Torrance, Calif., (October 2, 2008) – Game publishers Marvelous Entertainment USA and XSEED Games announced today that the highly anticipated title, Muramasa: The Demon Blade (known in Japan as “Oboro Muramasa Youtouden”), is currently in development and will be released for the North American market. A unique, highly stylized action RPG (role playing game) videogame, Muramasa: The Demon Blade will ship in North America in 2009, exclusively for the Wii.
“Muramasa: The Demon Blade is an incredibly special title,” stated Yasuhiro Wada, Managing Director of Marvelous Entertainment. “From the team that created the critically acclaimed Odin Sphere, Muramasa features a stunning visual look and palette that will be embraced by gamers world wide. We’re pleased to continue our relationship with XSEED Games to bring such an anticipated title to the massive North American gaming market.”
Jun Iwasaki, President of XSEED Games, shared Mr. Wada’s sentiments. “Gamers are already excited for Muramasa. The game has already been included in many ‘must-have Wii games’ lists. We feel this enthusiasm will only continue to grow as gamers learn more about the mysterious ‘Demon Blades, and have the opportunity to experience the life of a ninja warrior.”
When Cammie Dunaway took the helm of the conference today in North America, while introducing The Conduit, Dunaway noted that the game is an “exclusive first-party shooter coming to Wii.” Because of this statement, some were quick to assume that Nintendo would be publishing the title. However, this is not the case. In actuality, Dunaway meant to say that The Conduit is an “exclusive first-person shooter” for Wii.
WHAT: TAITO Corporation (TAITO™), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., has updated the date of its upcoming game EXIT™ DS from October 7 to November 4, 2008.
EXIT DS
Developer: TAITO Corporation
Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
Genre: Action Puzzle
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Ship Date: November 4, 2008The stylish and inventive action puzzle game comes to Nintendo DS! As professional escape artist Mr.Esc, players must maneuver through burning buildings and sinking ships as they dodge disaster and save survivors along the way. EXIT DS makes a smooth return to the portable scene with all-new Touch-Screen functionality and over 100 stages to solve.
WHEN: EXIT DS for the Nintendo DS™ will be available on November 4, 2008.
Melee combat in Mushroom Men is the bread and butter of the combat system. The most basic form of melee combat is the three-hit-combo. Players who connect with all three hits of their combos will deal more and more damage to the enemy. Each hit of the combo becomes more powerful than the one before (50%, 75%, 100%). After the three hits of the combo are over, the player has a chance to do something different, like jump-attacks, blocks, rolls or spore powers. This mix of vastly different physical combat actions allows players to use their own unique styles throughout the game and be strategic in how they go about it.
In Mushroom Men, you can also turn any enemy attack into a roll to help prevent injury (similar to the way a game like Soul Calibur allows you to perform “ukemi” by landing on your feet after being knocked down if you press block at the right moment). A lot of work went into the timing aspects of the animations as mapped to user input. If players attack during an attack animation before the next combo is possible, it will buffer that input and remember that the player intended to chain the attack. If they delay their attack input until after the previous attack is over, then there is a window of opportunity upon which their attack input results in an instant transition to the next attack animation. This ability to delay attack chains allows players to control the rhythm of the combo however they please.
The core aim of the combat system is to avoid making players feel like they are fighting the controller. After all is said and done, Mushroom Men is in no way intended to be a hardcore fighting game; it simply incorporates some elements of fighting games in order to lend freedom to the player in plausible situations.
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo today disclosed a number of surprises, including new games, the ability to use the Wii™ console to chat with friends near and far, and the expansion of the popular Club Nintendo rewards program to North America.
Continuing its commitment to supply new game experiences for every level of player, Nintendo revealed a wide range of games for the 2008 holiday season and beyond. A number of games are slated for 2009, including a new Punch-Out!! ™ and Sin & Punishment 2 for Wii, and Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon and Mario & Luigi™ RPG 3 for Nintendo DS™. Consumers also can expect a new “Personal Trainer” series of titles designed to help users enrich their lives and learn new skills in fun and interesting ways.
Nintendo also announced that North American supplies of the Wii video game console between October and December will see a significant increase from 2007’s levels, and that Nintendo DS will also be available in greater abundance than ever before.
Japan and Europe have had a Club Nintendo program for quite some time now, but what about North America? It was announced at Nintendo’s NA press conference today that North America will be receiving Club Nintendo as well. Points can be gathered and then traded in for an assortment of Nintendo items.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS) – October 21
Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Alma (DS) – November 10
Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii) – November 16
Wii Speak Channel – November 16
Personal Trainer: Cooking (DS) – November 24
Tecmo Bowl (DS) – November 2008
Age of Empires: Mythologies (DS) – November 2008
The Conduit (Wii) – Q1 2009
Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop (Wii) – Winter 2009
MadWorld (Wii) – March 2009
Punch-Out!! (Wii) – First half ’09
Rhythm Heaven (DS) – First half ’09
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS) – First half ’09
Mario & Luigi RPG 3 (DS) – 2009
Sin and Punishment 2 (Wii) – 2009
DSi – “Well into 2009”
