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Dragon Quest Smartphone Game Hoshi no Dragon Quest Revealed

Square Enix opened a teaser website on Thursday revealing that it is developing Hoshi no Dragon Quest (Dragon Quest of the Planet), a smartphone game spinoff of the Dragon Quest role-playing game series. Square Enix will release the game for iOS and Android devices this year.

This year's 35th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is revealing more details about the game on Monday. The magazine notes that the game will have the largest world in the series' history, and the game's focus will be on exploring the world. Players can choose places to explore by spinning a globe-like map and choosing a location.

Players will be able to customize the gender, appearance, and name of their characters when they start the game. The game will be free-to-play, but players can purchase in-game items.

The issue is also revealing the full title of the previously announced Dragon Quest Heroes II PS4, PS3, and PS Vita game as Dragon Quest Heroes II: Futago no Ō to Yogen no Owari (Dragon Quest Heroes II: The Twin Kings and the End of the Prophecy). Dragon Quest series game designer Yuji Horii notes in the magazine that the game will have a different story. The magazine shows Homiron, a character from the previous Dragon Quest Heroes game, who will return to serve as the game's instructor character.

The issue further teases that the 36th issue of Weekly Shonen Jump will contain information on "that big title" when it ships on August 3. The issue also confirms what a Wall Street Journal article reported on Friday, that Square Enix will announce a new Dragon Quest title on July 28. The 36th issue will be the fifth consecutive Weekly Shonen Jump issue in a five-part series that will contain a Dragon Quest feature.

Square Enix published the Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below action game in Japan on February 26 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. The company will release the game in the West in October.

[Via Hachima Kikō]