Another Classic Video Game Series Comes to iOS (in Japan)

ByMike Moffit

One of the toughest things about being a retro video game fan is being able to find collections of games that aren’t going to require you to take out a personal loan to afford them. Certain games go out of print, and that’s when the price takes a big leap.

In a way, this is why I’ve come to appreciate digital distribution channels such as Steam, the Nintendo e-shop, and the App Store. You’re able to find so much in those channels, and as a result, you can (in most cases) find that rare game you couldn’t find before, or something completely different and at a price you can afford. Trust me, a physical copy of Guardian Heroes is worth a lot of money, but on Steam, it’s fifteen bucks. I’ll spend the fifteen dollars, thank you very much.

Dragon Quest (or Dragon Warrior as it’s known here in the states) is a good example of a series of games that were only available one time. There weren’t multiple remakes, like the Final Fantasy series (which currently has five entries) in the App Store, and the games were never available digitally — until now.

Square-Enix has recently announced that they’ll be releasing all eight games for iOS, starting this year. Granted, for the time being, these games will only be released in Japan. However, given Square-Enix’s track record with iOS and the App Store, it may only be a matter of time before these games make their way over to our shores.

I am a little curious about whether or not these games will be remakes or if they will be released in their classic 8-Bit forms (the first three games, anyway). I’m really excited about this announcement, since I do most of my handheld gaming on iOS; it’ll be interesting to see how these games translate to touch based devices. One thing is for sure, aside from my wallet getting lighter, Dragon Quest VIII is going to look amazing on a retina display iPad.

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