Rising Star To Publish DS Games

A new game publisher announcing new Nintendo DS titles and closing the gap between Japanese and European releases? Count us in for Rising Star! Head inside for Bubble Bobble Revolution, Space Invaders Revolution and four Harvest Moon games.

Rising Star is a joint venture between Japanese publisher Marvelous Interactive and long-standing Japanese Nintendo distributor Bergsala AB. The company will initially publish titles for the PSP, the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation 2, introducing new games alongside enhanced and updated iterations of interactive entertainment's most loved franchises. Rising Star's launch portfolio includes the first ever appearance of a Harvest Moon title on PlayStation 2, along with new versions on the Nintendo DS and GameCube.

The firm's goal is to reduce the period between Japanese and Western release and thus "reversing the threat of grey imports". Thanks to Rising Star's close working relationship with its development partners, there will even be occasions where the European release is ahead of the Japanese street date.

"Japan is the most vibrant and creative territory for videogames with global appeal," said Mr. Owe Bergsten, CEO of Rising Star. "Rising Star will identify the best Japanese titles which are most suitable for European gamers and work closely with our development teams to ensure that they can be published, fully localised, of course, on or ahead of their native release."

Mr. Shigeki Takeuchi, Managing Director at Rising Star, added: "Rising Star is a radical new concept for the global interactive entertainment industry ? reducing the delay European consumers would ordinarily expect. By removing the gap between Eastern and Western releases, we're giving the European games industry a legitimate domestic business, and European gamers the titles they crave."

The first trio of titles sees Bubble Bobble Revolution and Space Invaders Revolution appear in significantly enhanced form on Nintendo DS, along with Sword of Destiny on PS2. A new Evolution series will be introduced on PSP later in the year, which will enhance classic franchises further for the new Sony handheld.

Space Invaders Revolution takes the much-loved original format and enhances it for the Nintendo DS with a host of new game modes and challenges, all wrapped up in next-generation handheld visuals and audio.

Bubble Bobble Revolution will make full use of the Nintendo DS's touch screen, offering players the opportunity to interact with the game's vibrant environments in spectacular and innovative ways.

European gamers will be treated to four new iterations of Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon: Oh Wonderful Life will appear on GameCube (and PS2) in September (and October 2005 for the PS2 version). Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town arrives on Game Boy Advance in June 2004, with an all-new Harvest Moon game (working title: Harvest Moon DS) arriving on the Nintendo DS in November 2005. Each of these versions will offer a slightly different twist on the staggeringly popular Harvest Moon theme, and promises to introduce the series' wonderful concept to a whole new audience.

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Comments

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  Yeah. By the way... probably big news tonight at 18:00 (CET) from Capcom... Viewtiful Joe DS and Megaman Battle Networks DS are expected to be revealed. Unfortunately I can't be here to report it until tomorrow :/

  Dennis, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  gamers Day was 2 days ago, but the embargo is lifted in 1 hour from now (18:00 CET). Guess I'll follow the rest for a change :P

  Dennis, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  more crap games :( harvest moon is ok :)

  webhero, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  Capcom has been making so many great games lately. Right now I?m playing the Resident Evil 4 and I?m going to get their killer 7 game. How about Resident Evil DS?

  the_offical_jim, 30-11--0001 at 00:00