Outside of matches, the game behaves like a traditional top-down JRPG. Players explore the Raimon campus and the surrounding city, talk to NPCs, open treasure chests containing gear, and engage in random encounters.
The story follows Mark Evans (Mamoru Endo in the original Japanese version), a passionate and energetic goalkeeper who captains the Raimon Junior High football club. When the game begins, the Raimon team is in a pathetic state. They have only seven members, lack motivation, and are on the verge of being disbanded by the school board.
: To get this fan-favorite midfielder, you must visit the Inazuma Station during the first chapter and later type his name into the scout machine. Main Story Length : Completing the main story typically takes around Community Sentiment inazuma eleven 1 ds
Released by the acclaimed developer Level-5 (known for Professor Layton and Ni no Kuni ), Inazuma Eleven is a unique hybrid that fuses the stat-management and exploration of a traditional Role-Playing Game (RPG) with the high-octane action of arcade soccer. It is the inaugural title in a franchise that would go on to spawn massive anime series, movies, and sequels, but it all started here on the Nintendo DS.
While the graphics are dated and the random encounter rate (every 5 steps outside of a safe zone) can be annoying, achieves something very few games do: it makes you feel like the protagonist of a Saturday morning cartoon. Outside of matches, the game behaves like a
Success in these duels is also governed by a : Wind beats Mountain, Mountain beats Fire, Fire beats Forest, and Forest beats Wind. Recruitment: "Gotta Scout 'Em All"
Instead of just passing the ball, you can trigger Axel Blaze’s signature "Fire Tornado," where the player spins into the air like a drill surrounded by flames. Rather than a standard save, Mark Evans can activate "God Hand," an enormous, spectral hand that blocks the goal. These techniques require Technical Points (TP) and are the key to beating the game’s toughest opponents. Watching the close-up cutscenes of these moves never gets old and remains a major highlight of the gameplay loop. When the game begins, the Raimon team is in a pathetic state
The definitive highlight of Inazuma Eleven is its over-the-top special moves, known as . When a standard tackle or shot won't suffice, players can spend Technical Points (TP) to trigger bombastic, beautifully animated sequences.
Players navigate Raimon Junior High and other Japanese towns in a standard top-down RPG style. In this mode, you talk to NPCs, find treasure chests with gear, and engage in "random encounters"—short 4v4 soccer battles that serve as the game’s version of combat for leveling up.
The success of the DS original spawned a franchise consisting of multiple trilogies ( Inazuma Eleven Go , Chronos Stone , Galaxy ), spin-off Wii titles, and a dedicated global fanbase. Today, as fans look forward to modern revivals like Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road , the original Nintendo DS cartridge remains highly sought after by collectors—a testament to the time Mark Evans and his ragtag team caught lightning in a bottle.
Upon its European release, Inazuma Eleven was met with generally favorable reviews. On Metacritic, the game holds a based on 11 critic reviews, with many praising its unique and charming blend of genres.