Features: Customization:
Players can create their own heroes, deciding how they would like their face, hair and clothing to look. As the story unfolds, players become stronger, smarter and more powerful, and can create custom companions to join their group as well.

Players will have fun discovering more than 900 pieces of clothing, armor, weapons and other items that will provide them with a unique appearance and special abilities. Even occupations can be customized and changed at any time. Players can take on one of a dozen different jobs with varying strengths, weaknesses, spells and skills.

Battle:
Fast-paced battles unfold as players decide what to do and then view cinematic action scenes. This format rewards careful thinking and strategy over quick reflexes. The more foes players defeat, the stronger their characters become.

Social Features:
Special multiplayer modes let players share their adventure with others, allowing up to four players to team up via a local wireless connection and experience the fun of tackling challenging monsters and dungeons cooperatively with their own characters. Players can even leave the game active in their backpacks, pockets or purses and still interact with other players via an interactive Tag Mode. Fun information about players characters can be wirelessly transmitted to others.

Treasure maps allow players to find otherwise inaccessible special dungeons called grottoes, which can contain rare items or enemies. In Tag mode, treasure maps and customized greetings can be exchanged automatically by players who come within range of one another.

Players with wireless broadband Internet access can visit an online shop to find new items or download additional quests. The selection of items changes daily. Some downloadable quests will continue the main storyline of the game, while others offer standalone missions or quests themed to a particular time of year.

Story Elements:
Talking with different characters will unfold the story and point players toward their next mission. All quests come with a reward, which might be anything from a rare item to a new, unlocked occupation.

Description: For decades, Samus Aran has been known as one of the first female protagonists in video games, and one of the most enigmatic. Having traded her haunted past for the solitary life of a bounty hunter, Samus finally tells her own tale in this revealing, personal story of her failings, her flaws and ultimately her motivation.

Metroid: Other M is an unprecedented collaboration that blends the slick, action-packed production of the world-renowned Team Ninja development team with the game design talents of the creators of the original Metroid. Metroid: Other M is a dramatic new direction for a legendary franchise and a bold new blend between cinematics, storytelling and the best in interactive entertainment.

Verdict: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is another sequel the second best selling franchise offered by Square Enix. Just like previous versions of Dragon Quest games this one is sure to please fans new and old alike. The game play is genetically consistent with traditional turn based RPGs which are simple to learn and only really challenging for boss battles.

The game allows the user to control each part members moves or giving the AI control. It is built for all levels to take part in this journey of exploring lands, dungeons, and battling their way through increasing more challenging enemies.

What is unique to Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry is the multiplayer functionality. A host can open a portal to their game to allow up to three friends join him in and out at any time. This gives them control of their personal character to play for that session.

Just be forewarned hopping onto a friends session does not help progress the game for the visiting party members. It does reward their assistance with experience points and the items they collect become available in their quest.

Graphically the game looks good with traditional anime wit and charm. The animations are consistent with most traditional RPGs. It sometime felt too traditional and repetitive but somehow kept me engaging. One of the nice aspects of this game was the customization to the characters to help update with the visual game play. The game allows the user to control a vast amount of the cosmetics, weapons, and armor for their avatars. It is a nice feature that allows for interesting combinations. It also helps with the multiplayer function to keep focused on the your customized avatar.

Overall Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry is an engaging RPG for your Nintendo DS. It has lots of charm and will keep you busy for hours - if you are looking for a traditional turn based RPG. It is even better if you can get some of your friends in on the fun and complete the quest together. If you are up for challenge grab your Nintendo DS and find a friend it is time to jump into Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry.