Overall, it amazed me how much and how quickly I was drawn into the world of Inazuma Eleven despite not actually being a fan of the sport of soccer itself.
I have real issues with the soccer-RPG mechanics, but once you get over the initial hump, it smoothes out a little bit. It's like how you don't play Metal Gear Solid games for the gameplay—you play for the crazy storyline.
If you want a serious soccer game, or if you favor monster-slaying to sportsmanship, Inzuma Eleven won't do much for you. If you're open to the idea combining the genres into an experience that's solid and a bit silly, Inazuma Eleven will make you laugh and cheer. Ole ole ole.
Inazuma Eleven is one of the best role-playing experiences I've had in a long time, and more importantly, rekindled a youthful feeling I've grown to miss.
Recently, Level-5 held a popularity contest, with the most popular characters appearing in a special wallpaper. Good thing internet pranksters apparently rolled the poll, because the ensuing wallpaper is all kinds of fun. Sure, the airplane is easy to spot, but you find the porter from Aero Porter?
Download the wallpaper in the link below.
タウンロード [Level-5]
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Level-5, perhaps best known in the western world as the publisher of the Professor Layton games, has a popular soccer series in Japan called Inazuma Eleven, and Sega doesn't like it. Sega is suing Level-5, alleging patent infringement on a mechanic in Nintendo DS versions of Inazuma Eleven that allows players to move characters with their fingers or a stylus, Kotaku reports.
Sega's endgame is to halt the sale of all eight Inazuma Eleven games and to get ¥900 million ($11 million) in damages from Level-5. The case heard opening statements on December 7, and Level-5 plans to fight the charges.
"We are preparing our rebuttal and do not have any comments to make at this time," Level-5 says.
#legal
In the West, Level-5 is perhaps best known for the Professor Layton puzzle games. In Japan, the Fukuoka-based game company is also famous for its Inazuma Eleven soccer games. Those games are at the center of a lawsuit. More »
#level5
The vast, vast majority of Japanese game studios are bland, boring office affairs. Even the entryway for Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters is nothing to write home about. This, however, is. So start writing. More »
#ds
While official DLC is growing increasingly ridiculous in the way it fragments a video game, it would be wrong to write off the entire concept just because some publishers want to *crag* you over for money. More »
#professorlayton
Level-5, the studio responsible for Professor Layton, is working on a new piece of game hardware: An all-purpose arcade cabinet for its games. More »
Back in 2008 Inazuma Eleven was a superb amalgamation of the football world and that of a regular RPG, with the two forces co-existing happily in the same game. Fast-forward to 2011 and the UK is finally getting what is still a brilliant experience, and a masterfully constructed product, but there have been many other examples to reach these shores that have the edge slightly. Be sure to check out Inazuma Eleven and hope that it sells well enough to get the superior sequel also localised.
Still, you can't help feeling like a second-class citizen playing Inazuma Eleven. It has been subsequently improved upon, and that's all there is to it. It plays a good game regardless, and there really isn't anything else like it on DS - in the UK, at least. But it's like hearing the scores before Match of the Day: you'll still watch, but knowing how things end up makes it feel like going through the motions.
Inazuma is an RPG with a twist. Instead of unleashing mythical creatures who battle to the death or dealing dazzling attacks with gigantic swords, you play little games of football. It's a lot of fun, and there's more to it than you might initially expect.
Inazuma Eleven is the name of a legenda...
Entirely stylus-driven, the only quibbles we had with the football were the arbitrary nature of the fouls the ref gave and the poor AI of your players once they got the ball. Stylus direction was almost mandatory once they got near the penalty area, or they’d just run straight forward. Dumb as sticks. Anyway, non-football fans can rest assured that this area of the game stands up really well.
In fact, the title as a whole stands up really well. The graphics are cute and clear, with the animations for the special moves a particular highlight. They reminded us of our characters in Dragon Quest IX, which is no surprise as Level-5 worked on both titles. The cut-scenes are beautiful, even if the voices feel strange – dubbing does not suit the action, we’re afraid, particularly when Mark Evans sounds exactly like Luke from the Professor Layton games! The music varies from decent to strong, but the effects let the side down (arf) by being a little functional.
...still a brilliant experience, and a masterfully constructed product, but there have been many other examples to reach these shores that have the edge slightly. Be sure to check out Inazuma Eleven and hope that it sells well enough to get the superior sequel also localised.
A portion of a Nintendo Life review…
It may not have the size or depth that other more comprehensive RPGs possess (including Level 5’s very own Dragon Quest IX) but Inazuma Eleven is a refreshing take on the genre that proves compelling despite its little foibles. Regardless of whether or not the real life sport holds [...]
The official German site for Inazuma Eleven is up and running, and it’s got all sorts of interesting stuff. There are screens, art, a lengthy promo trailer and more. You can even check out some localized names for the characters. Hit up the link below and check it all out for yourself!
Site [...]
