Monster Rancher DS First Look

TOKYO--Another invasion of monsters is heading our way, and this time, they're coming from places you might not expect. Monster Rancher DS, just announced at today's Tecmo press conference in Tokyo, plays off the long-running monster-breeding simulation, only this time, instead of hatching monsters using discs from your CD or video game collection, you'll be creating them in a few new ways.

During a brief introductory video, we got a quick look at some of the mechanics in the game, including some new methods for unlocking monsters. In one segment, a player drew a circle on the lower screen of the DS, which unlocked one monster. Following that, more screens were shown with a variety of symbols drawn on the screen, including an X, a checkerboard, and a swirl not unlike the logo for the Sega Dreamcast. Just how the symbols will tie in to the creation of the monsters, or the degree of accuracy you'll need to have in order to successfully breed a new monster, isn't clear.

The second method for expanding your monster farm will be by speaking. Again, details aren't clear at this point, but there seems to be a component of using your voice to either create monsters or get access to new areas, presumably where you can unlock new monsters. Finally, you'll also be able to get new monsters from your old GBA cartridges--and here you thought you'd never break out your copy of Virtual Kasparov again. You'll also be able to combine different monsters to create entirely new, more powerful monsters.

Of course, unlocking new monsters is only half the fun in the Monster Rancher series--you'll also want to train them and send them into gladiatorial battles. The training mechanic uses a board game motif, complete with dice rolls to move your monsters. While specific mechanic details on battles weren't released, we did get a chance to see a few clips of the game in action. The DS's upper screen will typically show your monster in action; in battle the upper screen will show a 3D view of the fight, while the lower screen will be a more isometric point of view showing the position of your fighter and your opponent on a grid map.

The game is due for release in Japan in early July, and though no date has been set for a North American release, we'll be keeping tabs on this game as it progresses.