3D Dot Game Heroes Goes Retro on PS3 this May

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Many words and terms are frequently thrown around in relation to classic gaming: retro, old school, and so forth. Often, games will be referred to as throwbacks, praised for their ability to induce nostalgia and capture the magic of the golden era of gaming. But really, what does “retro,” or any of those terms for that matter, really mean in reference to a game?

That the game manages to accurately capture the look of a classic title or genre? The sound? The feel? Does it more effectively evoke memories of childhood for the gamer than other games? Does it shun complexity in favor of simplicity?

We ask the question because it’s at the heart of our latest game (we’re Atlus, by the way, publishers of SMT: Nocturne, SMT: Persona 4, and the sleeper hit of 2009, Demon’s Souls). 3D Dot Game Heroes for PlayStation 3 is the ultimate love-letter to retro gamers, the definitive homage to the action-adventure legends we all grew up with. This is in part because of all the tangible things it does right, like the gorgeous next-gen visuals that retain that 8-bit pixel sprite charm, and the irresistible 8-bit music and sound effects. Still, we think that sometimes it’s what you can’t really put your finger on that makes a game “retro.”

3d Dot Game Heroes

You’re an adventurer in a kingdom troubled by a powerful evil demon, and you’re living in the shadow of a hero of old who, long ago, used a legendary sword to save the land from a similar threat. Already whisked back to your youth? We thought as much. Moreover, your quest, at the behest of the king, will take you across a vast, varied, and beautiful landscape, littered with secret caves to uncover and explore, interesting NPCs to chat with, and puzzle-filled dungeons to master.

Is 3DDGH “retro” because it gets that flawless 8-bit aesthetic just right? In part, yes. Is it “old school” because it doesn’t drown you in tutorials, quick tips, and hints? Definitely. But there’s also that intangible, ungraspable magic. It’s what made those 8- and 16-bit gems so memorable, so able to stand the test of time. It’s how smartly the levels are designed, how original the puzzles are. It’s that easy-to-pick-up, impossible-to-put-down addictiveness. 3D Dot Game Heroes is a game that pays tribute to a number of all-time classic games, but it also manages to blaze a trail all its own, with its unique sense of humor and tongue-in-cheek pizzazz.

3d Dot Game Heroes 3d Dot Game Heroes 3d Dot Game Heroes

Launching on May 11th and priced at an enticing $39.99, 3D Dot Game Heroes for PS3 system brings a bold mix of old and new to the table. When retro chic and modern sleek collide, the end result is oodles of fun for gamers of all ages. Also, it is confirmed: your childhood memories fit on a single Blu-ray disc.

Pre-order your copy today, check out the 3D Dot’s official website, and stay tuned for tons more info.

3D Dot Game Heroes for PS3

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122 Comments

16 Author Replies

  • Epic news i cant wait! thank you Atlus you guys are awesome!

  • HOLY CRAP! That looks awesome. You guys have done it again.
    You have a buyer here. =)
    I also like the “Only on Playstation” Logo there. =)

  • This game is day 1 buy for me and i sure will let more friends know about this

  • Cool good get Atlus. I’m glad to see this coming over I just wish It was sooner but I’m sure you guys will take great care in localizing this game. So I have seen great 8-bit recreations I wonder if this can really do 16-bit recreations. I loved the small details and color palettes in the 16-bit generation.

  • multiplayer would be great, especially online.

    • TheAlp,

      3D Dot Game Heroes will not have multiplayer, but you will be able to save your custom avatars and share them with your friends.

  • does Atlus have any plans to release Demon’s Souls or Dot Game heros in Europe?

    (pretty easy to inport anyway but Im sure someone out there would like to know if these awesome games will ever come to PAL land)

  • Dear Aram,
    That boxart isn’t final is it? How come it doesn’t have the PlayStation Network logo on the top right like God of War Collection or R&CF: ACiT, can you make sure that it’s on there, they don’t have to be multiplayer games to have that on, thanks.
    [img]http://www.nextgn.com/files/2009/09/Uncharted-2-Among-Thieves-Box-Art.jpg[/img]

  • Following 57, can you update the post with a boxart that has the logo on it, thanks.

  • $40?

    *holds out money* JUST TAKE IT, ATLUS! YOU CAN HAVE IT.

  • I was so happy to see this post :). I really like the old school look. May is a long time to wait but Oh well. Iam buying this game day one!

  • The title seems a little awkward to me. I think something along the lines of “The Legend of the Dot Heroe” or something could be more fitting. Not neccessarily alluding to the “Legend of Zelda” per se (althought the game is like Zelda after all). I just think the word “game” in the title doesn’t fit at all.

    A little out of topic question: How pleased are you guys with Demon’s Souls sales? And any word about the Deluxe version Guide replacement?

  • YAY! :D This game looks SOOOO awesome :) The hell with FFXIII :P

  • With that price I am actually quite tempted to buy this now, maybe 75% chance I will. Glad to see Atlus pulling away from the PS2 more and finally supporting the PS3 :)

    Anything else you can add to bump it up from 75% chance? :P

  • The deluxe edition should come with a 2D “mini” version/side-quests, of the game for the PSP, that lets you transfer your character to both games, Level-Up, aquire items, and all that!

    I would gladly pay $70-$100 for just that Bonus with it…

  • March 11th… Really?

    Final Fantasy XIII March 9
    Star Ocean 4 February 17
    God of War 3 March

    Bunch of other stuff, but the God of War or FF13 alone pretty much kill this games odds of surviving it’s release month.

  • hey aram jabbari any chance of bringing ar tonelico 3 for the ps3. i’m asking this because of the awesome localizations that you guys produce

  • I’m so going buy this game just to make an “8-bit” Jack Frost and save the world with a lovable snowman demon…

    Then maybe again with a penguin of some sort.

    Any idea on the replayability of this? Branching story paths? Multiple endings or anything?

  • Nice. They say is game will also be on the xbox. true or false.

  • I will gladly buy a deluxe edition of this game. I want it to include an old school strategy guide (like the NES Player’s Guide) that has sprite npc and enemy bios (including concept art if available), soundtrack, examples of other characters to make with a highlight on Atlus characters and bonus video footage of Japanese commercials/promotions included on the disc. How does that sound?

  • Atlus, You guys are the freaking bomb.

    My step son and I have bonded more than ever playing Demon Souls, infact it is my favorite RPG of all time.

    When I saw FROM SOFTWARE was developing this only for Japan I was considering learning Japanese and importing it but just as you guys came through with Demon Souls you guys are doing so here, and I would have paid full price for this game, $40 you have one pre order today.

    Thank you, You guys are awesome.

  • “Only On Playstation”

    Awesome. Thank you Atlus.

    Also, Demon’s Souls was amazing, definitely the sleeper hit of the year.

    Persona PS3 any time soon?

  • @68

    FROM said they’d be open to Xbox 360 development, but it’s up to the publisher. They never confirmed a release.

  • @65next year is surely the year of the jrpg for the ps3!

    btw, its odd that sony hasnt mentioned the 3rd anniversary of the ps3 launch!

    maybe they will say something about it later?

  • ATLUS please start showing Europe some love lads. I appreciate publishing/ distributing is no small or cheap feat especially in PAL teritories.

    Can you not strike a deal with SCE to make 3DDGH & Demon’s Souls downloadable from the European PSStore at least

    • Chrysus,

      Not having any operations in Europe, it is regretfully not in our control whether titles we license for North America make their way over to Europe as well. Here\’s hoping Demon\’s Souls and 3D Dot Game Heroes find a publisher in your region!

      Thanks for the question.

  • Atlus you guys are seriously a top quality publisher. you choose the best titles to bring to the U.S. This is a first day buy for me , just as I picked up Demons Souls.. w00T!!!

  • Atlus please keep bringing great games to ps3 from Japan, i will keep on buying them day 1 :)

  • “Neo retro” titles like this, that are evocative of 8-bit/16-bit nostalgia using modern technology, are wonderful to see.

    And after the amazing quality of From Software’s epic PS3 RPG Demon’s Souls, I’m glad that Atlus jumped on the opportunity to localize this new PS3 RPG also from that developer.

    I and many other Demon’s Souls fans will certainly be buying this one on May 11th. $39.99 is a great price too.

    Everyone needs to buy this. And while you are waiting, if you haven’t yet bought Atlus’ current megahit Demon’s Souls, what are you waiting for run out to stores NOW to buy it!

    Thanks Atlus!

  • What would be awesome is if you get user generated characters, so createa hero in anyway you like, and then upload it for others to view or download and us themselves, it got me thinking after I saw a LEGO Ryu posted on Kotaku for their Denver fundraiser, omg, my hero can be Ryu!!!

  • SO COOL!!! Thank you, Atlus!!

    *stops playing Demon’s Souls. Preorderes 3D Dot Game Heores online. goes back to Demon’s Souls*

  • Atlus, the superheroes of the game community!

  • #57, #58 (BigBoss114):

    What kind of sick squirrel are you? Who cares if the box art doesn’t have the PSN logo? And why in all of Hades would Atlus waste their time revising their blog post just to paste in the PSN logo into the cover art?

    Does it really mean something to you?

    If so, WOW.

    That’s all I can say…

    WOW.

  • All hail Atlus they are gods among men!

    I know you guys mostly do niche hardcore RPG’s (like Demons Souls and SMT series) but bring some other stuff they aint available in the west that aint RPGS like Yakuza 3/Kenzan or something. PLEASE!

  • Finally! I remember e-mailing Atlus & Sony both about this game hoping they would bring it to NA and now they are. It’s also only going to be $40 which surprised me too. I expected this to be $60 but a lower price is always nice and I’ll be buying this day 1. I just wish it would release earlier.

  • Aram, you rock! Atlus and FromSoftware is teh dope. In the event there is a special/deluxe/collector’s/limited edition, would you so kindly make another unboxing video that would entice us equivalent of that of the mentioned pricepoint (which is spectacular to *begin with)?

  • This is incredibly exciting, I’ll be putting down my pre-order the minute it goes up on Amazon! The price decision was very surprising, any reasoning behind why it’ll be cheaper (not that I mind)?

    I’m really hoping for a limited/special edition with some Atlus extras, I’d be totally willing to throw some extra cash towards the game if that option became available.

    Thanks so much for bringing it over Atlus!

  • Great news, another import for me then! Atlus is really stepping it up with some fantastic games.

    Now, how is that Persona 5 coming along…?

  • This game looks really interesting! I hope there is multiplayer!

  • Looks like a pretty sweet game, might have to check it out. on the side note, GETTING Demo’s souls in a few days! Last time i went to buy it it was sold out of evry place i went (5 gamestops, 2game crazys, 2 best buys) it was 5 weeks ago….. Thanks for putting more on the shelfs!

  • Only $40?! Mega Sold!!

  • Hi Aram,

    I was just wondering if there are any plans to release both 3D Dot Game Heroes and Demons Souls here in the EU (Specifically the UK ;P) sometime in the near future?

    Thanks in advance =)

  • This makes me really wish i had a PS3, i hope somewhere along the line a PSP version gets created.

  • Europe: Import! Duh!

  • This is great news!! I have been wanting this to release stateside since i seen it. Thank you atlus for supporting us with great releaseses and thanks from software for making these games. Not all of us are FPS gamers and we loved the ps1 and ps2 for the RPGS and adventure/action games, not fps. For a while there it seemed no one was listening.. and in all honesty that seemed rather dumb, as Playstation has always been about variety and having the most RPGS of any console.. Period. This trend needs to continue and I am glad Atlus is on board bringing us more games that aren’t the over-saturated fps.

  • Thanks Atlus for publishing this game, looking forward to pre-ordering from Amazon (still not available).

    Also, please try to tone down the Zelda references, we don’t need any court battles preventing this games release :)

  • Another interesting game from atlus. Still playing Demons Souls.

  • YAY YAY…….THX IV BEEN WAITING FOR THIS……..got some qustions….

    1. will it be 1080p?
    2. why not $59.99?
    3. how long is it?
    4. is it 100% the same as the jap. ver.
    5. will there Be DLC
    6. can you make DLC for a “PLAY CREAT SHARE” like thing?

    THX

    • 1. I believe the game runs at 720p (although of course, most screens can upscale/downscale as needed)
      2. What, seriously? You\’re not *asking* us to raise the price, are you?
      3. It\’s fair to say it\’s comprable to the action-adventure games we all grew up with, but once you complete the game there are multiple modes that will unlock and make the game a different experience a second or third time through.
      4. Aside from not being in Japanese, it will be the same game.
      5. There is currently no DLC planned, but you do have that nifty ability to share custom character creations online. Some folks with the Japanese version have already made some fantastic designs.
      6. See answer to #5

  • Sweet!! for a sec I thought this game wouldn’t see the light of day in the U.S.

    Keep up the great work Atlus, and please keep bring those PS3 jrpgs to the U.S.

  • Hey, Aram & Atlus:

    Thanks for announcing that you’ll localize and publish this game! Demon’s is not only my game of the year, but my game of the century! It’s the most addictive, timeless, instantly classic game I’ve played since Diablo 2. At 39.99 for 3D Dot Game Heroes, I don’t expect the game to be packaged as nicely with as many bonus items as Demon’s Souls, but it sure would be nice. 40 dollars is an absolute bargain, I will pre-order it from Amazon as soon as it’s available to pre-order (not a big fan of GameStop, so I haven’t pre-ordered with them even though it’s possible to do so already).

    Also… Persona 5 – PS3? Yes/no?

  • This is incredibly awesome news. Thank you, Atlus.

    Now, get on bringing the PS3 some Shin Megami Tensei loving.

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