Yuji Horii Defends Dragon Quest 9 DS Exclusivity for 4-Player Play as Fans Balked
Updated
Updated · Nintendo Everything · Aug 15
Yuji Horii Defends Dragon Quest 9 DS Exclusivity for 4-Player Play as Fans Balked
1 articles · Updated · Nintendo Everything · Aug 15
Summary
Yuji Horii said Dragon Quest 9 went exclusive to Nintendo DS so players could connect instantly over local networks, enabling a new multiplayer-focused design.
Four-player local play and easy quest sharing drove the platform choice, he told Famitsu, at a time when few games were using local wireless features effectively.
Square Enix still faced sharp backlash when it unveiled the shift from Dragon Quest 8’s PlayStation 2, fully 3D home-console style to a handheld release, leaving the team "a little disheartened."
Dragon Quest 9 remains available only on Nintendo DS, though Horii noted the series' recent remake momentum could eventually bring it to modern platforms.