Filed under: MapleStory

Two blades are better than one: MapleStory announces dual blade class

by Justin Olivetti Jul 23rd 2010 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, Classes, Free-to-play

When it comes to weapons, the general thought process in pop culture goes, "One is definitely good, but two is twice as good, not to mention really, really cool looking." Let's be honest -- if people had three hands, we'd be seeing Hollywood movies full of triple-wielding gunslingers, and we'd love it.

MapleStory knows this, which is why their latest class strips away pretensions and plays it like it is. Dual blades are a subset of the thief class, specializing in melee weapons to lay down a double-whammy on the bad guys. The new class also comes with an interactive backstory, as they're accepted into an organization of secret thieves (as if thieves advertise) who are out for revenge against the Dark Lord. With a name like Dark Lord, you know he isn't just selling Girl Scout cookies, so he probably deserves what's heading his way.

Nexon's set up a special site for the new class that includes a trailer, three contests for impressive prizes, and a handful of dual blade wallpaper downloads to spiffy up your desktop. You can check out all of MapleStory's double-wielding action here.

Nexon talks about MapleStory's fifth anniversary

by Beau Hindman May 12th 2010 at 9:00AM

Filed under: MapleStory, Interviews, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual

Nexon America is proud to announce that their little ~~browser based~~ client-based (Our apologies! ~Sera) game MapleStory of only 6 million North American players turns five years old today! Who would have thought that this cartoonish side-scrolling chop-em-up would attract such a loyal following? Over the years the game has grown from only a few servers to eleven, from starting off with four classes to having fifteen if counting sub-classes, and countless new zones.

Recently the game sported over 70,000 max concurrent users and more than 95 million players world wide. Still, not a single player has yet to defeat Pink Bean, a cute, yet ferocious boss monster. It seems as though there is still a lot to do, see and conquer in this little game that could. We asked the developers ten questions, so jump below to see their answers. Also, check out their Facebook page.

MapleStory celebrates five years by asking you: cake or pie?

by Rubi Bayer May 6th 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, Events, in-game, Free-to-play

We're all familiar with the concept of warring factions in MMOs, and it only makes sense that the sweetest MMO around would give it a sugary twist.

MapleStory is celebrating its fifth birthday with Cake vs. Pie as one of the central party games. Players can choose to join the cake faction or the pie faction, competing to gain control of one of four towns. Win the match by defeating or defending the boss according to which side of the wall you're currently on, and you'll pick up prizes from XP boosts all the way to admission into a mini-dungeon.

While Cake vs. Pie is bound to be fun, MapleStory isn't stopping this party with a giant food fight. As with any good party, the guests receive gifts -- these come in the form of a brand new set of Fifth Anniversary Durability Items, 20 classic maple weapons that you'll find as drops, and special commemorative fifth anniversary rings. The GMs will be in town handing out buffs every half hour as well.

The event is going on throughout May, with all the details on the event schedule.

MapleStory's Dragon Master Evan blazes to the live servers

by Eliot Lefebvre Apr 2nd 2010 at 3:00PM

Filed under: Video, MapleStory, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Patches, Free-to-play

These days, it seems like you can barely cross the MMO portion of the internet without hearing about Dragon Master Evan. While you might have assumed that he was some new musical act or another, he's actually the harbinger of the newest class in MapleStory, as well as the focus of the most recent update to the game. There's been quite a bit of teasing about the update in the time leading up to it, but now it's finally available on live servers, giving players everywhere a chance to take control of their very own dragon.

Since the dragon has its own options to be customized as it grows stronger, MapleStory players are going to have their hands full for a while. If that weren't enough, however, Nexon has also put together a number of events to celebrate the deployment to the live servers. They've also rounded up all of the prior lore and quest information about Evan. So rather than spending your weekend out being told how a dragon ought to be trained, you might want to simply go train your own. And if you need more motivation, there's a video past the cut displaying just what a properly-trained dragon is capable of doing.

More details on MapleStory's upcoming Dragon Master Evan quest line

by Rubi Bayer Mar 29th 2010 at 10:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Remember Dragon Master Evan and his baby Onyx Dragon? We're learning more about the upcoming patch for MapleStory thanks to some new information from Nexon and -- even better -- a new video!

The character of Evan, played by you, won't be attacking directly. Instead, you'll give your dragon companion attack commands that he'll execute for you, making for a formidable combination. The dragon will carry skill such as Flame Breath, Magic Amplification, Earthquake, Dragon Fury, Blaze, and quite a few more as he grows.

The skill combination isn't the only thing that makes the content in this new patch interesting. Your dragon companion will grow and level as you do, thanks to the growth system. As your Evan character levels up, your dragon will go through a "growth stage" and become larger and stronger.

The Dragon Master Evan quests promise to bring a fun new element to MapleStory. For a look at what kind of damage a fully-grown Onyx Dragon can do to enemies, follow along after the jump and see the video for yourself!

Dragon Master Evan comes to MapleStory

by Rubi Bayer Mar 24th 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, News items, Free-to-play

A new quest line is coming to Nexon's super-cute MMO MapleStory. Dragon Master Evan is the story of Evan and his discovery of an egg that hatches to reveal a little onyx dragon, and the adventure is on. In the first quest, Evan and the the newborn dragon begin their journey together by gaining answers to the all-important question: What do dragons eat? Once assured of a full stomach for the dragon, the pair goes on to battle "fiendishly cute and evil monsters" and helping those in need in their quest for glory.

Players will learn more about Evan as the quest line progresses and the character levels up. The dragon companion levels up as well, taking on physical changes and learning new skills as things progress. It's a fun series, and players will definitely want to give it a try. Take a look at the video on the site, and have fun!

Nexon MMOs not coming to Mac or consoles any time soon

by Eliot Lefebvre Mar 15th 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: MapleStory, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Consoles, Mac, Vindictus, Dragon Nest

There's been quite a bit of talk coming out of Nexon from the time of the GDC -- revealing two games, more news on the venerable MapleStory, and even a developer initiative announced shortly before the conference. But if you were waiting for the other shoe to drop, there is one after a fashion, because the company still has no plans to develop anything for the Mac or for consoles. Both Vindictus and Dragon Nest are apparently popular choices for players to request on consoles, but according to Nexon America vice president Min Kim, neither one is planned for development for the console platform.

Kim went on to explain that his company's base of operations in Korea meant that Mac support was a distant afterthought at best -- the market for non-PC games in Korea is minimal. Of course, in both cases he said that the support is something they would like to expand to eventually, but for now there's just not enough reason to expand. Which is sad news if you're one of the many users who prefer a fruit-based computer, especially with more and more games expanding to be playable on any platform.

[Thanks Tracey!]

MapleStory introduces Dragon Master Evan

by Beau Hindman Mar 12th 2010 at 7:00PM

Filed under: MapleStory, Classes, Free-to-play, Casual, Kids

Evan is just an ordinary small town farm boy that stumbles upon a magical dragon egg. Little did he know, it would forever change his life. He had suddenly become a dragon master. In Nexon America's leading free-to-play game, MapleStory, you'll be able to play this new class and character.

If you choose to do so, you will be expected to live up to some mighty high expectations, taming a powerful dragon and stopping the Black Mage in his quest to destroy the world. If you want to experience Dragon Master Evan and see what else is new in MapleStory, visit the official website. It's free, fun and can run on older machines so go check it out today. And if Facebook is more your thing, become a fan.

MapleStory pitches leveling rewards

by Jef Reahard Mar 5th 2010 at 1:30PM

Filed under: MapleStory, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play

Leveling in our favorite MMORPGs can be a controversial topic. Some of us rush to endgame, but just as many enjoy the journey and find the curve to be rewarding in and of itself.

Nexon, publisher of the F2P side-scroller MapleStory, is offering players even more incentive to grind out those levels in the form of their A Perfect Pitch event which kicked off on March 3.

In a nutshell, players will receive a Perfect Pitch for every level achieved during the event time frame (currently slated to wrap up on March 30). Pitches can be traded in with Inkwell in Henesys or at the entrance to the Free Market, and prizes include the Spirit of Rock Chair, which recovers 60 HP and 30 MP every ten seconds, and the Wild Wolf Bandana which offers a number of desirable stat boosts.

Head on over to the A Perfect Pitch announcement post for complete details.

MapleStory adds two new levels: Neo City and Kerning Square

by Seraphina Brennan Feb 25th 2010 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MapleStory, Events, in-game, Free-to-play

If you thought that MapleStory was all about livin' in the here and now, then you can just forget it. MapleStory's looking towards the future because they have a new toy to play with -- a portal through time! Oh, and a shopping mall too, but the time portal is way cooler. That's not one, but two new areas to enjoy!

Maplers can now go back to the future (Flux Capacitor not included) to Neo City and help the new NPC Andy save Maple World from becoming a dark wasteland. By jumping back and forth through time, players can help alter history to make sure the Maple World doesn't fall apart at the seams!

But, if time travel isn't for you, then you can go shopping in Kerning Square! Oh, just make sure not to get your face rocked off by a spirit of music, or fall victim to the home appliances that have taken on a life of their own. Ok... maybe the mall isn't any safer than time travel. Either way, there are loot rewards at the end of both areas that players will certainly want to get their hands on.

If you want a visual look into the two new zones, however, just check after the break! We have two teaser trailers just waiting for you! Plus, we have patch notes. Everybody loves patch notes.

MapleStory releases videos for new content

by Rubi Bayer Jan 21st 2010 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Video, MapleStory, Free-to-play, Browser

Earlier this month, we told you about some fun new content for MapleStory fans -- Nett's Pyramid and the Abandoned Subway. While they were both designed for mid-level players, they are worlds apart in style and content, offering up two very different challenges. Venture into the Abandoned Subway to battle hordes of Ribbon Pigs and Horny Mushrooms (no, really). For a change of pace, visit Nett's Pyramid to take on Pharaoh Snakes, Skeletons, and Mummies while being told "The curse of the pyramids will be upon you!" by a very large and annoyed guardian of the pyramid.

Want to see for yourself? Nexon has given us a closer look at the two new areas with some short combat videos of both the Subway and Pyramid. We've included both of them here for you to enjoy. Follow along after the jump to take a look, and good luck with the pigs, mushrooms, snakes, and skeletons!

MapleStory introduces new quest areas

by Rubi Bayer Jan 12th 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: MapleStory, Free-to-play, Browser, Kids

Nexon America's long-running MMO MapleStory is introducing two new areas to their players, less than two months after an extensive content update with a brand new class and storyline.

Players can now explore Nett's Pyramid and the Abandoned Subway, party quest areas available soon to all mid-level players. Nett's Pyramid is an ancient-Egyptian themed area full of pyramids and hieroglyphics, along with plenty of creatures such as mummies and skeletons to battle. The Abandoned Subway is a gloomy underground map full of creatures waiting to attack those brave enough to venture in.

The new areas are great for hunting and leveling, and will allow players to experience the "Monster Survival" feature, as well as some nice extras. Players who manage to clear all stages in one of the new maps will be rewarded with bonus maps, medals, and buffs.

The content will be introduced to MapleStory soon.

MapleStory releases television promotion

by Rubi Bayer Dec 22nd 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MapleStory, News items, Free-to-play, Browser

If you're pondering some last minute holiday gifts for the younger set, a gift of Nexon cash may be a welcome pre-emptive strike. MapleStory is hitting the television airwaves this season with a new holiday promotional commercial.

The commercial -- which is oh-so-conveniently included here -- showcases MapleStory's brand new update. The Aran update added a fair amount of new content, introducing a new and storyline and namesake warrior class, the Aran. The new content also added a brand new start-up tutorial intended to give players "an easier and immersive entry into the world of MapleStory," so Nexon seems to be planning on an inrush of new players for their long-running game. The commercial is scheduled to run on Disney XD, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Nickelodeon, and Teen Nick. It began yesterday and will continue showing until January 3rd.

Follow along after the jump for a firsthand look at the new MapleStory commercial.

Massively's 2009 Winter Holiday Event Guide

by Rubi Bayer Dec 16th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Super-hero, Aion, City of Heroes, Dark Age of Camelot, Dungeons and Dragons Online, EVE Online, EverQuest II, Fallen Earth, Final Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage 2, Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, Culture, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, MetaPlace, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Dragonica Online, Cities XL

It's that time of year again -- whatever holiday you are celebrating, the denizens of your favorite MMO are sure to be celebrating it too. Whether it's Festivult in Dungeons and Dragons Online, Wintersday in Guild Wars, or the Starlight Celebration in Final Fantasy XI, the theme is the same. There are presents, some sort of sugary treats, and tons of fun. Follow along with us as we check out who's partying in your favorite MMO and what you need to do to get in on the fun.

New Aran class fights gigantic beast in this MapleStory trailer

by Kyle Horner Dec 16th 2009 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Video, MapleStory, Classes, News items

Nexon has released a video featuring their new Aran characters in MapleStory. In the video they fight a Balrog, although this isn't the exact beast most of you will remember from Tolkien's books, it's a close proximity... Okay, who are we kidding? This Balrog looks like a giant hairy beast with armor. At least it's more frightening than that cute kitty in the image above.

Nexon says, "The Balrog Party Quest is available for players with characters level 50, up to 120, and rewards the victors with formidable prizes like the Chaos Scrolls and White Scrolls." which to us, says you've basically got to put a hefty amount of time into playing before you'll even see this guy. However, the real focus of the video -- at least in our minds -- is new polearm wielding Aran characters whooping butt, so to speak. So if you're curious to see what this is all about, take a gander at the video below the cut.

Massively Features

Events Calendar

Name	Date
GenCon Indy	Aug 5-8, 2010
SOE Fan Faire	Aug 5-8, 2010
Xsyon Prelude Launch	Aug 15, 2010
GamesCom Expo	Aug 18-22, 2010
Earthrise Launch	Q3 2010
Dragon*Con	Sep 3-6, 2010
PAX Prime	Sep 3-5, 2010
Final Fantasy XIV Launch	Sep 30, 2010
GDC Online	Oct 5-8, 2010
LEGO Universe Launch	Oct 26, 2010
DCUO Launch	Nov 2, 2010

Massively Staff

Name	Title
Shawn Schuster	Editor-in-Chief
Seraphina Brennan	Senior Editor
Brianna Royce	West Coast Editor
Dan O'Halloran	Features Coordinator
Brendan Drain	Contributing Editor
Eliot Lefebvre	Contributing Editor
Jef Reahard	Contributing Editor
Justin Olivetti	Contributing Editor
Krystalle Voecks	Contributing Editor
Rubi Bayer	Contributing Editor
Tateru Nino	Contributing Editor
Beau Hindman	Columnist
Edward Marshall	Columnist
Greg Waller	Columnist
Jeremy Stratton	Columnist
Larry Everett	Columnist
MJ Guthrie	Columnist
Patrick Mackey	Columnist
Ryan Greene	Columnist
Lisa Poisso	Columnist