The Japanese iTunes Music Store is haunted -- by a five-track EP. Specifically, the Nanashi no Game Sound EP, a collection of music from Square Enix's DS horror game Nanashi no Game, about a student who gets caught up playing an 8-bit RPG that kills its players.
The collection sells for 600 yen ($5.60) is only available through the Music Store, and only in Japan. Should Square Enix decide to release the game in the U.S. (an announcement whose absence at E3 was felt), the tracks will no doubt show up on our iTunes store as well. Square Enix has several Final Fantasy soundtracks available on iTunes.
Out of nowhere, Square Enix has simultaneously announced and released Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes, a new SRPG exclusive for the iPod challenging players to rescue their brother from the Mechanical Militia.
The game has you controlling Ziggy, a Conductor that can create Tune Trooper warriors out of your iPod's music tracks, similar to Monster Rancher's CD-generated creatures. Further integrating your All-4-One MP3s, Song Summoner will boost the "groove level" of your Tune Troopers every time you listen to the songs that birthed the units. Now you actually have an excuse for listening to "I Swear" several dozen times a day!
So, why are we talking about this iPod game on DS Fanboy? We thought it would be interesting to compare this new title against the other portable strategy RPG Square Enix recently released (in the U.S.), Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift.
As we're sure you'll let us know, there are some features that Song Summoner can't compete with, such as FFTA2's 400+ quests and other multitudinous offerings, but, for the purpose of outlining what publishers can learn from a game release such as this, let's look at the five points in which the iPod title outshines the DS epic.
Posted May 16th 2007 3:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News
For years, we've been crying bloody tears over the lack of availability of game soundtracks in the US. With the rise of music download services, that situation has changed. First we had some Final Fantasy soundtracks on iTunes, then the Mother 3 OST, and now the best news of all: Konami has made a deal with Sony BMG to make their entire music catalog available on download services.
Naturally, we'll be loading up with Castlevania music, but Konami has a very large collection of notable game soundtracks that at least deserve a previewing: the Metal Gear Solid series, Contra, Goemon/Mystical Ninja, and Akira Yamaoka's brilliant Silent Hill work. We don't know when Konami will start releasing music on iTunes/Rhapsody/your favorite download service, and we don't know what the order of releases will be. One thing we can confirm: this is hot.
We could have told you that, Macworld! Looks like the handheld powerhouse of the DS (and some other system) is tempting even Apple to get into the game. As part of Apple's huge Showtime event, they announced not only a new video iPod, but games that can be purchased from iTunes for it as well, priced at $4.99. "Apple's been hard at work on new games for the iPod -- while it still may not be a substitute for a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, the new iPod can play versions of popular casual games including Bejeweled, Mahjong, mini-golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Cubis, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex and Zuma ...."
For DS owners, this can't really compare. Those of us who enjoy the occasional casual game already have a few on the system, and the more tech-savvy DS owners can cook up just about anything they want with their homebrew powers. It's hard to gauge exactly which market Apple is trying to snag here. We can only speculate that Apple is going to try to hit mobile gaming where it lives, by offering easy downloads and a better interface. We so often hit the five instead of the six, after all. And who knows -- for those folks out there who use their PSPs primarily for media and only the occasional game, this may tempt them out of the Sony camp.
So who's planning on snagging Bejeweled 2 or Pac-Man just to see how it plays? We're pretty sure Apple can't tempt us away from ourTetris, but some of the others may be worth a go.
Capcom of Japan sends news that the soundtracks to all of the Gyakuten Saiban (Phoenix Wright to you and me) games will be hitting the Japanese iTunes store, each song fetching a price to the tune of about $1.25. Complete albums will go for between $8 and $20. (Converted to American currency for your convenience.)
The music in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney certainly spurred you on to point out that final contradiction just as the shady witness was cracking, but I don't think it would work as well when detached from the game. I think prolonged exposure to it in its seperate form is likely to result in feelings of elevator claustrophobia, along with a strong desire to play the full game.
Still, I'd like to see Capcom's musical endeavor succeed, if only for the reason that it might prompt them to throw some more Mega Man remix soundtracks on Apple's download service. I could listen to the Mega Man 2 title screen music or the theme from Ring Man's stage all day. Any other great Capcom tunes you'd like to have on your MP3 player?