Remember these guys from other Final Fantasy games?
If you've got one of the popular iPhones and have checked out the library of downloadable games for it, you might have noticed that last month, they released a game for it called Crystal Defenders. In this shameless Tower Defense copy, you put down various character classics from Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (DS) and hope that they manage to kill all enemies before they can get to the end of the path.
Square Enix announced in the newest edition of the Japanese magazine Famitsu that the game will be heading to all three major console download services as well - WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. The magazine explicitly refers to the XBLA and PSN versions as "enhanced ports", while it doesn't call the Wii version a port at all - Could it be a totally new game?
The WiiWare version is called "Crystal Defenders R1", features Wi-Fi support (Which probably means DLC, because it's a single player game!) and will cost 1000 Wii Points. It's coming out rather fast, too - Japan will be getting the game next Tuesday! The game has not been confirmed for release elsewhere yet, but seeing as this is Square we're talking about, it's quite likely it will be released everywhere.
Famitsu also has some screens of the WiiWare version - We've added these as screenshots until we get better ones.
Update: Behold the Japanese trailer:
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1. nintendo87
21 Jan 2009, 17:54 GMT
looks sweet!!!!!!! YEA!!!! FIRST POST!!!!!!!
2. DEADCELL
21 Jan 2009, 17:58 GMT
Eh. I've already got it on my Ipod Touch, and it only cost $8 for that version. It's pretty fun though (although there are better Tower Defense games on the iphone/touch, like FieldRunners).
EDIT: Yeah, they had a version for the old style Ipods with the click wheels too. I don't think it was supposed to be as good as the Touch/Ipone versions.
3. dfalco
21 Jan 2009, 18:03 GMT
looks very cool game i wii get when comes out it looks awsome
4. Wiiloveit
21 Jan 2009, 18:16 GMT
Crikey - I'll wait for more info because this doesn't look like a game for me, but it's good news for fans, I'm sure! Strange that there was nothing of this heard sooner though, especially after the massive WiiWare news build ups we usually get (Mega Man 9, World of Goo, for example).
5. worrybomb
21 Jan 2009, 18:25 GMT
If it turns out to be good, I'll wait to see which version I would get: XBLA or WiiWare.
6. AlexSays
21 Jan 2009, 18:39 GMT
Another game from the second best developer on the planet?
That's good news for everyone.
7. Wiiloveit
21 Jan 2009, 19:09 GMT
@worrybomb: I'd get the Wii version, so that companies would start to notice the platform a little more - every little helps!
8. Shadx
21 Jan 2009, 19:39 GMT
Tower Defense game ... with FF characters? Neat, but not for me, I'm not a fan of TD games.
9. -TR
21 Jan 2009, 19:40 GMT
Looks very FF. I'll get this for sure.
10. slambert215
21 Jan 2009, 19:43 GMT
Looks great! Wi-fi is a plus too. I think they had a version of this for iPod click wheel too, but I may be wrong. No, something other than Song Summoner.
11. Koto
21 Jan 2009, 20:18 GMT
I'm getting this version,unlike the others,this one doesn't seem to be a port
12. Terranigma
21 Jan 2009, 20:27 GMT
I'll get it on the Wii. I am hoping that the WiiWare version, in particular, is a new game. It does look really good. If it does have DLC, i wonder what it would be
13. Hyperfludd
21 Jan 2009, 20:33 GMT
Can't wait. I love the Tactics (Ivalice) Universe, and it's one of the only Final Fantasy games I play.
14. Shiryu
21 Jan 2009, 21:12 GMT
Very interesting, definetly will love to have a Tower Defense clone around.
15. Bahamut ZERO
21 Jan 2009, 21:30 GMT
Oooooooohhhhhhh.
Im a RTS fan, and I enjot Tower Defense-type games. Another buy for me.
I spned so myuch money by being a regular on this site
16. tatemon555
21 Jan 2009, 21:33 GMT
YAY!!! I might get this, but if the iphone version is cheaper, than I'll pass.
17. Objection_Blaster
21 Jan 2009, 21:35 GMT
@AlexSays-Who ranks #1?
Anyway, nice surprise. Hope it plays good.
18. Mickeymac
21 Jan 2009, 22:16 GMT
Could be good. I honestly would've wanted the original Tower Defense instead, but something's better than nothing.
19. Ricardo91
21 Jan 2009, 22:50 GMT
@Objection_Blaster. Something tells me it starts with an "N" and ends with "intendo".
This looks awesome. Hopefully it'll add enough extra features to justify the purchase, so I won't feel ripped off when I get an ipod Touch and discover that the original is cheaper.
20. Stratos
21 Jan 2009, 23:12 GMT
Nice to see a TD game on WW. I may snag it if the price is right.
After the mediocre DLC offerings in MLaaK though, I think I'll pass on it here unless it's really worth it.
21. Stuffgamer1
21 Jan 2009, 23:22 GMT
Sounds cool. If the PSN/Live Arcade game turns out to be the same as this, I'll just get it on PSN. If this game is different, though, I could see me getting it on WiiWare, too!
22. Kawaiipikachu
22 Jan 2009, 00:01 GMT
Got this on my iPod Touch here but if it differs enouth i might get the WiiWare version as well .
23. XCWarrior
22 Jan 2009, 00:24 GMT
$10? No thanks. I love Square Enix and all, but this is a $5 game. It's just tower defense with an FF license.
24. JEPEREZ4EVR
22 Jan 2009, 00:37 GMT
I am sooooo gonna get this one! But when is it coming to the u.s.?
25. Stratos
22 Jan 2009, 00:48 GMT
I'm hoping the Wi-Fi support is for leaderboards. We need more of those in WW games.
26. Mickeymac
22 Jan 2009, 01:12 GMT
@XCWarrior
$10?! For Tower Defence with Final Fantasy Tactics characters?!?!?! Hell no! It's barely appealing at five dollars!
27. AlexSays
22 Jan 2009, 01:47 GMT
@ Objection_Blaster -- Nintendo of course.
Nobody has made as many quality games as Nintendo has over the years.
It's not even close.
It's like Nintendo is here and number two is................. way over here.
28. Twilight Crow
22 Jan 2009, 06:29 GMT
I'll pass on this one, it's $10 just because of the FF characters, I'll wait for a cheaper TD game.
@AlexSays
I didn't know you liked Nintendo that much, well I agree, they're not perfect but they certainly have deliver throughout the years.
btw nice cute little avatar!
29. KDR_11k
22 Jan 2009, 10:56 GMT
TD with characters, eh? The only TD I liked was PatchCon which also uses characters but it's more RTS-like than regular TD.
30. ness
22 Jan 2009, 11:46 GMT
I don't like 'Tower defence' games that much, so probably i will pass on it. (Unless it is absolutely awesome, than maybe^^.)
31. Stuffgamer1
22 Jan 2009, 16:19 GMT
My favorite game of the genre to date is PixelJunk Monsters. That one's well worth the $10 for the base game and $6 for "encore" expansion (which adds over 10 new stages, so it's a great value).
I think it works a bit differently from most games in the genre, though. You aren't usually playing as a little dude running around the level, right? I don't really know, and I must admit that my experience with this genre is somewhat limited. Of the few I've played, PJM was the only one to do that, anyway.
32. JohnshiBRPG
22 Jan 2009, 19:48 GMT
There are other top-down strategy games online, and I wonder if this is worth a game that surpasses others or is this a not so while worthy of your points.
33. Ricardo91
22 Jan 2009, 21:25 GMT
@XCwarrior. Thanks for the heads up. I guess I'll just wait for that ipod Touch then!
34. Mickeymac
22 Jan 2009, 23:41 GMT
Okay, I just saw the trailer, and while it is better than DYC, I can definitely say that there are better games that are available for free online. Yeah, definitely going to pass on this one.
Hey, if anybody's got a PS3, just wanted to let you know that there's a better Tower Defence game heading your way anyways.
35. ness
23 Jan 2009, 12:08 GMT
How can you say that there are better games if Crystal Defenders R1 is still not available?
36. Stuffgamer1
23 Jan 2009, 20:38 GMT
@Mickeymac: I dunno, I think I'd rather stick to 2D for my tower defense games. Though I might give that one a try if there's a demo.
37. Mickeymac
23 Jan 2009, 23:00 GMT
@ness
...because the other one actually looks fun.
38. Wiiloveit
24 Jan 2009, 14:02 GMT
@Mickeymac: don't judge a book by it's cover.
39. Mickeymac
24 Jan 2009, 18:24 GMT
@Wiiloveit
True, I should probably play that Savage Moon before I deem it to be any good.
40. lockelocke
27 Jan 2009, 00:44 GMT
nice, I have this on my iPhone
overall its a fun little tower defense title
Hopefully, we'll see more iPhone titles available for WiiWare. What I'd really like to see the FAR superior iphone tower defense game Fieldrunners
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