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Majora's Mask, Phantasy Star on Japanese Virtual Console in April

by JC Fletcher { Mar 27th 2009 at 1:00PM }

Wow! This has been a really great week to be a Nintendo fan. It's been a really great week to be a Virtual Console fan in particular -- when was the last time we could say something like that? The week has just gotten a lot better with the release of the list of upcoming Virtual Console releases for Japan.

Why? Two reasons. First: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Like Ocarina of Time, it costs a painful 1,200 Wii Points -- and like Ocarina of Time, it will probably drop to the usual 1,000 in North America. Second, and possibly even more exciting: Phantasy Star! The Sega Master System RPG masterpiece is also coming to the Virtual Console. Maybe it's not a big deal to those of you with Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, but personally, it's awesome news.

We fully expect to see both of these games in North America soon. Neither SMS games nor N64 games seem to take long to make it overseas. Also of interest: Hudson's PC Engine port of the NES Ninja Gaiden. And the arcade version of Space Invaders, which marks the third time the "original" Space Invaders has been released on VC.

The full list is after the break.

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Phantasy Star Portable gets new release date: March 3rd

by Andrew Yoon { Feb 3rd 2009 at 9:45AM }

PSP fans looking to join in on Sega's latest addition to the famed RPG series won't have to wait much longer. The US release is just one month away -- March 3rd.

Phantasy Star Portable expands the world featured in Xbox 360's Phantasy Star Universe. The RPG is heavily rooted in ad-hoc multiplayer, with up to four players doing missions in tandem. The game will retail for $39.99.

Gallery: Phantasy Star Portable

Sega releases new Phantasy Star Portable trailer

by Andrew Yoon { Jan 27th 2009 at 4:30PM }

What would one expect from a game called Phantasy Star Portable? Well, dear reader, if you answered "a portable Phantasy Star game," you win. Sega's bringing the upcoming PSP-exclusive Phantasy Star Portable to America and Europe. This follow-up to Phantasy Star Universe features a brand new story and tons of missions. But, there's one problem. Where's the Infrastructure support?

Phantasy Star Portable arrives in the US this March.

Gallery: Phantasy Star Portable

The early years of Phantasy Star Zero

by Chris Greenhough { Jan 23rd 2009 at 5:00PM }

Here's something: early on in its development, Phantasy Star Zero bore more than a passing resemblance to the original Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast.

Unseen64 has assembled a collection of work-in-progress Zero screens and concept art, and the similarities are striking: according to these, Sega was also planning to include the opening Forest stage that featured in Phantasy Star Online, right down to the awesome dragon boss! Unseen64 says neither are featured in the final game (sadly, we have yet to play Zero ourselves, so we'll take their word for it).

Other changes from the initial build include noticeably different character design, changes in the way items and currency are distributed (to make sure the game ran smoothly and looked as pretty as this), and a selection of monsters that missed the cut.

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

[Thanks, Joe!]

Phantasy Star � zeroes in on US, Europe this fall

by Jason Dobson { Jan 10th 2009 at 6:30PM }

Like meseta from heaven, Sega has rained down another entry in its long running Phantasy Star series, announcing plans to release Phantasy Star Ø, or 'Zero' for the numlock impaired, on the Nintendo DS in both North America and Europe this fall.

Released in Japan over Christmas, Phantasy Star Ø is set in an alternate Earth history 200 years following a devastating war, and will feature 14 different customizable character types and in excess of 350 different weapons. In addition, while players will be able to adventure out by their lonesome, the action-RPG will also support both wireless and Wi-Fi multiplayer. A Pictochat-style chat system is also promised, letting us phantasize about exploring Earth's ravaged countryside as we level up our phallus-scribbling skills.

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

Phantasy Star Zero confirmed for North America

by Alisha Karabinus { Jan 9th 2009 at 1:22PM }

If this rough shot of the most recent copy of Nintendo Power is to be believed, Phantasy Star Zero will hit North American shelves this fall. A reader sent the photo in to our friends at GoNintendo, and posters at NeoGAF also report the Nintendo Power cover. Word of mouth on the game has been incredibly positive, so we would be excited even if we weren't talking about Phantasy Star Zero. But we are, so that means we're over the moon. Are you as excited as we are? If not, maybe you should check out a trailer.

Oh, and we should also mention that Sega just sent us a press release confirming the game will release in Europe.

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

Read -- GoNintendo
Read -- NeoGAF

VC Monday Madness: Phantasy Star IV

by David Hinkle { Dec 22nd 2008 at 3:35PM }

Phantasy Star IV (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
Wii Fanboy says: download it!

Not much going down this week, as we've only got one Virtual Console game available for download. Luckily, it's a good one, as the turn-based combat and everything on offer here in Phantasy Star IV is very enjoyable. If you're looking to kill some time this holiday season, then shell out the $8 and enjoy.

Each week, we here at Wii Fanboy like to check out the latest Virtual Console releases in our VC Monday Madness feature, in the hopes that you can make the most sound decision possible regarding purchasing retro titles from the Wii Shop Channel. If you're looking for more retro goodness, check out Virtually Overlooked, which talks about games that should be on the Virtual Console.

Retail and download releases for the week of Dec 22nd

by David Hinkle { Dec 22nd 2008 at 9:00AM }

Well, folks, with this being Christmas week and all, there aren't any new retail releases available. But, that doesn't mean we don't get some new gaming content. WiiWare and the Virtual Console are here to the rescue! So, without further delay, head past the break and check out what's new on Wii this week.

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Getting chatty in Phantasy Star Zero

by Chris Greenhough { Dec 12th 2008 at 4:00PM }

As Phantasy Star Zero's Christmas Day release (in Japan) draws closer, we're being taunted with more and more media. The newest video showcases the excellent Pictochat-style chat system, which comes across as a more flexible, expanded version of the Symbol Chat system from previous games.

As well as simply writing/drawing what you wish to say "live," you'll be able to save a bunch of preset sketches (because drawing stuff like this as a Rappy pecks your face off isn't practical), and simply tap a menu to bring them up. We don't know how many preset speech bubbles you can store in this way, but the player in this video has around twenty in his inventory, so ... at least that many. Also, if somebody sends you a drawing you really like, you can save it and pass it off as your own use it yourself!

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

A delightfully comprehensive Phantasy Star Zero trailer

by JC Fletcher { Dec 8th 2008 at 6:00PM }

If, for some reason, you haven't been following Phantasy Star Zero, Sonic Team's DS followup to the Phantasy Star Online series, you can catch up with this video. The rest of us can just enjoy another look at the game before its Christmas release (in Japan).

The enthusiastically-narrated clip introduces the three gameplay modes -- solo, wireless multiplayer, and online multiplayer, with a nice helping of gameplay footage of each. We can also get a glimpse at the possibilities for character customization! Jaunty hats, antennae, and huge green afros abound.

We think that there may even be a different story in the single-player mode for Humans, Newmans, and Casts. Combine that with the animated cutscenes, and Phantasy Star Zero may actually have a story mode worth playing!

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

[Via Gamekyo]

VC Friday: Mega Phriday

by Chris Greenhough { Nov 14th 2008 at 10:55AM }

Unless you've got a PS2 or a PSP, there's really no excuse to miss out on downloading Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, a game that is treated with justifiable reverence by fans of the franchise's early years. Mega Man 3 might not represent the peak of its respective series, but it's still worth a punt for 500 points. Especially as you don't have to look at this.

Mega Man 3 -- NES -- 500 Wii Points
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points

You know the drill: embedded footage of both games is past the jump.

Gallery: Mega Man Boxarts

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A brief look at character creation in Phantasy Star Zero

by JC Fletcher { Nov 5th 2008 at 5:00PM }

In a post about the filming of a new commercial for Phantasy Star Zero starring actor and singer Takeshi Tsuruno, GAME Watch also included a few screens of the character creation process. We've quickly translated the visible options; there aren't any real surprises, but we at least know that there are three different aspects of the character costumes that can change color, that the player can change the color of the floating "mag" robot, and that there are multiple selectable voices like in Phantasy Star Universe!

Other screens show a party gathering and calling out for a Photon Blast (a charged attack that could be combined in Phantasy Star Online) and the boxart, which is a delight.

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

Virtually Overlooked: Phantasy Star

by JC Fletcher { Oct 30th 2008 at 5:25PM }

Sega has graciously ensured the Wii's status as an excellent RPG platform with downloadable versions of, among other classic RPGs, Phantasy Star II and III. IV is in our future, as well, having been released in Japan and rated for US release by the ESRB. Even Phantasy Star Online is playable on the Wii via GameCube backward compatibility.

There's still one obvious void, and it's one that is also found in compilation titles on other systems: Phantasy Star. Well, and a few Japan-only text adventures. And Phantasy Star Gaiden. But while it's basically totally unreasonable to expect those titles in English for six bucks each, it's not really out of the realm of possibility that Sega could include Phantasy Star on the Virtual Console to complement its sequels.

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Phantasy Star Portable coming stateside in March

by Jason Dobson { Oct 16th 2008 at 10:30PM }

Sega announced that it will bring Phantasy Star Portable, the on-the-go flavor of its popular Phantasy Star Universe, to North America in March 2009, finally giving us a reason to cash in those meseta savings bonds grandma left behind before taking off for Palma to retire.

Serving as a kind of prequel to its console cousin, the game will bring a new character to the series, alongside 150 new weapons and items and support for wireless co-op play. Phantasy Star Portable's release in Japan earlier this year was met with rabid sales, and it will be interesting to see if players over here will be just as eager to level up to Sega's latest role-playing offering.

TGS 08: Phantasy Star Portable coming to US fo' sho'

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 15th 2008 at 10:50PM }

Sega of America quietly told reporters at TGS that their "secret PSP game" was in fact, a localized version of Phantasy Star Portable -- a fact made not-so-secret when Kotaku ran their story today. It's true: PSP is coming to the PSP. Phantasy Star features the same addictive Ad-Hoc multiplayer that made Monster Hunter such a hit amongst Japanese gamers -- and it looks pretty, to boot.

Hopefully, this early announcement will appease the American masses that are currently experiencing a PSP games drought. You see? Games are coming. We swear.

[Thanks, Ben!]