I rarely buy mobile games, but I may make an exception for HAL Laboratory's Hataraku UFO

The above assumes the company best known for the Kirby series of platformers releases its first (I think?) mobile game outside of Japan, of course.

I have a feeling it will, though, as Hataraku UFO looks--and sounds--like a lot of fun based on the trailers that can be seen over on japanesenintendo.com.

In fact, I'd say the game looks like equal parts Kirby (the protagonist's design, in particular), Hayden Scott-Baron's Tumbledrop, and your average "claw crane" game.

Add in the fact that HAL's selling Hataraku UFO for just 480 Yen in Japan (about four bucks in North America)--with no in-app purchases--and you've got yourself a sure-fire winner. Or at least that's my view of the situation.

You know what I'd like even more than for this game to make its way to my region's App Store and Google Play Store? For HAL to expand on it a bit and release some sort of "deluxe" version for the Nintendo Switch.

Don't worry, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for Hataraku UFO to land on my shores regardless. Are any of you going to do the same now that you're aware of this adorable game's existence?

Shall We Do It? (Dandy Dungeon, Forget-Me-Not and Heart Star)

Now that I've finally put the Dragon Quest VII 3DS remake to bed, I have tons of time and energy to play other games--a fact that should be obvious by the number of titles discussed in this post as well as my next one.

I know what some of you are thinking: no Vita games? Nope, sorry. I keep meaning to boot up that system and play some Dragon Quest Builders or Mystery Chronicle: One Way Heroics or Yomawari, but I'm so wrapped up in the iOS games mentioned here (and the 3DS games that'll be highlighted in the write-up I'll publish in just a couple of days) that those plans inevitably fall by the wayside.

Who knows, though? Maybe I'll turn my attention to the Vita once I'm done with these titles. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the impressions that follow.

Dandy Dungeon--I first downloaded this free-to-play mobile game because I heard Yoshiro Kimura had a hand in it. That was a big deal to me, as his past credits include Chulip, Little King's Story and Moon: Remix RPG Adventure. I also was pleased to discover Kazuyuki Kurashima acted as this title's art director, as he previously crafted the character designs for games like Freshly-Pickled Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and UFO: A Day in the Life.

Dandy Dungeon

As you might imagine given its pedigree, Dandy Dungeon shares the bizarre quirkiness that's front and center in basically all of the aforementioned games. It plays nothing like them, though. Instead, Dandy Dungeon is one part roguelike and one part puzzler.

That likely won't make much sense to you until you experience the game for yourself, but the gist is that you're regularly sent into dungeons made up of five-square-by-five-square rooms and then tasked with drawing a single line that'll take the digital representation of the game's protagonist, Yamada-kun, from its entrance to its exit. As he wanders along that route, he'll grab any items in his path and fight any enemies in his way. (Your involvement in those battles is more or less limited to healing or reviving Yamada-kun or casting the occasional spell.)

Dandy Dungeon is a lot more engaging and interesting than that description likely makes it sound, so don't be shy about downloading it if you have a device that's capable of running it.

Forget-Me-Not--What timing! Just a week after I published a post about my five favorite Pac-Man clones, my friend Jess introduced me to another one. Will I be updating the write-up I just mentioned to include this 2011 release? Perhaps in the future, but not right now. Still, I'd be lying if I implied Forget-Me-Not failed to impress me during the handful of minutes I devoted to it over the last few days.

The thing I like about it most so far is that it turns the Pac-Man formula on its head just enough to feel fresh. For starters, Forget-Me-Not's maze-like stages are decidedly asymmetrical. Also, its Qbby-esque protagonist (if it can even be called that) automatically shoots lasers or bullets or some other sort of projectile in whichever direction it happens to be facing.

Forget-Me-Not

Oh, and to move from one level to the next, you first have to collect all of the current board's "flowers" (this game's version of the pac-dots that fill Namco's arcade classic) and then you have to unlock the door that appears in their wake using a key.

Beyond that, Forget-Me-Not sports an appealing aesthetic that makes it look like a minimalist Pac-Man Championship Edition. Also, destroying any of the enemy creatures that slither about each stage produces a plethora of yummy-looking food items that can be picked up for bonus points--and anyone who knows me knows I love games with nabbable noshies.

Unfortunately, this Nyarlu Labs creation lacks the kind of thumping soundtrack most would expect from such a game, but the bleeps and bloops that accompany the action on hand still do a good job of setting the right mood, so don't let that keep you from giving Forget-Me-Not a try.

Heart Star--I became aware of this mobile game while casually perusing Twitter a few days ago. A chap named Peter Willington praised its retro aesthetic and called it a "top puzzle platformer" while passing along a smattering of screenshots. That's all I needed to jump in with both feet. And guess what? Peter was right to applaud this Jussi Simpanen-made title. First, it looks like something Taito would've released back in its heyday (think Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands--or, better yet, Parasol Stars). Second, its gameplay hook is brilliantly unique.

Regarding the latter, your goal while playing Heart Star is to guide two characters--a red-headed girl and a blue-haired boy--through 60 single-screen stages. The catch: she can only stand on red platforms, while he can only stand on blue ones. So, to successfully complete a level you have to
switch between the two--don't worry, it can be done with the press of a button--while also carefully and creatively positioning them. (Sometimes one will have to carry the other, for example. Or one will have to serve as a temporary platform for the other.)

Anyway, it's a lot of fun, it's free--as long as you don't mind an ad popping up every few levels (and if you do mind it, forking over $1.99 will remove them)--and it's highly recommended by moi.

Have you played any mobile games that really left an impression on you? If so, let me and others know about them in this post's comments section.

If you own a Vita and haven't yet bought the just-released Romancing SaGa 2 remake, you may want to wait a while longer

I was all set to plop down $18 on the iOS remake of Romancing SaGa 2 that hit the Apple App Store a few days ago when I saw a tweet that suggested Square Enix is busy working on localizing and releasing the Vita iteration of this updated Super Famicom RPG to our shores as well.

After a bit of digging, I came across the following "smoking gun."



That tweet was sent out by Akitoshi Kawazu. Name doesn't ring a bell? Kawazu's basically the father of the SaGa series, so him saying an English version of Romancing SaGa 2 for Vita is on the way means something.

As a result, I've decided to save my $18 for this supposedly impending release. How about those of you who are interested in Romancing SaGa 2 and have both a smartphone and a Vita? Are you also planning to wait out the console version, or are you picking up the iOS or Android iteration?

Actually, I have a feeling at least a couple of you already bought one of the above-mentioned mobile ports. If that describes you, what do you think of your purchase so far?

Looks like I'll be blowing $18 bucks on the Romancing SaGa 2 mobile remake this week

If you read this recent post or this recent post, you know I've been drooling in anticipation of the English release of Square Enix's recently revealed Romancing SaGa 2 mobile remake.

Well, it seems my husband won't have to put up with my errant slobber for much longer, as the game will be made available to owners of Android and iOS devices this coming Thursday (May 26).

OK, so the damn thing's going to have a price tag of $17.99 attached to it, which normally would be way too rich for my blood (when it comes to buying a mobile game, at least).



I've wanted to play all three of the Romancing SaGa games in a language I can understand since I was a kid, though, so I'll do whatever's needed to keep those instincts at bay long enough to purchase this sucker on or shortly after its street date. I don't suppose any of you are planning to do the same?

Speaking of this wonderfully weird RPG series, by the way, the Romancing SaGa 2 Twitter account recently teased that a mobile remake of its third entry, which first hit the Super Famicom back in 1995, is on the way.

It even directed interested parties to romasaga3.jp. There's nothing to see there yet, although you can listen to some sweet music--taken from the 16-bit original, if I were to guess.

Here's the first English footage of Romancing SaGa 2's mobile remake

OK, so the text highlighted in the trailer below is a bit stilted, but it's hard to care about that when you've been waiting to play the game--in a language you understand--for more than two decades. (Just under 23 years, if you want to be specific.)

It helps, of course, when the game surrounding that text looks as fun, interesting and unique as Romancing SaGa 2's mobile port-remake-whatever-you-want-to-call-it does.

I'm not at all sure I prefer the aesthetics of this updated iteration to the original, mind you. The backdrops are almost too slick, in my opinion. Plus, they tend to dwarf the character sprites, which I find a tad off-putting.



All that said, I can't wait for Romancing SaGa 2 to hit the App and Android stores.

When's that going to happen? I haven't the slightest clue, although I won't be surprised if the day arrives sooner rather than later. After all, the footage shown in the teaser above gives off the impression that the game's localization is pretty far along.

Are any of you similarly chomping at the bit to get your grubby hands on a non-Japanese version of this ages-old RPG?

See also: 'Romancing SaGa 2's Android/iOS/Vita remake is looking good, sounding great--and releasing soon' and 'Our prayers to Kawazu have been answered: Square Enix's Romancing SaGa 2 remake will be released outside of Japan'

Our prayers to Kawazu have been answered: Square Enix's Romancing SaGa 2 remake will be released 'soon' outside of Japan

Last night, the official Twitter account for the Android, iOS and Vita remake of Romancing SaGa 2 revealed that the game "will soon be released worldwide." (It's been available to those with Japanese accounts since late March.)



That's basically the extent of what was shared, aside from a handful of English screenshots--which, admittedly, would've been pretty darn newsworthy on their own.

Thankfully, the person in charge of the account later promised to "announce further information within this month, so stay tuned!"



The only potentially disappointing aspect of this otherwise amazing announcement: it appears as though only the Android and iOS iterations of the Romancing SaGa 2 remake are being prepped at the moment.

(I say this because the above-mentioned Twitterer shared that the folks at Square Enix are "working to create Romancing SaGa 2 for iOS and Android"--conspicuously leaving out the poor, oft-ignored Vita.)



Still, I can't be the only Westerner excited about this news, right? If it makes you want to jump for joy, too, let me and other SaGa fans know in the comments section that follows.

See also: 'Romancing SaGa 2's Android/iOS/Vita remake is looking good, sounding great--and releasing soon'

NightCry (aka Project Scissors) embraces its jankiness in this just-released trailer

Full disclosure: I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to NightCry, the spiritual successor to Clock Tower that began life with the working title Project Scissors, until now.

Of course, that makes a good amount of sense when you consider I've played just one Clock Tower game to date, and even then I've only played a small fraction of it.

Still, I've always loved the idea of Hifumi Kono's long-running series of survival horror titles thanks in large part to its giant-scissors-wielding antagonist.

Because of that long-ignored admiration, last night I eagerly clicked on a link that led me to the latest NightCry trailer that can be seen below.



After I watched it for the first time, I couldn't help but think, that's it? A few minutes later, though, I caught myself smirking at its unabashed jankiness, which reminds me of all the similarly rough PS1 and PS2 titles I've loved since I was a barely legal game fan.

The thing is, this trailer only mentions a PC release for NightCry--which is concerning, as its original Kickstarter mentioned Android, iOS and Vita versions as well.

Here's hoping the game finds its way onto the Vita in some form or fashion, and not too far down the road at that.

In the meantime, the PC iteration will hit Steam and the Playism site on Mar. 29 carrying a $24.99 price tag. I don't suppose any of you are planning to pick up this spooky looking title on or around that date?

Romancing SaGa 2's Android/iOS/Vita remake is looking good, sounding great--and releasing soon

My only issue with Square Enix's soon-to-hit-the-streets remake of Romancing SaGa 2: the Vita version seemingly isn't getting a retail release.

That's not a huge surprise, of course, but I thought the powers at be at The House of Final Fantasy might offer up at least a limited number of boxed copies just to get a few extra bucks out of the world's handful of remaining SaGa fans.

Anyway, as lovely as this updated iteration of the second Romancing SaGa--check out the trailer that follows for proof--looks at the moment, I'm not entirely sure I'll buy it when it's finally made available to Japanese Vita, iOS and Android users on March 24.



The main reason for that: Romancing SaGa 2's 2,200 yen asking price. For me, that's a bit too rich for a game that I'll barely be able to understand.

Not helping matters is I have a complete-in-box copy of the original Super Famicom release from 1993 that I've been meaning to (attempt to) play through since it arrived on my doorstep last year.

How about all of you? Are any of you planning to pick up either the Vita, iOS or Android version of this kinda-sorta remake on, around or even sometime long after March 24?

This soon-to-be-released Romancing SaGa 2 'remake' looks 100 times better than Square Enix's most recent Final Fantasy V and VI re-releases and that makes me really happy

Here's a bit of news I'm guessing will interest about four of you: Square Enix recently announced that it's working on a remake (of sorts) of Romancing SaGa 2 for Android, iOS and Vita.

I describe it as a "remake of sorts" because the few screenshots that have been released thus far suggest that this version of the game will retain the 1993 original's character and enemy sprites while the old backdrops will be replaced with ones that are a bit more detailed.



The result reminds me of the awesome Final Fantasy IV, V and VI Advance titles Square Enix published for the GameBoy Advance between 2005 and 2007.

As for when this reimagined Romancing SaGa 2 will be made available to the masses, all that's known at the moment is it'll see the light of day this "winter."



Will the Vita version earn a retail release? I have no idea, but I'm currently crossing my fingers in the hopes that it does.

I'm similarly clueless as to whether or not any iteration of the game--which began life as a Super Famicom cartridge--will be localized for regions outside of Japan. If I were a betting man, though, I'd probably put my money on "no way in hell."

Will any of you buy it even if it remains a Japan-only offering? If so, why? Also, do you think you'll pick it up for Android, iOS, Vita, or all of the above?

Let's talk about Nintendo's first mobile game, Miitomo, as well as its Club Nintendo replacement and new account system

Actually, the headline for this post probably should read: "can someone please explain Nintendo's first mobile game, Miitomo, as well as its Club Nintendo replacement and new account system to me?"

That seemed kind of silly, though, so I opted what you see above.

Still, the fact is that even after having more than 24 hours to think about it, I still can't say I "get" the three upcoming products Nintendo announced during its investor's briefing in Tokyo yesterday.

Sure, I understand that Miitomo, the Japanese giant's first mobile effort, is some sort of Tomodachi Life-esque communication app, but what exactly does that mean?

As for the Club Nintendo replacement I mentioned earlier, that would be a little thing called "My Nintendo." Based on what I read about it yesterday, it sounds like an expanded version of Club Nintendo that rewards (with swag, discounts on future titles and even DLC) people for playing, and not just buying, the company's games.

Finally, there's something called the "Nintendo Account," which I guess is the next iteration of what's currently known as NNID?

The last one is the "product" I know the least about, so please feel free to educate me if you've got a better grasp on it. Actually, feel free to educate me on any of these upcoming efforts--all of which are set to be released in March of next year, I believe--if you think my descriptions above are a bit off.

Anyway, based on the little I know and understand of all of the above, I'm pretty excited. Or at least I'm pretty intrigued--especially in the "My Nintendo" and "Nintendo Account" creations. That's just my opinion on the matter, though; what do all of you think about it?

Taito + Fez = Asterism?

OK, so I have no idea if the folks at Neutronized were at all inspired by Taito's highly recognizable style (see games like Bubble Bobble, Mizubaku Daibouken and The New Zealand Story) when they began working on Asterism's visuals, but it sure seems like that may have been the case.

At any rate, the game in question, which will be released for iOS at some future point in time, looks gorgeous.

Of course, that shouldn't be all that surprising to those of you who've experienced another Neutronized-made effort--the decidedly Parasol Stars-ish Drop Wizard, which hit the App Store earlier this year.



Unlike that earlier Neutronized product, however, Asterism seems like less of a Bubble Bobble clone than it does a Fez clone.

I've been assured there's more to Asterism than that, though. In fact, my contact at Neutronized suggests the game is "a sort of Metroidvania" that sees its protagonist regularly teleporting into parallel dimensions.

As if that didn't sound good enough, here's how the company's press department is promoting this intriguing upcoming release: "a game about stars, exploration and love."

With all of that said, who else is now chomping at the bit to add Asterism to the slew of apps on their iPads or iPhones?

It's hard to imagine a game called Fantastic Boyfriends being anything less than brilliant

I haven't played too many mobile games since I bought my first real smartphone a few months ago, but I'm planning to buy this one.

Of course, how could I not when it's called Fantastic Boyfriends: Legends of Midearth?

Also, it features all kinds of hot, burly men (of the manga variety, admittedly, but I'll take what I can get) and its translation is being worked on by a very good friend of mine, Chic Pixel's Anne Lee.



As for what Fantastic Boyfriends is beyond being a mobile game stuffed with hunks, well, the gist is that it combines elements of the RPG and dating-sim genres.

Sadly, the latter aspect appears to be more PG-rated than X-rated, but that's how it goes when you want your game to make it onto the Apple and Android app stores.

If that's acceptable to you, and you'd like to know more about Fantastic Boyfriends and maybe even throw a bit of monetary support behind it, head over to its Indiegogo page.



The game's developers, Lifewonders, are looking to garner $20,000 by the time the above-mentioned fundraising campaign ends in 30 days.

A note for those of you who may be riding the fence (as to whether or not to hand over a few bucks Fantastic Boyfriends' makers): this particular Indiegogo effort is of the "fixed funding" sort, which means that if it fails to reach its goal, all money will be returned to contributors.

What do you say? Are any of you planning to back this sucker? Or maybe you've already done so?

Shall We Do It? (BATTRIX, Drop Wizard, rainblocks, Tumbledrop and Zoo Keeper DX)

You may remember how, in this recently published post, I said of the iOS puzzler, rainblocks: I'm not sure it's something I'll return to all that often.

Fast forward to today, just over a week later, and although I can't prove it, I'm pretty sure rainblocks--which was made by Eric Koziol--is now my most-played iOS game.

So, what's changed in the meantime? I don't really know, to be honest--well, other than I think my brain went on a walkabout during my initial experience with it, which prompted me to assume it was some sort of endless (or nearly so) puzzle game, like the Tokoton mode of the Zoo Keeper series.

In reality, it's a decidedly timed affair, with the result being that rainblocks feels like a mad-dash, try-to-beat-your-high-score kind of title--which is right up my alley, especially if it's stuck inside a portable device.

rainblocks

One aspect of this iOS game that I've always liked is its art style. It's very simple, but also very clean, colorful, consistent and even "classy," if that makes sense. In fact, I dare say it reminds me of something Nintendo or one of its second-party developers would have made during the GameBoy Advance era to fill the gaps between its heavy hitters.

As for the other games mentioned in this post's header, if I were to line them up based on how much time I've spent with them in the last week or so, I'd probably go with: BATTRIX, Zoo Keeper DX, Drop Wizard and then Tumbledrop.

I don't suppose you're up for taking in some of my thoughts on all of these lovely iOS games (and they truly are lovely, each and every one of them)? If so, please keep reading.

BATTRIX--This bite-sized RPG was made by the wizards at Opus Studio, who also brought the world the Half-Minute Hero games and Jikandia: The Timeless Land, which of course means it features some stunning spritework.

There's more to it than that, though--which probably won't shock anyone who's experienced any of the afore-mentioned PSP titles. This is most evident in BATTRIX's gameplay "hook," which tasks players with exposing its map one tile at a time. (You begin the game standing on a single, solitary tile, and nearly every step you take away from it reveals previously hidden areas and battle-able enemies.)

The idea is a perfect fit for the medium, and a lot of fun to boot. Also a perfect fit for the medium: the controls used in BATTRIX's battle scenes, which of course are intuitively touched-based and which also feature fast, frequent and intriguing weapon changes.

Drop Wizard

Drop Wizard--This was my first iOS game, and it's sure to remain one of my favorites for some time to come. The graphics here are absolutely adorable--and right up there with the best of the single-screen platformer genre, if you ask me.

The gameplay's great, too, in that it wisely considers and keeps in mind the iOS platform's weaknesses (generally unresponsive digital controls being the main one, of course) without letting them hamper the action at hand.

As for what all that nonsensical blather means for the end-user (me and you): instead of focusing on fast-paced leaps and twitchy, last-millisecond responses à la most other single-screen platformers, Drop Wizard focuses on strategy. Which is a good, as all you're able to do in this game, control-wise, is move your adorably behatted protagonist left and right. (Yes, that means there's no jump or other action button.)

I'm sure that sounds more than a bit nuts, but in reality it's brilliantly refreshing.

Zoo Keeper DX

Tumbledrop--Despite this game's title, it's nothing like the wonderful Bubble Bobble clone--or, rather, Snow Bros. clone--called Tumble Pop. That's disappointing at first, or at least it was for me, but it's doubtful you'll feel that way for long, as Tumbledrop's gameplay wastes little time in differentiating itself from any other title you're likely to compare it to.

So, what's Tumbledrop's gameplay like? I guess you could say it's a physics-based puzzler. Actually, it's kind of like Jenga, that block-balancing tabletop game that everybody's become obsessed with at one point or another. Only Tumbledrop is a lot more visually interesting, what with its on-point use of pastels as well as its bricks and blocks and stars that grin like non-creepy Kewpie dolls.

Anyway, it's a lot of fun, and it's no pushover (pun not entirely intended), which always is a good thing, in my opinion. In fact, I've only made it through a few screens so far thanks to its general toughness. Still, I hope I can make it a bit further before I stick a fork in it and move on to some other technicolor iOS title.

Zoo Keeper DX--If you've played some version of Zoo Keeper over the years, you've pretty much played them all. In the case of almost any other series, I'd say that's a bad thing, but these bright, animal-themed puzzlers are such a blast to play that I can't bring myself to do it.

One somewhat negative thing I will say about the iOS iteration of Zoo Keeper is that it's a bit lacking when it comes to modes and options--there are just three of the latter, as far as I can tell, and one of them is an online battle mode I'm unlikely to use.

Other than that fairly minor quibble (especially given Zoo Keeper DX's cheap asking price), though, this one's a ... well, it's a keeper, as that old--and appropriate--cliché goes.

See also: previous 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Please share your iOS game and app suggestions and recommendations here

In news that is sure to thrill my pal Simon, the oh-so-British proprietor of the Red Parsley blog, I recently bought my first smartphone.

Specifically, I got an iPhone.

Which means, of course, that I'm in the market for a whole bunch of iOS games and apps.



Have any of you played any iOS games or used any iOS apps that you think I should experience as soon as possible? If so, I'd really appreciate it if you'd name them--and tell me why you like them, if you're willing--in the comments section below.

Just so you know, I've already purchased the following: Drop Wizard, rainblocks and Sunburn!

I spent a few minutes with both Drop Wizard and rainblocks over the weekend, and I found the former game, especially, to be a lot of fun. (I also liked the latter, but I'm not sure it's something I'll return to all that often.)

#ADecadeofDS: Zombie Daisuki

Amount of time devoted to this game in the last week--Two hours, 24 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--Honestly, I'm kind of at a loss as to what to say here, as after completing the first "stage" of this Japanese DS game, everything kind of blends and blurs together. I can say, though, that I've beaten 10 or so levels thus far and I've attracted about 27 zombies to my "mob."

Overall comments on the experience--Much like Catch! Touch! Yoshi!, which I wrote about a few weeks ago, Zombie Daisuki is the kind of DS game that, if made today (instead of in 2011), it would be released digitally rather than via retail and it would cost just a couple of dollars.

Which is to say it's a fairly light (in terms of content), pick-up-and-play sort of experience--not unlike a lot of the mobile titles crowding the market these days. That's most evident in its gameplay, which consists of using your stylus first to corral your mob of blue knuckle-draggers and then again to send them careening toward the handful of humans--survivors of this portable game's apocalypse, I guess--and even presents (naturally they're topped with pretty red bows) that populate every pint-sized stage.

The latter are an important part of this DS game, by the way, because they provide you with all sorts of accessories that can be used to bolster the speed, strength and resiliency of your zombie pals, while the former--actually, killing to former--are key to you finishing each level.

Anyway, the survivor-slaughtering and gift-grabbing action that's at the heart of Zombie Daisuki is enjoyable enough--at first--thanks to its slick controls and cute, pixel-based graphics.

The game's audio deserves a nod here, too, as its jaunty, chiptune-y backing tracks keep the proceedings buoyant and fun, as do the silly sound bites--"oh, no!" and "please stop!" among them--that pop up now and then as the undeniably adorable undead rip all-comers to shreds.

Sadly, even when all of these elements are combined, they're not quite enough to keep your attention--or not for long, at least. Which is too bad, as it's a cute little game and I very much wanted to like it based on its pedigree (Chunsoft, hello!), graphics and focus on zombies.

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--I kind of doubt it. I love the aesthetics, and I think the gameplay's nice enough, but both aspects are so repetitive that the overall experience can't be called anything but a bore.

Do I recommend it to others?--If you can find a fairly cheap ($10, tops) copy of it, sure. If not, you're likely to feel like you've wasted your money.

Next up--Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation

See also: previous #ADecadeofDS posts

And the winners of The Gay Gamer Giveaway™ (Drop Wizard Edition) are ...

Congratulations to the following trio for winning the Drop Wizard (iOS) codes the folks at Neuronized so kindly sent my way a week or so go:

* Rui
* Nightmare Bruce
* Justin Difazzio

Jeremy and Justin: I'll send your codes to you through Twitter and Facebook, respectively.

As for you, Rui, drop me an e-mail (bochalla at yahoo dot com) at your earliest convenience so I can get a code out to you, too.

Other than that, I'd just like to thank, once again, whoever mans the Neutronized Twitter account for being so kind as to offer up these codes.

The Gay Gamer Giveaway™: Drop Wizard Edition

Late last week, the folks at Neuronized offered me a free code for their just-released (on Jan. 8) single-screen platformer, Drop Wizard. (A game I previously discussed in this post.)

I had to turn them down, though, because I currently don't own any sort of iOS-enabled device. (At the moment, Drop Wizard is playable only on iPhones and iPads.)

Knowing that at least a few of you lovely people must own such gadgets, I quickly followed up that denial with a suggestion that I could pass along the code--as well as a couple of others, perhaps--to some of my blog's readers.



They liked the idea, so today I'm offering up three free codes for the company's lovely looking game (see trailer above), which apparently features more than 60 levels of Bubble Bobble-ish goodness.

Speaking of that Taito-made classic, if you'd like to nab one of these Drop Wizard codes, leave a comment below between now and 8 am Pacific time on Saturday morning that includes the name of your all-time favorite Bubble Bobble clone. (I'll announce the winners in a separate post later that same weekend.)

In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed in the hope that the powers that be at Neuronized eventually decide to bring this game to the Nintendo eShops, the PlayStation Store and Steam.

Part of me likes what I'm seeing in this trailer for Square Enix's Final Fantasy Tactics S while the other part hates that I like it

So, the folks at Square Enix released a teaser trailer for Final Fantasy Tactics S, a free-to-play (Japanese) Mobage title, yesterday.

To be completely honest, I'm not entirely sure what's going on in said trailer, which can be seen below.



That said, it seems it plays more like Ogre Battle than any of the company's previous Final Fantasy Tactics titles--which would be fine with me if the game weren't receiving reviews like the ones that have been published on NeoGAF so far.

For a bit more information on Final Fantasy Tactics S, by the way, check out this educational post over at Shinju Forest.

I'm not feelin' the Final Fantasy V remake that'll soon be released for smartphones and tablets

Warning: this may wind up being one of those cranky, "get off my lawn!" kind of posts, so you may want to come back later in the day (when I'll publish another post) if that sort of thing bothers you.

For the rest of you: a few days ago, the folks at Square Enix finally pulled back the proverbial curtain on the iOS (and, eventually, Android) remake of Final Fantasy V that they announced late last year.

Specifically, they released a number of screenshots of this re-imagining, one of which can be seen below.



Sadly, it seems Square Enix's designers once again are employing the rather generic art style they used while developing the Final Fantasy I, II and IV remakes that were released for the PSP over the last few years.

That's not to suggest I hate everything about the screenshot seen above (or the one below, or the others that can be viewed here). In fact, I love that the people behind this version have decided to add character portraits to the game's dialogue scenes. Also, I have to admit that the menus in this release look quite a bit better than those found in, say, last year's Final Fantasy Dimensions.

Oh, and for some strange reason I'm finding myself oddly attracted to the Lenna-as-White-Mage sprite included in the screen below.



Other than that, though, I'm feeling pretty let down by this particular remake, which will hit the Japanese App Store on March 28 for 1,800 yen (about $19--it'll hit the equivalent Android shop sometime this summer). The character sprites--Bartz/Butz, especially--make me want to yawn, while the enemies and backdrops appear to have been pulled right out of this title's GameBoy Advance counterpart.

Of course, you're looking at a guy who'd rather play the original Super Famicom version of Final Fantasy V than any gussied-up remake--unless said remake was made for the 3DS using the Bravely Default engine (ahem)--so maybe you should take my grumblings with a grain of salt.

That's just my opinion on the matter, though. What do all of you think?

I kind of hate to admit that I'm a bit curious about Final Fantasy: All The Bravest

So, what would you like to hear first--the good news, or the bad?

I think we should start with the good, which is that the folks at Square Enix just announced and released--yes, all in the same day--a new, sprite-based Final Fantasy game.

As for the bad news, well, the aforementioned title--known as Final Fantasy: All The Bravest--doesn't seem to be a "real" RPG, despite the fact that it's being described as a "pick-up-and-go RPG with massive battles."

Oh, and it's an iOS-only affair at the moment, which is a bummer for those of us who prefer to do the bulk of our gaming on dedicated handhelds and consoles.



Still, I'm curious about it. It helps, of course, that the sprites used in Final Fantasy: All The Bravest look to have been pulled from, or at least inspired by, the vaunted series' 16-bit releases.

Also, the battles look pretty crazy--although I'm feeling a bit flummoxed as to why some of the enemies (like the Goblin and Nutkins shown at the beginning) in the trailer above now seem to have sky-high HP.

Since I don't currently own a device capable of playing Final Fantasy: All The Bravest, I'd greatly appreciate it if any of you who wind up buying it would share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.