Crystal Defenders
Encyclopedia
is a series of turn-based strategy
video games developed by MSF/Winds and published by Square Enix
. It comprises several iterations released for mobile phone
s and through online video game delivery services. The games are set in the fictional world of Ivalice
and features job class
es, monsters and summoned creatures from the tactical role-playing game
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
.
), April 1, 2008 (Yahoo! Keitai
) and June 19, 2008 (EZWeb
). The objective of the player is to stop waves of monsters from stealing a cache of crystals in a maze by strategically positioning units to defeat the monsters before they escape with their loot.
). The PlayStation 3 and Xbox Live Arcade versions are enhanced ports
.
The game was released worldwide, for the following platforms:
on May 13, 2009, and is the first Square Enix
game to be designed especially for a touch-screen.
score of 52 out of 100 for the Xbox Live Arcade version, 63 out of 100 for the PlayStation 3 version and 62 out of 100 for the WiiWare version. The third game was scored 8.0 out of 10 by IGN
.
Turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
video games developed by MSF/Winds 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 comprises several iterations released for mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s and through online video game delivery services. The games are set in the fictional world of Ivalice
Ivalice
is a fictional location in the Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Vagrant Story universe. The world was conceived by Yasumi Matsuno when he joined Square Co. in 1995, and has since been expanded upon by several games, with more yet due with the Ivalice Alliance series...
and features job class
Job class
In many role-playing games , job class refers to a character's job or what abilities they know or can learn...
es, monsters and summoned creatures from the 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...
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console.Grimoire of the Rift is the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as well as an iteration in the Ivalice Alliance.- Gameplay :...
.
Gameplay
The games are turn-based; each turn the enemy monsters advance one or more spaces and attack the player's units if they are in range. The player must adjust the positioning of their units to either block the monsters from advancing and/or attack. There are different unit types that are provided for the player at the beginning and at various points of each map, each having different attacking capabilities and stats.Crystal Guardians
is the first iteration of the series. It was released for mobile phones and in Japan exclusively, on January 1, 2008 (i-modeI-mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocol, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail and the packet-switched network that delivers the data...
), April 1, 2008 (Yahoo! Keitai
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
) and June 19, 2008 (EZWeb
KDDI
is a Japanese telecommunications operator formed in October 2000 through the merger of DDI Corp., KDD Corp., and IDO Corp. It has its headquarters in the Garden Air Tower in Iidabashi, Chiyoda, Tokyo....
). The objective of the player is to stop waves of monsters from stealing a cache of crystals in a maze by strategically positioning units to defeat the monsters before they escape with their loot.
Crystal Defenders
Crystal Defenders, the second iteration of the series, features a gameplay similar to Crystal Guardians and was released in chapters of increasing challenge (W1, W2 and W3 for most platforms, and R1 and R2 for the WiiWareWiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
). The PlayStation 3 and Xbox Live Arcade versions are enhanced ports
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
.
The game was released worldwide, for the following platforms:
- iPod ClassicIPod classicThe iPod Classic is a portable media player marketed by Apple Inc...
and iPod NanoIPod nanoiPod Nano is a digital media player designed and marketed by Apple Inc.. The first generation of iPod Nano was introduced on September 7, 2005 as a replacement for iPod Mini. It uses flash memory for storage. iPod Nano has gone through six models, or generations, since its introduction...
– December 23, 2008 (W1 and W2 only) - iOSIOSiOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
– December 23, 2008 - Xbox Live ArcadeXbox Live ArcadeXbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
– March 11, 2009 - PlayStation StorePlayStation StoreThe PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
for PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
– August 6, 2009 - WiiWare (Japan) – January 27, 2009
- WiiWare (North America) – April 20, 2009 (R1) and May 18, 2009 (R2)
- WiiWare (Europe) – April 24, 2009 (R1) and May 22 (R2)
- PlayStation StorePlayStation StoreThe PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
for PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
– October 29, 2009 - iOS (iPadIPadThe iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
-optimized) – July 1, 2010 - Windows MobileWindows MobileWindows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
- December 8, 2010 - Android - January 25, 2011 (W1 and W2)
Crystal Defenders: Vanguard Storm
requires players to defend their position on the right from monsters that are invading from the left side. It was released worldwide for iOSIOS
iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
on May 13, 2009, and is the first 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...
game to be designed especially for a touch-screen.
Reception
Overall critical response to the series has been mixed, with some reviewers praising the gameplay and others criticizing the simplicity of the engine and high number of ports. The second game has a MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
score of 52 out of 100 for the Xbox Live Arcade version, 63 out of 100 for the PlayStation 3 version and 62 out of 100 for the WiiWare version. The third game was scored 8.0 out of 10 by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
.