Exclusive: Koei's general spills the plans about Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle
Continuous enemy slashing is combined with the all-new Obstacle Roulette system
The more we discover about the DS version of Koei's tactical brawling series Dynasty Warriors, the more interested we get. It was great then to catch up Mr Yoshihiro Kishimoto, who's the game's producer, to get the lowdown on a title that's shaping up to be one of our most anticipated DS games.
Pocket Gamer: Dynasty Warriors: Fighters Battle seems to have been in development for a long time, so how hard has it been to get the fast, 3D action working well on the DS? Yoshihiro Kishimoto: It was a challenge for us to have as many characters as possible within DS's limited spec so that the players can enjoy slashing a lot of enemies continuously. We overcame this by adopting both 2D and 3D graphics flexibly, rather than just sticking to 3D. What are the main differences between the DS game and the other console versions?One of the main differences is the focus on competing against an opponent. Though you still enjoy the Dynasty Warriors'-style of fighting action, there's also the added impetus of needing to achieve victory before an opponent does, combined with occasional direct clashes with that opponent.
Other differences include the new 'Obstacle Roulette system,' which enables the player to stop his opponent using various kinds of obstacles, and to be stopped in turn. Another involves character development. The player doesn't 'power up' directly. Instead he gains in ability through obtaining new officer cards and powering up his old cards.
Can you explain more on how this Warrior Cards system works?Each participating Dynasty Warriors officer is represented as a card. At the beginning of a stage, the player selects a number of cards to add to his Battle Deck (this is the cadre of officers to be used in that battle).
The selected cards serve two functions. First, the card's officer is stationed at one of the player's bases and protects it from the opponent. Second, the bonuses associated with the cards are added to the player's abilities.
How many playable characters are there to choose between?There are three. Phoenix is the standard well-balanced character. Easy to control, his attacks are made using a combination of fist and sword. Dragon is a speedy character, with the best mobility of the characters. Attributes are fast attacks and foot speed. Chimera is the most powerful character. He's slow, but his attacks are more powerful and affect a larger area than his opponents.
Does the game use the touchscreen or the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection?We don't use the touchscreen. We did take it into consideration and discussed it thoroughly, but we concluded the buttons and the keys would be the best fit for the action. We don't support Wi-Fi (online) play, either. We do, however, support multiplayer – up to three players – using the adhoc system..
Finally, what do you personally think is the most impressive thing about Dynasty Warriors: Fighter's Battle?I think it's fighting against actual human opponents; in particular, using obstacles to inhibit and trip up your opponents.
Many thanks to Mr Yoshihiro Kishimoto for sharing his thoughts with us.