Fans have literally been begging Nintendo of America to release Xenoblade Chronicles in North America since the Japanese version was released in 2010!

European gamers were blessed with an English language version in August of this year. A campaign called “Operation Rainfall” was formed to get gamers to encourage Nintendo of America to localize Xenoblade along with 2 other games: The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower. Each game is a wonderful RPG that has not seen release in North America.

The campaign seems to have paid off! Today, Nintendo announced an April 2012 release for Xenoblade Chronicles. The game will be exclusive to Gamestop and Nintendo.com at the suggested retail price of $49.99!

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Game Overview:

An epic clash between man and machine

Available exclusively for the Wii™ system, the Xenoblade Chronicles™ game combines science fiction and fantasy into an unforgettable open-world adventure. Players will discover expansive environments and deep character customization options as they delve into an epic conflict between the Homs (humans) and Mechons (robots) and uncover the secret of the ancient Monado blade. With richly detailed role-playing elements, Xenoblade Chronicles offers an extraordinary experience for veteran gamers and genre newcomers alike.

Features:

  • Xenoblade Chronicles invites players to explore a truly vast open-world universe. In addition to the game’s main quest, they can also take on side quests, seek out special items and uncover hidden areas.
  • Players can customize their characters by choosing from a wide array of weapons, armor, equipment and accessories. Each item not only enhances characters’ abilities, but also affects the appearance of different characters in distinctive ways.
  • A unique upgrade system lets players improve their characters’ performance throughout the game. They can earn upgrades during battle, trade with townspeople or collect and purchase items. Players can also use magical gems in enhance the abilities of their existing equipment.
  • The game also incorporates a unique relationship-building system called Affinity. Different characters will have distinct Affinity levels in relation to one another, which can influence their interactions and affect their progress through the game.
  • A sophisticated battle system in Xenoblade Chronicles includes special Chain Attacks – combo attacks involving all members of the questing party – as well as an Arts system that lets characters perform specialized actions and spells.

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