In the mid-2000s, Square Enix combined forces with Jupiter to develop a wholly unique JRPG for the Nintendo DS. Rather than the fantasy settings synonymous with the genre, this game would take place in an urban environment based on Shibuya, a district in Tokyo. Instead of turn-based or conventional real-time combat, this title would make heavy use of the DS's touchscreen and feature two partners fighting separate but synchronized battles on both of the console's screens. This game would become known as The World Ends with You, one of Square Enix's greatest JRPGs.

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After more than a decade, a sequel to The World Ends with You has finally been announced. Neo: The World Ends with You looks set to change quite a few things up from its predecessor, a game that has aged beautifully and continues to be worth playing to this day. What are some facts about this 2007 JRPG that fans should know?

10 It's A Wonderful World

While known as The World Ends with You in Western markets, Square Enix's JRPG has quite a different title in Japan. Released as Subarashiki Kono Sekai, this name roughly translates to "It's a Wonderful World," which proved difficult to use outside of Japan due to copyright issues.

Despite this drastic difference, both titles reflect the story's core themes of self-examination, freedom, and community. The change was probably for the best, as The World Ends with You is a more unique title than It's a Wonderful World.

9 Designed To Offer Something Different

The World Ends with You's development team had experience working on Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. While this meant TWEWY was in good hands, the developers wanted to avoid retreading elements from those franchises.

In an interview with IGN, the game's director, Tatsuya Kando, explained that the team sought to envision a world entirely unique from those associated with Square Enix's blockbusters franchises. Not only did this result in a modern setting, but this mentality is also reflected in the game's aesthetic, combat, and story.

8 Neku Is Meant To Be Unlikable (At First)

Neku in the crowd of The World Ends With You.

Newcomers to The World Ends with You might be put off by Neku's anti-social attitude during the opening segments of the story. As the protagonist, Neku does not present an especially agreeable figure as the outcast who hates society and people.

As frustrating as this character can be early on in the campaign, Neku is meant to not be traditionally likable. This is not a story that presents an alienated protagonist as the embodiment of "cool;" Neku is meant to be off-putting. He also grows a lot.

7 Tatsuya Kando's Favorite Pin

the world ends with you pin

Pins are a big deal in The World Ends with You, as combat primarily revolves around them. There are hundreds available in the game and they provide a wide range of abilities, allowing Neku's moveset to be molded to reflect a user's preferred style of play.

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When asked by NintendoEverything which design was his favorite from the physical Pins, Kando signaled out the "Me Time is Free Time" Pin.

6 The Soundtrack

the world ends with you shibuya towa record

Along with fantastic visuals, innovative combat, and an engrossing storyline, The World Ends with You has a pretty decent soundtrack. In fact, an argument can definitely be made that the game's music ranks among the best that the industry has to offer. Takeharu Ishimoto, the composer of various Final Fantasy titles, designed TWEWY's soundtrack to reflect the type of music that might be heard on the streets of Shibuya, at least in 2007.

Incorporating multiple genres of music and various talents, TWEWY put together an eclectic collection of tracks that are fantastic even outside the context of the game.

5 Shibuya

the world ends with you shibuya

The World Ends with You takes place in Shibuya, albeit one that is altered to accommodate for the Nintendo DS's limited resources and space. While the streets of the shopping district are highly stylized and largely removed from reality, TWEWY includes some unique landmarks and locations that can be visited in the area.

Scramble Crossing, which basically serves as the default starting place for most of the campaign's chapters, is not too far removed from the real version. A notable landmark recreated by the game is The Statue of Hachiko.

4 DS Vs. Switch

the world ends with you final remix battle

After receiving a mobile port, The World Ends with You made its way to the Nintendo Switch as the "Final Remix." With updated visuals and some new content, this version is worth considering for newcomers who do not have a Nintendo DS.

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That said, the Switch's single screen meant Square Enix had to alter the combat system. Consequently, Neku's partners – Shiki, Joshua, or Beat – do not have their own battle screens and, instead, have to be summoned similar to Pins. This battle system is serviceable, especially in handheld mode, but it does lose some of the original's uniqueness.

3 A New Day

the world ends with you coco

Although the battle system did not quite survive the modernization process unscathed, The World Ends with You: Final Remix makes up for it with a new epilogue. Entitled "A New Day," this segment can only be unlocked after beating the main campaign and completing three combat challenges. The latter fights are available on the last day of each of the story's three weeks.

Far harder than the base game, the epilogue introduces a new reaper and has a cliffhanger ending that will hopefully one day be resolved.

2 An Anime Is On The Way

the world ends with you anime

Recently, The World Ends with You has been attempting to make up for lost time. Along with announcing a sequel for 2021, an anime adaptation of the first game is also expected to drop in the same year. Created by DOMERICA and Shin-Ei Animation, the series looks set to debut during April 2021 in Japan. Presumably, an American release will follow shortly after.

The trailer highlights the anime's art style, which does a great job of adapting the game's visuals.

1 Neo Is A Sequel To The Anime

neo the world ends with you

Despite "A New Day" setting up a sequel involving Neku, Neo: The World Ends with You's trailer suggests the upcoming game will revolve around a new roster of characters. Tetsuya Nomura has stated Neo will be a sequel to the anime rather than the DS game, implying that the former may deviate from the path established by the latter.

Along with shifting to a 3D perspective and seemingly changing up the combat, Neo will feature a character named Rindo as its protagonist.

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