Combine Digital Monsters and Battle Online in “Digimon World DS”

by Louis Bedigian

 

“Some of the extreme, really rare Digimon are only online.”

 

Timmy was a curious little boy. When his parents got a new refrigerator, he just had to know how it was able to keep the food cold.

 

“Electricity,” his dad told him.

 

Timmy wanted to know where electricity came from.

 

“Power plants,” his dad replied.

 

Then Timmy asked how power plants get their electricity.

 

His relentless curiosity never seemed to end. One day, after playing a new video game his grandparents got him, Timmy asked his father where baby Digimon came from. 

 

 

 

His dad paused for a minute, looking somewhat embarrassed. “The birds and the bees…?” he mumbled to himself. “No, he’s too young for that.”

 

Timmy looked up at his father, waiting for an answer.

 

“Well son, when two Digimon really love each other…” his voice started to break.

 

“Yeah dad?”

 

“They go online with their Nintendo DS. They usually meet at different McDonald’s or Starbucks locations, typically thousands of miles apart. After connecting via Wi-Fi, the Digimon….uhhh… ‘combine’ to celebrate their love. Shortly afterwards, a Digi-egg is born.”

 

Timmy was puzzled. The story seemed probable, but didn’t make a whole lot of sense. “Was that how you and mom got me?”

 

“Yes son. We combined, and nine months later you appeared.”

 

Satisfied with his daddy’s explanation, Timmy headed off to school, where he planned to tell his classmates that he knew where “babies and Digi-eggs come from.” 

 

 

 

Digimon Worlds DS, the latest in Namco Bandai’s long-running RPG series, comes to the DS with new Wi-Fi functionality. Players will be able to uncover extremely rare and/or exclusive Digimon by going online and – yes, just as Timmy’s dad said – combining to create new life.

 

“The game is based on the anime/manga that has been here in the States for quite some time,” said Localization Manager Brian Glazebrook. “Essentially it’s about digital animal creatures that you can use in battles – Digital Monsters, [hence the name] Digimon.”

 

“The game is very easy to get into,” he continues. Brian says that the main character gets sucked into a computer and is transported to the Digimon world. “[He’s] invited to become a trainer. You gather data for the various Digimon that are out there, and evolve them into more powerful Digimon. As you go on your journey, you find that there’s this evil that’s going on in the world. You’re called upon to kind of help and make things right.”

 

We’re told that Digimon World DS is not like the previous Digimon game, which was more of an action/RPG. “This time it’s a more [traditional] RPG [with] turn-based battles. You’ve got various aspects – a farm where you can access Digimon and collect various data and evolve your Digimon. You can connect online with other players and create a Digi-egg.” 

 

Players will be able to use the touch screen for menu and battle navigations.

 

 

How is the game set up? Are creatures (Digimon) on one screen, and your menu is on another?

 

Brian Glazebrook: The top screen basically shows you what’s going on, on the Digi-farm. Once you start collecting Digimon…you can only have three of them with you at one given time. For the actual Digimon you have you can throw them on the farm so they can train on their own, so they’re not just sitting there, not doing anything. They’ll train at their own leisure, and also working on the farm, gaining money and so forth. Now when you call upon them they’ll [have gained levels].

 

While you’re at the farm you can also buy equipment. The Digimon will train based on the equipment you buy. The top screen is used to monitor the Digimon and make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to. The bottom screen is used to do battle.

 

Can you tell us about the Digimon being included in the game? Are these classic Digimon, new Digimon, or a mixture of the two?

 

BG: It’s a mixture. There are some of the classics from the previous game and anime. But this being a new game, there are a ton of new Digimon as well.

 

Do the Digimon have a growth, evolution, or EXP element? Or a combination of those?

 

BG: They have both. First off, when you’re fighting a Digimon that comes out on the field, you gain X amount of data – 10%, 20%, 30%, etc. Once you get 100%, you’ll be able to take that data and evolve it into your own Digimon.

 

However, just because you reached 100% does not mean you have to evolve. You can keep going [into the hundreds]. The higher the number is before you evolve, the base stats will be significantly higher. [That’s where] the strategy is involved.

 

Second, after every battle you earn experience points. Other aspects, like how happy they are, they get to evolve into different Digimon. It all depends on different parameters. EXP being one, but not the only one you have [to consider]. 

 

“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say it’s anywhere from 20 hours on. It depends on where you go, how much you explore, and what aspects you jump into.”—Brian Glazebrook, referring to the length of Digimon World DS.

 

 

When two players combine online, who gets the Digimon once it’s hatched?

 

BG: Both players. Let’s say we want to combine, and I have a Digimon you don’t have. Let’s combine and see how it goes. We enter our friend codes to find each other online, put our Digimon up there, and then we both end up with a Digi-egg.

 

How long does the process take?

 

BG: Getting the egg is not the hard part. Once you get the egg, you kind of have to nurture the egg. That takes a little bit of time.

 

How do you nurture an egg?

 

BG: You have a hatchery. Put it in there, and make sure nothing happens to it. Make sure it doesn’t roll over.

 

And how do you keep it from rolling over?

 

BG: Just tap it. It’s not too complicated. The game is made for younger audiences, so we wanted to make it very easy to play. 

 

 

 

You can battle online…

 

BG: Yes, head-to-head. But you don’t get any rankings, or any cool items, nothing like that. It’s more of a bonus. The main online aspect is the whole combining of Digimon to create new Digimon.

 

Will players be rewarded for playing online?

 

BG: Nothing really. It’s more of a game to see who’s stronger. The main online aspect is trading and combining Digimon.

 

Are the Wi-Fi elements also available via wireless communication (offline play)?

 

BG: No. It’s online-only.

 

Is it possible to get every Digimon in the game without combining?

 

BG: If you want to get every single Digimon, you’re going to have to go online. Some of the extreme, really rare ones are only online.
 

 

Thanks to everyone at Namco Bandai and Kohnke Communications for having a wonderful conference call.