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Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals
Spectrobes BTP boxart
Developer
Publisher
Platform
Release dates
NA: October 7, 2008
AUS: November 27, 2008
JP: December 11, 2008
EU: November 27, 2008
Ratings
ESRB: E10+
PEGI: 7+
CERO: A
ACB: PG
Media

Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals (スペクトロブスシリーズ 超化石モンスターバトル ゲキトツ・ギャラクシー Supekutorobusu Shiriizu Chōkaseki Monsutaa Batoru Gekitotsu Gyarakushii, Spectrobes Series: Super-Fossil Monster Battle: Clash Galaxy) is the sequel to the original Spectrobes game, once again developed by Jupiter and published by Disney Interactive Studios. The game was released in North America on November 7, 2008, in Japan on December 11, 2008, and in Europe on February 27, 2009.

Plot[]

It has been several months since Rallen defeated the Krawl horde invading Nanairo, and the system has enjoyed a period of peace. However, the Krawl have begun to strike again, this time led by four elite commanders known as the High Krawl. One of the High Krawl, named Maja, attacks the Ancient Starship, interrupting Aldous' study of it. Both Maja and Aldous battle, and there is an explosion on the bridge as the ship flies through a mysterious Portal. Now Rallen and Jeena must locate the missing Aldous and defeat the Krawl once again.

Singleplayer Gameplay[]

Exploration and Excavation[]

The gameplay of Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals has been changed greatly from the first installment. In addition to full 3D visuals, the game also features an over-the-shoulder camera angle. While the camera cannot be manually adjusted, pressing the "L" button will center it behind Rallen. Additionally, instead of using both screens to display the action, only one screen displays gameplay while the other displays menus and relevant information. In standard gameplay, the bottom screen shows action while the top screen holds the current Spectrobe lineup and mini-map. The same goes during battle, except the top screen shows a more comprehensive overview of the combatants' health values. During excavation, the touch screen acts as the action screen, while the top screen displays things like the item health and percentage of excavation completed. Pressing the "X" button at any point on the overworld accesses the Prizmod menu, in which the player can see their current objective, swap equipment, check on and use items, and switch the currently active Spectrobes with ones in the backup slots.

After all the Krawl Vortexes have been cleared in an area Rallen's Child Spectrobe emerges, allowing the player to search for and excavate buried objects. By pressing Y or by tapping the Spectrobe on the touch screen, the Child will scan for objects buried underground a circular area around itself. There are four types of objects to excavate: Minerals, Fossils, Cubes, and the newly added Mystery Stones, all of which are denoted on the overworld by their own unique colored Excavation Site (blue, yellow, rainbow, and pink, respectively). The variety in Minerals has also changed, no longer being focused on Minergy provisions rather on Property. An Excavation can be started by walking into the location of the mineral or tapping its location on the touch screen. During excavation, the touch screen acts as the action screen, while the top screen displays things like the item health and percentage of excavation completed. The excavation system has also been changed, in that the player only has one standard drill, and that there are different environments to excavate in, requiring different tools for each. For example, the ice planet Hyoga requires the Fire Drill in order to melt the ice covering the rock before excavation can proceed as normal.

The game also features more locations than the previous game, which require having to travel through Portals to reach different systems with new planets. However, it is impossible to visit Himuro and Meido, like in Spectrobes The player can play a minigame while traveling through a Portal which involves having to steer clear of asteroids and reaching the end in the fastest time. The player can also customize their Patrol Cruiser by visiting Kollin's outer ring.

Battle[]

The combat system of this title has also been changed. In the first game, the player controls both Rallen and the Spectrobes simultaneously in battle; in this title, the player controls Rallen in the overworld, battling Krawl Dust released from the Dark Vortexes, and a pair of Spectrobes while confronting Krawl within Dark Vortexes. The color of the Dark Vortex indicates the property of the Krawl inside, allowing for Rallen to swap Spectrobes or equipment as necessary. As Rallen, the player can attack using either a Sword with the "A" button, a Blaster with the "Y" button, or a Glove with the "B" button. Additional weapons and outfits with different stats and effects can be bought at various stores throughout the game. Pressing the "R" button while facing a Krawl Dust allows for Rallen to "Lock-On". In this state, the camera stays focused on that target until it is defeated and movement inputs are calculated with regards to the Krawl currently targeted. The target can be switched to a different Krawl Dust by pressing "R" again and can be canceled by pressing "L".

When battling as the Spectrobes, rather than controlling both Spectrobes at the same time, players take direct control of only one. The player can switch between the controlled Spectrobe by pressing the "X" button, with the other able to move and attack independently. Pressing "A" causes the Spectrobe to preform its normal attack. Attacking fills up the CH Gauge, which when filled allows the player to press one of the buttons to perform two different types of attacks; pressing "B" causes a Spectrobe to preform its CH Attack, a more powerful attack, while pressing "Y" preforms a Combination Attack, which involves both Spectrobes combining their powers to perform an even more powerful attack. Pressing "Y" while the CH Gauge is full next to a defeated Spectrobe revives it, while performing a Combination Attack with a Geo equipped will instantly end the battle.

Spectrobe Raising[]

While Spectrobe properties are no different, the method of Evolving Spectrobes has been changed. In the original game, evolving a Spectrobe requires a certain amount of time to be spent in the Incubator, and occasionally a certain stat to be up to a certain threshold. In Beyond the Portals, evolving a Child Spectrobe to its Adult form requires feeding it a certain number of Minerals, and evolving it to its Evolved form also requires not only that, but also winning a certain number of battles as well as reaching a certain level.

Jeena[]

Occasionally, Jeena will be required to access certain areas. She doesn't battle or search like Rallen; instead, she can access specific totems that lock certain areas off for Rallen. The minigame to break the lock is a simple puzzle game that involves tapping the Property emblems on the touch screen to match them all to the one given.

Multiplayer Gameplay[]

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection[]

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals has online features accessible through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. Not only are players able to access the Upload and Download features from the previous title but also Wi-Fi Battle and Wi-Fi Market features. With Wi-Fi Battle, the player has the option to battle strangers or friends worldwide; in the case of the latter, the player must have their friend code registered to their game. The Wi-fi Market allows players to buy Spectrobes, Custom Parts, Items, and Equipment from other players as well as sell them on the marketplace for fixed prices. As Nintendo have discontinued the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service as of May 20, 2014, these features are no longer accessible.

The game also has DS Download Play features; up to four players with a copy of Beyond the Portals can battle each other in local 1-on-1, Team Battle, or Battle Royale matches. Players may also trade Spectrobes across two copies of Beyond the Portals, or connect with a copy of the original Spectrobes to transfer their Spectrobes from the previous game to this one.

DGamer[]

See also: DGamer

The game also features connectivity to DGamer, a social network platform by Disney, and is one of the first titles compatible with the DGamer service. Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals features a number of achievements that carry over to the player's DGamer account, which unlock clothing items that can be equipped to their avatar.

Reception[]

Compared to Spectrobes, Beyond the Portals critically received mostly mixed to positive reception. The game currently holds a 70 metascore on Metacritic[1], and 72.48% on GameRankings[2]. Jack Derives of IGN gave the game an 8 out of 10, stating that, "It takes everything that was good about Spectrobes (and everything was not that good) and makes it better, creating an impressive, though still not ultimate, monster battler."

Development[]

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals was initially revealed to the public at E3 2007, under the working title Spectrobes II[3], which also slated the game for a 2008 release. Closer to release, the game's official subtitle was revealed, as well as several more details about the game, including Wi-Fi capabilities, new Spectrobes, and new battle features.[4]

In developing Beyond the Portals, producer Kentaro Hisai noted that development was much smoother than the previous game, as more people were able to work on the game and the Japanese and American teams were able to work better together.[5] To collect data for improvement, the team began by analyzing the original game themselves and figuring out what could be improved, then by collecting player feedback by testing the new game, both with players of the original game and new players.[5]

As the first game did not sell as well as expected in Japan, the team conducted much research before release to improve communicating the concept of the game; according to Tim FitzRandolph, Disney's plan was to "relaunch" the franchise in Japan.[5]

Trivia[]

  • Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals was briefly featured in the Stitch! anime series, also produced by Disney. In the scene showing the game, the character playing is shown battling and defeating Jado with a Rygazelle and a Spikan, controlling Rygazelle. Additionally, none of the sound effects used for the game in the show are actually used in the game itself, and the game is shown being played on a handheld greater resembling a Game Boy Advance rather than a Nintendo DS, the system on which the game was actually released.[6]

Gallery[]

References[]

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