Third parties to fly DS flag at Tokyo Game Show

By Games Industry.biz Published 10 September, 2004

Sega and Square Enix bring dual-screen action.

Several third-party publishers are planning to exhibit Nintendo DS titles at the Tokyo Game Show later this month, ensuring that the forthcoming handheld will have a presence despite Nintendo's decision to abstain.

Both Sega and Square Enix have confirmed that they will have software for the Nintendo DS in their booths at the show, with each publisher confirming one title apiece for the platform.

The Nintendo DS is expected to launch in Japan in November, but Nintendo has chosen to eschew an official presence at the Tokyo Game Show in favour of a number of smaller nationwide promotions aimed at getting the device into the hands of as many potential buyers as possible.

Square Enix will be showing off Egg Monster Hero at the show, an RPG which utilises the touch screen capabilities of the console for its battle system - however, as it's based on the Hanjuku Hero series of games, which has never been released outside Japan, it seems unlikely that it'll ever make its way to the west.

Similarly, Sega's offering is unlikely to leave Japanese shores - titled Kimi no Tame Nara Shineru (literally translated, "I Would Die For Your Sake"), it is a dating simulation (renai game) with 2D hand-drawn illustrations, surprisingly developed by former members of Sonic Team. While it might be an unusual departure for the team, it's worth bearing in mind that Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima cut his teeth on the Tokimeki Memorial series of dating games...

Several other publishers are also expected to show DS titles, although details have not yet been announced. There's also a possibility that Sega and Square Enix could extend the range of DS titles on show - Square Enix in particular is set to show a new title from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles creator Akitoshi Kawazu, which could be the new Crystal Chronicles title for the DS, although equally it could be the rumoured GameCube title that his team is rumoured to be working on.

Picture of Games.

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Comments (14) Latest comment 8 years ago

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  • Blerk #1 8 years ago

    Still waiting on those 'revolutionary' concepts, guys.

    Do we know why Nintendo aren't showing? Are they having trouble coming up with games that really use the dual-screen thing too, perchance?

  • Pirotic #2 8 years ago

    Nintendo design the games before the hardware, so i suspect they have some bloody great uses for the thing already under development.

    Hopefully the last presentation was a little rushed (unfinished hardware etc) so they didnt show the best software.

    N64 ports dont really float my boat.

  • dadrester #3 8 years ago

    nice to see other developers are excited about the format

  • Kami #4 8 years ago

    Well, I guess it's a case of "Lesser of two evils".

    Hype up the DS at TGS, or go out and hold a roadshow-y thing where people can use it.


    It's good to see developers are still really up for the DS. And as said here, Nintendo tend to design their hardware around their software, so Nintendo probably have some cracking ideas lined up for the DS... some of the titles look superb already.

  • Blerk #5 8 years ago

    Hmm.. I'll wait and see. They had some cracking games for the GBA initially, then decided it was infinitely easier to just rehash their back-catalogue instead.

  • Rob #6 8 years ago

    If we get a wireless Advance Wars title, I'm sold. Nothing else would be needed to get my cash.

  • dadrester #7 8 years ago

    ocarina of time or majora's on a handheld. mmm

  • Kami #8 8 years ago

    Don't forget Castlevania (If anything, it almost topped it's fellow SOTN on the GBA... quite a feat!), and Harvest Moon.

    "Advance Wars wireless" would be the cherry on the top...

  • Kami #9 8 years ago

    Camp Hyrule - Fun for ALL the family!

  • Zero Beat #10 8 years ago

    ocarina of time or majora's on a handheld. mmm

    Unplayable without analogue.

  • Sorb #11 8 years ago

    "I Would Die For Your Sake"

    What´s sake again, Japanese tea or is it alcohole? ;)

  • Kami #12 8 years ago

    Sake (aka Saki)? Japanese Rice Wine. Well, it's not "wine" per se, it's really in a catagory of it's own, but for comparison purposes it's closer to a wine than anything else...

  • Kami #13 8 years ago

    Some just can't hold their alcohol... ;)

  • gamingdave #14 8 years ago

    Unplayable without analogue.

    well there is a touch screen, I think you could call that analogue.