Dragon Quest IX DQIX is secretly two games: when you're playing through the main quest, it's a traditional JRPG with a light but interesting story populated by unexpectedly engaging characters and perfectly brisk pacing; then as you approach the end, it becomes a dungeon crawler driven by a dungeon map trading mechanic using the passive communication of the DS.
How compelling is that "tag mode" mechanic? I can't think of any other game for which I would go hang out at a GameStop and then a Best Buy, but that's exactly what I did when Nintendo held DQIX events this summer. I needed those maps. That's how I know this is my favorite game of 2010.
British mag NGamer put together a clever 2010 "year in review" of mainstream news using WarioWare DIY. Some of the referenced incidents may be obvious internationally, while others are quite UK specific, so we made a list of the minigames and what they represent.
Actor Mel Gibson's colorful exchange with his ex [NSFW].
"Car Splatter" -- Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla's car attacked by student protesters over tuition fee hike.
"Unmask" -- Top Gear driver revealed.
"Flush it" -- Politician reneges on UK tuition hike promise.
"Engage" -- Prince William of England proposes to girlfriend.
"Cap the Leak" -- BP oil spill.
"Rescue" -- Chilean miners
"Goal Get" -- Controversial goal.
"Here Kitty" -- Cat bin lady.
FIFA decision to go with Russia over England for World Cup 2018.
Check out the full DIY video after the break.
#clips
Oil in the Gulf. A cat thrown in a garbage bin. Chilean miners rescued. Prince William engaged. Top Gear driver unmasked. This is a very British view of the 10 biggest news stories of the year, turned into video games. More »
#contest
The skilled and/or lucky winners of our Nintendo D.I.Y. contest get prizes, courtesy of Nintendo. Those prizes pass through Kotaku's NYC office, where I can confirm that the best WarioWare game is among them. Prizes to be mailed soon! More »
We can clearly see that Nintendo is giving Australia the cold shoulder ever since that New Super Mario Bros. Wii issue. Nintendo just doesn’t come forth with release dates in Australia anymore. Gamers have to wait until the very last minute to get a confirmation. That’s what’s happening with WarioWare D.I.Y., which [...]
#contest
Hey! Don't forget to place your vote for what you consider the best Kotaku-themed WarioWare: D.I.Y. game created by you, the readership. The winner will walk away with some mega-sized Nintendo prizes, so choose your votes carefully. More »
A portion of a Kombo review…
Much like the “Game Maker 21″ in the game spits out micro mini-games, DIY will spit out gamers interested in learning more about the process of developing a video game. Even if the interface is over-designed, this is the closest thing to a true evolution to Mario Paint this generation [...]
#contest
That's midnight Kotaku time, so, seven hours from now. If you've been perfecting your Kotaku-themed WarioWare D.I.Y. mini-game to win the enormous grand prize package Nintendo's put up, now's the time to wrap things up and go gold. More »
#contest
You have a little more time, WarioWare D.I.Y. owners, to make a game that might win you a prize. If you want to win, check out the contest details. Non-contestants, go to that same post to gawk at the submissions. More »
#contest
Our WarioWare D.I.Y. contest continues. You haven't won it yet. You haven't lost either. Details here. Prizes sitting in the proverbial vault waiting to be claimed. Details here. Just make sure, American contestants, that you prioritize paying your taxes first. More »
#contest
If you have WarioWare D.I.Y., if you want prizes, if you must make a micro-game that uses the word Kotaku, then, man (or woman), do we have a contest for you. Details here. Deadline approaching. More »
#contest
Owners of WarioWare: D.I.Y., the DS game that lets us witness a world in which Nintendo fans make Nintendo games (Shigeru who?), are reminded/welcomed/encouraged to enter Kotaku/Nintendo's D.I.Y. contest. Make a game. Win money and stuff. Details here. Deadline looming. More »
We thought it prudent to take a break from the WarioWare D.I.Y. highlighting of the last few weeks even though there's a new video in the ongoing series this week, with Alex Neuse from Gaijiin Games. See, this week some of the developers from Capcom show off a great deal of Monster Hunter Tri, documenting some of the weaponry, multiplayer features and, of course, the monsters in the series' latest. It's an enlightening few minutes of footage, so check it out above.
When you're done, head past the break for the full list of this week's Nintendo Channel content.
