History VideoGame / DragonSeeds

''Dragon Seeds'' is a 1999 PlayStation game that takes an unusually [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism grim and gritty]] stance to the {{Mons}} genre--presumably to appeal to an [[DarkerAndEdgier older audience.]] The gameplay follows suit, with failed battles often resulting in PermaDeath for the user, and with monsters using a wide array of dangerous-looking weapons to do battle. It also features a very unique mechanic: It can read PlayStation memory cards, and use the data on them to generate monsters both for in-game use and for "memory battles" between players.

* SealedBadassInACan: The original prehistoric beast--never explicitly ''called'' a dragon in the OpeningScroll, but heavily implied.
** Any champions you have stored in the lab could count, as well.

* WretchedHive: Pablo's, where non-sanctioned battles take place, and dragonsages fight for wagers. It's the only place in-game where you can use so-called "wild" dragons generated from memory cards.

* WretchedHive: Pablo's, where non-sanctioned battles take place, and dragonsages fight for wagers. It's the only place in-game where you can use so-called "wild" dragons generated from memory cards.

* HopelessBossFight: Your very first fight is scripted, and your dragon is a baby with dismal stats up against a powerful fully-grown dragon. [[ButThouMust You can't refuse the fight]], and there's no script for a fluke win (using a Gameshark to make your dragon invincible can allow you to win, but this leads to a minor graphical glitch and the characters carrying on as if your dragon had died, and you won't have it anymore after the fight).

* HopelessBossFight: Your very first fight is scripted, and your dragon is a baby with dismal stats paired up against a powerful fully-grown dragon. [[ButThouMust You can't refuse the fight]], and there's no script for a fluke win (using a Gameshark to make your dragon invincible can allow you to win, but this leads to a minor graphical glitch and the characters carrying on as if your dragon had died, and you won't have it anymore after the fight).

** Subverted with dragons that manage to reach the "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin immortal]]" life stage - these dragons no longer age, and can keep fighting forever until they're either released by the player or killed in battle. The game never forces you to give them up. The same goes for wild-caught dragons, but these can only be used at Pablo's, and are forbidden from participating in official tournaments.

* GoshHornet: The Wasp species are all, well, giant wasps. [[spoiler: Except in their final evolutions, where they take on other insectoid forms--and some even become graceful fairies.]]

* ButThouMust: You HAVE to pit your fresh, baby dragon against Count Awazanak's [[Hogrand champion.

* {{BFS}}: Considering the size that the dragons are supposed to be, even the smallest dagger fits into this category. However, there are some that are larger than your dragon!

* BFS: Considering the size that the dragons are supposed to be, even the smallest dagger fits into this category. However, there are some that are larger than your dragon!

* PermaDeath: Lose all your HP in battle, and your dragon is ''dead,'' no exceptions. The game strongly encourages you to play it safe and surrender if you're fighting a losing battle, but [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard most opponents never will, and you'll have to deal a killing blow.]]
* RaisingSim: Has elements of one.

It's also unique among {{Mons}} games at the time in that, while most mons games at the time [[FollowTheLeader drew inspiration from]] {{Pokemon}}, this game takes a more ''VideoGame/MonsterRancher''-esque approach, with RaisingSim elements. The whole thing is topped off with a very distinct soundtrack, which relies heavily on {{Sampling}} and remixing. All together, one of the more unique {{Mons}} games to come out of the 90's fad.

''Dragon Seeds'' is a 1999 PlayStation game that takes an unusually [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism grim and gritty]] stance to the {{Mons}} genre--presumably to appeal to an [[DarkerAndEdgier older audience.]] The gameplay follows suit, with failed battles often resulting in PermaDeath for the user, and with monsters using a wide array of dangerous-looking weapons to do battle. It also features a very unique mechanic: It can read PlayStation memory cards, and use the data on them to generate monsters both for in-game use and for "memory battles" between players. It's also unique among {{Mons}} games at the time in that, while most mons games at the time [[FollowTheLeader drew inspiration from]] {{Pokemon}}, this game takes a more MonsterRancher-esque approach, with RaisingSim elements. The whole thing is topped off with a very distinct soundtrack, which relies heavily on {{Sampling}} and remixing. All together, one of the more unique {{Mons}} games to come out of the 90's fad.

* ReleasedToElsewhere: The game is a little odd about this. Your dragon ages as the days pass, reaching "old" age in roughly the span of a month. Once or twice you're told that at the end of this time frame, your dragon dies, but when this actually happens you're sent to the forest and told that your dragon will be happy there. The implication seems to be that your dragon probably has at least a little time left, but is no longer strong enough to fight and thus releasing it is a more economic option than keeping it (or, if you prefer, that allowing it to live out its last days in freedom is kinder than letting it die in the city).

''Dragon Seeds'' (also known as ''Monster Seeds'' in Europe) is a 1999 PlayStation game that takes an unusually [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism grim and gritty]] stance to the {{Mons}} genre--presumably to appeal to an [[DarkerAndEdgier older audience.]] The gameplay follows suit, with failed battles often resulting in PermaDeath for the user, and with monsters using a wide array of dangerous-looking weapons to do battle. It also features a very unique mechanic: It can read PlayStation memory cards, and use the data on them to generate monsters both for in-game use and for "memory battles" between players. It's also unique among {{Mons}} games at the time in that, while most mons games at the time [[FollowTheLeader drew inspiration from]] {{Pokemon}}, this game takes a more MonsterRancher-esque approach, with RaisingSim elements. The whole thing is topped off with a very distinct soundtrack, which relies heavily on {{Sampling}} and remixing. All together, one of the more unique {{Mons}} games to come out of the 90's fad.

** Subverted with dragons that manage to reach the "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin immortal]]" life stage - these dragons no longer age, and can keep fighting forever until they're either released by the player or killed in battle. The game never forces you to give them up.

* DudeWheresMyRespect: Averted, as when you climb the ranks, NPCs take notice and will congratulate you. Sometimes they'll even give you special treatment, such as Nancy offering you a sale as congratulations. However, if you change to a less decorated dragon, the NPCs forget you other acts and focus solely on the active dragon.

** Averted with dragons that manage to reach the "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin immortal]]" life stage - these dragons no longer age, and can keep fighting forever until they're either released by the player or killed in battle. The game never forces you to give them up.

** Averted with dragons that manage to reach the "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin immortal]]" life stage - these dragons no longer age, and can keep fighting forever until they're either released or killed. The game never forces you to give them up.

* ReleasedToElsewhere: The game is a little odd about this. Your dragon ages as the days pass, reaching "old" age in roughly the span of a month. Once or twice you're told that at the end of this time frame, your dragon dies, but when this actually happens you're sent to the forest and told that your dragon will be happy there. The implication seems to be that your dragon probably has at least a little time left, but is no longer strong enough to fight and thus releasing it is a more economic option than keeping it.

* ReleasedToElswhere: The game is a little odd about this. Your dragon ages as the days pass, reaching "old" age in roughly the span of a month. Once or twice you're told that at the end of this time frame, your dragon dies, but when this actually happens you're sent to the forest and told that your dragon will be happy there. The implication seems to be that your dragon probably has at least a little time left, but is no longer strong enough to fight and thus releasing it is a more economic option than keeping it.

* RareCandy: Ishuka sells a number of different varieties, from simple stat-ups that are relatively cheap, to equipment buffers, to rare items that increase the usages of your special attacks.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: The intro scene implies an epic story involving a cloning war, global takeover, and a partial AfterTheEnd setting. Very little of this is reflected in the actual game.

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Most of them don't even look like dragons! However, the Saurian species most strongly resembles a traditional dragon.