is an action role-playing

Action role-playing game

Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...

 video game developed by Think & Feel and published by Square Enix

Square Enix

is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...

. It was released for the Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS

The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...

 in Japan on August 6, 2009.

Gameplay

Blood of Bahamut is an action role-playing game in which up to four players battle giant beasts that are featured on both screens of the DS. In order to defeat a giant, players must first destroy its protective armor, then attack its "core," and finally attack its other body parts. The giants can summon smaller beasts, which the players must battle simultaneously. Defeating a giant's body parts and the smaller beasts will grant players "materials" which can be used to produce powerful weapons. The game will contain over 130 missions.

Plot

The game is set in a city built on the back of a great beast known as a Gigant. The city suddenly comes under attack and protagonists Ibuki and Yui must defend it as well as other cities that were built on Gigants that are awakening. The story features seven main characters in total. The Gigants are sentient, and will also attempt to defend themselves, taking part in battles. The Gigants include Bahamut, Ifrit, Shiva, Fenrir, and Gilgamesh, many of which are also summon monsters depicted in Square Enix's popular Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy

is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...

series.

Characters

: The male

Male

Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...

 main protagonist armed with a sword. He is a summoner with the power of the White Dragon residing in his body.: Female

Female

Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...

 main protagonist and Gigant-clan member who wields a cane staff.: Commander of the Ifrit clan, uses a battle axe.: Fenrir clan elder, wields a spear. Broke from the Shiva clan to travel the world as a 'free spirit', wields a handheld cannon.: Another Gigant clan swordsman. Wields a samurai's katana.: Knight of unknown origins, wields a greatsword.

Development

Blood of Bahamut was directed by Motomu Toriyama

Motomu Toriyama

is a Japanese game director and scenario writer who has been working for Square Enix since 1995. He is the director in charge of the main series Final Fantasy games developed by their 1st Production Department, which is managed by Yoshinori Kitase....

, who previously worked on numerous other Square Enix titles including Bahamut Lagoon

Bahamut Lagoon

is a Japanese tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Super Famicom on February 9, 1996.It was never officially released outside of Japan, but it was unofficially translated into English...

, a tactical role-playing game

Tactical role-playing game

A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...

 for the Super Famicom

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...

. Before its official announcement, the trademarking of Blood of Bahamut prompted rumours of a connection to Bahamut Lagoon. Such a connection has not been confirmed or denied by Square Enix. Blood of Bahamut was produced by Eisuke Yokoyama, who recently worked on Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

is a real-time strategy RPG developed by Think & Feel and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS. It is a sequel to the best-selling 2006 PlayStation 2 role-playing game Final Fantasy XII....

. The team stated that their goal was to "[...] cross the limits of the DS with a dynamic feel and with a direct sense of control." The game's music is composed by Naoshi Mizuta

Naoshi Mizuta

is a Japanese video game composer and musician. He is best known for his work on Final Fantasy XI , but has also composed music for Mega Man & Bass, Street Fighter Alpha, and Parasite Eve II...

. The official soundtrack was released in Japan on August 12, 2009.

Ignition Entertainment

Ignition Entertainment

Ignition Entertainment Ltd. is a British video game publisher formed in April 2002. It was created from a selection of smaller developers and publishers, such as Archer MacLean's Awesome Studios.-History:...

 attempted to license the game to bring it overseas to the North American market; however, Square Enix declined the offer. Ignition's Shane Bettenhausen elaborated, "We just contacted them and they weren’t interested in licensing it. That was the kind of deal where they [Square Enix] were probably not going to publish it here so it was worth a shot." There is a translation project that is currently underway, though.

Reception

Famitsu

Famitsu

is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...

gave Blood of Bahamut a score of 31 out of 40. The game sold 66,000 copies the month of its release. Sales of the game reached about 89,193 copies by the end of 2009.