Puzzle & Dragons Z

There are still some that argue smartphone games don't suit dedicated gaming portables such as the 3DS, and vice-versa; Puzzle & Dragons Z perhaps shows that some titles can succeed in both worlds. A phenomenon on smart devices, this amended version arrived on Nintendo's handheld in Japan late last year and stormed to early sales success, as it incorporates the popular puzzle RPG formula with balancing to form a solid adventure, removing the emphasis on micro-transactions.

GungHo Online Entertainment has announced that it's now shipped over 1.5 million copies of the retail title in Japan, an impressive achievement considering original targets of roughly one million units. That will have contributed further to GungHo's remarkable success, with 29 million downloads of the smart device version — which is free but has extensive micro-transactions — in Japan alone. It's evidence that, with a powerful brand and some effort, titles popular on phones and tablets can also achieve success on Nintendo's hardware.

This title has long been confirmed for the West, though release details have been elusive. While we wait, you can check out our Matters of Import assessment of the game and a host of videos, below.

[source destructoid.com, via 4gamer.net]