The Dragonica Online open beta kicks off this week, running from September 3 to October 27. During the open beta, monsters will be dropping special raffle cards, which players can collect and accumulate until they are nearly choking on them. Raffle cards can either be redeemed for an in-game item, hoarded or combined in stacks of five to create high-end raffle cards.

So how does one win?

At the end of the beta testing event, every player with raffle cards in their possession is entered into a drawing to win real-world look as well as in-game items. Take a look at what THQ*ICE is offering up:

- A Trip To Korea: Meet the masterminds behind the game, Barunson Interactive, in-person;
- iHome’s iP71 iPod Computer Speakers: Charge, play, and sync your iPod and iPhone with iTunes while it’s docked securely into the base of the computer speakers;
- 8GB iTouch Video and Music Player: A perfect fit with your iHome speakers;
- Dragonica Online Skinned Laptop: Play Dragonica Online in style while on the go;
- ICE Cash: customise your character and gameplay experience with ICE Cash, the exclusive THQ*ICE virtual currency;
- In-Game Prize Pack: A collection of useful items every player should have while on their journey;
- Exclusive Dragonica Online Themed Premium Items: Cool wall scrolls & t-shirt

I crave the skinned laptop myself, but given the sheer adorability of Dragonica Online, I don’t like the odds. Visit the THQ*ICE registration page to sign up for a free account for the free to play MMO.

Well, it’s got a soaring theme song, that’s for sure. Bulma in a bikini, too.

Dragon Ball Online takes place 200 years after the manga’s end, when an organisation has divided up the world, which players set out to reunite. What’s more, players start off as kids, grow into adults and can select any of the major races—Saiyan, Nameks and Humans. Just as you’d expect with any MMO, players can also make their own avatars.

Artist Akira Toriyama is lending a hand to design characters, backgrounds and generally make sure the game looks all Toriyama-ey.

Originally announced for 2008, the game is going into closed beta testing next month. It is announced for release in South Korea this year.

The page dedicated for the game’s character classes showed the Barbarian, Witchdoctor, Wizard and Monk, though the final, still unconfirmed class, didn’t show any additional information when it was clicked on.

It should come as a surprise that the Monk appears to be coming to the latest iteration of Diablo. The Monk was a playable class in the original title along with the Barbarian, Bard, Rogue, Sorcerer and Warrior.

I suspect we’ll be getting some sort of official confirmation on this in the coming hour or so with Blizzcon just moments from going live.

[Thanks Jason]

While the gameplay looks a little “been there, done that”, it’s not the only overly-familiar thing about the trailer. That music sounds awfully familiar…

[Sudden Attack]

Battleswarm, Atari founder Nolan Bushnell’s online PC game that pits real-time strategy players against first-person shooter fans, is now allowing players to sign up for beta in advance of next month’s release.

Battleswarm seems to be coming along well for a game we only heard about just last month. That’s probably because the title, being developed by Gameworld Tech Co, LTD, was already released in Korea. The USA Today article the original story came from seems to credit Bushnell for development, but in reality it’s the company he co-founded, Reality Gap, Inc., that will be performing publishing duties in North America.

Korean Online titles ported to North America generally move into beta rather quickly, as is the case with Battleswarm: Field of honour. Anyone interested in pitting their RTS skills against opponents’ FPS skills and vice-versa can visit http://www.battleswarm.net/
to give it a go.

When South Korean game company SK-Imedia released the trailer for its upcoming PC title H.A.V.E. Online, some freaked about similarities with Valve’s Team Fortress 2.

Now a gameplay clip is out, is there still need for the hyperventilation?

Previously, some were calling the game “an embarrassment” to South Korean gaming to which SK-Imedia replied, “Debating (as to if it’s a rip off or not) is like having blind men touching an elephant and describing what it looks like. We will reveal the gameplay soon. Other than that, we have no comment at this time.”

해브(H.A.V.E.) 온라인 플레이 영상 [Tagstory Thanks, Tae Ho!]

H.A.V.E. Online is being called “an embarrassment” to the Korean game industry. Check out this comparison clip and judge for yourself.

Last week, we reported that its publisher SK iMedia has not commented about the likeness. Well, the company finally has made a statement. Korean web portal DC News did a phone interview with the publisher. “Debating (as to if it’s a rip off or not) is like having blind men touching an elephant and describing what it looks like,” said SK iMedia. “We will reveal the gameplay soon. Other than that, we have no comment at this time.”

Blind men touching an elephant and describing what it looks like?!

신작 게임 ‘H.A.V.E.’, ‘팀 포트리스2′와 비슷하다? [DC News Thanks, Torokun!]

Here, they come from right here. Animation by South Korea’s WooDUS. Music by Russians.

Behind the scenes: How Tetris blocks are made [Offworld via BoingBoing]

Ragnarok Online DS is the DS version of the Korean massively multiplayer online role-playing game Ragnarok Online. Already released in Japan, the DS version hits Korea this week.

While PCs traditionally dominate South Korea, Nintendo has made headway with the DS, so it will be interesting to see how a portable version of the massively popular MMORPG does.

It won’t be the first portable Ragnarok as there has already been a cell phone version in its native Korea.

Ragnarok Online DS will be released in North America this winter.