If there’s one thing you will find on gaming handhelds, it’s RPG’s, and the Nintendo DS is no exception. From the first-person Etrian Odyssey to the real-time multiplayer action game Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, you will find it all on the DS. And since you can never have too much of a good thing, developers continue to produce great RPG’s, many of which are being released this spring. Here are three.
#3: The Dark Spire
The day of classic and old-school RPG’s may be past, but they are not gone. The Dark Spire is a classic-style first-person RPG being brought to us by Atlus. For fans of the classic RPG Wizardry, this will be like coming home. Can’t say quite the same for most of today’s gamers though, especially those just getting into gaming. Not only can The Dark Spire be a tough and primitive grind when compared to others of today’s games, but so many of it’s mechanics and functions are so in the vein of really, really old RPG’s. Heck, the defense system is based on old-school armor-class ratings, where the lower your rating is the better your defense. This is hardcore extreme, and while it’s sure to turn many people off, you can guarantee that hundreds of thousands of people are going to absolutely love it.
#2: Blue Dragon Plus
The original Blue Dragon that was released on the Xbox 360 marked a return to old-fashioned turn-based roleplaying, a rarity these days when it comes to games that are released on next-gen consoles. While Blue Dragon Plus will feature the same Akira Toriyama inspired style and the concept of characters utilizing shadow monsters in battle, the game comes across as more of a real-time strategy. Which, it is. Which is actually good news, as this type of gameplay suits the style well.
#1: Dragon Quest V
Another game in which famed artist Akira Toriyama was very involved, Dragon Quest V for DS will be a port of the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System version. Why should you be interested in this game? Well, there are several reasons. First of all, it’s got some of the series’ greatest combat, featuring adjustments and changes that stayed on until much later in the series. Secondly, Akira Toriyama’s signature artistic touches enhance the game’s appeal greatly. Plus it features a rather in-depth and unique story for it’s time. Also, it’s Dragon Quest, and if you haven’t had the chance to experience it before than now is as good a time as ever.
