onami does not disappoint. At their annual Gamer’s Night, the industry giant confirmed they have big plans for 2008 and released a flood of news for us to share with you. Read on to learn about what Konami has in store for the upcoming year.
New Castlevania Title Announced
Konami announced a new game for their Fall 2008 lineup. Castlevania: Order of the Ecclesia will be the newest installment to the longstanding series. Furnished with a brand new Glyph attack system, players will be able to take on Dracula and his horde using up to 100 special attack combinations. 20 locations to explore will be featured in Order of Ecclesia, which is being developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS. Outdoor locations will range from forests to the ocean, allowing players the rare chance to explore outside of Dracula’s Castle.
"We have always felt that the Castlevania franchise has been an excellent fit on Nintendo DS, and based on the popularity of the DS classics, Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, our fans agree," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We fully expect Order of Ecclesia to ignite the fan base once again as it combines the classic Castlevania gameplay with an all-new combat system and outdoor environments."
In Order of Ecclesia players are members of an organization sworn to defeat Dracula and his evil forces. Using the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, head-to-head battles and equipment trades are possible. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is under development by renowned Castlevania producer Koji “Iga” Igarashi and scheduled for released in the Fall of 2008.
Lost In Blue: Shipwrecked In Development For The Wii
The Lost in Blue franchise is officially making its way to home console market with the announcement of Shipwrecked for the Wii. The survival adventure title strands players on a mysterious island full of forests, ruins and an active volcano. Players can explore the island and uncover mysteries in an attempt to find a way home, or they can start a new life with their pets and friends on the island.
Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck controls, Shipwrecked will have players practice survival skills with realistic hand gestures. Over 40 mini-games featuring fishing, carpentry, fire-making and cooperative challenges populate the new title.
"Building upon the success of the previous Lost in Blue DS titles, we wanted to give fans an extended experience in the first console version of the series," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "Bringing the series to Wii will ensure fans receive the most exciting, immersive survival adventure game to date."
Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked is slated for release Fall of 2008.
Konami Sheds Light On Rock Revolution
Konami – the music geniuses behind Guitar Freaks, Beatmania, Karaoke Revolution and the DDR franchise – announced their plans expand Konami’s music-themed roster. Rock Revolution boasts an unmatched rock experience with the most realistic drum peripheral on the market, bass and lead guitar.
"Rock Revolution will be the most innovative and realistic rock game to hit the market, that will provide a quality drum peripheral and music that players will appreciate," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "As the originator of music-based games, we are dedicated to bringing fans a truly preeminent music experience. With Rock Revolution, we put the emphasis on the drum kit, delivering an experience unlike any other."
The Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 versions of Rock Revolution will feature an extensive music selection packed in the game disk along with downloadable songs available at launch. A unique feature for the Wii version of Rock Revolution will be the ability to air-drum and air-guitar using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck controls. Rock Revolution is also in development for the Nintendo DS, where the stylus will be the primary rhythm tool.
Rock Revolution will make its debut this Fall for all four previously mentioned platforms.
Konami Celebrates 10 Years Of DDR With New Releases
Konami let loose details of three new DDR titles to ship this Fall in honor of 10 years of Dance Dance Revolution.
"We cannot thank our fans enough for their continued devotion to the Dance Dance Revolution franchise. The continued popularity and longevity of Dance Dance Revolution has transformed it from a video game into something much bigger and more special," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We wanted to celebrate this special occasion by bringing to market three new versions of the game that offer the biggest and best musical selections along with a slate of unique features."
The first of the three titles, Dance Dance Revolution X, will be the latest DDR release for the PlayStation 2. Featuring hits from today’s top artists, players will be able to LAN Battle Mode up to eight players simultaneously. Also, players will be able to create their own custom workout and fitness programs as well as put themselves in the game with the Eye Toy peripheral.
Dance Dance Revolution: Universe 3 brings DDR back to the Xbox 360 once again. The title introduces DJ Mode – where players can create tracks and song lists – and City Mode – where players can dance their way to the top by competing against bosses. Over 65 songs are available in Universe 3, which also features online multiplayer capabilities. To top it off, over 400 customization options are available promising each character to be unique to you.
Last, Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2 will be making its way to the Nintendo Wii. Four player multiplayer, Wii remote and Nunchuck support and music spanning four decades round out the release. New modes include Head-to-Head battles, Dance n’ Defend Battle mode and Groove Arena mode.