The World Ends With You fan artist @caehum on Twitter has showcased what Neku would look like in an HD remake or possibly Kingdom Hearts 4 through an immaculate 3D re?nder. Since its publishing on Monday, it has recei??ved over 2,500 likes.

The 3D model looks like it's ripped straight from a modern Kingdom Hearts game, and has plenty of detail around the face and the odd jacket that Neku wears. The more realistic take on Neku is quite different from the most recent game NEO: The World Ends With You, which takes on a ??graphic novel art style instead.

The World Remade With You

It would be cool to see a realistic take on the original DS game through a remake in the future. It has been re-released on Switch with a Final Remix version, however, to mixed results.

"Final Remix‘s failure to utilize the extent of the Switch hardware shows a lack of understanding as to why so many people consider the Nintendo DS original to be the masterpiece it is," said our review.

Neku is expected to appear in Kingdom Hearts 4 by some fans. In Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, Neku and Sora promise to see each other in Shibuya. After the events of KH3, Sora actually ends up in an area inspired by the r??eal-life location. We could see Neku in a model like this, in an official capacity.

If you don't know where Neku comes from, he's the main character of a cult classic JRPG called The World Ends With You. It's one of the highest-rated DS games at an 88 Metacritic score. There was then a follow-up sequel called NEO: The World Ends With You featuring a new character named Rindo.

"NEO: The World Ends with You is a sequel worth waiting for," said our 8/10 review. "It brings together many of the best concepts from the DS original but in a more approachable and accessible?? experien??ce."

The post The World Ends With You fan artist shows?? what Neku could look like in an HD remake appeared first on Destructoid.

Who's the zeptogram that approved these?

After many years of stringing fans along with re-releases and re-re-releases, we are just one day away from finally getting a sequel to The World Ends with You. Reviews for the game dropped this morning and I found it to be a great follow-up to the DS original with smart characters, impeccable design, and gameplay that is as dazzling as it is approachable. It's a wonderful game, but there is one teensy aspect of NEO: The World Ends with You that has been grating the nerves over the past week or so. And it has to do with some really tired gay stereotypes.

In the original TWEWY, players controlled Neku Sakuraba as he teamed up with different partners over three weeks of the Reapers' Game. In NEO, partners are out and teams?? are in. You play as the Wicked Twisters, one of five teams trying to score the most points to win the game. There is a heavy emphasis on competition with the other?? teams in a new turf-war mode called Scramble Slam where you'll actually face off with goons from those other squads. There is a Deep Rivers Society, which is a team of water fetishists; the Purehearts, a team of enlightened players; the Ruinbringers, who cause trouble wherever they go; and the Variabeauties, a team of wispy gay men.

Well, they're not all men. The team's leader is Kanon, a hard-to-rea??d woman who plays a significant role in the narrative. She's actually a pretty good character. It's the grunts behind her that are the problem. Her squad is full of slim, fashionable men the developers or localizers or somebody in charge decided to make into gay stereotypes. Some of this can be seen in the brief snippets of dialogue they get throughout the game, such as the scene pictured above or when they continuously refer to Kanon as "kween." That's an eye-roller for sure, but it's when they actually speak that it starts to get on my nerves.

During my initial playthrough of the game, the Variabeauties had three crystal clear lines of dialogue they repeated during battle: "Work, Honey," "How Rude," and "Let's Go, Girls." And yes, those lines are delivered in the most stereotypical fashion imaginable, like gay characters in some shitty Seth MacFarlane series. When trying to isolate the audio for this piece, I found three more? lines that were overshadowed by the music and sound effects: "I Came to Slay," "It's Party Time," and "You Ready For This?" Admit??tedly, the delivery of these lines doesn't carry the same effeminate tone (though sometimes they do!), but they only became clearly audible and identifiable once I removed all other sounds from the game.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=17nVmcAOAIY

It's bad enough having to sit through that in one battle, but you ?have to fight these motherfuckers several times throughou??t the game, subjecting players to repeated sessions of the type of dialogue you'd get if the only place you've ever seen gay men is on the Bravo Network.

Outside of battle, the mincing tone returns in a few soundbites like "Icky Twisters" and "Grr??r." Of course, none of the other teams get stereotypical voices in this manner. They just grunt, wheeze, laugh, and spout generic lines you stop thinking about the moment the fight is over. I would have much preferred that o?ver this hackneyed shit.

Had the developers instead tied these effeminate traits to one specific character rather than painting a whole swath of faceless men as a bunch of Marys...it still would have been offensive because it's using antiquated gay cliches as unnecessary comedic relief in a world where no other objectionable representation exists. But at least it would have been a character rather than these outdated caricatures. Actually, you know what, scratch that idea. Putting all those traits into a single character might very well have ended up with NEO getting its own version of Angel and Julian from Persona 5.

I know some might argue stereotypes like these come from a very real place because there are, in fact, gay men in the real world who talk like this. And I know that's true. I've dated plenty of guys who make Cole Escola look like Dwayne Johnson. But those were real people. These are a bunch of cookie-cutter randos who've been pinned with the same problematic personalities the entertainment industry has been falling back on for decades. And it's particularly irksome given the strides game developers have made to be better at representation in games, whether it's putting LGBTQ+ characters at the forefront of the experience like with The Last of Us Part II or removing outdated and offensive content when re-releasing classic titles like with the Yakuza 3 remaster.

Look, I recognize this is a very minor aspect of what is otherwise a great game and it in no way affects my ability to enjoy what Square Enix and h.a.n.d. ?put together here. But tha?t's actually what bothers me the most about it. It's so minor that it's unnecessary, and if it's unnecessary, I have to question why the decision was made to include it at all. Because it doesn't make for a better experience or further define the world of Shibuya. It's just there, like this fruity piece of shit on an otherwise delicious cake.

Honestly, I'm just left asking why. Why was this included? Why did they decide this would be appropriate? Why did they think this is something NEO: The World Ends with You needed? And why did a company that spent the entire month of June pimping out its Pride mascot on social media fail to understand how the gay audience it claims to care about might have an issue with being depicted like an extra in the movie Boat Trip?

The post NEO: The World Ends with You is h?ip, trendy, and saddled with some tired gay stereotypes appeared first on Destructoid.

Seize the Day

Square Enix, in collaboration with Domerica and Shin-Ei Animation, has released a third trailer for the upcoming anime adaptation of JRPG The World Ends with You. The new video features the debut of the anime's ending theme "Carpe Diem," as performed by Japanese?? musician ASCA.

The new anime is a straight re-telling of the narrative from the kinetic 2007 Nintendo DS release. The World Ends with You the animation will follow the story of unruly teen Neku Sakuraba, who wakes within a ghostly side-reality known as The Underground (UG). Palling up with several equally confused teens also lost within this split-dimension, Neku and his new companions must?? learn o?f their respective fates and face the challenges that await them within the strange, otherworldly contest known as "Reapers' Game".

The World Ends with You the animation will premiere in Japan on April 9. For those who can't wait, March 14 will see Square Enix host a special pay-per-view "UG Shibuya FES" live stream, which will include an advance screen of the first episode, (complete with English subtitles), interviews with cast and crew members, and the opportunity to win exclusive prizes. For full details on this event, check out the Subarashki Anime website.

The post Check out The World Ends with You anime new trailer and ??ending theme appeared first on Destructoid.

Check out its raptastic opening right here

Square Enix has announced that the anime adaptation of hip JRPG The World Ends with You will premiere in Japan on April 8. The publ?isher released a new music video, which features a rap remix of the show's original opening theme "Teenage Ci?ty Riot" as performed by ALI and guest vocalist R-Shitei.

The hype-looking series is a joint production of Domerica and Shin-Ei Animation and is a straight rete?lling of the narrative from the stylish 2007 DS/Switch release. The p??lot details the twisted tale of protagonist Neku Sakuraba, who awakens on an unnerving alternate plane known as The Underground (UG). Journeying through this split reality, Nebu will encounter a host of friends and enemies as he attempts to make sense of his situation and uncover the truth behind the events that lead to his incarceration.

While The World Ends with You: The Animation is set to officially make its debut on April 9, a "Pre-Broadcast Special Program" is set to air a week prior on April 2. No doubt this preview will offer a sneak-peek at the stylistic series, stoking the ??hype fires one final time before its official release.

The World Ends with You: The Animation begins airi??ng April 9 [Gematsu]

The post The World Ends with You anime premiere?s in Japan April 9 appeared first on Destructoid.

Check out this bangin' new trailer

Square Enix has officially announced that the anime adaptation of trendy JRPG The World ends With You will premiere i??n April 2021. The anime series - a direct retelling of? the 2007 video game - is a joint production of Domerica and Shin-Ei Animation.

Square has also released an exciting new trailer, spotlighting TWEWY's cast of eclectic characters, alo?ng with the dimension-hopping action that will feature in this adaptation of the beloved Nintendo DS/Switch adventure. The video is set to the anime's dynamic title track "Teenage City Riot," as performed by Japanese artists ALI. Also released was a new promotional image, emblazoned with the edgy oversee??rs known as "Reapers."

It should be noted, however, that this trailer/date was not the prize at the end of the mysterious countdown clock over on the official Square Enix website, with fans eager??ly anticipating its ultimate? revelation.

The World Ends with You the Animatio??n begins airing in April 2021 [Gematsu]

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Promoted from our Community Blogs

_{[The media we consume can often affect us in subtle ways, but every once in a while, something will come along that leaves a substantial and lasting impact. Pretty much everyone has a song, album, movie, or TV show that really resonated with them for one reason or another. For Nior, that was a video game called The World Ends With You. – Kevin]}

Adolescence is the strangest thing. It's that confusing period between childhood and adulthood where you're expected to act more like the latter but can't enjoy any of its perks. At the same tim?e, you can't fall back on the antics of the former either. For many, it's a confusing period where it’s all too easy to get lost in between finding out who you want to be, versus what you are expected to become.

YOU HAVE 7 DAYS...

It's a tough act to balance, one that you’re guaranteed to fail at least once, and the way you respond to that failure speaks volumes about your character. Some are not discouraged, while others choose to rebel altogether. It’s a lot to ask of a 15-year-old. I should know?? since, te?n years ago, I was that kid trying to cross that metaphorical tightrope and failing miserably.

My response was a lot of anger, the source of ?which I can’t pinpoint to this day. It’s something I paid dearly for -- losing friends, pushing away family, and just overall being a human piece of shit. I’m not proud of that time, and it’s not like I didn’t know I had a problem. I was simply stuck in a vitriolic cycle of trying to improve, failing, and then justifying my own actions as "co??rrect."

When you're in that deep of a hole, you need help to unstuck yourself, and as someone that has been playing games for as long as he can remember, it probably won’t surprise you to know that it was there that I found the help I needed: the attitude-filled streets of Shibuya, in The World Ends With You.

Joshua, Shiki, Neku, Rhyme, and Beat

The World Ends With You is a JRPG, but you'd be forgiven for not picking up on that fact. It plays, looks, and sounds nothing like what you'd expect from the genre. It has a sense of style all its own, and I know that sort of praise is somewhat used liberally when we talk about games, but I swear it’s true this time. 13 years after its original release on the Nintendo DS, I struggle to think of something that might even come close. The game looks like a manga in motion: the expressive and sleek character designs immediately draw you in, the graffiti-inspired design of the enemies sets them apart from its peers, and a stylized portrait of Shibuya -- that I’m told is pretty close to the real thing -- makes the city feel alive and bursting with people of all walks of life.

For a young Nior, this presentation was 100% ??the thing that drew me to the game, and I can’t imagine that it was an accident. The game has a target, and that target is you. More specifically, the teenager version of you, the one that was lost and doing some dumb shit, and unless you really hate the aesthetic, I’d say it absolutely succeeds at what it’s trying to do.

Beneath all the hip-hop, graffiti, and zippers (those freaking Nomura designs, man...) lie the tropes and beats of a story that only a Squeenix RPG could tell: Neku Sakuraba is an angsty teenager with a seriously bad attitude. He wants nothing to do with other people and sees no value in interacting with them. Unfortunately? for him, he wakes up at Shibuya crossing, with no memory of how he got there, and finds himself in a game of life or death, where he's forced to depend on someone else to survive. It’s a simple premise that’s not unique by any means, but despite that, TWEWY ends up? being one of the m?ost down to earth games Squeenix ever made.

Sure, you have a teenage protagonist that eventually comes face to face with a somewhat godlike entity, ??and he only wins because of the power of friendship, but the way it presents its themes make for one of the most relatable stories in RPG history. The main thing this game wants to get across is that you should get out of your own world and connect with other people. It’s the thematic pillar that permeates every aspect of its existence, and it delivers that theme with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face. More than once will characters either monologue or straight-up spell out the themes of the game, leaving very little to interpretation. But, that isn't a bad thing. It speaks to the clarity of the game’s vision. If this really is targeted at teenagers, hammering the point home is the only way to make sure the message gets across to their thick heads.

It’s not a coincidence then that Neku isn’t a likable character at all at the start of the game. Scratch that, he’s downright awful -- a real piece of shit. His philosophy is something I loathe, mainly because 10 years ago my own outlook on life wasn't too dissimilar. He was a reflection of everything wrong with my 15-year-old self: aggressive, rude, and?? self-centered to a fault. I know you’re meant to hate his ass, and his journey to becoming a better person is pretty much the entire point of the game, but back then, it just hit too close for comfort.

Actually, it’s not just him. Every main character (except for Rhyme. She’s pure and perfect and would never hurt a soul) seems to have at least one flaw that explores a differ??ent facet of the game’s theme: Shiki envies her best friend and that envy makes her depreciate her own identity, Beat has not yet found a goal or dream to call his own an??d feels pressure from the others (mainly his parents) to "get his life together," and Joshua is a prick who shares Neku’s nihilism but still interacts with people so long as they can be useful to him in some way. I won’t spoil the specifics, but suffice to say that, in all of these cases, the game has one answer: express yourself and open up to others. Which leads me neatly into my next topic...

Art, the way one expresses themselves, and the connections we form through that expression are a very important part of this game. We see it as a mechanic in the brand system, where the? popularity of said brands affects your combat pins. There are very few restrictions on how you build your deck of attacks, encouraging you to play it your way. Even the way your most powerful attack requires Neku and his partner to be in sync??, something that as anyone who has played the DS version will attest is not easy, necessitates you to divide your attention between the two screens.

In the plot, most of the characters you meet are artists in so??me way or another, and their expressions vary from a simple bowl of ramen to actual in-universe music. Music is an extremely important part of TWEWY too. The main character is named Neku (the Japanese word for sound), he wears big headphones constantly, your enemies are called Noise, the guy in charge is called the Composer, and so on. The headphones in particular are where I think the message of the game shows t??he most. The surface-level reading is obvious: the phones block external noise and leave you with just what to hear.

It’s a symbol of isolation. However, there's one curious thing you might notice when playing: each week has its own set of songs, with only a few being shared between the three. The entire OS??T is very eclectic, not limiting itself to a single style or genre, with lyrics that are almost always reflective of either the person Neku is partnered (or fighting) with, or they relate to the pl??ot in some way. Mechanically, it just gives the game a great sense of variety, but the implication is that no matter what you do, other people will influence you somehow. Their ideas and creeds will make their way into your own world, but it’s ultimately up to you to decide how to act upon them.

So, it's very poetic that the final boss theme is a remix of Twister, the opening theme and usually considered Neku's theme. While the original version of the song is very good, compared to this one, it feels incomplete, and I don't say that just because it lasts for less than two minutes and ends abruptly. This remix goes all ?o??ut, incorporating samples and styles from the entire soundtrack. It's grand, richer, chaotic, and all over the place, but it all comes together to make a beautiful melody. Much like Neku's world after meeting with so many different people. Although, what really sells that idea is the break at the point where the original song ends.

The power is yet unknown...

When the song reaches that point, the singer addresses a virtual audience, as if it's a live concert. Let me tell you some?thing about live performances. When you're upstage with your bandmates, you riff off each other. Maybe someone is off tempo, so you tip them off and adjust on the fly. Maybe your drummer is pulling a kick-ass beat that you guys didn't practice, but you all roc?k along anyway. Or, maybe the bassist has pulled a slapping improv during that break, and you all can't help but smile. My point is, when you're live, you can perform the same song a thou?sand times, and all of them will be a unique moment in time that only that specific group of people could've pulled off.

Making this remix of Twi??ster a live performance is nothing short of genius storytelling. Neku's world isn't static anymore, the people around him all bring their own unique melodies into his performance. It changes?? him and, in turn, he changes them. It's fucking awesome! It’s one of my favorite boss themes of all time, and the perfect song to end this journey.

By the time the credits started to roll, I just sat there. Thinking. Partially because of the very last plot twist that caught me off guard, and partially, because I wasn't sure how to proceed. I got the message loud and clear but pulling it off looked impossible for someone like me. Maybe, I was still afraid. The hedgehog dilemma kinda applies here now that I think about it. Maybe I just had to figure out how to love myself first. As fate would have it, my opportunity would show itself sooner rather than later. I had to change sch??ools a little after finishing the game, and no one from my past class would be there. 

It was the blank slate I was hoping for. Now, I'm not gonna sit here and tell you it was all good from there because God knows it wasn't. Getting out of that shell of self-hatred took a lot of effort, but little by little, I felt a bit better. I learned the guitar to impress the girls (it didn't work), took better care of my looks, and reconciled with the people I metaphorically (and sometimes, literally) punched. Hell, I even joined a band and recorded a song as p??art of a school project! Slowly b??ut surely, my world expanded, and I can't imagine how miserable I could still be if I hadn't changed back then.

The original DS combat is taxing but central to the game's message.

TWEWY is about a lot of things, more than I can reasonably expla?in or cover in a single blog, and all of it feels more relevant than ever in the year 2020. Even disregarding our current state of social distancing, we've grown colder and more distant as people. Echo chambers provide a comfortable but ultimately harmful way of life, and when I look at social media, all ??I see is a vapid pursuit of validation that leads to the expression of a fake self.

In both scenarios, any connections formed end up being shallow and meaningless. It’s the ??ultimate antithesis to the game's message, where it's all about the genuine moments where two different ways of life clash and both parties walk away better for it. These moments don't need to be life-changing events, they just need to be true and actively sought after. Not an easy thing to do, especially when you're young and still trying to find your place in the world, and it won’t simply happen overnight, but it’s an idea well worth pursuing.

Maybe this is why it resona??ted wi?th me the way that it did. TWEWY wa?nts you to realize that despite the bad stuff, the world is still a beautiful, vast, and wonderful place. That's why it rewards you for taking breaks, for fin??ding other people that also play the game, and for getting out of your own world. There are billions of other people, billions of worlds marching to the tune of their own songs. Dissonant lives that may or may not mesh with your own, each a unique encounter waiting to happen.

"The wor?ld ends with you" is a lesson that everyone will need to learn at some point, and an obvious one at that, but I argue that it's because it's so obvious that it tends to be overlooked. More than that, it's also a call to action. Find ??out what's limiting your world and get rid of it, whether it is anger, fear, apathy, ego, or self-doubt. Push your borders as far as they can go.

Let the world begin with you.

The post The World Begins with You appeared first on Destructoid.

Playing in Traffic

Square Enix has released a short 90-second preview clip from the upcoming anime adaptation of 2007 Nintendo DS title The World Ends with You,?? currently in production at Domerica and Shin-Ei Animation??.

The clip sees TWEWY protagonist Neku Sakuraba awaken within The Underground (UG), an alternate plane of existence that exists alongside the real world. Over the course of the anime, Neku will find ot??hers seemingly trapped in this unnerving universe as he forms bonds with these strangers in an effort to uncover the events that led them to this bizarre dimensional shift.

The World Ends with You The Animation will begin airing in 2021. The World Ends with You: Final Remix is available now on Nintendo Switch.

The post Here’s a new look at The World Ends with You anime appeared first on Destructoid.

Getting the gang back together

Square Enix has announced that the anime adaptation of The World Ends With You will launch worldwide in 2021. The first teaser trailer for the anime was premiered during a special panel at Anime Expo Lite 2020.

The World Ends With You the Animation will see Neku, Shiki and friends relive their strange, psychedelic escapades in "The UG", an alternate reality version of Tokyo's jam-packed Shibuya district. Having awoken on Scramble Crossing with no knowledge ??of any recent events, Neku and his band of hot-headed teen pals must now face the wrath of the "Reapers' Game" if they are to understand the twisted fate that? has befallen them.

Co-produced by Domerica and Shin-Ei Animation of Doraemon fame, TWEWY the Animation will also reunite several key members of the original game's development team - including artists Tetsuya Nomura and Gen Kobayashi, composer Takeharu Ishimoto, and numerous voice actors. It seems that the iconic audio/visual style of the unique JRPG will be making a smooth transition into the anime realm. You can find more information, along with fresh character art, over at the official website.

The World Ends with You the Animation will launch in 2021.

The post The World Ends with You anime coming 2021, tea?ser trailer released appeared first on Destructoid.

More details coming in July

Square Enix has announced that it has commissioned an anime adaptation of its urban fantasy RPG The World Ends with You, which launched on the Nintendo DS back in 2007, before being revamped for the Switch platform in 2018.

As of this writing, there have been no images or details released regarding this exciting new anima?ted endeavour, but the anime will be receiving its official unveiling during next weekend's Anime Expo Lite presentation.

You can check out the action for yourself over on the Anime Expo Lite's official YouTube and Twitch channels. The Day One presentation will kick off Friday, July 3 at 18:00 PT / 21:00 ET / 02:00 BST.  In the meantime, Square Enix has opened an official countdown website, which you can find right here.

The World Ends with You: Final Remix is available now on Nintendo Switch.

Square Enix announces The World Ends with Yo??u anime ada?ptation [GoNintendo]

The post The ??World Ends with You is getting an anime adaptat??ion appeared first on Destructoid.

Bringing the beat back

This month sees the Japanese re-release of popular Nintendo DS title The World Ends With You on Switch. ??A final launch tra??iler has hit the airwaves to reintroduce us to the adventure' cast of hip young thangs and stylish visuals and audio.

The World Ends With You: Final Remix takes the 2007 (I know, right?) release and jazzes it up for its Nintendo Switch port, implementing a new control system in keeping with the Joy-Con design, and allowing players to share their Joy-Con for local multiplayer action. Final Remix will also contain a funk-fresh n?ew scenario for Neku, Shiki and the gang to explore.

Western fans won;t have too much longer to wait to get their hands on this re-release, as The World Ends With You: Final Remix will be hitting North American and Europ?ean shores on October 12, just a couple of weeks following its September 27 release in the East.

The post The World Ends With You ?Final Remix trailer brings hip kids and ??nonsensical rapping appeared first on Destructoid.

Need more candy cane

Siliconera has unleashed a bunch of new shots of The World Ends with You: Final Remix on Switch and it looks really promising. While I wouldn't call the DS version ugly by any means, the game running in crisp HD is a real treat. Since the style of the g??????????????????????????ame was so heavily influenced by manga and Japanese street art, seeing those awesome colors pop and getting more defined outlines looks like a big upgrade.

Along with a??ll of that HD art, there are some new details about how the Switch version will work. In handheld mode, the game plays similarly to the DS original, albeit without two screens. You'll have the same slash attacks and "tap spaces," making ample use of the touchscreen. In TV and tabletop mode, controls will be relegated to the joy-con with pointer functionality. There is even a two-player co-op mode with split joy-cons available.

All music, sound effects, and voice samples have been updated with higher quality versions, including an arranged soundtrack by original composer Takeharu Ishimoto. If you don't want to listen to different tracks, the original OST will have a toggle option that can be selected at any moment. The last addition is a brand new scenario for the campaign, though that was already revealed back when the port was unveiled.

Here’s What’s New In The World Ends With You: Final Remix For Nintendo Switch [Siliconera]

The post Get a better look at The World Ends with You’s updated visuals on Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Calling

It has been quite some time since we last heard about The World Ends with You: Final Remix. The game was unveiled during a Nintendo direct earlier this year and made a super brief appearance during Nintendo's E3 stream. I actually wasn't expecting the title to even come out this year, but it looks like Japanese gamers will be in luck. Square Enix has announced that the Groundhog Day simulator will be heading to Japanese store shelves and the Japanese eShop on September 27, 2018, for ¥4,800 ($44).

Along with that news, Square Enix has unveiled an exclusive collector's edition for its website. Subtitled, "It's a Wonderful Bag," the package will come with a tote bag, a soundtrack (which is excellent, by the way), a stylus for the Switch, an art book, a small acrylic figure display and some stickers. It looks pretty nifty, though I'm not sure I would do anything with those stickers. This version will be going for ¥17,000 ($155).

The World Ends with You: Final Remix launches September 27 in Japan [Gematsu]

The post The World Ends w??ith You: Final Remix is launching ??in Japan this September appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm ready for a second chance.

I replayed The World Ends With You for the third time this year. In part because I got a new phone and lost my save file as a result, and in part to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Long story short, I managed to lock myself out of that new phone one drunken night and had to wipe it. I never did finish this third playthrough. But, until this unfortunate ac?cident, the game hooked me once again.

The World Ends With You is a wild, wild game. Fast-paced touchscreen combat, sharp graffiti-like artwork, nonsensical music. Beyblade ripoffs, cross-dressing, angst, shopping. It's flash??y??. It's loud. It's youth.

Before I started playing the game again, I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't connect to the game anymore. I was 13 when the game first released, just one year after the magical number. Social life and its worries are much more important t??o a teen??ager. But it clicked, just like it did back then. Beyond the first few in-game days that admittedly might turn off a player or three, you really do wish for all the main characters to get a second chance at life.

The game's tenth anniversary has come and gone. There isn't much to show for it, apart from an illustration tweeted by its art director, Gen Kobayashi. Perhaps that's all that was needed. A simple acknowledgment for a small intell??ectual property. Just noodles ??????????????????????????and broth.

もう10年経つんですねー、この絵を描いてて当時を色々と思い出しました。
自分にとって凄く思い入れのある特別なタイトルです。😊#すばせか#すばらしきこのせかい pic.twitter.com/jwktRzG6nD

— 小林元@コバゲン (@Gengenkob) July 26, 2017

But while The World Ends With You more than stands up on its own, we've been teased that it could become something more multiple times over the years. A few of its tracks were added as downloadable content for Theatrhythm in 2015. A multiplayer version of the game was released on mobile in 2013. Traverse Town in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance featured a few of its characters in 2012. And, most importantly, the mobile HD remake of The World Ends With You also released in 2012 ende??d with a very interesting image. A character never before seen within the game proper, a familiar plush, and an announcement o?f a new week of the Reapers' Game.

That spark that lit the speculative fire was five years ago. Now the year of your tenth anniversary is ending, The World Ends With You. After a lot of teasing, you're still very much a standalone game. Is there even a place left for a hypothetical sequel in this world? It's increasingly difficult for me to see a good target platform for the game. The Wii U would have been ideal, with its clever dual-s??creen setup, but it was killed four years into its lifetime... The Switch can't play touchscreen games when docked, which spells trouble for a game with touchscreen controls only.

Is there even a place left in the world for The World Ends With You Too? T??????????????????????????here's simply no way to make it work on Xbox One without a peripheral, and the Dualshock 4's touchpad is so minuscule it's barely worth mentioning. The 3DS or Vita could be a great fit for a sequel, but will they even be relevant in a couple of years, when it would t??heoretically release?

Is there even a place left in the world for The World Ends With You Too? It could work on PC with mouse controls, but would Square Enix be willing to give up on the Japanese market where PC gaming is essentially dea??d? Sure, a sequel could be released on phones, but... 

People don't buy phone games.

Is there even a place left in the world for The World Ends With You Too? The logical answer would be no. Yet a part of me still believe??s... Maybe in five, ten years tim?e, we'll see the UG again.

The post A send-off for The World Ends With You’s tenth anniversary appeared first on Destructoid.

So, that countdown Square Enix had everybody pumped for? The one that could have been for a sequel or something similar? Turns out Square Enix was actually getting us pumped f??or an iOS port. Prepar?e to rage!

Or maybe not. There are hints that this isn't the only TWEWY announcement cooking in the pot. Fingers crossed that this is a bridge to something even cooler. Just don't hope too high. 

The news broke early, ahead of the countdown's end, thanks to a game soundtrack listing on Square Enix's ??online store. Mention of the iOS version have since been removed, but the truth is out. Still, we know it's getting some new music added to the soundtrack.

Countdown sti?ll has two days to go. Will we get more than just this bit of new?s? 

The World Ends With You Set for iOS [andriasang]

The post The World Ends With You is being ported to iOS appeared first on Destructoid.