Square Enix president Yoichi Wada was recently interviewed by Bloomberg Japan. DUring the interview, he mentioned a few interesting details about Dragon Quest IX for the DS and the direction he wants to see his company go.

If you want to find out what he said, head on over to the full article by clicking on the "read more" link below.

After what seems to be a long drought of Dragon Quest IX screenshots, here's a new batch to tide the long wait over. The 3D graphics - while simplistic - looks crisp and clean, and the customizable characters certainly don't look half-bad either.

The game will also keep Dragon Quest's old-school battle system, making this title a sentimental must-have for hardcore fans of the game, only in miniature 3D. These screenshots certainly makes the wait harder for Dragon Quest enthusiasts, especially when the release of Dragon Quest IX is unfortunately pushed back by a delay.

This Dragon Quest title will hit Japanese store shelves in the fourth quarter of this year, and a Western release date is not yet announced.

    

More screenshots after the jump!

  

TGS is right around the corner, and it's no surprise that the big boys of the videogame industry are packing their biggest guns for the event. Such is the case with Square Enix, having recently announced that it will be showing new, exclusive trailers of its highly-anticipated titles in two separate Mega Theaters at TGS. Talk about jumping into the fray armed!

So what titles are going to get the special trailer treatment from Squeenix? In no particular order, they're Dragon Quest IX (DS), The Last Remnant (Xbox 360), Final Fantasy XI (Xbox 360, PC), Final Fantasy Dissidia (PSP) and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII (PS3). That's five titles we haven't been hearing much of lately, with emphasis on the highly-anticipated sequel to one of the greatest RPG series ever made.

There's a catch, though. Final Fantasy Dissidia and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII will have their trailers shown in Squeenix's Closed Mega Theater, while the others will be airing at the Open Mega Theater. So it's going to be pretty tough for anyone who'd want to watch what's the latest with the Final Fantasy character-packed fighting game for the PSP, as well as the first ever main female lead of a Final Fantasy game (second if you count Yuna).

  

Square Enix RPG fans, today is just not your day: Square Enix just announced that Dragon Quest IX for the Nintendo DS has been delayed from its supposed release date this year to 2008.

The RPG maker stated its need for more time in order to improve Dragon Quest IX and to make sure that gamers will be satisfied once the completed game comes out.

As for when Dragon Quest IX will finally be released, here's a hint: it could possibly be released after the three Dragon Quest remakes are out. If you are upset by this development, don't be: there are simply so many other games to be released later this year, including The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

We simply just have to grin and bear the delay, and thankfully we have plenty of reasons to grin.

While Microsoft is readying up a media barrage for North America to promote Bungie's Halo 3 game (Xbox 360), it looks like Japan's populace may not be quite as receptive. Famitsu's latest "Most Wanted" polls of the region indicate that the game is gone from the poll's top 20 list, being overrun by Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends for the PlayStation 2.

Games making another appearance in the list include White Knight Story and The Last Remnant (PS3, Xbox 360). And in case you're wondering, the lists' top five stalwarts are still there, solidly rooted to their current places - at least until more developments arise.

1. Dragon Quest IX (NDS, Square Enix)
2. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Square Enix)
3. Biohazard 5 (PS3, Capcom)
4. Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3, Konami)
5. Monster Hunter 3 (PS3, Capcom)
6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii, Nintendo)
7. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360, Microsoft)
8. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (PSP, Square Enix)
9. Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, Capcom)
10. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, Nintendo)  
11. The Last Remnant (PS3, Xbox 360; Square Enix)
12. Animal Crossing (Wii, Nintendo)
13. Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3, Square Enix)
14. Final Fantasy IV (NDS, Square Enix)
15. Ash (DS, Mistwalker)
    
16. Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends (PS2, Koei)
17. Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Wii, Capcom)
18. White Knight Story (PS3, Sony)
19. Gran Turismo 5 (PS3, Sony)
20. Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (NDS, Level 5)
    

It looks like the recent Gran Turismo 5 updates have perked up attention in Japan too. Famitsu's most wanted ending July 19 indicates that aside from stalwarts like Dragon Quest IX, MGS4, and Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360, PS3), Polyphony Digital's much-anticipated racing game for the PlayStation 3 finds itself among the list's top 20.

Another game that appears to have caught the population's eye is Imabi Kisou. The title's reportedly a horror game, although that's the only detail we know for the moment. And since we jotted it down in Japanese, we'd really appreciate it if the more Nihonggo-literate patrons here could let the guys know on what Imabi Kisou means in plain English.

1. Dragon Quest IX (NDS, Square Enix)
2. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Square Enix)
3. Biohazard 5 (PS3, Capcom)
4. Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3, Konami
5. Monster Hunter 3 (PS3, Capcom)
6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii, Nintendo)
7. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360, Microsoft)
8. Animal Crossing (Wii, Nintendo)
9. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (PSP, Square Enix)
10. Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, Capcom)
11. Final Fantasy IV (NDS, Square Enix)
12. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (NDS, Nintendo)
13. Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends (PS2, Koei)
14. Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3, Square Enix)
15. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, Nintendo)
16. Halo 3 (Xbox 360, Microsoft)
17. Gran Turismo 5 (PS3, Sony)
18. Ash (NDS, Mistwalker)
19. Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (NDS, Level 5)     398
20. Imabi Kisou (PS3, Sega)

What does Japan's populace want gaming-wise? Famitsu's latest "Most Wanted" polls transitioning from June to July (June 29 to July 6) indicates that many a DS fan is awaiting the release of Square Enix's Dragon Quest IX RPG.

Following along from second to fifth place are several PlayStation 3 games we know the guys here would love to get as well: Final Fantasy XIII, Biohazard (Resident Evil) 5, Monster Hunter 3, and Metal Gear Solid 4.

Wii fans also seem as intent as us on getting Super Smash Brothers Brawl for their console, along with Animal Crossing's Wii port. PSP fans are also awaiting Crisis Core, whole the Xbox 360 fans are looking out for Lost Odyssey.

• Dragon Quest IX (DS, Square Enix)
• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Square Enix)
• Biohazard 5 (PS3, Capcom)
• Monster Hunter 3 (PS3, Capcom)
• Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3, Konami
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii, Nintendo)
• Everybody's Golf 5 (PS3, Sony)
• Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360, Microsoft)
• Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (PSP, Square Enix)
• Animal Crossing (Wii, Nintendo)

A few days have passed, and it's finally that time of the week again. The intensity, the excitement, the anticipation... all your frustrations will finally be over, because here is the latest Famitsu Weekly Most Wanted list!

Halo 3 and Last Remnant continue to receive dwindling votes as both games disappear from the list yet again, opening spots for Super Mario Galaxy, Layton Kyouju to Akuma no Hako, and White Knight Story at 18th-20th places respectively.

White Knight Story (Shirokishi Monogatari in Japan) could have slipped past your noses no thanks to Level-5 keeping it in tight wraps. So far, we only know it's a 50-60 hour RPG that features Lenard, a young man that can transform into seven meter mech White Knight to battle extremely huge monsters that will put colossi from PS2 title Shadow of the Colossus to shame.

Layton Kyouju to Akuma no Hako is the latest on Level-5's Professor Layton series. Unfortunately, it might not see the light outside Japan like Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village. Super Mario Galaxy, that Mario game of intergalactic scale needs no introduction.

The top three are still strong as usual, showing no signs of backing down. Next to them, up to number nine, continue to struggle for domination. Surprising enough, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass zoomed past competition to 10th place from its 17th last week. Rarely do games remain on the list after release, so props go to Link's latest adventure on the DS.

Find the list after the jump!

What better way to start the week than checking out Famitsu's Weekly Most Wanted list? That's right. Nothing beats the excitement, the tension, the anticipation this top rank chart can offer.

Last week, Eternal Sonata (Trusty Bell in Japan) dropped from the list after its much successful release. On other hand, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass already blasted off the shelves with overwhelming sales, yet still hangs on to the 10th spot (two steps down from last week).

Itagaki Street DS, coming in with Halo 3 last week, is nowhere in site. The FPS giant that carries the Xbox name, however, inches forward to 19th place (from being dead last). New entries this week are Last Remnant at 17 and Final Fantasy IV at 18. Looks like Japanese gamers' hearts are torn apart, leaving this couple from Square Enix dwindling.

There have been a couple of switcheroos this week: Monster Hunter 3 took Metal Gear Solid 4's 4th spot, dropping the latter to 5th. Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors switched with Super Robot Taisen: Original Generations, placing them at 6th and 7th places respectively.

Let's quit the chatter - here's the list. Enjoy!

1. Dragon Quest IX (DS, Square Enix)  
2. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Square Enix) 
3. Biohazard 5 (PS3, Capcom) 
4. Monster Hunter 3 (PS3, Capcom)
5. Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3, Konami)
6. Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (Wii, Square Enix)
7. Super Robot Taisen: Original Generations (PS2, Banpresto)
8. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii, Nintendo)
9. Everybody's Golf 5 (PS3, Sony)
10. Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS, Nintendo)
11. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (PSP, Square Enix)
    
12. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360, Microsoft)
13. Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, Capcom) 
14. Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3, Square Enix)
    
15. Animal Crossing (Wii Nintendo) 
16. Harvest Moon: It's a Wonderful World (DS, Square Enix)
17. Last Remnant (Xbox 360, Square Enix)
    
18. Final Fantasy IV (DS, Square Enix)
19. Halo 3 (Xbox 360, Microsoft)
20. Gran Turismo 5 (PS3, Sony)

Big man Yoichi Wada stated a while back that Dragon Quest remakes were bound to come before Dragon Quest IX's grand outing to the DS. Plenty of Japanese gamers probably blew their heads off just thinking about the games they lined up for during childhood days being remastered on next-gen consoles. Unfortunately for them, Square Enix CEO is taking his statements back - there are no remakes prior to DQIX's release.

Apparently, such statement caused him all sorts of trouble. Whether because he spilled the beans when he wasn't supposed to, or SE's head honcho was somehow misinformed, we do not know.

That's not the only shocking revelation he gave. During the same meeting, he also mentioned that "although we are proceeding with FFXIII for the PS3, that doesn't mean we won't be able to to use it on other [platforms]." It's no secret that FFXIII Agito will reach mobile phones, but can this mean something else?