Nice Package! (Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu DS+, DS)

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon was one of my favorite Wii games. (You can read my succinct review of that title here, if you're curious.)

As such, I was keenly interested when I heard--some time ago, of course--Square Enix was prepping an enhanced DS port of the game that was known in Japan as Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu.

For whatever reason, though, I didn't actually buy this portable roguelike until recently. This despite the fact that it hit Japanese store shelves all the way back in late 2008 (just under a year after the Wii version was released).



How does the DS port, which allows you to play as that old Final Fantasy standby, Cid, as well as the titular Chocobo, compare to the Wii original? I wish I could tell you. Unfortunately, I've yet to even pop the cartridge shown in one of the photos below into any of my DS or 3DS systems.

I brought said cart with me on sabbatical, though, so expect me to at least start my way through its dungeon-crawaling adventure sometime in the next few months.



In the meantime, let's ogle the packaging produced for this surprising DS game (called Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu DS+, in case you missed that earlier).

I'm pretty fond of its cover illustration, I've got say--even with that brown band of text obscuring its bottom fifth.



Does anyone know what it's trying to convey to potential buyers, by the way?

I see the word "dungeon" in there a few times, but that's about it. I know this port doesn't contain 1,000 dungeons, though, so what does that figure refer to--the number of weapons in the game? Enemies? Facial expressions made by Chocobo? Any help here would be greatly appreciated.



As for the instructional manual that accompanies complete copies of Cid to Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu DS+, I'm fond of it, too.

That shocks me a bit, if I'm to be honest. Why? Because I find most DS manuals to be disappointing. Sure, they offer up a couple of nice visuals, but other than that they're usually filled with text.



Although that's largely the case here, too, there are enough brilliant illustrations (like the one above) to make the whole shebang appreciably impressive--to my eyes, at least.

Have any of you played this updated version of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon? If so, what do you think of it?

Whether or not you've played Chocobo no Fushigi na Dungeon: Toki Wasure no Meikyuu DS+, what do you think of its outer case, cartridge and manual? As always, share your thoughts in this post's comments section.

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts

Just in case you haven't seen enough game and system photos as of late...

Please accept my apologies for the recent deluge of "photo posts." I'm a busy and stressed guy at the moment, and this is the easiest way for me to keep this blog up to date while also dealing with all of the stuff in my life that actually pays the bills.

Don't worry, though, I'll soon--as in, later this week--begin a month-long break from the certificate program that's been eating into my free time, and that will make playing and writing about games a lot easier (not to mention more enjoyable).

In the meantime, why not take a gander at the following photos, a few of which were published to my Flickr photostream in recent weeks, one of which was published to my Instagram account during the same timeframe and the rest of which have yet to be published anywhere.

The photo above was taken around the time I wrote my last "A Decade of DS" post, naturally. And, yes, I bought the European version of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales because I prefer its more minimalistic cover art to what the designers at Square Enix concocted for the North American release of the game. 

This photo, on the other hand, was taken shortly after I received my copy of Koei's Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation and before I began playing it (for another of my recent "A Decade of DS" posts).

You may remember that I mentioned in my last post--about the beautiful light pink and white Vita that arrived on my doorstep just over a week ago--that I've already bought a retail Vita game, with the game in question being the original Danganronpa.

Why did I sit my copy of Danganronpa on top of my copy of Catch! Touch! Yoshi! for Nintendo DS? Because I wanted to show just how small the boxes of Vita games are--a fact that quite honestly shocked me during my first run-in with NIS America's highly acclaimed title.

In yet another recently published post, I blathered on about the Hobonichi Techo I picked up after landing my new-as-of-six-weeks-ago job. Although I included a whole bunch of photos in that post, I didn't include the one seen above, which showcases both the "Onett" (yes, of Mother 2 and EarthBound fame) cover and the Mr. Saturn pencil board I bought alongside this Japanese planner.

My "A Decade of DS" post about Maestro! Jump in Music may not have been as joyous as I expected it to be (before I actually played the game), but it still produced the snapshot shown above, which I originally shared with the world via Instagram.



Finally, this photo was nabbed shortly after my pal, Jess, bought and sent me the sparkly purple PSP-3000--more of that story can be read here--that seems to be itching to launch the wondrous Qix clone (kind of, but not really) that's known outside of Japan as Patchwork Heroes.

Did any of these photos stand out for you in particular? If so, why? Also, if you have a Flickr or Instagram or similar account that often highlights photos of games or systems, please let me know about it in the comments section below.

#ADecadeofDS: Chocobo Tales

Amount of time devoted to this game in the last week--Three hours, 46 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--It looks like I'm about to take on the evil "Bebuzzu" in another of the game's surprisingly dynamic "pop-up duels" (one-on-one card battles, basically).

Overall comments on the experience--I put a good amount of time into this 2007 DS game many years ago, shortly after it was first released, but so much time has passed since then that I decided to go back to it early last week.

Unsurprisingly, I'm enjoying this second playthrough just as much as my first. I say "unsurprisingly" because, as anyone who has played this game should be well aware, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales does everything it can to bring a smile to your face--from the cute character designs, to the silly story, to the myriad mini-games that test your timing, reflexes and even your patience.

For me, the mini-games and the aforementioned "pop-up duels" are the main highlights here, although I have to admit I'm still coming to grips with the latter.

In terms of the former, though, there's only one mini-game that even somewhat aggrivates me at the moment (the very first one, "The Adamantoise and the Cactuar")--although, thankfully, I've already beaten it on its most challenging setting, so now I can ignore it. The rest, though, are a part of a lovely array of pick-up-and-play games that I wouldn't hesitate to buy for a buck or two if they were plopped onto the iOS App Store.

That said, Chocobo Tales' whimsical art style deserves to be pulled aside for praise, too, as it's nearly as responsible as its gameplay for maintaining my interest in this title.

So, is there anything I don't like about this effort so far--aside from the mini-game mentioned earlier? Not really. I mean, I guess some folks may find the story included here disappointingly light, but I actually like that all of the blather that tends to be crammed into most of Square Enix's titles isn't present this time around.

Another possible nitpick is that the mini-games don't always provide enough information for you to fully grasp what you're supposed to go to successfully complete them, but even then it's only taken me a few seconds to figure things out, so I wouldn't consider this to be too big of a niggle either.

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--For sure. In fact, I can see myself sticking with this one right to the end. It's pretty much the perfect kind of game for me at the moment--as in, it's easy to pick up, play for five, 10 or even 30 minutes and then put back down again until I have some more free time. Also, it offers a ton of variety, which thus far has done a bang-up job of keeping me from getting bored with it.

Do I recommend it to others?--Without question. It's one of those games anyone should like, I think--assuming you don't hate "cute" graphics in general or Square Enix's Chocobo character in particular. Plus, like I said above, there's a lot to do here, so even if you don't like the odd mini-game, you're sure to like a bunch of others.

Next up--Awatama (Soul Bubbles)

See also: previous 'A Decade of DS' posts

I'd prefer a new Chocobo game, but I'll take a mug

Before I get to the focus of this post, which is the adorable Chocobo mug seen below, I have a question to ask the folks at Square Enix: when are you finally going to produce another console or, preferably, handheld game starring Chocobo?

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon was one of my favorite Wii games, and Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales was pretty darn awesome, too. As such, I'd love to see another game that showcases the fluffy little fellow, especially if the game in question were to be made and released for the 3DS.

In the meantime, I guess I'll have to pacify myself by picking up one of the adorable Chocobo mugs being sold by Internet retailer NCS.

(You've got to love the shop's hilarious description of this item: "Whereas the front of the mug features Chocobo's face, the back sports a trail of Chocobo's claw prints on what we assume to be yellow snow.")

Just in case any of you are considering buying one and you'd like to know a bit more about the product before moving ahead with your purchase, each mug is 7.5 centimeters tall, holds 8 ounces of liquid and costs $16.90. Oh, and they'll ship in early February.

See also: 'Who wouldn't want to wake up to one of these slimy suckers?'

Five Wii games you should have played, but probably didn't

Unlike the DS, there's still a smidge of life left in the ol' Wii--thanks to 2012 releases like Mario Party 9, Rhythm Heaven Fever and Xenoblade Chronicles. That trio of titles is about all that's worth picking up for Nintendo's little white wonder next year, though, which means it'll be all but dead by the time the Wii U hits store shelves later this year.

As such, this is a good time for new and old Wii owners alike to pick up a few of the system's should-have-been-classics (in my opinion, of course)--like the ones included on the following list--before they become impossible to find or impossible to afford:

1. Art Style: Cubello--This often-frenetic puzzler (called Cubeleo in Japan, for some strange reason) was one of the first WiiWare titles, yet it's still among the very best the service has to offer. All you really need to know about this pleasingly and colorfully 3D release: It was made by the folks at skip Ltd.--aka the same folks responsible for the Chibi-Robo! series as well as wackadoodle titles like Captain Rainbow and GiFTPiA.

2. Endless Ocean--Here's another game, like Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, that I've mentioned so many times that half of you (if not more) probably let out a huge sigh when you saw I was going to talk about it again. Sorry about that. It's just that this "scuba simulator" was all but ignored in every region, as far as I'm aware. Curiously, this game's sequel, Endless Ocean: Blue World, is cheaper at the moment, so you may want to pick up that version instead. Just be warned that I've yet to play it, so I can't say if it's better or worse than developer Arika's original effort.

3. Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon--This recommendation comes with a disclaimer: If you're not at all interested in or at least curious about roguelikes and/or dungeon-crawling RPGs, you're probably not going to get much enjoyment out of this game. To everyone else: Go into this one (order it here) with an open mind and expect to grind, old-school style. Oh, and don't be afraid to say "awww" whenever the titular Chocobo does something cute (which will be often).

The Great Gaymathon Review #27: Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon (Wii)

Game: Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon

Genre: Roguelike

Developer: h.a.n.d.

Publisher: Square Enix

System: Wii

Release date: 2008

If you've always wanted to get into the roguelike genre but didn't know where to start, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon is the game for you. Well, unless you despise things that are cute. If that's the case, you may want to move along to another review. (How about this one? I can't imagine anyone would describe that game as cute.) Anyway, back to why you should play Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon if you're a roguelike virgin. Well, like I implied in my first sentence, this game is kind of a beginner's roguelike (i.e., dungeon-crawler.) That's not to say it's for babies. Sure, it looks all cute and cuddly, but play it for a few hours and you're sure to find out that this precious-looking game can and often does pack a serious punch, especially once you start exploring its "special dungeons" (they're special because they tend to limit your level and the items you can bring in with you). Still, it's a lot easier than most examples of the genre, like the Mystery Dungeon games. Of course, the roguelike-curious aren't the only folks who should check out Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon; those who consider themselves fans of the Final Fantasy series in general and of the Chocobo character in particular should do so, too. Other gamers who should give it a go: Those who enjoy appealingly realized graphics (the ones in this title are among the most attractive on the Wii, in my opinion, despite the fact that they barely tax the hardware), those who like fabulously remixed Final Fantasy tunes (all but two or three tracks were taken from previous releases) and those who savor software that contains enough content to keep them busy for many, many hours. Oh, and those who proudly consider themselves cheap--the game can be picked up for less than $25 these days, after all.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

Stab me once, shame on you; stab me twice, shame on me

My first reaction to seeing the following Tonberry figure, produced by Atlanta artist Jared Cain (aka Nikejerk): "Awwwwwwwww!" (Yes, even though the Tonberry is toting a rather nasty-looking knife.)

My second reaction: "I really need to get back to that 100-floor, post-game tower in Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon."

To see more of Cain's figures, check out his Flickr photostream.

This is going to be another Chocobo's Dungeon game, right?

The word on the Interwebs is that the folks at Square Enix recently filed a European trademark for something called Chocobo's Crystal Tower.

This incredible Chocobo origami was designed by
Satoshi Kamiya and folded by Brian Chan.

It's unlikely the name will be attached to a localization of the sure-to-remain-a-Japanese-exclusive DS port of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon or the similarly-stuck-in-Japan Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales sequel (aka Chocobo and the Magic Picture Book: The Witch, the Girl, and the Five Heroes), so that leaves some sort of unannounced title. The question is: Which system will be the proud recipient of said title?

Honestly, as long as it's a sequel to the fabulous Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon, I don't care which system gets the game.

See also: 'Did hell freeze over last night?' and 'I can't for the life of me finish a game these days'