Unchained Blades Coming To North American 3DS eShop In The New Year

Yep! Knew this yesterday from someone's post on the forums. Just remember this is a full retail game in Japan before everyone complains about the price. I for one have been waiting for this game far to long. Looking forward to this!

Unless its excellent, Ill give it a no-go. I have too many cheaper eShop games lined up on my wish list waiting to be boughy.

Yes It is finally have a concrete date! I will be picking this up. Should hold me over till FE and EOIV come along

well those guild01 titles could be seen as the first download-only reatil title(s) though one game is missing in action

'twas about F'n time.

oh my god, now that SMEXIZELDAMAN guy can finally shut up about it-- er, i mean... yay~
_{ilu smexiface >:3}

I will never, ever, pay full retail price for a download-only game. For one thing, I'm not getting the value of the physical material. For another, far more important thing, I'm not getting the value of being able to fully transfer that game to somebody else whenever I want (either gifting it away or selling it). A significant portion of the value of any merchandise you purchase is the ability to resell it.

I guess that if it comes to Europe it'll cost 45€. If so, don't count me in.

@tbd
Lol, that's exactly what i was thinking.
_{love ya, smexi}

Also, as far as price, it makes sense considering it's at that same price point on PSN as well.

Awesome, I get back from my winter vacation at like, 6 pm on January 2nd. I'll be excited to download this title!

@FantasiaWHT Except 3DS titles usually run for about $40. This technically isn't "full price". And if you REALLY want to be technical, there's no physical price to compare it to, so your point is moot anyway

My 30 dollars in a jar is finally going to be spent!

If only it could have a box and a cartridge

This game is awesome. I really need to get back to it sometime.

Not Buying Retail unless its on Cartridge **Folds arms Shakes head** sorry I will buy these 5 to 10 dollar Eshop mini games and download them but noway on Retail downloads sorry. I love RPG's but will miss this one. Looks like Etrian Odyssey for me if thats on Cartridge. They might do digital only on that too

Tis snt the first digital only retail title in NA, that Order Up game was retail in EU IIRC

Order Up and Murder on the Titanic are full retail titles elsewhere but in NA cost 8-10 bucks. Bit.Trip Beat is also lower priced then retail

just checked some gameplay seems to be turn based, can we get some combat based rpgs on the 3ds, i mean sakura smaurai is gettig pretty old, why hasnt someone made a fuller version of that yet?

@SheldonRandoms yeah, if you pay for the download they should let you order one from them on the cheap

Finally, a solid release date. Now to save a 35 dollar point card...

I want it as a physical title more, having it as an eShop only title but charging full price for it is unreasonable.

Everyone complaining that it's on the eShop and "full price", your point is moot, you may as well not think of it as a retail title because here it isn't retail. Just be happy we got it at all, making physical boxes and cartridges and shipping them can be costly. I for one will download and love this game, if others don't because it's a "retail download game at full price", it's their loss. In fact, I hope more developers start doing this until people stop being so stubborn. I mean, it's NOT retail here, it's simply an eShop game with a lot more content than most, justifying the higher price tag.

Anyways, I'm happy we're getting this after all and will definitely support the developer with my money so they continue to localize these gems!

@Windy No worries Windy. They are doing both. Retail and eshop.

I'm never buying physical retail again. Too much clutter in the house...

To everyone that's complaining about the game being on eShop and at full price need to realize that this game wouldn't even be in the West via retail form since there's too much cost involved for packaging and etc. You should be grateful that the game is even out. Thanks to digital downloads, gamers can buy games that normally would never be localized.

Also, $30 for essentially for a 80+ hour long RPG (yes, it's that long from what I've heard) is an effing steal if you ask me, Honestly, kids these days...

@divinealpha
I totally support your decision. Sell me all your old carts
@Knux
I guess I just got used to a certain price range with digital download only games. $35 feels like a hard pill to swallow.

Glad to hear it has a solid release date! Don't know when I'll be able to get it though. Currently don't have that much spending money, & I still have my eyes on Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, Paper Mario: Sticker Star, and the soon upcoming Fire Emblem: Awakening.

well, now i have a 2013 plan:
1. Buy Unchained Blades to hold me over until Fire Emblem
2. Buy Fire Emblem to hold me over until Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
3. Buy Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon to hold me over until Animal Crossing: New Leaf, which should keep me entertained for a long time.
4. Fill in any gaps with Virtual Console titles.

Will Nintendolife be reviewing Unchained Blades?

you all need to stop complaining about the price. it isn't going to be a retail game here. 30 bux isn't that much for a RPG if you compare it to Tales of Abyss 3D or any other RPG that is going to be on the system so stop complaining. I for one am buying it and I don't care if it's download only.

I wonder how much retail games will also become available in digital form only. I hope Nintendo doesn't tread in this direction for I am a physical copy kind of guy.

@NGamerZero, the only reason it's going to be digital only, is because it's a niche title, & because of that XSeed is afraid they won't make their money back on it, if they spent the money on a physical release (which costs more. In fact, if it weren't for the digital option, we probably woudn't be getting it at all).

@Everyone complaining about price. Although it's digital only, that doesn't change the fact that it still has a retail amount of content (as Knux said, 80+ hours of content), localization of RPGs costs more in general (due to the long, text heavy stories that need to be translated), & even then it's still $10 cheaper than most retail games.

FINALLY. It's about friggin' time.

Hmm... I paid $7.50 to download Deus Ex Human Revolution, about $10 for Witcher 2, and I think less than $5 for Fallout 3.

$30 for Unchained Blades? Something is rotten on the 3DS, and I'm not just talking about Theatrhythm.

@Knux Glad you think that way. But sorry im sticking with a physical copy of the game and not paying for Air after my 3DS gives out. If your 3DS ever has a malfunction and gives out your money went up in smoke because Nintendo wont let you install what you payed for on multiple systems. That's more my point

@Gamesake They were all full price downloads when they were first released though, and they're old games now (espeially Fallout 3). How do you know Unchained Blades won't get any kind of discount in the future?

People are missing the point when they stubbornly say they won't download Unchained Blades because it's not a physical release, because you won't be getting a physical release (at least not one in English that plays on your region 3DS, lol). It's a case of download it or miss out. You can pout, stamp your feet and throw a tantrum but it won't change things. Sure, if there was a physical option I'd wholeheartedly recommend that instead but there isn't, and won't be.

Given that the game wouldn't be released in the US at all if it wasn't for the E-Shop option, I'm surprised so many are complaining. Would you rather just never even have the option to play it at all?

Well I'm not really complaining i'm just going to miss out. The game is also on PSP and it's also 29.99 in the Sony online store. But ya dont see me over there downloading it either

^^ That's entirely your choice, and I respect that I always buy physical copies wherever possible, but on the other hand I don't stubbornly refuse to download any games that I like the look of that are download only, because I feel that would be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

But I will ask you this: Do you never download any E-Shop games, even the cheaper ones such as Pushmo, Dillon's Rolling Western and the likes? Because what do you expect to happen to those if your 3DS ever gives out? And that's if that even ever happens....I've got an original DS, DS Lite and DSi which are still working fine now.

That game looks very interesting...hmmm. Still want a box.

I think people are just concerned because few of the other download only games cost even half as much as Unchained Blades. People are not going to want to break their spending habits, even for more supposed content. I'll just wait for a review, as Unchained Blades looks pretty cool.

The only reason I want this on a cartridge is because at that price, what if my 3DS breaks or if it's stolen, then I would have to pay another 30 bucks for this game, and I think that's also some other people's reason to.

Xseed is also a small company. They can't afford to sell a game of this caliber for $5. Don't like it, don't buy it

Hate to break the news guys but unless Nintendo Changes things all of a sudden there will be no price drops in the Eshop. They haven't dropped prices on anything. they did have a couple sales over the summer but everything went back to regular price and there also have been no more sales. funny thing it looks like some old DSiware will sit at full price and left to rot in a digital world. I have no doubts that this game is worth 29.99 for the amount of time spent to experience it. But are you willing to buy digital or not. that is the question

Sick of "Download Retail Games". Had a 3DS and a 3DSxl get stolen on me. The second just after I bought all the retail games all over again. Someone is out there with my 3DS worth $160 with an additional $240 (6 games) in Downloads and the other jerk is running around with my 3DSxl with 7 games. ($200 plus $280). Imagine if I didn't buy the Downloads: I would have lost $200 on the first instead of $400 and $240 on the second instead of $480. As far as it is now... I AM DONE BUYING Retail on Downloads.

Just a note: I am quite willing to pay $30 or even $40 for a game. I am not willing to pay for the game and get screwed over because someone broke the window of my car and stole it. I should have just bought all them retail at Gamestop... At least they let you know that they are screwing you over and I can find a different shop when I want something. Nintendo is just screwing with us and saying that their system doesn't need a User account... Just a titanium or Diamond safe that cannot be stolen for you to put the system inside...

@LordGeovanni
That is definitely a legitimate concern with a handheld. The only downloaded retail game I have at the moment is NSMB 2 because it's a game that I can pop in and out of and I thought it would be convenient to have on the SD, but on January 3 I will make this my second. I use my 3DS often because I do a lot of idle sitting on trains and other places, but it is always either in my front pocket or in my hands so I'm not that worried. I actually prefer to own the physical cartridge, but in this case I do not have a choice and I really want the game. I'm sorry for about what happened, that sucks and I would definitely be wary if that happened to me.

@Plutonian
So should I only buy games that are "good"? The problem becomes when more designers think that this is a "good" idea. I would rather pay $50 for a retail copy than $30 for the digital copy at this point.

If I did, I would have only lost $460 instead of $880. Just sick of all the people who say that it isn't that big of a problem. I just want to laugh when they lose theirs but I think I will just cry more...

I carry my 3DS with me EVERYWHERE so there's no chance it'll get stolen, so physical titles are no more for me

@Hokori

One was stolen out of my car while I was working... Person busted the window and stole a lot including the 3DS.

The other was stolen from a locker at 6 Flags. The lock was broken on they pay locker by the thief. 6 Flags blames me and forced me to pay for the locker...

It saddens me to hear about all those 3DS's getting stolen
About the game... I would prefer a physical copy myself, but if that's the only way we can get it then so be it.
xseed games have localized some very obscure titles in the past, on physical media and I'm grateful to them for that. If releasing the game on the e-shop is the only feasible option for them right now, I will endorse them and WILL NOT wait for it to drop to $10. That's just petty.

@LordGeovanni Man I'm so sorry. stories like this makes me sick and since Nintendo doesn't allow the games to be installed on Multiple systems even sicker. Plus there is not only the fact that your system can be stolen. Its the fact that a system can get dropped and broken is another issue. I myself have a psp and will Recommend to download the game on there instead. if that system end up broken or stolen at least you can re-download it.

No doubt this game is going to be good. I really wanted to play in 3d but oh well. I'm just going to wait for Etrian Odyssey that will give me plenty of fun along with Animal Crossing when that comes out. Let's just hope they don't make those all digital download. I pre-bought Etrian Odyssey from Amazon to assure myself a Copy cause I think they will release it limited quantities and force Digital download

@Windy: I know exactly how you feel. If something ever happened to your Nintendo 3DS, then you would have to jump through a lot of hoops like a dog just to get your downloads back on a new 3DS. That is Nintendo's fault because they still refuse to use an account based system like Sony and Microsoft.

If your PSP and/or Vita got stolen or broken, then you would be able to redownload your games since it's all tied to your PSN account. It's relatively simple and stress free, unlike what you have to do if the same thing happened to your 3DS.

There shouldn't be a transfer limit on the 3DS in the first place. Everything should be tied to a Nintendo Network ID. Nintendo claims that they will do this in the future, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Glad to hear that you have a PSP though. Yeah, you should download this game off of PSN. I've been playing that version, and it's solid. Actually, both the PSP and 3DS versions are the same aside from the lack of 3D and the map is on the same screen.

I've waited a long time for this. I'm happy it's finaly coming.

It's coming, sweet.

You know what? I hope all that download this have a great time I think its going to be pretty good with tons of hours.

YES FINALLY! been waiting for this for a while, fantastic new years present to be

oh if only i wasn't saving up for a guitar

My 128GB SDXC is ready =] I've gone all degital, lives the idea of having it all on my system, with currently 12retail titles (3more to DL, all VC, all Eshop and over 100+ dsiware I haven't even dented my 128gb card yet

@Zemus-DJ NICE! I'm fighting the plunge to digital only but who knows I may cave in someday

If only there was a 3ds account system i would buy the 3dsxl today and give the original to my wife. Seriously why would i want to transfer over a hundred dollars worth of games to my new system so she can start with an empty 3ds? Our kindle e-readers are linked why not our game machines?

@TonLoco Because Nintendo has turned very greedy. Plain and simple.

**ducks** LOL

@FantasiaWHT I agree whole-heartedly.

@Windy /chair whoosshhssss by skimming overhead