, the timing of the PSP’s release in Japan played a big part. Around that time, it had been decided that a new Compilation title was going to be made, and the developers were looking to make something for the PSP.

That isn’t the only reason, though; the eventual product ultimately became a much heftier experience than the more handheld-style game they were originally going for.

Read the full article

Square Enix has announced that The World Ends With You was shipped for the Nintendo DS to North American retailers yesterday. The creators of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts drops the player into the center of Japan’s youth culture with its creative battle system, distinctive art style and hip soundtrack. The battle system challenges players to take control of two characters simultaneously, choosing from a variety of touch and sound commands to unleash dynamic psychic abilities.

For more information on The World Ends With You, check out our previous posts.

Via: Press Release

After a truly impressive run atop the charts, Call of Duty 4 has finally been dethroned from the #1 software spot in the latest NPDs. While that was to be expected with the launch of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it wasn’t expected that the game would drop all the way to #9. That’s indicative of the surplus of games released in March; CoD4 only saw a drop of just under 60,000 units. Last month its 237,000 units would have been good enough for #4 on the charts.

Smash Bros. was of course the big name in March. 2.7 million copies were sold, which blows away the #2 game, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, which had a solid month with 752,300 units sold. That’s followed by Army of Two at 606,100, and then of course Wii Play, which was bound to sell quite a few copies after the Wii had such a monster month. It sold 409,800 copies.

One impressive figure is that the PSP – normally absent from this list each and every month – had two games on the list, at numbers five and six, no less. God of War: Chains of Olympus edged out Crisis Core for the top PSP spot, but it’s encouraging to see that good PSP games can sell.

March 2008 Software Sales

1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) - 2,700,000
2. Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (360) - 752,300
3. Army of Two (360) - 606,100
4. Wii Play w/ Remote (Wii) - 409,800
5. God of War: Chains Of Olympus (PSP) - 340,500
6. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP) - 301,600
7. Guitar Hero III (Wii) - 264,100
8. MLB 2K8 (360) - 237,100
9. Call of Duty 4 (360) - 237,000
10. Army of Two (PS3) - 224,900

This week’s 1UP Show features David Ellis sounding off on two of his favorite franchises, Mario Kart for the Wii and the Legendary map pack for Halo 3.

You can also look forward to checking out Square’s newest RPG, The World Ends With You alongside Jeremy Parish and Michael Donahoe.

The 1UP Show got to spend some quality time with Bungie this week, as mentioned above. How good was it? I think Matt Chandronait said it best in his blog this week:

A very big thanks to Bungie this week! Both to Writing Lead Frank O’Connor for his brilliant performance and to Multiplayer Design Lead Lars Bakken for both the candid interview and for being understanding (I hope) about me forgetting to put him in the “special thanks” section of the credits! Hey, it was my first solo gig! One should just be glad the 1UP offices are still standing and there were only scattered reports of mutiny :p

As always, FileFront is hosting the 1UP Show for your downloading pleasure. You can grab your weekly fix at any of the links below.

• QT M4V (Podcast)
• WMV 640×360
• QT 640×360

Square Enix announced today that it will launch a completely re-envisioned Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS on July 22nd. Now featuring full 3D graphics, fully-voiced dramatic cutscenes, and added content, games will able to relive one of the classics all over again and hopefully it will not disappoint us.

Storyline:

Four elemental Crystals, each possessing awesome power, lie scattered throughout the realm. However, men are quick to covet things which offer strength, and easily corrupted by the might which they possess…Seduced by the promised power of the Crystals, the kingdom of Baron begins employing unprovoked force to seize them from peaceful nations. The dark knight Cecil – Lord Captain of Baron’s elite force, the Red Wings – is ordered by his king to obtain the Crystals, but soon begins to question the monarch’s motives. Stricken with grief at his own actions, yet burdened by his loyalty to his country and his personal sense of honor, Cecil at last decides to turn from the path of darkness and destruction.

Enraged, the king accuses him of disloyalty, strips Cecil of his command, and sends him off to slay a mysterious beast that lurks in the nearby Valley of Mist. Cecil embarks on a fateful journey that will bring trials, betrayals, friendship, loss and self-discovery. Can Cecil open his eyes and become the man of honor that he must be?

FEATURES

• Witness the dramatic and thrilling story of this mythical game world brought to life through astounding 3D graphics, gorgeous CG cutscenes and top-notch voice acting
• Create a versatile party using the all-new Augment System – a dynamic system that allows the player to assign special abilities to characters
• Dive into the first RPG to incorporate the innovative Active Time Battle system, now further enhanced and refined for the Nintendo DS
• Listen to a beautifully remixed score by world-renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu that breathes new life into some of the most beloved FINAL FANTASY themes
• Navigate effortlessly through the game with Nintendo DS Touch Screen functionality and stylus-driven controls while receiving vital assistance via the dual-screen presentation
• Train and customize Whytkin by playing a variety of mini-games and challenge another player to head-to-head battle via local wireless connection

Via: Press Release

Develop 100 ranks the world’s games development studios based on the revenues their products made at UK retail in 2007. This year, not surprisingly, the top honor goes to Nintendo and I have listed the Top 20 here for you.

1. Nintendo (£129.83m)
2. EA Canada (£68.78m)
3. Ubisoft Montreal (£52.17m)
4. Konami (£41.67m)
5. Infinity Ward (£39.6m)
6. EA Black Box (£37.31m)
7. Maxis (£36.84m)
8. Bungie (£31.45m)
9. Sega Studios Japan (£27.7m)
10. Traveller’s Tales (£27.06m)
11. Ubisoft France (£25.37m)
12. Yuke’s (£24.5m)
13. Amaze Entertainment (£24.07m)
14. EA LA (£22.49m)
15. Capcom (£22.3m)
16. Rebellion (£20.13m)
17. EA Redwood Shores (£19.99m)
18. Vicarious Visions (£17.56m)
19. A2M (£17.5m)
20. Hudson (£16.22m)

It was no surprise to see that EA took nine of the spots considering that they own many a gaming studio across the globe. Criterion, and BioWare which are also owned by EA were listed as well and maybe even a few that I missed. I expect EA to become the majority share holder for both Heaven and Hell eventually.

For the full list click here.

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

Developer: Square Enix

Publisher: Square Enix

Price: $39.99

Platform: PSP

Category: Action RPG

ESRB Rating: T for Teen (Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence)

Release Date: March 25

Of all the people that have written about Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, I think I’m one of the few with a very unique perspective on it: I’ve never played the original FFVII. I was never much of a Final Fantasy fan up until last year when I began trucking through the old games that had been ported to PSP, and as Crisis Core is a prequel, I’m getting to enjoy a fantastic game that simultaneously holds up well as a standalone game and also manages to flesh out the story of the classic PlayStation RPG. (Or so I’m told.)

Crisis Core is in almost every way unlike any Final Fantasy game you’ve ever played. There’s no party, the action isn’t the strictly turn-based affair you normally get, and the cutscenes rarely run on for too long. In other words, it’s a game perfectly adapted to the platform it’s on. Among its many achievements, that is perhaps one of its greatest accomplishments.

Read the full article

Looks like Japanese Lost Odyssey fans are going to have even more incentive to revisit the game  this Thursday. That’s when a new batch of DLC is slated to be released; the third such content for Japan’s Xbox Live Marketplace. The download will bring a brand new dungeon, called the Seeker of the Abyss, which will contain a rare item and a new boss encounter. Apparently the challenge is geared towards those who have already completed the game, since it requires you to be on the fourth disc and able to swim around the Experimental Staff to discover it. The new dungeon will be available for 400 MS points, though it’s not yet clear if the DLC will work with a North American build of the game like previous content packages. Hopefully though, they’ll start the extra content over to the other hemisphere’s XBL Marketplace soon.

Via Siliconera

While most of us outside of Japan are still awaiting the launch of WiiWare, Japan has been playing games like Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King from the service. With a $15 price tag, many might be turned off immediately, but those that do choose to purchase the game will then also have a second decision to make – do I buy any of the game’s downloadable content offerings?

It’s impressive that a WiiWare launch title already offers the options, but the specifics are anything but pleasing. The content that is currently available includes:

• Three Races Pack (800 points): All three new races in one slightly discounted set.
• Lilty House, Selkie House, Yuke House (300 points each): Houses that produce new adventurers of the other three races in the Crystal Chronicles world.
• King’s Change of Clothes (100 points): Crazy eyepatch pirate outfit for the King.
• Chime’s Dress-Up (100 points): A new outfit for your assistant Chime.
• Sacred Shrine (200 points): A shrine that lets warriors temporarily buff themselves up.
• Gorgeous House (100 points): A big house that many different people can live in.

In case you only skimmed over that, I’ll repeat: “King’s Change of Clothes (100 points): Crazy eyepatch pirate outfit for the King; Chime’s Dress-Up (100 points): A new outfit for your assistant Chime” In other words, fork over $2, and you’ll get new clothes for your character and his assistant. ‘sup, Oblivion?

If you opt to purchase everything that’s currently available (presumably there’s more to come), the total will come to $13 – on a $15 game. Game|Life’s Chris Kohler summed up my thoughts fairly nicely: “The bad news is that Square Enix’s pricing on this stuff is s***house crazy. No way am I going to basically pay what the game cost in the first place, all over again, for some tiny bits of trivial extra content. A $13 expansion pack to a $15 game should double the content, at minimum.”

I thought everyone had already learned their lesson on Horse Armor? I guess not. Let’s hope too many people aren’t suckered into this so that publishers get the message loud and clear.

image courtesy of Game|Life

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Space Invaders, Taito (Square Enix) has re-imagined the 1978  game to appeal to both oldies like myself and new generations alike with the release of Space Invaders Extreme for the DS.  Supposedly fater paced and more intense than the original, you can expect to see it in stores on June 17.

Another old school game coming to the DS on June 17 is Arkanoid. Originally released in 1986, Arkanoid for the DS offers multiple modes with colorful backgrounds and the ability for players to match their skills against other DS users with multiplayer options.

Trying to maintain the simple yet beloved gameplay while adding new twists to modern them up a bit, you can expect the following features to be included in the games:

SPACE INVADERS EXTREME

• New Look: The classic design of the original SPACE INVADERS, now with revamped graphics and new background movies that add to the game’s excitement.
• New Music: Get in the groove with up-beat techno tunes that are synched to gameplay.
• New Mini-Games: Experience varied gameplay with mini-games (Rounds) that are launched mid-game – they add to the fun, and are a good way to rack up points.
• New Twists: Discover exciting twists to the classic game that provide swift, fast-paced game play.
• New Multiplayer Element:?Battle against a friend with the all-new multiplayer element, available on both platforms.

ARKANOID DS

• Explore three game modes that offer varied gameplay designed for a wide range of users.
• Compete against others with two or four person multiplayer options to claim the title of ARKANOID DS champion.
• Decorate ARKANOID DS with colorful designs by trading points gained through gameplay for fun backgrounds and icons.
• Rock to an irresistible soundtrack produced by Zuntata, TAITO’s award-winning sound team.

Check back often for more information as it becomes available, and hopefully they will send us some assets soon so we can get a better idea of what to expect.

Via: Press Release 

The New York Comic Con will be taking place April 18 – 20, at the Jacob K Javits Center in New York City and for those planning on attending, you might want to check out the gamer’s summit that will also be part of the festivities.

Attendees will be able to take part in roundtable discussions on writing for games, advice on how to break into the industry and gaming journalism. Michale Capps, the president of Epic Games and Gears of War writer Joshua Ortega will be there providing some information on Gears of War 2, and other titles such as Age of Conan, EVE Online, Iron Man and Warhammer Online will also be featured at the summit. Gaming publishers Konami, Namco Bandai Square Enix, and Ubisoft will also have exhibits for gamers to check out at the show.

Some other cool things to look forward to at Comic Con:

• The Premiere of Dr. Who Season 4
• An Evening With Neil Gaiman
• Autograph opportunities with Guillermo del Toro, Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, and Mike Mignola

If you live in the New York area or are in need of a fun little road trip the dedicated gamer’s summit is scheduled for April 20.

Via: Press Release

Square Enix announced today that it will launch Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon in North American on July 8th and it will be exclusively for the Wii. With a carefully crafted narrative and a grand mystery to unravel, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon looks to be an interesting and multifaceted RPG experience for all ages.

Chocobo, a Final Fantasy fan favorite, takes on trademark job classes from the franchise such as black mage, knight, and scholar and players can unlock more jobs as they progress through the game. The ever-changing dungeons and twists and turns provide hours of gameplay as players explore the newest adventure in one of the world’s most popular RPG franchises.

Storyline:
Chocobo and Cid, become treasure hunters and are magically transported to a mysterious town whose people’s memories are lost with each bell toll of the clocktower. One day, a strange boy named Raffaello arrives and creates dungeons of memories to help the townspeople remember who they are. Now it’s up to Chocobo to journey through the dungeons and retrieve everyone’s memories.
Features:

• A charming, vibrant game world coupled with an engaging storyline and challenging turn-based battles to create a fun and entertaining RPG environment
• A compelling gaming experience utilizing a variety of classic FINAL FANTASY job classes such as the knight, black mage and white mage to aid Chocobo in his fight against evil
• Character designer Toshiyuki Itahana, from the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series and Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon, lends his trademark art style
• Duel against friends via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in addictive card battles featuring popular FF creatures in a unique 3D pop-up book style
• Collect hidden letters throughout the adventure and form special phrases to unlock secret dungeons and job classes
• The signature Mog House offers arcade-style mini-games that can be played with intuitive Wii Remote controls

For more information onFinal Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon, please checkout the official website and our FileFront page. The game is not yet rated, but looks like it will be fun for kids of all ages. Of course, I could be wrong - Chocobo could be on a violent path of destruction in this game, leaving a trail of blood, gore, and body parts in his wake.

Via: Press Release 

Square-Enix has announced plans to release a compilation of Final Fantasy XI, along with all of its expansion packs as The Vana’diel Collection 2008 for the Windows/PC platform. Since its launch in 2002, the FFXI MMO has had four expansions including Rise of the Zilart, Chains of Promanthia, Treasure of Aht Urhgan, and the most recently-released, Wings of the Goddess.

The latest expansion, WINGS OF THE GODDESS, takes players in a journey through time, to experience the Vana’diel of 20 years past. Featuring new jobs, new environments and new questions, the expansion will take players to a very different Vana’diel—one on the brink of war. Recently, WINGS OF THE GODDESS conducted a major content update, implementing job and battle system improvements, new campaign elements, new quests for dancers and scholars, new items and equipment and much more.

Final Fantasy XI The Vana’diel Collection 2008 for the PC will be available April 15th. Versions of the collection for the PS2 and the Xbox 360 are already available.

via Press Release