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Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
More product of Nintendo
(39 customer reviews)
List Price :$34.99
More product of Nintendo
(39 customer reviews)List Price :
Product Details
Language : English (Unknown)
Number Of Items : 1
Media : Video Game
Shipping Weight (lbs) : 0.27
Dimensions (in) : 0.9 x 5.1 x 5.6
Package Dimensions (in) : 0.9 x 5.1 x 5.6
Catagory : Video Games
Sales Rank : 161
MPN : NTRPYDQE
Model : 045496741013
UPC : 045496740993
EAN : 0045496740993
ASIN : B002I0EH6I
Release Date : July 11, 2010
Language : English (Unknown)
Number Of Items : 1
Media : Video Game
Shipping Weight (lbs) : 0.27
Dimensions (in) : 0.9 x 5.1 x 5.6
Package Dimensions (in) : 0.9 x 5.1 x 5.6
Catagory : Video Games
Sales Rank : 161
MPN : NTRPYDQE
Model : 045496741013
UPC : 045496740993
EAN : 0045496740993
ASIN : B002I0EH6I
Release Date : July 11, 2010
Technical Details
Gameplay with differing stories and missions depending on NPCs encountered Handheld action RPG action where players engage in epic quests in undiscovered lands filled with dangerous monsters and untold stories Connect locally with up to three friends in cooperative gameplay modes, and utilize wireless features that allow access to changing exclusive items and quests Customization allowing you to create your own hero, changing your hair, face, body style and equipping them from a selection of over 1,000 in-game items including weapons, shields, armor and accessories In-game treasure maps that reveal otherwise inaccessible special dungeons called grottoes, which can contain rare items or enemies
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Product Description
In "Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies," players begin their adventure as a city guardian who is sent to retrieve a sacred tree's fruits, which have the power to grant wishes. Players travel the world, conquer fearsome monsters and unravel an epic storyline. During their journey, players will encounter mighty opponents in fast-paced battles, and also interact with a colorful cast of characters. "Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies" contains special modes that let players share their adventure with others, allowing up to four players to team up via a local wireless connection and experience the fun of tackling challenging monsters and dungeons cooperatively with their own characters. Players can even leave the game active in their backpacks, pockets or purses and still interact with other players via an interactive "Tag Mode." Information about players' characters can be wirelessly transmitted to others, and treasure maps and customized greetings can be exchanged automatically by players who come within range of one another when their games are set to Tag Mode. Players looking to enjoy a variety of different game activities can take on special side quests. Some of these quests will be earned by progressing through the game, while additional quests will be made available for free download for players with broadband Internet access after the game launches, providing hours of additional content for virtual adventurers to enjoy either on their own or with friends. Some downloadable quests will continue the main storyline of the game, while others offer standalone missions.
Amazon.com Product Description
In "Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies," players begin their adventure as a city guardian who is sent to retrieve a sacred tree's fruits, which have the power to grant wishes. Players travel the world, conquer fearsome monsters and unravel an epic storyline. During their journey, players will encounter mighty opponents in fast-paced battles, and also interact with a colorful cast of characters. "Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies" contains special modes that let players share their adventure with others, allowing up to four players to team up via a local wireless connection and experience the fun of tackling challenging monsters and dungeons cooperatively with their own characters. Players can even leave the game active in their backpacks, pockets or purses and still interact with other players via an interactive "Tag Mode." Information about players' characters can be wirelessly transmitted to others, and treasure maps and customized greetings can be exchanged automatically by players who come within range of one another when their games are set to Tag Mode. Players looking to enjoy a variety of different game activities can take on special side quests. Some of these quests will be earned by progressing through the game, while additional quests will be made available for free download for players with broadband Internet access after the game launches, providing hours of additional content for virtual adventurers to enjoy either on their own or with friends. Some downloadable quests will continue the main storyline of the game, while others offer standalone missions.
Amazon.com Product Description
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is an action RPG designed specifically for handheld play on the DSi. The ninth game in the beloved Japanese Dragon Quest series, like its predecessors Sentinels of the Starry Skies features third-person oriented turn-based battles and a deep combo/multiplier system. In addition to this the game possess powerful new features including multiplayer and online functionality, extensive customization options, new play modes and a means to share content with other players
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies lets players enjoy an adventure that is entirely their own, yet can be shared with others anywhere, anytime. Players begin their adventure as an angel-like guardian. In order to achieve a heavenly design players are sent to the world of mortals to retrieve the magical fruits of a sacred tree. These fruit have the power to grant wishes, but are also perilous, containing the unexpected power to transform those who eat of them into monsters. Together with up to three friends players must battle those transformed beings, and in the process improve their angelic skills and regain the heavenly fruit in order to gain their heavenly reward. Customization Players can create their own heroes, deciding how they would like their face, hair and clothing to look. As the story unfolds, players become stronger, smarter and more powerful, and can create custom companions to join their group as well. Players will also have fun discovering more than 900 pieces of clothing, armor, weapons and other items that will provide them with a unique appearance and special abilities. Even occupations can be customized and changed at any time. Players can take on one of a dozen different jobs with varying strengths, weaknesses, spells and skills. Battle Fast-paced turn-based battles unfold as players decide what to do and then view cinematic action scenes. This format rewards careful thinking and strategy over quick reflexes. The more foes players defeat, the stronger their characters become. In the lead up to conflicts, talking with different characters will unfold the story and point players toward their next mission. All quests come with a reward, which might be anything from a rare item to a new, unlocked occupation. Tag Mode Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies includes the interactive Tag Mode that allows players to keep the game active even while their Nintendo DS system is stored in their pocket, purse or backpack. When two players come within range of one another, Tag Mode enables them to wirelessly--and automatically--exchange character information, customized greetings and treasure maps. These treasure maps allow players to find otherwise inaccessible dungeons called grottoes featuring special boss monsters and even rare items. Social Play Aspects One of the most enticing things about Sentinels of the Starry Skies are its many social aspects built into its gameplay. First, you need never be alone. Special multiplayer modes let players share their adventure with others, allowing up to four players to team up via a local wireless connection and experience the fun of tackling challenging monsters and dungeons cooperatively with their own characters. Players can even leave the game active in their backpacks, pockets or purses and still interact with other players via an interactive Tag Mode. In addition, information about players' characters can be wirelessly transmitted to others. Also the game contains treasure maps that allow players to find otherwise inaccessible special dungeons called grottoes, which can contain rare items or enemies. In Tag mode, treasure maps and customized greetings can be exchanged automatically by players who come within range of one another. Finally, players with wireless broadband Internet access can visit an online shop to find new items or download additional quests. The selection of items changes daily. Some downloadable quests will continue the main storyline of the game, while others offer standalone missions or quests themed to a particular time of year.  Key Game Features
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Customer Reviews
(39 customer reviews)
The game is fun despite annoyances, 2010-09-06
The Good:
The battles are fun. I like the design of interaction among the characters during fights. It's been a while since I played a turn-based RPG that emphasized treating your team as a unit instead of a group of individuals taking their turns. I suppose if you have a team of only warriors, you could treat them are individuals. The boss battles are challenging but not impossible.
The music is fairly good, and the sound effects evoke memories of other Dragon Quest and Dragon Warrior games.
The game play and quest structure is familiar enough to be entertaining. There's a little of the happy tedium of grinding (fighting lots of monsters to boost your experience levels) but not too much as in older RPGs. The class-specific equipment is interesting to mix and match. I also like the ability to change your characters' vocations without losing everything you earned in your previous vocations.
The game has a sense of humor with names: The names of towns and monsters and characters are sometimes funny puns, mash-ups (two or more words stuck together to make one word) or allusions.
The Bad:
First and foremost, only Mark Twain should be allowed to write dialect-ed dialogue. I have no idea what some of the characters are saying. Is the information useful? Who knows, because I can't read hillbilly.
On a related note, there's too much dialogue. When characters talk a lot, there had better be some substance or advance to the story. Too often, the characters just jibber-jabber about nothing.
The story is mostly terrible and watered-down. Celestians? You mean angels, right? The Almighty? Let's just call it God. Politically correct censorship is extremely offensive. It makes me wonder what else did they hold back in the story because they thought I couldn't handle it. Could this have been a thoughtful commentary about the role of religion in people's lives (especially Catholics; who else believes in angels?)? Perhaps, but it's not, because someone's grandma might get offended.
Most of the character designs are ugly. What is the deal with the freaky eyes and hair options? What's wrong with normal looking people in video games?
Overall, the fundamentals of the game are solid and well-crafted, such that the game's annoyances can be overlooked.
Good game but........., 2010-09-06
So I will spare you all the trivial details and get straight to the point. Decent game and somewhat interesting story - bunch of mini stories thrown together to fill out the main story. The problem I have is the boss fights are less than memorial. I fought maybe seven of them so far and 90% of them are forgettable. Still waiting for the dragon boss to pop up that's in the intro, I mean the game is called Dragon Quest. I am more than half-way through the game and I have yet to even smell a Dragon.
The name of this game sounds epic. The actual game so far (I just got a boat) is anything but epic.
* Maybe I am spoiled after playing Grandia 2 which had some impressive bosses.
AWESOME!!!!, 2010-09-05
I am a big fan of Dragon Quest series, but this game is much more than I was expecting... Probably the best graphics I've ever seen on the DS, nice music, fun story, easy mechanics, a lot of things to do: side quests, treasure hunting, upgrading jobs, what else do you want??
I am really in love with thi game, I just don't want to finish it for a long time. I heard that a lot of new quests will be becoming available through online download.
If you like RPGs and Akira Toriyama's artwork, don't think too much and just buy it... it will never dissappoint you!
Dragon Quest IX, 2010-09-05
I am not a big gamer, but this game has me entranced. I can't stop playing it! It's a wonderful game.
Excellent game for all ages--single player and multiplayer, 2010-09-03
This is one of the best games I've played on the DS. First, let me admit that I'm a big fan of cooperative multiplayer RPG games. I strongly prefer my kids play cooperatively instead of competitively. There are few decent titles that focus on cooperative multiplayer and even fewer for the Nintendo DS.
While my middle son is a Dragon Quest fan, this is the first DQ title I've ever played. It was perfect (if expensive) for the entire family. Most video games are enjoyed by some members of our household, but very few have made everyone happy. It wasn't too difficult for my youngest daughter to play (but I wince every time I see how she has allotted her skill points). It had all the favorite jobs and monsters for my middle son. And it wasn't too dorky (my word, not his) for my teenager. And the turn-based fighting system ensured my middle-aged reflexes were not overwhelmed.
THE BREAKDOWN:
STORY/CHARACTER PERSONALIZATION(8/10)
Character creation covers gender and a limited variety of hair colors/styles and faces. Still, it was fun to personalize my character. You also have the option of creating party members and choosing (and changing) their jobs as you level them up.
Because the story revolves around angel-like Celestrians and visits the realm of the Almighty, I was hesitant to give this game as a birthday present to a very religious family I knew. However, there were no objections from the family, so I think the religious influence isn't a deal-maker/breaker.
Otherwise the storyline is rather simple but entertaining. There are a couple of surprises that aren't earthshattering or even that surprising.
GAMEPLAY (9/10)
The world map is nicely done and has the advantage of free-wandering. Partway through the game, you learn the "zoom" spell which can take you to any major town you've already visited (watch your head if your characters are indoors!) On the world map, you can rush monsters or you can avoid them. Some will chase you though, so be careful. There are set places for harvesting alchemy items.
Multiplayer is excellent. You're not stuck in the same screen/area as the other party members, but the party host can request (not require!) your presence at any time. If one person is more advanced than another, they can help blow through quests or boss fights. Or if a weaker player visits a stronger player's world, they can have access to better towns and shops.
The biggest drawback is the pacing. Sometimes, you want to zip through dialogue or descriptions, but you can't skip it. When you want to change jobs--or have a party member change jobs--you have to wait for the entire stretch of sentences from the Abbott. It gets a little wearisome.
The graphics are excellent. Spell and special ability animations are fun to watch and give you a mild sense of accomplishment. Cutscenes for a portable system are smooth and well-done. Boss fights were imposing and required strategy (unless you were overpowered or brought an overpowered visitor)
IN SUMMARY
This game is a must buy for RPG fans. It's well balanced and has tons of replayability, especially if you have internet access and can download the new quests. The treasure maps are great because you can challenge yourself to high level fights and continue to upgrade maps and gear.
All (game-playing) members of our home enjoyed it. My daughter--usually a Nintendopets game lover--appreciated the exploration and the social aspect of visiting the worlds of other family members. The tag mode is great for her because a representation of each visitor (and their levels and accomplishments) stays at her inn. My middle son--the RPG and gear horder--loves collecting alchemy materials and upgrading items. My oldest--a FPS fan--likes fighting and winning and keeping track of his damage scores. He hadn't liked previous DQ games; this one won him over. And the old fogey of the group (me) likes it for all of these reasons.
So these are the votes:
Very young (but reading): YES
RPG fans: YES
Gear/treasure collectors: YES
Preteens/Teens: YES
Antisocialites: YES
Multiplayer fans: YES
Graphic snobs: NO (but why are you looking at a DS game for cutting edge graphics?)
FPS fans: UM, are you kidding? However, there is fighting and ranger is fabulous
Adults (young at heart): YES
View All Customer
(39 customer reviews) The game is fun despite annoyances, 2010-09-06 The Good:
The battles are fun. I like the design of interaction among the characters during fights. It's been a while since I played a turn-based RPG that emphasized treating your team as a unit instead of a group of individuals taking their turns. I suppose if you have a team of only warriors, you could treat them are individuals. The boss battles are challenging but not impossible.
The music is fairly good, and the sound effects evoke memories of other Dragon Quest and Dragon Warrior games.
The game play and quest structure is familiar enough to be entertaining. There's a little of the happy tedium of grinding (fighting lots of monsters to boost your experience levels) but not too much as in older RPGs. The class-specific equipment is interesting to mix and match. I also like the ability to change your characters' vocations without losing everything you earned in your previous vocations.
The game has a sense of humor with names: The names of towns and monsters and characters are sometimes funny puns, mash-ups (two or more words stuck together to make one word) or allusions.
The Bad:
First and foremost, only Mark Twain should be allowed to write dialect-ed dialogue. I have no idea what some of the characters are saying. Is the information useful? Who knows, because I can't read hillbilly.
On a related note, there's too much dialogue. When characters talk a lot, there had better be some substance or advance to the story. Too often, the characters just jibber-jabber about nothing.
The story is mostly terrible and watered-down. Celestians? You mean angels, right? The Almighty? Let's just call it God. Politically correct censorship is extremely offensive. It makes me wonder what else did they hold back in the story because they thought I couldn't handle it. Could this have been a thoughtful commentary about the role of religion in people's lives (especially Catholics; who else believes in angels?)? Perhaps, but it's not, because someone's grandma might get offended.
Most of the character designs are ugly. What is the deal with the freaky eyes and hair options? What's wrong with normal looking people in video games?
Overall, the fundamentals of the game are solid and well-crafted, such that the game's annoyances can be overlooked.
Good game but........., 2010-09-06 So I will spare you all the trivial details and get straight to the point. Decent game and somewhat interesting story - bunch of mini stories thrown together to fill out the main story. The problem I have is the boss fights are less than memorial. I fought maybe seven of them so far and 90% of them are forgettable. Still waiting for the dragon boss to pop up that's in the intro, I mean the game is called Dragon Quest. I am more than half-way through the game and I have yet to even smell a Dragon.
The name of this game sounds epic. The actual game so far (I just got a boat) is anything but epic.
* Maybe I am spoiled after playing Grandia 2 which had some impressive bosses.
AWESOME!!!!, 2010-09-05 I am a big fan of Dragon Quest series, but this game is much more than I was expecting... Probably the best graphics I've ever seen on the DS, nice music, fun story, easy mechanics, a lot of things to do: side quests, treasure hunting, upgrading jobs, what else do you want??
I am really in love with thi game, I just don't want to finish it for a long time. I heard that a lot of new quests will be becoming available through online download.
If you like RPGs and Akira Toriyama's artwork, don't think too much and just buy it... it will never dissappoint you!
Dragon Quest IX, 2010-09-05 I am not a big gamer, but this game has me entranced. I can't stop playing it! It's a wonderful game.
Excellent game for all ages--single player and multiplayer, 2010-09-03 This is one of the best games I've played on the DS. First, let me admit that I'm a big fan of cooperative multiplayer RPG games. I strongly prefer my kids play cooperatively instead of competitively. There are few decent titles that focus on cooperative multiplayer and even fewer for the Nintendo DS.
While my middle son is a Dragon Quest fan, this is the first DQ title I've ever played. It was perfect (if expensive) for the entire family. Most video games are enjoyed by some members of our household, but very few have made everyone happy. It wasn't too difficult for my youngest daughter to play (but I wince every time I see how she has allotted her skill points). It had all the favorite jobs and monsters for my middle son. And it wasn't too dorky (my word, not his) for my teenager. And the turn-based fighting system ensured my middle-aged reflexes were not overwhelmed.
THE BREAKDOWN:
STORY/CHARACTER PERSONALIZATION(8/10)
Character creation covers gender and a limited variety of hair colors/styles and faces. Still, it was fun to personalize my character. You also have the option of creating party members and choosing (and changing) their jobs as you level them up.
Because the story revolves around angel-like Celestrians and visits the realm of the Almighty, I was hesitant to give this game as a birthday present to a very religious family I knew. However, there were no objections from the family, so I think the religious influence isn't a deal-maker/breaker.
Otherwise the storyline is rather simple but entertaining. There are a couple of surprises that aren't earthshattering or even that surprising.
GAMEPLAY (9/10)
The world map is nicely done and has the advantage of free-wandering. Partway through the game, you learn the "zoom" spell which can take you to any major town you've already visited (watch your head if your characters are indoors!) On the world map, you can rush monsters or you can avoid them. Some will chase you though, so be careful. There are set places for harvesting alchemy items.
Multiplayer is excellent. You're not stuck in the same screen/area as the other party members, but the party host can request (not require!) your presence at any time. If one person is more advanced than another, they can help blow through quests or boss fights. Or if a weaker player visits a stronger player's world, they can have access to better towns and shops.
The biggest drawback is the pacing. Sometimes, you want to zip through dialogue or descriptions, but you can't skip it. When you want to change jobs--or have a party member change jobs--you have to wait for the entire stretch of sentences from the Abbott. It gets a little wearisome.
The graphics are excellent. Spell and special ability animations are fun to watch and give you a mild sense of accomplishment. Cutscenes for a portable system are smooth and well-done. Boss fights were imposing and required strategy (unless you were overpowered or brought an overpowered visitor)
IN SUMMARY
This game is a must buy for RPG fans. It's well balanced and has tons of replayability, especially if you have internet access and can download the new quests. The treasure maps are great because you can challenge yourself to high level fights and continue to upgrade maps and gear.
All (game-playing) members of our home enjoyed it. My daughter--usually a Nintendopets game lover--appreciated the exploration and the social aspect of visiting the worlds of other family members. The tag mode is great for her because a representation of each visitor (and their levels and accomplishments) stays at her inn. My middle son--the RPG and gear horder--loves collecting alchemy materials and upgrading items. My oldest--a FPS fan--likes fighting and winning and keeping track of his damage scores. He hadn't liked previous DQ games; this one won him over. And the old fogey of the group (me) likes it for all of these reasons.
So these are the votes:
Very young (but reading): YES
RPG fans: YES
Gear/treasure collectors: YES
Preteens/Teens: YES
Antisocialites: YES
Multiplayer fans: YES
Graphic snobs: NO (but why are you looking at a DS game for cutting edge graphics?)
FPS fans: UM, are you kidding? However, there is fighting and ranger is fabulous
Adults (young at heart): YES
View All Customer