Twinworld Game Reviews

Posts Tagged ‘Taito’

Stuttgart, Germany – June 22nd 2020 – TAITO and Strictly Limited Games are very excited to announce the most complete Space Invaders collection on cartridge ever coming to Nintendo Switch. Three limited, physical versions of the Space Invaders Invincible Collection will be available exclusively on strictlylimitedgames.com starting Sunday, June 28th.

Space Invaders is a founding block of video game history that filled the arcades. It is said that the game made 100 Yen coins scarce and defined the visuals and mechanics in the first decade of video games.

Until this day, Space Invaders remains highly successful in the gaming industry as well as it is highly prominent in pop culture.

Now the most complete collection on cart ever, the Space Invaders Invincible Collection, is heading to the West. It combines all titles from the Japanese standard and special releases on one cartridge, including Space Invaders DX (1994), Space Cyclone (1980) and Lunar Rescue (1979) – the limited Western collection even has the console port of the game Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders on cartridge, a unique title which was only available as a download code in the Japanese version. The experts from Gotch Technology have ensured a perfect and accurate realisation on consoles.

The following games are part of the Space Invader Invincible Collection:

• Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – b/w
• Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – colour
• Space Invaders Part II (1979, Arcade)
• Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV (1990, Arcade)
• Super Space Invaders ’91 (1990, Arcade)
• Space Invaders Extreme (2018)
• Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE (2018)
• Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders (2017)
• Space Invaders DX (1994, Arcade)
• Space Cyclone (1980, Arcade)
• Lunar Rescue (1979, Arcade)

Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders (2017) is, for the first time ever, available on console. The game is a crossover of Arkanoid and Space Invaders and features gameplay elements from both games.

To celebrate 40 years of Space Invaders, Square Enix and TAITO held an art installation and limited time event in Japan called “PLAY! Space Invaders”. For the event, TAITO, with Square Enix, created a huge version of the game “Space Invaders Gigamax” with a 7 meter high by 15 meter wide screen. Now the game “Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE” will be available as part of the Invincible Collection.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection Limited Edition

The Limited Edition for Nintendo Switch will contain all 11 games and will be available for 59,99€.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection Collector’s Edition

The limited Collector’s Edition for Nintendo Switch features:

• Soundtrack
• Arcade Book
• Sticker Sheet
• 4 Instruction Cards
• 6 Flyers
• Pin
• 4 Acrylic Art Cards
• Arcade PCB Box
• Collector’s box with magnetic latch

The Collector’s Edition will be available for €99.99.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection Ultra Edition

The limited Ultra Edition for Nintendo Switch features everything of the Collector’s Edition plus the ultimate Space Invaders Board Game and more special items. The Ultra Edition will be available for €149.99.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, June 16th – ININ Games and Taito are pleased to announce that the localised, digital versions of two Collections of classic Darus Shoot ‘Em Up titles are out today. Nintendo eShop and PSN store will be releasing the Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade and Darius Cozmic Collection Console.

Iconic bosses, fast-paced action, mesmeric battles and giant robotic sea creatures – The Darius series pioneered horizontal Shoot ‘Em Up games and was developed by the legendary TAITO Corporation. The first Darius game wowed arcade fans in 1986 with its dedicated dual-display cabinet and its revolutionary enemy and sound design.

Numerous sequels and ports followed over the years, setting new standards for Shoot ‘Em Up excellence each time.

All games have been faithfully ported to modern consoles by M2 in Japan, so gamers can rest assured that these are absolutely high-quality ports with perfect performance.

Darius Cozmic Collection Console – Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4

This download collection includes 6 titles (9 versions) from the Darius home console series:

• Darius II (Mega Drive, JP version)
• SAGAIA (Genesis, US version)
• SAGAIA (Master System, EU version)
• Darius Twin (Super Famicom, JP version)
• Darius Twin (Super NES, US version)
• Darius Force (Super Famicom, JP version)
• Super Nova (Super NES, US version)
• Darius Alpha (PC Engine, JP version)
• Darius Plus (PC Engine, JP version)

Price: 54.99€ / 44.99 GBP / 59.99 USD

Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade – Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4

This download collection includes 4 titles (7 versions) from the Darius arcade series:

• Darius (Arcade, original version)
• Darius (Arcade, new version)
• Darius (Arcade, extra version)
• Darius II (Arcade, Dual Screen version)
• SAGAIA (Arcade, ver.1)
• SAGAIA (Arcade, ver.2)
• Darius Gaiden (Arcade)

Price: 39.99€ / 34,99 GBP/ 44,99 USD

Bombs Away!

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, June 11th – The localised, digital, versions of one of the highest revered Shoot ‘Em Up game series in the history of video gaming are heading to the Nintendo eShop and PSN. The Darius Cozmic Collection Console and the Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade will be available on 16th June 2020.

Make it Simple, Make it Tough!

The Darius series pioneered horizontal Shoot ‘Em Up games and was developed by the legendary TAITO Corporation. The first Darius game wowed arcade going fans when it was released in 1986 with its dedicated dual-display cabinet, imaginative enemy designs and revolutionary sound design.

The first Darius is set in a futuristic 2D world, where the player pilots a Silver Hawk craft alone, or with a second player, and shoots their way through enemy hordes, navigating tricky terrain and battling giant robotic sea creatures. Armed with missiles, bombs and a forcefield, which can be powered up along the way, the players must defeat the alien invaders through a series of branching ‘zones’ to be victorious.

Numerous sequels and ports followed over the years, setting new standards for Shoot ‘Em Up excellence each time, from the outstanding soundtracks, to the unforgettable, aquatic-lifeform-themed boss design and the innovative branching paths at the end of each section

The Darius Cozmic Collection represents the classic 2D history of this iconic Shoot ‘Em Up series. All games have been faithfully ported to modern consoles by M2 in Japan, so gamers can rest assured that these are absolutely high-quality ports with perfect performance – as one would expect from the retro game experts at M2.

Darius Cozmic Collection Console – Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4

This download collection includes 6 titles (9 versions) from the Darius home console series:

• Darius II (Mega Drive, JP version)
• SAGAIA (Genesis, US version)
• SAGAIA (Master System, EU version)
• Darius Twin (Super Famicom, JP version)
• Darius Twin (Super NES, US version)
• Darius Force (Super Famicom, JP version)
• Super Nova (Super NES, US version)
• Darius Alpha (PC Engine, JP version)
• Darius Plus (PC Engine, JP version)

Price: 54.99€ / 44.99 GBP / 59.99 USD

 

Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade – Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4

This download collection includes 4 titles (7 versions) from the Darius arcade series:

• Darius (Arcade, original version)
• Darius (Arcade, new version)
• Darius (Arcade, extra version)
• Darius II (Arcade, Dual Screen version)
• SAGAIA (Arcade, ver.1)
• SAGAIA (Arcade, ver.2)
• Darius Gaiden (Arcade)

Price: 39.99€ / 34,99 GBP/ 44,99 USD

2D or Not 2D – Don’t Miss Out!

Source: PR Email

ININ and Taito are pleased to announce some exciting news that fans of Bubble Bobble, as well as those new to the franchise, should not miss.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, developed by the original studio, TAITO Corporation, and exclusively released on Nintendo Switch, is released today in North and South America. All gamers worldwide will be excited to know that those who purchase the game will be able to download later in the year new must-have content, for free, and that includes European or Australian Nintendo gamers who got their fix of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends since the end of 2019.

Expanding Bubbles being created

Taito are currently developing and expanding the game’s content to deliver everything fans’ wish for, including new stages and the return of a fan-favourite enemy character – “Baron von Blubba’. More news on this, and additional upcoming features, will be revealed in the coming weeks and months.

Taito’s latest instalment of this all-time classic since their return to the home console market has been warmly received by fans and critics worldwide. The development team wanted to create something that can be enjoyed not only by fans of the IP who grew up with the two cute Bubble Dragon Twins Bub and Bob but also with their family and friends. It was important to capture the spirit of the colourful original and to bring it to Switch.

Switch on to Bub & Bob

As the Bubble Bobble IP is something very dear to Taito, they listened closely to the feedback they were given so far.  It was only natural that the team would not rest on their laurels and to make sure that players would be able to enjoy Bubble Bobble for many weeks to come. They are working hard to develop deeper and more challenging content that will definitely be going to please gamers all around the globe.

Play alone or with up to 3 friends in couch co-op mode and jump your bubble dragons through 100 levels to defy the wicked wizard Bonner and his henchmen. The bubbles don’t just let you trap your opponents, either – your dragons can also jump on them to reach higher platforms.

Collect E-X-T-E-N-D bubbles to activate and upgrade skills, such as lightning and bomb bubbles. Develop countless new strategies to travel through the worlds and take advantage of air currents.

The original Bubble Bobble arcade game from 1986 is also included, which captured the hearts of players around the world and still has fans humming its title melody today.

A celebration for fans and fun for the whole family!

Soure: PR Email

If you were around in the 1980s, you were no stranger to the Video Arcade scene. Kids and adults alike would gather at their local Arcades to compete for the top score of their favorite video games. Some of these games included Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Dragon’s Lair, and Pac-Man. In 1986, TAITO released Bubble Bobble to the arcade scene, a challenging co-op platformer which became a huge success. The game included 100+ stages, secret levels, various power-ups, and multiple endings for the player to uncover.

With the release of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, TAITO aims to bring the joy the bubble busting back with their new entry in the beloved Bubble Bobble series for 1-4 players. The game uses cute 3D models, reworked music, and brand new stages. TAITO also included the original arcade release of Bubble Bobble for those wanting to play the cult-classic that started it all.

The game starts off showing you the night sky, with the camera then moving backwards into a child’s bedroom via an outside window. You can see the classic Bubble Bobble arcade machine at 1 end of the room, along with some toys on the ground and someone sleeping in the bed at the other end. You can also spot Bub and Bonner laying on the bed. After some glowing lights fly through the bedroom window, a couple bubbles enter the room and hit the 2 dolls. A few moments later, Bonner awakens and strikes Bub on the head. Bub proceeds to jump off the bed, which then brings us to the world selection screen.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is made up of 5 worlds, each containing 9 normal stages and 1 boss stage. While progressing through each world, players will come across various letters trapped in bobbles. If you manage to pop the letters before they disappear, you’ll end up spelling the word EXTEND. When you did this in the original game, you were granted an extra life. With Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, each collected letter provides 1 extra life. When you spell the whole word, something special happens but we won’t spoil the surprise for you. You’ll also earn up to 3 stars in each world, depending how well you’ve performed.

For those experienced with platforming titles, this game might be on the easier side for you. The main title can be completed within 1-2 hours, depending how quickly you go through it. For young kids or those that have trouble progressing through the game, you are provided an option to become invincible if you die too many times in a stage. I’m guessing TAITO has taken a page out of Nintendo’s handbook with this one, as the most recent Yoshi games provide a normal and casual mode to assist those that really need it. Once you manage to complete the main game, you are presented with a new difficulty level. This new difficulty adds in more enemies and disables the option to become invincible.

The 3D artwork in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is quite adorable. While many developers have used mediocre models in some of their games on Switch, TAITO has done a great job with their character models, backgrounds, and game animations. Player and enemy movement appear to be quite smooth and there’s no noticeable slowdown in the game. As you progress through the various stages, the background shifts to various places in the bedroom. The shifting background is quite a nice touch versus having just a static black background like in the classic title. The background music is essentially the same as the original game, but remastered a few different ways. Most of the music tracks sound great, but there is 1 that sounds a bit off for some reason. You’ll probably know which one I’m referring to when you hear it.

Even though Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a fun game for all ages, they did make some changes to the game that I was surprised to see. One of the cool features of the original was finding power-ups to help you along the way, which lasted until you lost your life. Bubble Bobble 4 Friends does have power-ups, but they are unlocked after you defeat the boss for that world. Even though the game has 5 power-ups to choose from, you can only equip 1 of them on your hero before starting a world. The game also shows you air currents in the background, so you know which direction your bubbles will float. Luckily you can hide this within the game settings if you wish to make things more challenging for yourself.

A couple other differences in Bubble Bobble 4 Friends would be related to the use of bubbles. There’s a few stages where platforms are positioned at slightly different angles. When you attempt to hit enemies with your bubbles when positioned slightly above them, they end up missing. The classic game was a bit forgiving by allowing bubbles to capture enemies, even if those enemies were slightly below your bubbles. The 2nd change relates to bouncing on bubbles. If you didn’t hold your jump button down in the classic game, you would pop the bubbles. In Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, your hero will bounce on the bubbles until you press the down arrow to make them pop.

At the end of the day, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is definitely a fun title that anyone can pick-up and enjoy by themselves or with others. Not only do you get 50+ new stages to work your way through with up to 4 players, but you also get to experience the original 100 stage co-op cult classic in all its glory. I hope to see TAITO bring more classic titles over to Switch, such as Rainbow Islands or Arkanoid.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends launch March 31st on the Nintendo Switch eShop!

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, developed by the original studio TAITO Corporation and exclusively released on Nintendo Switch, is about to burst onto the American scene complete with the return of the popular dragons, Bub and Bob, along with news skills and amazing challenges. The sequel will be released, both digitally and physically, exclusively for Nintendo Switch in North and South America on March 31st 2020.

100 levels to defy the wicked wizard, Bonner, and his henchmen, where the player can be a solo star and jump, cavort, float and become a platform high flyer or play co-op mode with up to 3 friends. This integrated cooperative mode provides even more fun with friends, as well as offering some of the cutest, addictive, ‘platforming’, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends includes the legendary original Bubble Bobble game, plus much, much more….

Collectors from all over the world will also be delighted by the commemorative releases from Strictly Limited. A few copies of the very extensive Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends can still be pre-ordered from the Strictly Limited Games online store at a price of approx. 101 USD. The Collector’s Edition is limited to only 2500 Units and contains a sturdy hardcover box with magnetic lock, the original soundtrack, a fully localized hardcover artbook and many more exclusive items.

The Standard Edition is limited to 3500 units and offers a beautiful retro-style cover and an individual number on each copy, and is available for appro. 45 USD. Both editions will come with a very special Acrylic Print of Bub or Bob as an exclusive bonus item.

Collectors can look forward to the Collector’s Edition of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, distributed exclusively by Strictly Limited Games. The ININ publishing label markets the retail versions and digital releases on the Nintendo eShop.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, Germany – February 25, 2020 – Bubble Bobble 4 Friends by ININ GAMES, including the legendary original Bubble Bobble, will be released digitally and physically exclusively for Nintendo Switch in North and South America on March 31, 2020.

Bubble Bobble is still an absolute cult game today and is considered the most popular and innovative platformer of the ’80s. The twins, Bub and Bob, set out to free their friends from the hands of the evil Bonner, who also enchanted them in Bubble Dragons. As such, the brothers hop through the differently arranged platforms of the 100 colourful levels and shoot bubbles at numerous enemies. In the ’80s and ’90s, players bounced through the levels solo or in two-player co-op mode. The success of Bubble Bobble has led to it being ported to more than 20 different platforms over the past decades, including the PlayStation, Sega Mega Drive and NES Classic Mini.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends, the latest game in the popular Bubble Bobble series, includes a 4-player co-op mode for even more fun with friends. Players can also acquire special skills by collecting letter bubbles that form the word “extend” to add strategic depth and increase replayability. Players will have plenty to discover and craft as they journey through the all-new worlds of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends.

About ININ Games:

ININ Games, the new publishing label of United Games Entertainment GmbH, focuses on the classic digital and physical marketing of high-quality retro, indie and arcade titles. Along with undisputed classics, numerous other milestones of gaming culture are in the planning and will be announced in the coming months.

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 favourites as PUZZLE BOBBLE (BUST-A-MOVE) 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.

About Bubble Bobble:

Bubble Bobble is an action game planned, developed, and released by TAITO CORPORATION (TAITO) in 1986.

The game centres around Bubby and Bobby, two boys who were cursed by a wizard and turned into the bubble-blowing dragons, Bub and Bob, who are on a quest to rescue their kidnapped girlfriends. To do this, they must brave all 100 floors of the cave of monsters, defeating their enemies by catching them in bubbles, then bursting them.

The lovable Bub and Bob were a big hit and went on to star in numerous sequels and the original has since been ported to countless home platforms. Puzzle Bobble (a.k.a. Bust-A-Move), a puzzle game spin-off, became a huge hit, going on to personify the franchise.

TAITO is the exclusive owner of the global intellectual property rights, including copyrights and trademarks, for Bubble Bobble and its characters, and takes an active role regarding new Bubble Bobble-related enterprises.

Source: PR Email

Stuttgart, November 22, 2019 – Stuttgart-based publisher Strictly Limited Games, specializing in the release of limited physical collector’s editions of digital games for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Switch, are celebrating their 2nd anniversary in November. To celebrate, they are releasing strictly limited editions of the legendary Darius game series in the Darius Cozmic Collection for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch for all retro-game fans.

Darius is a pioneer of horizontal Shoot ’em up games and was developed by the legendary TAITO Corporation and first released for arcade machines in 1986. In Darius, the player slips into the role of a spaceship pilot, either alone, or in two-player mode, who must shoot and fight his way through enemy hordes with the ship Silver Hawk.  Numerous sequels and ports followed over the years setting new standards each time, from the outstanding soundtrack to the unforgettable opponent design and the branching paths at the end of each section. The Darius Cozmic Collection represents the classic 2D history of the cult Shoot ’em up series.

From 24 November, fans and collectors can pre-order the strictly limited editions of Darius Cozmic Collection for Nintendo Switch, and worldwide exclusively for PlayStation 4, from the Strictly Limited Games webshop:

The Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade contains four different arcade titles in seven versions, as well as an exclusive Darius enamel pin badge for 39.99 EUR and, is limited to just 1900 units (PS4) or 2500 units (NSW).

The Darius Cozmic Collection Console is sure to delight fans with six legendary console titles, in a total of nine versions, as well as an exclusive Sagaia enamel pin badge for the price of 54.99 EUR. Limited to 1900 Units (PS4) resp. 2500 Units (NSW).

The Darius Cozmic Collection International Collector’s Edition is limited to just 900 Units (PS4) or 1500 Units (NSW) and contains the following exclusive fan items from the Darius universe in the English version:

• Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade and Console for Switch and PlayStation 4 respectively
• Two Arrange Soundtrack Albums, Omnibus I – Generation from 1997 of TAITO’s legendary “House Band” Zuntata and Omnibus II – Union of 2019
• Hardcover Arcadebook
• Six SLG-exclusive Acrylic Art Cards
• Four stylish marquee stickers
• Darius Gaiden Instruction Card
• Two instruction stickers
• Three SLG-exclusive enamel pin badges
• SLG Collector’s Box with magnetic closure
• SLG-exclusive Retro Arcade PCB Cardboard

Source: PR Email