Taito fans will be happy to hear that many of the company's most popular franchises, including Rainbow Islands, Space Invaders, Bust-A-Move, and Arkanoid, are heading to DS and WiWare with brand new features and stages.
Yesterday, Taito announced that Arkanoid Plus!, Bust-A-Move Plus!, and Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! are heading to WiiWare. In addition, the company finally announced that the DS games, Space Bust-A-Move and Space Invaders Extreme 2, will be released in North America.
Arkanoid Plus! is the newest entry in the classic brick-breaking series. Players will need to use the paddle at the bottom of the screen to bounce a ball at the colored rectangles above. A slew of power-ups, such as lasers, can be used to help eliminate both the blocks and the evil Moai-shaped boss, DOH. A new twist on the classic Arkanoid formula is the existence of an Energy Ball that sits amongst the blocks and must not be allowed to drop. There will also be a multiplayer mode available when the game is released this summer.
Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is an all-new sequel to the original arcade Rainbow Islands, which itself was a sequel to Bubble Bobble. The new game will continue the adventures of Bubby and Bobby as they try to make Holly's Comet bring their dreams to reality. Players will harness the protagonist's rainbow-producing magic to help them scale platforms and defeat enemies. The game is scheduled to be released on June 15.
Puzzle game fanatics will find a lot to their liking in Bust-A-Move Plus! for WiiWare and Space Bust-A-Move for the DS. Both feature the bubble-popping action that the series is known for. Shooting colored bubbles with the trusty cannon is the main way to complete stages. Space Bust-A-Move features enhanced graphics, customization options, local wireless play, mini-games, and battles with space-faring bosses. On the other hand, Bust-A-Move Plus! will include 135 brand new levels and have over 270 levels from previous entries in the series available for download. The release date for Space Bust-A-Move is July 28 and Bust-A-Move Plus! arrives this summer.
Last but not least is Space Invaders Extreme 2, which features even more of the frantic shooting action that made the original so popular. Just like in the arcade original, players must shoot every alien ship on the screen if they wish to keep playing. The sequel will have an overhauled battle system, a time attack mode, and online play. Expect Space Invaders Extreme 2 to be in stores this fall.
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 27 /PRNewswire/ -- TAITO Corporation (TAITO(R)), 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(TM) service and Nintendo DS(TM) 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(R) 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(R) Plus!, Rainbow Islands(TM): Towering Adventure!(TM) and ARKANOID(R) 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(TM) 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(TM)
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. Download 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!