‘Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces’ For Wii starts its final descent into Europe

– NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe to Launch Flight Action Title Based on Acclaimed Anime Feature Film in PAL Regions February 2010 –

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE –19 November 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today confirmed the Europe and PAL release of Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, the flight action game exclusively for Wii based on the acclaimed 2008 Japanese anime feature film from internationally renowned director Mamoru Oshii. The game will bring its unique blend of high altitude fighter action and beguiling Japanese anime production values to Wii players in Europe and beyond on February 2010.

Developed by Project Aces, the team behind Ace Combat at NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. in Japan, Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces pushes the Wii hardware to the extremes of its capabilities, delivering an impressively hi-fidelity rendition of intense arcade-style aerial combat. The Wii Nunchuk is used as a joystick to control the planes in flight, and the high altitude action is supplemented with over 30 minutes of gorgeous anime cinematics. The brand new story has been created by the Project Aces team in close collaboration with the licensor, keeping faithful to the Sky Crawlers universe.

“The talented Project Aces team here in Tokyo have worked very hard to make the best possible flight game on Wii and we are very proud with what we have achieved,” said Daisuke Uchiyama, producer NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. “The control system lets players handle the game like a real aircraft using the Wii Nunchuk as a joystick, which is really a lot of fun for anyone who likes flight games.”

In a world where there is no more war, corporations stage fictional war ‘shows’ on a massive scale to make people truly feel at peace. In Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, the player takes the role of a top ranked pilot transferred from another base and newly enlisted in the Rostock Corporation, an enterprise of war that has recently welcomed a batch of intriguing new pilots into their ace squadron. Not even the officers at the base are able to hide their confusion at these new recruits who appear to be mere children. One girl, Maumi Orishina, stands out from the rest. In the sky reflected in her eyes, the dogfight begins.

Directed by Mamoru Oshii and animated by Production I.G., the film The Sky Crawlers was rapturously received in Japan and overseas, winning the Future Film Festival Digital Award at the 65th Venice International Film Festival amongst a brace of other awards. Following its release in the US, the DVD and Blu-ray of the film is coming soon to Europe and other territories worldwide.

An original and engrossing arcade flight action adventure, Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is scheduled for launch in Europe and PAL territories in winter 2010 exclusively for Wii. For more information, please visit www.namcobandaigames.eu

About NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe:
NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., is a leading interactive entertainment software publisher based in Cergy-Pontoise, France. The company is a part of the NAMCO BANDAI group of companies known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including the RidgeRacer™, Tekken™, SOULCALIBUR™, Tamagotchi™, Digimon™, Dragonball® and Naruto™ brands.

© MH/NI,BWDVYHDYCH
© GeoEye © JAPAN SPACE IMAGING CORPORATION
© European Space Imaging
© 2008 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.

NINTENDO DS, Wii AND THE Wii LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO.
# # #