NIS America announced today that the spiritual sequel to the Atelier
Iris series will be heading to the PlayStation Portable System in January 2009.
With an all new multi‐player mode, players can now team up and hunt down monsters
to get rare items. Also new to the PSP version is a data installment feature which installs
part of the game onto the memory stick to make the game load quicker.
The 4th entry in the RPG series, Mana Khemia is different from the previous Atelier Iris
games. Mana Khemia is a campus sim style RPG, where you can interact with
classmates and professors to complete academic quests. You play as Vayne Aurelius, a
novice alchemist who was invited to attend Al‐Revis Academy. At the academy, Vayne
will meet human and not so human alchemists, and together you will solve the
mysteries of alchemy.

Key Features
Multi-player‐A co‐op mode were you can battle monsters together to get rare items.

Jump Start‐Install part of the game on to the memory stick to make loads faster.

Academic Quests – Players will take on quests that the professor assigns. If you fail your
mission, you may have to stay after school. Also depending on who you work with for
your assignments, the outcome of the story will change.

Avatar Crafting ‐ Personalize your characters by “crafting” skills and stats instead of just
leveling up through combat. Crafting skills and stats allows the player to create unique
characters like a warrior that excels in summoning magic or a magician that’s an expert
at snipe shooting.

Item Crafting – A comprehensive item/weapon crafting system. Create anything from
healing potions to swords through alchemy.

Team Crafting ‐ Craft items using your team’s recipe.
Symbol Encounters – No more random encounters. Visually confirm and engage
enemies.

NIS America announced today that “Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?”
will be heading to the PlayStation® Portable System in late February 2009.
As Nippon Ichi Software’s first pure action game, Prinny will be the most heartpounding
and challenging sidescrolling action game ever. Players will control an unlucky
penguin dude called a Prinny p g y and slash their way through various Netherworlds.
For this tough‐as‐nails action game, you’re given 1000 units to accomplish your mission,
but even with those 1000 units you will have to use everything you find on the
battlefield to survive. Lift and throw objects, stomp enemies, even pilot tanks and
planes to bombard whatever gets in your way!

MULTIPLE DIFFICULTIES: Standard mode allows you to take damage up to 3 times
before losing a life, giving mere mortals a chance to beat the game. We also have Hell mode, where one means instant death! Good luck!

Screens, and art after jump

(more…)

First Ever KOF Collection Ships to Retailers Across North America

SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION, the U.S. publishing arm of the SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION, today announced THE KING OF FIGHTERS Collection: The Orochi Saga for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and the PSP system is shipping to retailers across North America, with the Wii™ version to ship in November. The first ever collection for THE KING OF FIGHTERS consists of 5 complete games on one action-packed disc. Not only will the collection feature the entire Orochi Saga ( KOF ‘95, KOF ‘96, KOF ‘97), but it will also feature THE KING OF FIGHTERS ‘94 and fan favorite, THE KING OF FIGHTERS ‘98 Dream Match Never Ends.

(screens after jump)

(more…)

Monster Hunter Portable 2G will be coming to North American gamers as Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. Since its release in Japan earlier this year, the game has sold over 2.4 million copies, making it one of the most successful games on the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. To date the Monster Hunter series has sold over 7.8 million units worldwide. This phenomenon will be made available to North American gamers in the spring of 2009.

(click to enlarge)

Coming 2009
click to enlarge

Out: 10/21/08

click to enlarge

Acclaimed Action-RPG Ready For Direct Download to Your PSP System

Mastiff, a San Francisco based developer and publisher of videogames, announced today that Nihon Falcom’s action-RPG, Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure has become the first third-party PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system title available for online purchase and download to the PSP system through the PLAYSTATION®Store and is available now.

Upon its release last year, Gurumin immediately won over the hearts of countless reviewers.

Gamespy, for example, said “Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure delivers the classic Japanese RPG experience and is simultaneously adorable and hilarious. If you’re only planning to get a single RPG for your PSP this year, this could well be the one to play.”

The Associated Press said “Gurumin” is filled with a uniquely Japanese sense of whimsy that translates well into English, and it’s one of the nicest surprises of the year so far.” Review site Deeko said  “Gurumin is one of those rare games that should be in every PSP owners collection.” Console Gameworld, echoed the sentiment, writing “Gurumin is definitely one of those titles you have to pick up, period.”

“Charming, full of personality, and with a gentle sense of humor, Gurumin is a bright and catchy portable game,” said Heather Campbell of Play magazine . And Geoff Haynes of leading gaming website IGN.com, called Gurumin “…an excellent title that should appeal to action fans .” Gurumin’s strong reviews earned it a place in the top 50 of almost 1100 PSP titles ranked on IGN.com.

Tons of screens after jump (more…)

GHskinz.com, a designer and manufacturer of skins that replicate real life guitars for games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, announced today that it has added skins for handheld gaming systems for $4.99.

For more information about GHskinz.com and its products visit www.GHskinz.com.