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Taito busts a move, lines up six rehashed fan-faves this summer

by: Randy -
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Bubble BobbleTaito has got a summer's worth of rehashed hits coming to Nintendo DS and WiiWare.  The headliner is Bubble Bobble Plus! for WiiWare, already available for download.  It now tops out at 500 total rounds, features four-person multiplayer, and a global ranking system.  So ff you don't get your fix of Bub and Bob by the end of that...

...Then you get get more bubble-popping action with Bust-a-Move Plus! which features 135 new levels, and 270 additional levels downloadable from Bust-a-Move 2, Super Bust-a-Move, and Bust-a-Move 3

Or you can get Bubby and Bobby (note a naming pattern forming?) to the top of a tower on Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! to have their wishes granted by Holly's Comet.  Or something.

And as the fourth WiiWare release, Arkanoid Plus! (don't forget all the exclamation points, kids -- only half-points on your quizes if you forget them), you can get the energy ball bouncing off the walls with single- and multiplayer modes.

In addition (whew), Space Bust-a-Move and Space Invaders Extreme 2 are puzzling and shooting their way onto the Nintendo DS.  And if the first Space Invaders Extreme is any indication, this is a great announcement for DSers.

FROM BUBBLE BOBBLE TO SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2,
SIX CLASSIC TAITO TITLES ANNOUNCED FOR NINTENDO PLATFORMS

TAITO Delivers Fan-Favorites to Nintendo DS and WiiWare This Summer and Beyond

 

LOS ANGELES (May 26, 2009) ―TAITO Corporation (TAITO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., announced today that it is bringing six addictively fun, classic titles to Nintendo’s WiiWare™ service and Nintendo DS™ in the coming months. These all-new sequels and revamps of fan-favorites will provide endless fun for the entire family this summer and beyond.

 

Launching first is BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! for WiiWare, now available for download. The hit arcade game BUBBLE BOBBLE has been adapted for home and handheld consoles alike since its 1986 release, but now for the first time the game offers a four-person multiplayer mode and a global ranking system with BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus!.   

 

In addition, TAITO will be releasing BUST-A-MOVE Plus!, Rainbow Islands™: Towering Adventure! ™ and ARKANOID Plus! for WiiWare. With a total of 135 all-new stages and a two-person multiplayer mode, BUST-A-MOVE Plus! provides non-stop bubble-popping entertainment, while Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! invites players to continue the adventures of Bubby and Bobby as they use Rainbow Magic to climb the tower through exciting new vertical stages. ARKANOID Plus! is the newest addition to the ARKANOID legacy and more addictive than ever before. An old-school classic with a new and colorful twist, players can even test their ARKANOID Plus! mastery against others via the two-player battle and co-op modes.

 

TAITO will also be offering two new releases for Nintendo DS: SPACE BUST-A-MOVE and Space Invaders Extreme™ 2. SPACE BUST-A-MOVE is a new adventure for iconic heroes Bub and Bob, who battle intergalactic bosses in order to save the galaxy. The game offers improved graphics, customization options, intense multiplayer competition and mini-games for an exhilarating puzzle-solving experience. Also set in outer space, Space Invaders Extreme 2 is a follow-up to the hugely popular SPACE INVADERS EXTREME released last year. A must-have follow-up for arcade fans everywhere, Space Invaders Extreme 2 offers an enhanced battle system, a challenging new time attack mode and an expanded gameplay progression that goes beyond Fever Time to SUPER FEVER TIME!

 

Please see below for product details:

 

 

WiiWare Releases

 

 

BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus!

Platform: Wii™ 

Genre: Action

ESRB: E (Everyone)

Launch Date: Available Now

 

Twin Bubble Dragons Bub and Bob reunite to journey through the Cave of Monsters to rescue their girlfriends. Push and burst bubbles while avoiding enemies in order to solve the mystery hidden in each round and defeat the final boss!

 

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/bbp/.

 

 

 

BUST-A-MOVE Plus!

Platform: Wii

Genre: Puzzle

ESRB: E (Everyone)

Launch Date: Summer 2009

 

Enjoy brilliant graphics and dazzling animations in BUST-A-MOVE Plus! Play in either Puzzle Mode or Battle Mode and experience the exhilaration of shooting and eliminating shimmering bubbles through 135 all-new levels that span six distinctly different planetary environments. Take advantage of new Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection functionality by downloading a total of 270 additional levels from BUST-A-MOVE 2, Super BUST-A-MOVE and BUST-A-MOVE 3.

 

 

 

Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!           

Platform: Wii

Genre: Action/Adventure

ESRB: E (Everyone)

Launch Date: June 15, 2009

 

A sequel to the instant classic from the 80s, Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is a much-awaited update for the 21st century. Help brothers Bubby and Bobby use their Rainbow Magic to scale the tower and have Holly's Comet grant their wishes!

 

The official website can be found at http://www.rainbowislandsadventure.com/.

 

 

ARKANOID Plus!         

Platform: Wii

Genre: Arcade Puzzle

ESRB: Not Yet Rated

Launch Date: Summer 2009

 

A simple game that’s anything but boring, players must use the VAUS to break all the walls on each level while preventing the Energy Ball from falling. Clearing all the levels without missing the Energy Ball is easier said than done! Now with single and multiplayer modes, ARKANOID Plus! offers hours of engrossing gameplay.

 

 

 

Nintendo DS Releases

 

 

 

SPACE BUST-A-MOVE

Platform: Nintendo DS

Genre: Puzzle

ESRB: E (Everyone)

Ship Date: July 28, 2009

 

The smash-hit classic arcade game goes where no bubble has gone before in SPACE BUST-A-MOVE. Journey alongside twin brothers Bub and Bob, travelling to distant planets collecting Cosmo Bubbles in order to stop the evil Devilin from taking over the galaxy.

 

The official website can be found at http://www.spacebustamove.com/.

 

 

SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2

Platform: Nintendo DS 

Genre: Arcade Shooter

ESRB: Not Yet Rated

Ship Date: Fall 2009

 

Shoot, attack and stave off the assault by defeating all the Invaders on the screen. After annihilating a battalion of Invaders and defeating the Boss, players move on to the next stage. But it’s “Game Over” if players lose all of their stock cannons!

 

 

 

About TAITO Corporation

TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS, and developed such fan favorites as EXIT™ and ARKANOID. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at http://www.taito.com/.

 

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc. 

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises – FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST, which has sold over 47 million units worldwide – under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

 

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.