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999 Has Come to iOS in Japan

An English version is apparently scheduled for later this year.

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999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors is no longer tied to the DS, as a version of the game has launched (in Japan) on iOS for iPhone and iPad.

That's awesome.

Right now, it’s only available in Japan, but series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi said he believes an English version will “be released by autumn.”

The puzzle bits have been removed from this version, which doesn’t bother me, since the puzzles in 999 weren’t that great. Virtue's Last Reward vastly improved them. Plus, the iOS version also includes a flowchart of the game’s diverging storylines, one of the most useful additions to the sequel.

A year ago, I’d have scoffed at the term “visual novel.” 999 and VLR won me over with its batshit crazy but surprisingly logical (!) universe. Even though VLR was released on 3DS and Vita, you should really play 999 in order to enjoy VLR's payoff.

Patrick Klepek on Google+

59 Comments

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redcream

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Now if they can only port VLR then I don't have any immediate reason to buy a Vita or 3DS.

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GeneralBison

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Hmm, I wonder how all that second screen stuff will work? They can't just remove it

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yaobikuni

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Edited By yaobikuni

@gooiegreen: It's 1,000 yen. However, I ended up paying $14 through a website that sells iTunes Japan codes. For reference, the aforementioned Ghost Trick is 1,500 yen.

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Arrested_Developer

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@qblivion said:

Wonder how they will translate that... "unique" puzzle moment that requires both screens.

I know! I'm baffled.

Apparently they addressed those concerns by removing all gameplay from it, now it's just a digital novel.

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toowalrus

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Lets do this, Again

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NannyBuckles

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Edited By NannyBuckles

so if it's just a digital novel, is it choose your own adventure? and is it going to essentially be a streamlined way for those that want to see all the endings to do so without needing to replay the puzzles? i'd buy just to get the other endings (i've seen two so far).

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onan

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@humanity: That's actually how most Visual Novels go. 999/VLR's puzzles are actually rather novel.

Instead, in games like Saya no Uta, Steins;Gate, and Katawa Shoujo, you make decisions at points in the story and just read along. But if the stories are good enough, which they very often are, why would you want to get bogged down in tedious minigames?

Because when both are good, like in Sengoku Rance, it just sucks weeks of your life away.

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wmoyer83

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The puzzles were great. I guess I will be the first to snub this as a 999 "purist".

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toowalrus

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Autumn is officially over. Has there been any word on this thing?