Support NeoGAF

[Starwolf_UK]

There was also no UK printing of Inazuma 3 Ogre (game vanished from good retailers a few days before release, still hit eShop).

Oh boy would sure love to buy what is effectively IE 1 HD for my 3DS but apprently my ears would just explode upon hearing US VAs or some such rot.

I bite my thumb at thee, Level 5!

Just a reminder. If you did not make an NNID switch the 3DS to Ireland or any other non-UK country with an eShop (preferably one that is in English, we don't want French Inazuma Eleven after all). The problem is if you ever do make an NNID the software might be unavailable for redownload.

Level 5 do have a contact form on their website so also mention it there (they did not get back to me, I did call them out about dog ate my homework excuse of digital download size limits).

If you did make an NNID complain at Nintendo about it (I do so at every occasion I can).

 

[kubus]

There was also no UK printing of Inazuma 3 Ogre (game vanished from good retailers a few days before release, still hit eShop).

What, seriously? Is the series not popular in the UK or something? Weird considering everything in the game was made so... British.

I've seen tons of copies of Ogre in the Netherlands. It seems pretty big here.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

I'm seriously considering this one. Never played it, and only vaguely know about it. But to hear about what kind of game it is has me very intrigued...

 

[Starwolf_UK]

What, seriously? Is the series not popular in the UK or something? Weird considering everything in the game was made so... British.

I've seen tons of copies of Ogre in the Netherlands. It seems pretty big here.

Yep.

I blame the botched launch of the first game. Delayed for month due to the TV series so I guess momentum and interest was lost in the meantime. Launched in Summer to little notice (IIRC estimate for week 1 sales was about 2000 copies at best) and no marketing at all (that is the TV series job, only it was sent to die on a cable channel who did not care).

I'm also quite surprised at how a football RPG can do so badly in such a football focused nation.

 

[kubus]

Yep.

I blame the botched launch of the first game. Delayed for month due to the TV series so I guess momentum and interest was lost in the meantime. Launched in Summer to little notice (IIRC estimate for week 1 sales was about 2000 copies at best) and no marketing at all (that is the TV series job, only it was sent to die on a cable channel who did not care).

I'm also quite surprised at how a football RPG can do so badly in such a football focused nation.

Damn. Funny how things can play out.

I remember when the first game came out here, I was manager at a game store and I was the only person who bought a copy, until I convinced my coworker to buy it too. For months we didn't sell anything and the game was removed from our catalog. A week after that the tv show started and we didn't have any copies and couldn't order them anymore. We were SWARMED with kids and parents who needed the "Inazuma game" like their lives depended on it. I reached out to HQ if we could get a supplier for it again and after a while we got new copies again. The game was flying off the shelves.

Although it's definitely less popular now than it was before, the games still sell very well as far as I know (don't work there anymore). I have no idea if the show still airs.

It's crazy what a tv show can do for a product. Imagine what it could do if the TV show aired on a normal channel and good time in the UK, it could've done Pokemon numbers maybe? Because the Inazuma hype here didn't feel much different from the Pokemon X/Y hype at one point.

I just hope we get GO

 

[evanmisha]

You are grossly incorrect. We got one season. One. Which, and my memory's rusty, I'm pretty sure didn't even reach the end of the first arc. And it's on Hulu now (which the UK can't use ether) so that's that point moot.
Disney XD couldn't be arsed and threw it up during the summer at some random time and CITV found better success with it but couldn't get the second season for whatever reason.

Really? I can find airdates through to the end of season 2. Maybe they're just leftovers from before the show got yanked, who knows. For what it's worth, I can't use Hulu here in Canada either. The game and episodes up on the eShop are Canada's first and only exposure to Inazuma Eleven at all, though soccer is estimated to be the country's most popular sport. I think Inazuma Eleven has been more screwed in my country, thank you.

The fuck Unlimited Adventure got to do with any of this? Last time I checked I could buy UA for my UK DS and be done with it.

Haha, actually, that's Unlimited Cruise. Which we didn't get at all, either on the Wii or 3DS.

And, whoopdeshit, we get the Pokemon Crystal version of a game we got the previous versions of. What, you're going to tell me to shut up and eat shit over SMT 4 because we got Persona 4 Golden or something just as stupid?

You know what? If my fears are unfounded about future IE games in the UK (UK, if we get fucked out of IE2 HD like this again my point stands) I'd gladly eat Crow. I'd do it in a heart beat, even. But I've dodged many a crow in my life when it comes to Region Locking. My Diet is relatively Crow Free in that regard.

Inazuma Eleven 3: The Ogre is the 7th Inazuma Eleven title to be published in the UK. We get literally ONE GAME, and you're willing to bet that's it for the franchise where you're from?

 

[SpaceBridge]

So, what's the consensus regarding this? Worth a play? Need something to play to play in between sessions of BD.

 

[GhaleonQ]

So after seeing this news I did a bit of research on the game because it reminded so much of Tecmo Cup Soccer Game.

As it turns out, that game wasn't a one off awesome soccer RPG, but actually had a ton of games in the series based off of an anime. We just got a version with changes to make it appeal to us more.

The Captain Tsubasa games went up through 1995 and there was a 2010 release by Konami to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Captain Tsubasa series.

Anyway, I didn't know about this being from the US. I just thought Tecmo Cup Soccer was a really cool game. I imagine that Inazume Eleven picked up where that series left off. All that being said, how does Inazuma Eleven compare? It seems to take a lot of ideas from the original game I played on the NES with more emphasis on character development.

Nice! Yeah, the comic's not as good as Slam Dunk, but it's a quality comic/show.

It is basically the exact same thing with the technology to realize the vision fully. The characters are equally simple but worse, as is the plot, but the gameplay mechanics, aesthetics, and tone set by the special moves and such is pure 00s greatness.

It's superior, but could not have existed without its predecessor. Enjoy it!

 

[Roto13]

What tv airing? Do you see any TV airing in the UK? I sure as fuck dont.

And Strikers got no printing whatsoever over here ether.

Future IE games are all but garanteed for the US but here? Nope, can't be dealin' with US Voice cast.

Fuckin' Level 5, just as scumbag as ATLUS.

Are you high? Europe has gotten WAY more Inazuma Eleven games than North America (where we just got our very first game, a port of the first game in the series) and you're going to have a fit of jealousy about it? And assume that the series is dead in Europe? And that now North America is "guaranteed" to get future Inazuma Eleven games (based on absolutely nothing)? What even goes on in your head?

 

[Conan-san]

Get lost, that's four games (1 flag ship title 2 with 'version' variations and a spin off game) if your going to try to talk me down then get your facts right.

And I'm not talking about Europe, I'm talking about the UK which seems to be the only country that can now not buy this game for the 3DS. We're being told to buy the older version that does not support the 3DS' functions properly (Oh and americans could import that and IE 2 untill the cows come home btb, things didn't get hairy until IE 3), if even that, because apparently we are too stupid to process that the voice actors changed.

If a company can do that for that reason then what's to stop any company just up and fucking off?

I expected better from Level 5 and I Chose poorly.

 

[Uthred]

I thought the

Spoiler

flying fortress

would be as mental as it was going to get, I feel so naive, I clearly should have expected

Spoiler

aliens

 

[evanmisha]

So, what's the consensus regarding this? Worth a play? Need something to play to play in between sessions of BD.

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2011/08/25/inazuma-eleven-review

I think IGN's review of the (virtually identical) DS release is pretty fair. Granted, the voice acting has been improved.

I expected better from Level 5 and I Chose poorly.

Thanks for keeping the thread bumped!

I thought the

Spoiler

flying fortress

would be as mental as it was going to get, I feel so naive, I clearly should have expected

Spoiler

aliens

If you think soccer matches against

Spoiler

Greek gods

and

Spoiler

aliens

are mental, just wait until the team has to face

Spoiler

Brazilians

and

Spoiler

Nazis from the future

!

 

[kubus]

If you think soccer matches against

Spoiler

Greek gods

and

Spoiler

aliens

are mental, just wait until the team has to face

Spoiler

Brazilians

and

Spoiler

Nazis from the future

!

That last spoilered part, is that true? Which game?

Trying to get my boyfriend to play this with me (I even bought both versions of IE2) and that just might be enough to convince him

 

[evanmisha]

That last spoilered part, is that true? Which game?

Trying to get my boyfriend to play this with me (I even bought both versions of IE2) and that just might be enough to convince him

Spoiler

I was jokingly referring to Ogre's uniforms. They're the team you face in the special story chapter added to 3 - The Ogre, I believe after you face the angel and devil teams. Mark's future grandson comes back in time to help you beat them. Also, in the GO games which take place I think like 15-20 years in the future, the main antagonists are the group Fifth Sector, who are sort of like... soccer communists.

 

[squall23]

That last spoilered part, is that true? Which game?

Trying to get my boyfriend to play this with me (I even bought both versions of IE2) and that just might be enough to convince him

IE2 becomes insane in the sense of "WTF this is hilarious and awesome", IE3 actually takes a step back but the story is much better because of it I find.

 

[PhantomOfTheKnight]

Finally got my hands on it yesterday. Incredibly daunting at first (and it actually still kinda of is in places), but once I beat Royal Academy I kinda got the hang of it and it's gotten much more fun. I'm really digging these short random encounters with the various clubs, and I usually hate random encounters. I love the atmosphere and the characters, and the game really scratches that "Urban RPG" itch that I've had for a while, not to mention the localization is really good (is it sad that I'm surprised they kept the Rice Ball item in?). Due to watching the first two seasons of the anime a while ago, I can kinda see the scripted parts of the game coming, but it doesn't really stop them from being kind of annoying. Either way, I'm having a good time.

 

[kubus]

Spoiler

I was jokingly referring to Ogre's uniforms. They're the team you face in the special story chapter added to 3 - The Ogre, I believe after you face the angel and devil teams. Mark's future grandson comes back in time to help you beat them. Also, in the GO games which take place I think like 15-20 years in the future, the main antagonists are the group Fifth Sector, who are sort of like... soccer communists.

IE2 becomes insane in the sense of "WTF this is hilarious and awesome", IE3 actually takes a step back but the story is much better because of it I find.

Awesome, thanks for the info!
IE2 sounds awesome in a crazy way, can't wait to resume my playthrough!

 

[PhantomOfTheKnight]

Just had a random match that literally lasted 5 seconds. I had Kevin kick it to Max at the far right, who then kicked it to Nathan who was at the far left. Nathan directed the shot right back at Max, who was right in front of the goal, and Max did a chip shot and scored. It felt good, man... it felt really good.

 

[sazabirules]

How do you put new guys you recruited into your starting eleven? Also what is the point of getting other goalkeepers? Do you not have to always play Mark?

 

[Rootbeer]

well thanks to 20% off eShop cards I decided to take a chance on this today. Will be playing it over the course of this week, wish me luck.

 

[PhantomOfTheKnight]

Damn, I can't friggin' beat Occult Academy. That little fucker with the glasses always keeps stealing the ball from Kevin, not to mention constant fouling and offsides (I don't even know what that means). I already know that I need to

Spoiler

combine Kevin and Axel's shots

, but I never get the chance.

 

[chickdigger802]

my lawd how i forget how awful this game is until you start getting special abilities and leveling up. getting womped by all random encounters lol.

Damn, I can't friggin' beat Occult Academy. That little fucker with the glasses always keeps stealing the ball from Kevin, not to mention constant fouling and offsides (I don't even know what that means). I already know that I need to

Spoiler

combine Kevin and Axel's shots

, but I never get the chance.

A player is in an offside position when closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender (which is usually the last outfield player), and also in the opponent's half of the pitch.

so kinda like 3 sec violation in basketaabll.

Make sure to use time out a bunch (tap top right). so you can plan stuff out. Pass a lot as well. After you get fire tornado, the enemy goalkeeper for some reason stops using his special move, so normal shots should score (kevin and axel should have better numbers).

Make sure to use God Hand whenever that one dude with special kick is in scoring position because I don't think its possible to block special shots without special move.

ideal situation is to have enemy only score because of scripted thing (so its 0-1 by second half). Then with some luck and much passing, you should win.

Somehow i got a goal in the first half with a normal shot lol. There are ways to cheese the AI for sure.

 

[PhantomOfTheKnight]

my lawd how i forget how awful this game is until you start getting special abilities and leveling up. getting womped by all random encounters lol.




A player is in an offside position when closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender (which is usually the last outfield player), and also in the opponent's half of the pitch.

so kinda like 3 sec violation in basketaabll.

Make sure to use time out a bunch (tap top right). so you can plan stuff out. Pass a lot as well. After you get fire tornado, the enemy goalkeeper for some reason stops using his special move, so normal shots should score (kevin and axel should have better numbers).

Make sure to use God Hand whenever that one dude with special kick is in scoring position because I don't think its possible to block special shots without special move.

ideal situation is to have enemy only score because of scripted thing (so its 0-1 by second half). Then with some luck and much passing, you should win.

Somehow i got a goal in the first half with a normal shot lol. There are ways to cheese the AI for sure.

I managed to get a score in the first half before they managed to use Ghost Lock, too.

I completely forgot about the time out option, but thought someone on here said is wasn't really useful, plus I think it said that uses were limited, so I never bothered. I didn't know you could have your players run faster by tapping on them with the stylus, though.

 

[-NeoTB1-]

I'm really interested in this game. Soccer + RPG? Yes. Yes. I've never seen the anime, though I have heard of it.

 

[PhantomOfTheKnight]

Tried it one more and won 2-1. Everyone gained a good 2-3 levels and Nathan and Timmy both learned power shots.

 

[chickdigger802]

I managed to get a score in the first half before they managed to use Ghost Lock, too.

I completely forgot about the time out option, but thought someone on here said is wasn't really useful, plus I think it said that uses were limited, so I never bothered. I didn't know you could have your players run faster by tapping on them with the stylus, though.

time out are unlimited i believe, but there is a cooldown

 

[NSider]

10 hours in. The game is good enough, but the gameplay is a bit too simple for me, the matches are not that exciting, and the story/tone is way too childish (those school names.. "Brainwashing Junior High"? Really?).

I can see the first game being a solid first RPG for a young football fan (5-12 years old, maybe?), but doesn't really do much for me. I wanted something more like the Captain Tsubasa games.

Are there any significant changes in story tone/gameplay mechanics in the later games that make them more interesting? Also, is the Wii game worth playing?

 

[squall23]

Are there any significant changes in story tone/gameplay mechanics in the later games that make them more interesting? Also, is the Wii game worth playing?

No, the story gets even more insane in IE2 and the gameplay system doesn't really change, just some updates and improvements.

 

[evanmisha]

Also, is the Wii game worth playing?

The Wii games got much better as the series progressed, with 2013 having online play that will probably be shut down with the rest of the console's offerings.

 

[Lingitiz]

The Otaku match is straight bullshit. Getting the whole team gimped to low stats is such a shitty and forced challenge.

 

[evanmisha]

Nintendo Life review is out. 9/10

Football fan or not, if you're looking for a charming portable adventure packed with memorable characters and creative gameplay, Inazuma Eleven will bicycle kick its way right into your heart.

 

[Firehead]

So, the game's on sale at half off, for $9.99. Mildly interested in the series... Any reason not to bite at that price?

 

[Shinta]

So, the game's on sale at half off, for $9.99. Mildly interested in the series... Any reason not to bite at that price?

I can't think of a reason not to.

 

[Starwolf_UK]

The same sale also applies to Europe & Australia (well everybody that got the game, i.e. everybody but the UK )

 

[Rootbeer]

Fantastic price.

Really hope we get more games from the series here in NA.

 

[Sandfox]

So, the game's on sale at half off, for $9.99. Mildly interested in the series... Any reason not to bite at that price?

Can't say no to that price.

 

[Artorias]

I just opened the eshop and saw this was on sale, and I think I should probably buy it. I hate buying an RPG download, but I guess this is cheap enough that its worth getting over importing a DS copy.

Is there any sign the US will get more Inazuma Eleven games? I'd hate to just have the one game.

 

[randomkid]

Level-5 America seems to be a pretty shoestring operation but buying the game and advertising the sale to your buds is probably the best way to help out the series' future here I'd imagine. $9.99 is a crazy good price.

 

[NeonZ]

I've just beaten

Spoiler

Fallen Zeus

. I really liked this game, too bad there doesn't seem to be anything else to do now in the game aside from grinding, nor any indication about the release of the sequel outside Europe and Japan.