TheSlime[a]series is aspinoffseries of games fromDragon Questfeaturing itsSlimecharacter. Three games have been released, the second of which,Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime,has been released in North America.
| Slime | |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Developer(s) | Tose[1] Square Enix |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Creator(s) | Yuji Horii |
| Artist(s) | Akira Toriyama |
| Composer(s) | Koichi Sugiyama |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Advance,Nintendo DS,Nintendo 3DS |
| First release | Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest: Shōgeki no Shippo Dan November 14, 2003[2] |
| Latest release | Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3 November 2, 2011[3] |
| Parent series | Dragon Quest |
The series features top down adventure gameplay mixed with tank combat in the latter two titles. The plot follows Rocket, who must set out on journeys to defend his kingdom and its people from the Tails Brigade.
The series has met with positive critical reception, and despite its simplicity has been praised for its gameplay mechanics and graphic design, though sales have been mixed.
Development
editYoshiki Watabe, producer ofDragon Quest VIII,thought of the idea and approached series creatorYuji Horiiand together they brainstormed the games genre and style.[4]Previously the two had discussed making a game for children while working on a port ofDragon Questto theGame Boy,and the need for a main character appealing to children.[4]When first conceived, the game had the blue slime protagonist wielding a sword and shield, and a gameplay test was done in this style, but was rejected because developers felt "This isn't really a slime game, this is like a blueLink".[5]Developers then started over and asked what a slime could do that a normal character couldn't, from which the idea of the player stretching and launching the slime at enemies and objects came from.[5]The developers also chose to keep humans out of the game, due to that if they did appear, they would probably just run around killing all the Slimes.[6]
When the second game was localized for the American audience, there was concern about the slime's identifiability with the public, and soDragon Questwas added to the title.[4]Watabe wanted to make sure thatRocket Slimeused both screens for gameplay, unlike most other DS titles that just used it for menus, believing that the duel screens was the consoles "focus".[4][6]Early in the title's life, the developers had a version of it that uses the touch screen to use Rocket's Elasto Blast technique, but scrapped the idea, due to it being too hard to control.[6]In a search for what to do with the Nintendo DS's two screens, the developers arrived at the idea of a tank battle, and a duel view allowing players to see inside and outside the tank at once.[5]Each character name was approved during localization bySquare Enix,and names involving American cultural references had to be explained in Japanese, a task that saw many jokes cut and replaced.[5]
Watabe said that ifDragon Quest Heroessold well, that the developer would look into a sequel, and they may also includeNintendo Wi-Fi Connectionsupport.[6]In February 2011, Yuji Horii stated in an interview that a sequel was "a possibility".[7]On March 16, 2011 a third installment in the series was announced featuringstereoscopic 3Dand customizable pirate ships for combat.[8]
Games
edit| Title | Year | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest: Shōgeki no Shippo Dan |
|
Game Boy Advance | Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest: Shōgeki no Shippo Danis a Japaneseaction-adventurevideo game published bySquare Enixin 2003 forGame Boy Advance.It is part of Square Enix'sUltimate Hits (Square Enix).[9] |
| Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime[b] | Nintendo DS | Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slimeis the only game in the series to be published outside of Japan.[10][11] | |
| Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3 |
|
Nintendo 3DS | Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3was released for theNintendo 3DS.[3]The game changes the tank battles of previous titles to battles at sea, and takes place in a completely 3D graphical environment.[12]Other features include multiplayer with up to four people,SpotPass,andWi-Ficonnectivity.[13][14] |
Common elements
edit
The blue slime is a monster from the JapaneseDragon Questvideo game series. TheDragon Questseries includes over 20 types of slimes, the majority of which are present in these games. As the player rescues other slimes, more areas of the world are opened up.[15]
Attacking enemies is done by stretching the slime and then releasing, flinging it forward. The player can also hover temporarily in the air, and bury themselves in the ground while still moving.[15]Starting in the second title, players also engaged in battles using large tanks.[16]
The player can also carry enemies or other slimes on his head. Enemies, of which he can carry up to three, can be thrown as an attack, while friends are required to be carried to a conveyance back home in order to count as rescued. These modes of transportation include rail carts, airships, and balloons. Occasionally slimes in the village will give quests to the player, which require them to carry enemies or items to these transport points.[15]Picking up a certain enemy, the swordsman, allows the player to perform a sword attack which is faster than the standard stretch attack. If the player is hit by an enemy, everything they are carrying is dropped.[15]
The slime can die if attacked too many times by enemies, as well as if the player takes too long to complete a dungeon, as in the game night falls and they are kidnapped by the Tails brigade like the rest of their village.[15]
Theplotof the games has involved the protagonist blue slime Rocket trying to retrieve something of value that has been stolen. In the first two titles he saves his family, friends and countrymen that were kidnapped by a group of monsters known as the Tails Brigade, or the Plob in the English version. The third title has Rocket traveling across the world to find seven stolen treasures.[15]
Reception
editSales
editThe first game in the series sold 237,652 copies as of December 14, 2003 and was the 53rd best selling game of 2003 in Japan.[17]Its sequel,Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime,was released in Japan in 2005 and in North America in 2006. A third game in the series calledSlime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3was released in November 2011 for theNintendo 3DS,selling 38,859 copies its first week and charting at number seven.[18]
Reception
editTheSlimeseries has been well received both in Japan and internationally.Slime Mori Mori Dragon Questwas the runner up forIGNsbest Japanese exclusive game of 2003.[17]FamitsugaveDragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slimea 34/40, grading it a 10, 8, 8, 8.[16]It was also chosen as the number four bestNintendo DSgame of 2006 byGameSpy,calling it an "engrossing" RPG and enjoyable tank battles.[19]IGNnamed the game the Nintendo DS game of the month for September 2006.[20]FamitsuawardedSlime Morimori Dragon Quest 3a 37/40.[21]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^Kurt Kulata (February 4, 2008)."The History of Dragon Quest".Gamasutra.p. 10.Archivedfrom the original on October 20, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^スライムもりもりドラゴンクエスト hướng kích の しっぽ đoàn: まるわかりタウン(in Japanese).Square Enix.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-12-08.Retrieved2009-11-30.
- ^abSpencer (September 4, 2011)."Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3 Set For November".Siliconera.Archivedfrom the original on October 17, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^abcdCraig Harris (May 11, 2006)."E3 2006: Rocket Slime Interview".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedApril 10,2013.
- ^abcdBill Young and Mikel Tidwell (May 11, 2006)."Interview with Slimes".RPGamer.Archivedfrom the original on July 31, 2013.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^abcd"Go Behind the Scenes of the Latest Dragon Quest Nintendo DS Games".Nintendo.2006-06-08. Archived fromthe originalon 2006-09-06.Retrieved2008-12-13.
- ^Henry Gilbert (February 17, 2011)."An interview with Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii".GamesRadar.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Anoop Gantayat (March 16, 2011)."Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime Set for 3DS".Andraisang.Archivedfrom the original on December 25, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Spencer (January 16, 2006)."More Ultimate Hits are rolled out".Siliconera.Archivedfrom the original on January 3, 2014.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^スライムもりもりドラゴンクエスト２ đại chiến xe としっぽ đoàn(in Japanese).Nintendo.Archivedfrom the original on November 24, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Anoop Gantayat (June 1, 2005)."Square Enix Set to Party Like It's E3".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Spencer (September 20, 2011)."Oh My Gooness, Hands-On With Dragon Quest: Rocket Slime's 3DS Sequel".Siliconera.Archivedfrom the original on February 3, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Griffin McElroy (March 16, 2011)."Rocket Slime setting sail on Japanese 3DS this Winter".Joystiq.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Anoop Gantayat (August 18, 2011)."Return The Seven Missing Orbs in Dragon Quest Heroes Rocket Slime 3DS".Andraisang.Archivedfrom the original on December 25, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^abcdefGantayat, Anoop (November 21, 2003)."Slime Morimori Dragon Quest PlayTest".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on November 2, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^abAnoop Gantayat (December 7, 2005)."Now Playing in Japan".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^abIGN Staff (January 14, 2004)."Gaming Life in Japan".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on September 26, 2015.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Ishaan (November 9, 2011)."This Week In Sales: Tanooki Mario Spins A Tail Of Success".Siliconera.Archivedfrom the original on January 23, 2013.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^"Nintendo DS Top 5 & Genre Awards".GameSpy.Archived fromthe originalon February 14, 2012.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Craig Harris (October 2, 2006)."Nintendo DS Game of the Month: September 2006".IGN.RetrievedApril 11,2013.
- ^Kevin Gifford (November 1, 2011)."Japan Review Check: Driver, Peace Walker HD".1UP. Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2013.RetrievedNovember 29,2014.
External links
edit- Official website(in Japanese)