Level-5's DS Ni no Kuni detailed

By Robert Purchese Published 19 October, 2010

Press conference spills beans.

Renowned Japanese game-maker Level-5 has today properly unveiled the DS version of role-playing adventure Ni no Kuni, which is also on the PS3.

Kuni has attracted a lot of eyes for being designed by Studio Ghibli, the film house responsible for stylised animations Ponyo and Spirited Away.

Ni no Kuni DS will be sold with a magic book, reported Andriasang live from a Level-5 press conference. And it's this you'll consult on your travels to a Dream World. You see, the on-screen map will try to trick you with things that aren't real, so you'll need to compare what you see with the magic book to decipher the puzzles.

Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino also detailed the game's Imagine support cast. These you'll raise and name, and their strength will improve as they grow. A battle between two DS Ni no Kuni owners was demonstrated on stage.

Conflicts are strategical and require Imagine characters be positioned correctly. Or you can mess about and lose, you loser.

There are over 350 Imagine monster-things in the game.

DS Ni no Kuni also features Travelling Egg, a Tag Mode/System Pass game. You put a message in an egg and exchange them with other players via Tag mode. Why? Because traded eggs can contain items and rare Imagine monster-things.

Upon receiving an egg you'll be given the choice of sending it off on a journey or breaking it. If you opt for the former, whatever is inside the egg will grow.

What's more, Ni no Kuni on DS will have ridable vehicles such as ships, plus Level-5 has a slate of DLC planned for a year after release.

There's no mention of that release date, though.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (9) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • TheTingler #1 2 years ago

    Release date. European release. Then where I can pre-order. I don't need to know anything else, thanks.

  • firef7y #2 2 years ago

    I wish this was on the 360 but atleast I can play it on the DS. I've been looking forward to this game for quite a while, hopefully the English translation won't take too long.

    The magic book mechanic seems like a good way to fight piracy, at least until the book is scanned and distributed online

  • Ignatius_Cheese #3 2 years ago

    350 Imagine monster-things...

    Pokemon says HEYO!! ;o)

    Level 5/Studio Ghibli combination is gaming heaven. I'm with Tingler. The sooner an EU release is confirmed, the better!

  • reelbigkris #4 2 years ago

    Really looking foward to this, not looking foward to the dodgy in game map with its lies!

    "Damn you in game map, what form of treachery is this?!"

    Scan map, place as wallpaper background for PC or place on an Iphone so that i don't have to carry any additional forms of paper on ym travels with a ds, problem sorted i guess?
    Edited by reelbigkris at 19/10/10 @ 12:24

  • Stepharneo #5 2 years ago

    If I get excited about this, will the game be more expensive than a Nintendo Wii?

    Oh what do I care I'll still probably end up buying both versions.
    Edited by Stepharneo at 19/10/10 @ 12:36

  • Username_0074 #6 2 years ago

    I'm curious, will it be called Ni no Kuni here too or will they come up with a new name for the European and American markets?

  • jimmyhill11 #7 2 years ago

    I think it's English name is "The Another World"

  • ukuleleimport #8 2 years ago

    Gotta imagine 'em all! The book might make a purchase more worthwhile for people with a tendency towards piracy, too.

  • orangpelupa #9 2 years ago

    hm the book thing. That sounds like a good AP :D
    rather than using the typical AP and get cracked in a few days, this book will make those game store selling pirated games get a little more trouble. (need to get a scan, need to print, )

    EDIT:
    btw if the book is big, it will kill the portability aspec.
    i hope L5 will include CD with a digital copy of the book. Preferably in interactive book/app .sis for symbian and also .whatever for iPhone and Android.

    so i can just install the "book" to my phone :D
    Edited by orangpelupa at 19/10/10 @ 16:04