SCEJ just dropped a ton of information concerning several major PSP titles for the remainder of 2008. Three huge games are now officially slated for this holiday season in Japan, and two of them are certainly games you probably won't want to miss importing. Dissidia: Final Fantasy is now set for a December 18 release, while Patapon 2 Donchaka and Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam will both be out November 27 and 20, respectively.
All three games will be sold alongside bundled packs that include the new bright-screened PSP-3000. Patapon 2 Donchaka not only dons a new subtitle, but will also be available as a PS Store download for those who want to save a couple of bucks over the UMD version. This is a similar strategy as seen by Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida or2 and Bleach Soul Carnival. Tax-inclusive prices for games and bundles are after the break ... just in case you wanted to know how much money will be leaving your wallet this holiday season.
Is there a title more apt than Patapon 2? Perhaps not. The upcoming sequel to the critically acclaimed PSP exclusive will be double the size of the original, according to Famitsu (via PSPHyper). The number of stages to be found in the upcoming sequel is twice that of the first title, giving players a lot more to play. In addition, the story will be fleshed out even more, with hero Patapon getting their own special abilities throughout the adventure.
Although the gameplay concept was simple, it was very easy to lose the rhythm and meet one's doom in the original. Thankfully, the sequel will be a bit more accessible to players, as it will also indicate when a player is losing the beat. With more content, more enemies, more abilities, and multiplayer, it looks like there's a lot to be excited about when Patapon 2 releases in Japan later this year.
Patapon 2 was the other game we called out before it was ever first revealed. E3 was kind enough to give us one more look at this highly desired game. View the new screens in our gallery below.
Patapon 2 has been announced for a Japanese Winter 2008 release, and the biggest new feature for the game is the four player ad hoc. You can see that multiplayer aspect in the screen above where the objective of the mode is to charge forward together with a Faberge egg, all the while fighting enemies. Sounds interesting. Check out the rest of the screenshots at Famitsu.
The original Patapon was critically acclaimed for its simple, endearing, and surprisingly deep design. It shouldn't surprise anyone that the PSP exclusive music game is getting a sequel. The big draw this time? Ad-hoc multiplayer for four players. Hiroyuki Kotani explains to Famitsu (via 1UP) that there's a lot more to look forward to this time besides multiplayer. "There are lots more bosses and midboss-type enemies this time. We've got about double the amount of content to explore, just in terms of the number of stages alone. Add the customization options to that, and to be honest, you may never get to fully explore every bit of it."
The game is being prepped for a winter release in Japan. Undoubtedly, the US will also get its own version some time in the future as well. Hopefully, we'll also be able to see more of Patapon 2 at E3 next week.
According to PSPHyper, this week's issue of Famitsu is going to be all about PSP. Sounds sweet. Even sweeter, is hearing that in this issue, LocoRoco 2 and Patapon 2 are both confirmed. Well, for Japan anyways. Patapon 2 is set for Japanese release this Winter 2008 while LocoRoco 2 does not have a date.
Now now, don't worry folks; we're sure both titles will make State-side appearances soon. We're positively sure we're going to be seeing these titles at E3 this weekend. Stay tuned to PSP Fanboy, we'll have something up soon that'll help prepare you for all the exciting, upcoming E3 goodness.
Are you a Patapon master? Prove it in Sony's new official contest. Answer a series of trivia questions and you'll be entered in a contest where you can win a Be@rbrick figure, t-shirt and set of magnets. Twenty people will be randomly selected to win.
If you haven't played Patapon yet, you'll need to download the demo from the PLAYSTATION Store in order to get all the knowledge you need. Unfortunately, the Store is currently down for maintenance, but will be back up tomorrow.
We do not know who made this incredible fan art, but we want to know you. This Patapon piece is inspired by the blockbuster action movie, 300. Not only does the piece accurately recreate one of the film's most iconic moments, it does so with the blood-curling beat of the Patapon tribe: Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon.
Update: canecodesign is the artist. Check out the DeviantART page.
Patapon has managed to find its way into the hearts of many PSP gamers. Already, the game has a legion of dedicated fans, and they're pouring their love into some clever fan art. Benny T. sent us some of his art: a vicious reinterpretation of the musical warriors. Considering how blood-thirty these critters actually are, we find these drawings to be a rather accurate representation of the Patapon's true nature.
2P Start has a Patapon-inspired comic on their site, filled with puns (or as we call em, Pata-puns, get it?). It's a cute effort that managed to break through our cold, bitter hearts. Is that a smile that we're donning? How uncomfortable.
Patapon comes out ... well, today. This video by SCEA attempts to answer some last-minutes questions the members of Sony's Gamer Advisory Panel. We think we recognize some of the user names in this vid as PSP Fanboy regulars! The questions and answers aren't too revealing, but act as enough of a primer for those that haven't been following the game until now.
BE@RBRICK TM & (c) 2001-2007 MEDIACOM TOY CORPORATION
This super-rare Patapon figure is not available outside of Japan. Enter our giveaway for your chance to win one!
Are you as excited for Patapon as we are? (Read our review to find out why we're so excited about this game!) To celebrate the release of this unique PSP-exclusive music action game, SCEA has provided us a very exclusive Be@rbrick figure to give away. To enter, have a Patapon avatar on your Blogsmith profile, and leave a comment here. The comment must be left before Wednesday, February 28th, 5PM EST. You may enter only once on PSP Fanboy, and once on Joystiq. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing, one from each site. Grand Prize Winners will receive this Be@rbrick figure. Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC). You must be 18 years or older to enter.
If there is one genre that has really flourished on the PSP, it would be rhythm games. Titles like Lumines, beats, Parappa the Rapper, and Gitaroo Man have made Sony's handheld a must-have for any fans of the rhythm genre. And while all those games were fantastic titles, Pyramid's most recent PSP title, Patapon, manages to blows them all away with some of the most unique rhythm-based gameplay you'll ever experience.
Combining gameplay from a wide swath of genres, developers Pyramid managed to create a game that is part rhythm-based, part RPG, and part RTS. It's not always easy for developers to successfully combine genres to create a greater whole, but Pyramid absolutely nailed it with Patapon. The resulting gameplay makes Patapon one of the most unique titles to come along in years, on any system -- not just the PSP.
You play the roll of a long missing deity to a tribe of big-eyed warriors, called Patapons, who have been banished from their land and have lost the will to fight. In order to help the Patapons regain their former glory and achieve their final hope of seeing the mysterious 'it' at the end of the world, they need you and your mighty war drums to whip them into shape and get them motivated for some serious combat.
Not a bad week for PC Store content. The American store gets the same two demos as the Europeans have along with a full PSP game, Twisted Metal: Head-On. No doubt a timed cash-in considering the PS2 port was recently released. Here's the full release list:
MLB 08 The Show demo (free)
Patapon demo (free)
Twisted Metal: Head-On full game ($14.99)
Twisted Metal: Head-On Behind the Scenes video 3 (free)
Twisted Metal: Head-On Behind the Scenes video 4 (free)
Twisted Metal: Head-On PSP Wallpaper (free)
Have you started downloading the Patapon demo yet? Why not! Get it started.
Patapon's release is almost at hand. In just a few more weeks, PSP owners everywhere will be able to enjoy this innovative music-action game that's been turning quite a number of heads. Attractive graphics, a cute sense of style, and unique gameplay are all at the core of a game that's unlike anything we've seen before. These are some videos from the final English build of the game. While they may look good on your computer monitor, they'll look even better on your PSP. Stay tuned for our full review in a few days.
