Rising Star Games Have Released A New Trailer For Akai Katana On The Xbox 360

Rising Star Games recently announced they opened a USA office and the first game they will be bringing to the USA is Akai Katana. Now they have released a new trailer for the game showing in-game action. Akai Katana is a side scrolling shooter developed by CAVE.


Watch Akai Katana - Trailer in Tech & Gaming  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Rising Star Games Announce They Have Opened A USA Office, First USA Release Is Akai Katana On Xbox 360

Rising Star Games have announced they have opened a USA Office. They have appointed Phil Robinson as Vice President of Operations Of the USA Office. he will oversee all operations, secure American And Canadian Distribution and publishing agreements.

The first game Rising Star Games will release in the USA is Akai Katana on the Xbox 360. this game is in development at the Japanese developer Cave and is set to come out Q2 2012.

Press Release

Rising Star Games Announce They Are Bringing BIT.TRIP COMPLETE and BIT.TRIP SAGA To Europe On 16th March

Rising Star Games have announced they are bringing Gaijin Games' BIT.TRIP COMPLETE and BIT.TRIP SAGA to Europe and the UK on 16th March. The 3DS and Wii versions each come with all 6 BIT.TRIP games as well as their own features:

BIT.TRIP SAGA (3DS)

• BIT.TRIP BEAT marks the beginning of Commander Video’s epic journey
• BIT.TRIP CORE is the second instalment in Commander Video’s soul quest
• BIT.TRIP VOID continues Commander Video’s epic journey
• BIT.TRIP Runner marks the first fully character-based adventure for Commander Video
• BIT.TRIP FATE is the penultimate chapter in the six-part BIT.TRIP series and will leave you wondering what’s next
• The BIT.TRIP series comes full circle with BIT.TRIP FLUX, Commander Video’s final adventure

BIT.TRIP COMPLETE (Wii)

• All six games in the award-winning BIT.TRIP series in one complete package with 120 completely new BIT.TRIP challenges spanning all six games
• New audio gallery with fan remixes, original songs and demo versions of existing BIT.TRIP themes
• An image gallery with exclusive production stills, concept art and promo images
• A video gallery with more than 25 movies telling the story of Commander Video
• Six letters to BIT.TRIP fans written by the series’ director
• Original soundtrack CD packaged with BIT.TRIP COMPLETE, featuring music from all six games in the series
• New difficulty modes in all games
• Online leaderboards

Press Release

Rising Star Games Announce They Are Bringing BIT.TRIP COMPLETE And BIT.TRIP SAGA To The UK

 Rising Star Games have announced they are bringing BIT.TRIP COMPLETE And BIT.TRIP SAGA to the UK in Q1 2012. BIT.TRIP SAGA is set to come to the 3DS and BIT.TRIP COMPLETE is a Wii version.

Both versions come with 6 BIT.TRIP games:

•  BIT.TRIP BEAT
•  BIT.TRIP CORE
•  BIT.TRIP VOID
•  BIT.TRIP Runner
•  BIT.TRIP FATE
•  BIT.TRIP FLUX

Key features for both games:

•   All six games in the award-winning BIT.TRIP series in one complete package with 120 completely new BIT.TRIP challenges spanning all six games
•   New audio gallery with fan remixes, original songs and demo versions of existing BIT.TRIP themes
•   An image gallery with exclusive production stills, concept art and promo images
•   A video gallery with more than 25 movies telling the story of CommanderVideo
•   Six letters to BIT.TRIP fans written by the series’ director
•   New difficulty modes in all games
•   Online leaderboards

And BIT.TRIP COMPLETE gets a Original Soundtrack CD featuring music from all 6 games in the series

I have contacted Rising Star Games to see if the 3DS version, SAGA, will be improved over the initial release after concerns were raised in reviews about framerate issues. at present i do not have an answer, but i'll update the post if i get one.

Press Release 

Rising Star Games Announce King Of Fighters XIII Comes Out Across PAL Countries On 25th November

Rising Star Games have announced they are releasing SNK PLAYMORE's The King Of Fighters XIII across PAL countries on 25th November. this new King Of Fighters game has 30 characters to choose from, some new and some old favourite. there are also improvements to gameplay, controls, camera, and overall gameplay is now faster.

Key features of THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII

• The final chapter in the Ash Saga.
• Huge developments in global online play, vastly improved from previous editions of KOF. Play in matches to improve your ranking on the global leaderboards, friendly matches against friends or other players online.
• 30+ playable characters, including the return of Mai Shiranui and K’.
• Multiple endings depending on specific characters (teams).
• Un-lockable customisation options to make your fighter unique. Choose from over 20 colour types, parts and icons.
• Improved fighting mechanics, new NEO MAX super moves, faster gameplay and camera control.
• 9 game modes: Arcade, Story, Versus, Mission, Online and much more.
• Story mode features impressive 2D visual novel-style cut-scenes. Stories are branched by offering the player choices, leading to multiple ways to enjoy each narrative.

Press Release

Rising Star Games Announce They Are Bringing Grand Knights History To PAL Territories In Early 2012

Japanese Boxart from Wikipedia

Rising Star Games have announced they are bringing Grand Knights History to PAL Territories. Grand Knights History is the latest title from Vanillaware, their previous games include Muramasa: The Demon Blade on the Wii. Like Muramasa, Grand Knights Story is a turn based RPG that features hand drawn graphics. the game takes place in a medieval setting and its up to the player to decide the fate of 3 powerful nations. you have to choose which faction you'll fight for and develop squads, of 4 individual characters, to battle enemies. 

Grand Knights Story is set to come out in early 2012 on both UMD and on the PSP PSN Store.

Press Release

Rising Star Games Have Released A New Game Trailer For King Of Fighters XIII

Rising Star Games have released a new game trailer for King Of Fighters. i should point out that previous posts about this game revolved around Atlus. they are publishing this game in the USA whilst Rising Star Games are publishing it in the UK. the developers of the game are SNK Playmore. this trailer is different to other trailers as it highlights features of the game and shows new in-game action.


Watch King Of Fighters XIII - Trailer in Tech & Gaming | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Rising Star Games Have Released New Screenshots And Boxart For Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar

Rising Star Games have released new screenshots and revealed the boxart for Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar on the Nintendo DS. coming later this year, Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar is once again set in Zephyr Town. the focus is on a run down Bazaar, and you have to not only make your farm popular, but you also have to restore the Bazaar to its former glory.

Screenshots

Rising Star Games Have Released A Gameplay Trailer For Pucca Power Up

Rising Star Games have released a new gameplay trailer for their Nintendo DS game, Pucca Power Up. the trailer shows in-game action from many parts of the game, from the mini games to actual fighting.


Watch Pucca Power Up - Gameplay Video in Tech & Gaming | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Rising Star Games Have Released A New Deathsmiles Trailer

Rising Star Games have released a new trailer for the Xbox 360 exclusive, Deathsmiles. this trailer shows in-game footage of several characters in this Bullet Hell game. the trailer also shows some control methods, and tips on how to use them effectively, and character speed stats.


Watch Deathsmiles - Game Trailer in Tech & Gaming  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Rising Star Games Announce Deathsmiles Comes Out In The UK On 18th February

Rising Star Games have announced Deathsmiles is coming to the UK on 18th February. There will be a Deluxe Edition when it comes out that comes with the Soundtrack, Desktop accessory pack, and the game. Deathsmiles comes with 3 different game modes: Arcade (original Arcade Game), Xbox 360 ( Arcade Conversion), and Version 1.1 (Conversion designed for the 360).

Screenshots


Press Release

Wednesday 19thJanuary 2011: Shmup fans won’t have to wait much longer to pick up the Deluxe Edition of Deathsmiles. The Halloween-set Deathsmiles will shoot into shops on 18thFebruary 2011.

Featuring three different game modes: Arcade (original Arcade game), Xbox 360 (Arcade conversion) and Version 1.1 (conversion designed specifically for the Xbox 360), Deathsmiles also features a two-player co-op mode, where players can take up the challenge with a friend at home or via Xbox LIVE. With difficulty options on all modes catering for newcomers and veterans, the PAL version of the game also includes the Mega Black Label pack: an expanded version of the game with a range of special features, an additional stage and an extra playable character.

Bespoke to the PAL market the Deluxe package includes the official Deathsmiles soundtrack and desktop accessory pack. The soundtrack and desktop accessory pack were not included in the Japanese or US versions of the game and only released separately in Japan at the equivalent of over £25. The soundtrack features 23 tracks and the desktop accessory pack lets fans kit out their PC with exclusive Deathsmiles materials.

“At Rising Star Games we’ve been competing to get the highest score on Deathsmiles. With the release date next month I’m looking forward to opening up the scoreboard so shmup fans can get online and compete with their friends and peers.” said Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. “We’re delighted to work with CAVE, they really are the legends of the shoot-em-up genre. It’s a real privilege to bring the Deluxe Edition of Deathsmiles to the to the PAL market on 18thFebruary.”

Deathsmiles will be released throughout PAL territories on 18thFebruary 2011, courtesy of Rising Star Games www.risingstargames.com.

- END -

About Rising Star Games

Rising Star Games Limited is a video games publisher for Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo DS™ and Wii™, Sony PS3 and PSP™ in the PAL territory. A joint venture between Japanese video game publisher and content developer Intergrow Inc and long standing Nintendo Nordic distributor Bergsala AB, Rising Star Games is now in its seventh year of trading and has published more than 50. For more information please go to www.risingstargames.com

Twitter: twitter.com/RisingStarGames
Facebook: facebook.com/RisingStarGames
YouTube: youtube.com/RisingStarGames

About Hoshi

Within Hoshi you will discover the rich and intricate tapestry of Japanese gaming. Explore the latest releases, catch up on the latest news, discover new worlds and new characters, and most importantly interact and share your experiences with like-minded fans from around the world.

Join us now and we will keep you exclusively up to date with news, competitions, and special offers:
www.risingstargames.com/hoshi

About CAVE

CAVE Co. Ltd. is at the forefront of designing, creating and operating targeted entertainment content in arcades, home consoles, mobile media and the Internet.
Known abroad for building its shooter brand to the top of the Japanese market, CAVE Co. Ltd. is a multi-faceted entertainment enterprise focused both on game development and building communities through entertainment.  In its 16th year of development and publishing, CAVE’s unique brand of shooting is focused on the Xbox360™ and the Apple™ iOS.

Rising Star Games Will Donate 10p For Every Ivy the Kiwi? Copy Sold To The BNZ Save The Kiwi Charity

Rising Star Games have announced that they will donate 10p for every copy of Ivy the Kiwi? to the official BNZ Save The Kiwi Charity. Its estimated that only 5% of all kiwi eggs that hatch, of which thats only 50% of all eggs laid, make it to adulthood. the BNZ Save The Kiwi Trust retrieves eggs from the wild, incubates them, and releases them back into the wild. this increases their chances of surviving into adulthood from 5% to 65%.

Press Release

Thursday 28th October 2010: Ahead of the launch of Ivy the Kiwi? tomorrow (29th October), leading video games publisher Rising Star Games has today confirmed it will donate 10p for every Ivy the Kiwi? copy sold to the official Save the Kiwi charity.

The charity (sponsored by the Bank of New Zealand), helps raise awareness and valuable funds for the endangered species and its plight, protecting it and its natural habitat. The work being done to protect kiwi also benefits many other species in the ecosystem.

“We’re delighted to be able to announce our partnership with BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust,” says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. “It’s great to be able to give something back to the bird that’s the subject of our next game – Ivy the Kiwi? – and help work towards securing its future for years to come.”

Michelle Impey, executive director of BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust is thrilled with the partnership. “There is an incredible amount of work being done in New Zealand to save our national icon, but more needs to be done and that requires funding. Donations from sales of Ivy the Kiwi? will help to support this work, which includes BNZ Operation Nest Egg, a method where kiwi eggs are retrieved from the wild, incubated and hatched in captivity and reared to about 1kg in weight. At this point they are released back to the wild where they will then have a better chance of surviving to adulthood. This increases the survival rate from 5% to 65%. More than 1400 kiwi have been released back to the wild using this method.

“We are thrilled not only for the financial support this partnership will offer, but also by the fact that this is helping us reach a new audience with our message. Kiwi are an amazing bird and have the same potential for global recognition and support as, for example, the panda and whale, and this is a great step to achieving that level of support.”

Two hundred years ago millions of kiwi lived in New Zealand. By 1998 there were fewer than 100,000 birds and by 2008 that had fallen to 70,000 across five species. Today kiwi are managed in special sanctuaries and community led projects but outside these areas numbers are still predicted to decline.

New Zealand developed in the absence of mammals and so kiwi, like many other birds in NZ, are unable to defend themselves against the influx of mammalian predators that man has introduced, such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, possums, dogs, cats, pigs, rats, etc. Their defence mechanism is to run away or 'blend and hide' – neither of which are sufficient defence anymore.

A tiny proportion of kiwi eggs produce a kiwi adult.
About 50% of all kiwi eggs fail to even hatch – sometimes because of natural bacteria, sometimes because the adult bird is disturbed by predators.
Of eggs that do hatch, about 90% of chicks are dead within six months.
70% of these are killed by stoats or cats, and about 20% die of natural causes or at the jaws and claws of other predators.
Only 10% of kiwi chicks make it to six months.
Fewer than 5% reach adulthood.

Using a storybook-style presentation, Ivy the Kiwi? follows the adventures of a lonely baby bird searching for her mother. By traversing various stages and navigating through the obstacles that stand in her way, Ivy follows the trail of feathers with the hope of reaching her parents.

The game has been designed to make perfect use of the Nintendo DS and Wii controls, as players place vines to help guide the wandering baby bird through each puzzle-themed level. There are over 100 stages for DS and Wii, with multiplayer modes available.

To make a donation people can buy a copy of Ivy The Kiwi?, which will be released on 29th October on the Nintendo Wii and DS 2010 courtesy of Rising Star Games, or head to the official BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust website: www.savethekiwi.org.nz.

Rising Star Games Announce They Are Bringing Ivy The Kiwi? To The Wii And DS On 29th Ocotber In PAL Countries

Rising Star Games have announced they are brining Ivy The Kiwi? to both the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS throughout PAL territories on 29th October. Ivy The Kiwi? was created by Yuji Naka, the creator of Sonic The Hedgehog, and has a unique storybook-style presentation. The game follows the adventures of a lonly bird trying to find its mother. both games have over 100 stages as well as multiplayer modes.

Wii Screenshots


DS Screenshots


Press Release

Friday 1st October 2010: Ivy The Kiwi?, the latest creation from Yuji Naka - one of the creators behind a certain blue hedgehog - will be released throughout all PAL territories on 29th October 2010.

Using a storybook-style presentation, Ivy the Kiwi? follows the adventures of a lonely baby bird searching for her mother. By traversing various stages and navigating through the obstacles that stand in her way, Ivy follows the trail of feathers with the hope of reaching her parents.

The game has been designed to make perfect use of the Nintendo DS and Wii controls, as players place vines to help guide the wandering baby bird through each puzzle-themed level. There are over 100 stages for DS and Wii, with multiplayer modes available.

Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games, commented ''It's a real pleasure working on Ivy the Kiwi?. It's an incredibly charming game, from a games creator responsible for one of the greatest characters of all time. With the release date now announced, I'm looking forward to the game hitting the shops and hearing what Yuji Naka fans think of his latest creation."

Ivy the Kiwi? Will be released in the UK 29th October 2010 on the Wii and DS, courtesy of leading games publisher Rising Star Gameswww.risingstargames.com. Yuji Naka will be at Eurogamer Expo on Saturday 2nd October.

Rising Star Games Announce Deadly Premonition Is Coming Out In The UK On 29th october

Rising Star Games have announced that Deadly Premonition is coming out on the 29th October in the UK. the game will be priced at £24.99. Deadly Premonition is a game that has split opinion amongst reviewers, the example given is Destructioid giving the game a 10/10 whilst IGN gave it 2/10.

Deadly Premonition was developed by Access Games and it is an open-world game set in Greenvale, a secluded rural town in North West America. Playing as FBI Special Agent Francis York, gamers are charged with solving the shocking, ritualistic and brutal murder of a local girl, unravelling the mystery via clues, lies and a trail of bodies.

 

Screenshots


Press Release

Thursday 16th September 2010: Rising Star Games has announced the eagerly awaited survival horror game Deadly Premonition, a refreshingly obscure and compelling title on the Xbox 360, will be available from 29th October.

The release means gamers in the UK will finally be able to form their own opinions about Deadly Premonition, a game which has split opinions across the board: Destructoid awarded it 10/10, naming it "simply stunning", while IGN US scored it 2/10, saying it's "terrible".

"We're delighted to be able to confirm the release date for Deadly Premonition," says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. "A cult classic in the making, the game continues to divide critics. But when it comes to the consumer, they seem to really 'get' the game, with the average user rating on Metacritic 8.5/10."

Developed by Access Games, Deadly Premonition is an open-world game set in Greenvale, a secluded rural town in North West America. Playing as FBI Special Agent Francis York, gamers are charged with solving the shocking, ritualistic and brutal murder of a local girl, unravelling the mystery via clues, lies and a trail of bodies.

Agent York travels around Greenvale in a variety of vehicles - entertaining gamers with facts about movies along the way - encountering eccentric natives, supernatural creatures and a folklore killer, who stalks his victims in a blood-drenched rain coat.

His appearance changes in 'real time' (shaving, showering and eating are essential), and this level of hygiene has consequences as it influences the towns folk's perceptions of him. Side quests and mini-games, such as darts, fishing and collecting trading cards also feature.

Deadly Premonition will be available for the Xbox 360 for £24.99 on 29th October.

Rising Star Games Announce Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon Is Coming Out On 8th October

Rising Star Games have announced that Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is coming out on the Nintendo DS on 8th October. Rising Star Games have also released new screenshots, character art, and the boxart. in Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, you have a game with over 20 hours of gameplay thats a mix of Harvest Moon and RPG.

Screenshots


Character Art


Press Release

Thursday 9th September 2010: Leading Japanese video games publisher Rising Star Games has today confirmed that Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon will be released exclusively on Nintendo DS on 8th October 2010.

The Rune Factory series takes all the elements from Harvest Moon and injects a hefty dose of RPG gameplay. Gamers can start a family with a choice of the female villagers they encounter, with over 12 potential wives to pick from. Gamers can play through two generations within the game, firstly as the father and then the son or daughter. There are also four huge dungeons to hone fighting skills and cultivate crops in, plus monsters can be tamed to help out on the farm too.

Reviews have been positive in the US and Japan, with scores averaging 80%, including 8.4 from IGN: "The Rune Factory design is full of depth and options, with so many things to see and do that you could easily find yourself playing it for 20 hours or more."

"Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon picks up where the last game finished," says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. "It's full of farming, fighting and families - the winning Rune Factory combination that will have fans clamouring to get their hands on this."

Rune Factory 2 will be released on 8th October on Nintendo DS courtesy of Rising Star Games.

Rising Star Games Have Released New Screenshots And Revealed The Boxart For Eldar Saga

Rising Star Games have released new screenshots and revealed the Boxart for their upcoming Nintendo Wii Game, Eldar Saga. As i have not covered this game before, i have included a fact sheet below that Rising Star Games had previously released. Eldar Saga is a classic RPG designed for the Wii. as well as having single player gameplay, you can play quests with another player via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

In Eldar Saga you get to play as any character in the party and you are able to customise each of those characters with weapons and equipment. the battles are real time and enemies are visible in the world, which means there are no random battles.

Screenshots


Fact Sheet

It is up to you to take up the forgotten mantle of the hero, reunite the races, confront the hordes of monsters and restore peace to the land. Eldar Saga is a classic RPG designed specifically for the Nintendo Wii and its RPG-starved users, allowing players to experience epic story-driven gameplay as well as the opportunity to quest together via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

The Lands of Eldar have long been known as the origin of chaos, a place where monsters and demons wreak havoc, indiscriminate in their madness. Legend tells of how the Spirit King, whose coming was heralded by a meteor shower, gained control of the creatures and waged an unrelenting war upon civilization. Order and life were brought to the brink of destruction, but an alliance of the four races was able to drive them back and seal the evil. Centuries more have passed and once again the lands are slowly being over-run by the re-emerging monsters. Without a known cause or even a united front to repel them, it would seem that this time, Eldar will fall. It is up to you to take up the forgotten mantle of the hero, reunite the races, confront the hordes of monsters and restore peace to the land.
- Multi-generational storyline: play as any character in the party as the story progresses

- Fully customisable characters: 5 basic classes and numerous advanced classes, specific skills, weapons and equipment

- Real-time battles on the field map, with visible enemies and no random encounters

- Find your perfect combination of race and job class to build your own battle party

- Party up with a second player online to explore the land of Eldar with co-op play

About Rising Star Games

Rising Star Games Limited is a video games publisher for Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo DSTM and WiiTM, Sony PS3 and PSPTM in the PAL territory. A joint venture between Japanese video game publisher and content developer Intergrow Inc and long standing Nintendo Nordic distributor Bergsala AB, Rising Star Games is now in its sixth year of trading and has published more than 50 titles including the worldwide hit series Harvest Moon alongside the renowned renegade Nintendo Wii title, No More Heroes. For more information please go to www.risingstargames.com

Rising Star Games Announce Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming for the DS And Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley for the PSP

Rising Star Games Announce Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming for the DS And Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley for the PSP. Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming takes the Harvest Moon series into the puzzle genre for the first time. there are 12 characters to choose from as well as 3 game modes. in order to harvest the crops, you need to match the crop and colour quickly before that crop starts to take over the farm. 

Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley offers more traditional gameplay than the DS game, but it is the biggest Harvest Moon game to be released on the PSP. you have to join forces with the residents of Leaf Valley to save it from destruction. there are 16 possible ways to accomplish this and it will be down to your tactics which solution is used. you still grow crops, raise animals, and mine ores and gems, as well as earning money ans skills from part time jobs. but to save Leaf Valley, you need to gain the trust of the other villagers.

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming Screenshots


Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley Screenshots


Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley Character Art


Press Release

Tuesday 10th August 2010: Rising Star Games has announced that two new Harvest Moon games are set to hit the market, with Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming for the DS and Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley for the PSP both confirmed for release in PAL territories.

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming for the DS brings a new dimension to the Harvest Moon series, branching out into the puzzle genre, in an adventure that really puts the pace of players' farming skills to the test.

Gamers take on one of 12 playable characters in a variety of different modes including Story, Mission and Score Attack. Each crop is represented by a unique icon and colour and these must be matched as quickly as possible in order to harvest the crops before they take over the farm.

For the PSP is the addictive Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley, which is set to be the biggest Harvest Moon adventure yet on Sony's handheld. The story sees the inhabitants of Leaf Valley join forces to save itself from destruction, but it's down to the player to decide tactics and choose from 16 possible pathways.

As is traditional with Harvest Moon games, to progress players must grow crops, raise animals and mine ores and gems to help save Leaf Valley and their family farm. Skills and money can be earned in part-time jobs, and gamers must also earn the trust of villagers to gain their help.

"The Harvest Moon series is Rising Star Games' longest standing and most successful franchise," says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. "Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming and Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley both push the boundaries of the Harvest Moon series, bringing new challenges and styles of gameplay to the classic collection."

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming on the DS and Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley on the PSP will be released in Autumn/Winter.