MondoGrosso
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PSP puzzlers featured in new season of The 1UP Show
I ran into Milky from 1UP a few times at DigitalLife, and during our video game musings, we discovered our mutual love of one thing... Lumines. The latest episode of The 1UP Show (PSP version also available) reveals some new footage and details from the upcoming music puzzler. The show reveals that J-Pop artist Mondo Grosso will headline the introductory track for the game, and it looks like a lot of fun. What isn't so fun are the new English language pop music video levels. The music doesn't mesh with the game, and the videos can be distracting, according to the Milkman. Interestingly, the graphics of this puzzle game have somehow become more beautiful. Gyuh? The rest of the episode goes to detail about the customization options in the new Lumines, and unlockables, and the new "harder" difficulty level. If that wasn't enough Mizuguchi love for you, Gunpey is featured on the episode, and there's nothing but praise for the game. With stylish good looks, a rockin' soundtrack, and some addictive puzzle gameplay, it appears that Gunpey is where PSP owners will flock to get a new puzzler fix, if Lumines feels too familiar for them. Interestingly, the show reveals that both Lumines and Gunpey have been delayed in Japan to 2007, meaning American gamers will be able to enjoy these very quirky Japanese-centric games months before the land of the rising sun. And the reason? Because PSP has become so overshadowed by the DS. Lumines II arrives in stores November 7.
Behind the Music: Q? Entertainment
1UP's continuing coverage of Q? Entertainment has been awesome. Yesterday's update provided us a look into the musical talent behind Lumines and Every Extend Extra. The video chronicles musical legends, including Mondo Grosso. Here's a sample:1UP: Mizuguchi, what sort of special persuasion did you have to provide to Osawa in order to reassure him the music would be used well? Tetsuya Mizuguchi: Well, the first occasion that we met was in a café like today, and, going back to when we were talking about demonstrating the game on laptops since we didn't have an office, I showed [him] my bio and what I was trying to make of this upcoming game. So I showed it, and [Osawa] was like, "Oh, this could work." But it wasn't an instant stamp of approval; he made a face, because it wasn't quite clear how it all worked together. But at the same time, as a musician, even though Osawa-san doesn't completely exist in the videogame industry, a lot of the visual styles in his videos look like [they] could blend together in this interactive world. So to me it wasn't like he was a complete outsider to the interactive arena, [and] I felt like this could still work even though there might be some challenges we still had to overcome. This is a MUST-READ and watch for any Lumines fan out there!
