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BurgerTime World Tour discounted ahead of delisting on April 30
Publisher MonkeyPaw Games is hosting a last-chance sale on BurgerTime: World Tour this month, discounting the game to just $5 before it disappears from digital storefronts forever on April 30. Starting today, amateur burger chefs can pick up the Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and WiiWare versions of the remade arcade classic for $4.99. Alas, even Peter Pepper himself is not immune from the harsh reality of expired licensing agreements, which MonkeyPaw cites as the culprit behind the game's delisting at the end of the month. Speculation from an anonymous source suggests that Peter Pepper was forced to close up shop by area health inspectors, who objected to his unsanitary burger-stomping ways. Pepper declined to comment when questioned regarding his cooking methods, claiming that the delisting is part of a conspiracy devised by giant sausages and human-sized eggs. [Image: MonkeyPaw Games]
Tomba 2 caps off latest PSOne retro batch from MonkeyPaw
Niche-focused publisher MonkeyPaw Games has revealed a slate of six classic PSOne games set to launch digitally via the PlayStation Network through January and February. The studio's Retro Rush campaign will conclude on February 18 with the PSN re-release of Tomba 2: The Evil Swine Return, a cult-favorite platformer originally released in 1999. MonkeyPaw previously oversaw a PSN reissue of the original Tomba back in 2012. Building up to Tomba 2's return, MonkeyPaw will launch a new PSOne import game weekly, starting with tomorrow's release of Double Dragon. No, it's probably not the Double Dragon that you're thinking of – it's a port of a Neo Geo fighter loosely based on the 1994 film adaptation of Double Dragon, not the original 1987 arcade game. MonkeyPaw will finish out January with PSN releases for Toshiba EMI's beat-'em-up Lucifer Ring and Human's firefighting sim The Firemen 2: Pete and Danny. February will see the release of Nichibutsu's arcade revamp Hyper Crazy Climber and Data East's horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up Wolf Fang before Tomba 2 hits on February 18.
Class of Heroes 2 available on PSN June 4
Class of Heroes 2, MonkeyPaw's PSP game from 2009, is finally coming to North America on June 4. PSN users can snag the fully localized JRPG dungeon crawler – which is playable on both PSP and PS Vita – for $25 from the PSN store. The effort to localize Class of Heroes 2 began in 2012 with a Kickstarter campaign seeking $500,000 in funding. Ultimately, only $96,951 was raised, though MonkeyPaw CEO John Greiner wasn't too down in a follow-up interview with Joystiq. Greiner said that even though the Kickstarter campaign failed, "we were able to educate people about the game and its features. That will help immensely when we release the digital version."
Class of Heroes 2 physical/digital combo pack now up for preorder
Gaijinworks is gearing up to launch a localized version of Acquire's PSP dungeon-crawling RPG Class of Heroes 2, and has opened preorders for a physical UMD edition that also includes a downloadable copy of the game.For $36.99, buyers will receive a digital voucher for Class of Heroes 2 once it hits the PlayStation Network next month. A boxed physical version will be shipped to preorder customers an estimated 4-8 weeks after preorders close on May 8th.Published in partnership with MonkeyPaw Games, Class of Heroes 2 is a first-person, Wizardry-like dungeon crawler with a focus on character customization. A Kickstarter project for a proposed deluxe edition didn't reach its funding goal, but a limited physical release entered production after meeting with a positive fan response."[Class of Heroes 2 is] not out of QA yet, but I'd imagine it should be up on PSN about the 3rd week in May, and the physical a few weeks after that," Gaijinworks founder Victor Ireland notes. "The QA is really just a formality because all that changed was a couple lines of text cleaned up and the opening removed until the rights situation is cleared."Class of Heroes 2 was originally released in Japan in 2009. Since then, a number of sequel titles have debuted for platforms including the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS. To date, only the first PSP entry in the series has seen a North American release.
Gaijinworks gauging interest in UMD Class of Heroes 2
Gaijinworks and MonkeyPaw Games didn't make their Kickstarter goal for Class of Heroes 2, but that's not stopping them from forging ahead with plans for a UMD release of the PSP role-playing game.Now, Gaijinworks is gauging interest in a physical PSP release. "If we can pre-sell at least 2,500 copies of a Physical PSP version with a color manual, UMD with color disc label, and a digital download code," the company explains, "we can do a physical+digital combo version for $34.99, shipped to you."If that sounds appealing, you can sign up on the Gaijinworks site. It's not a pre-order yet, just a poll to determine how many people would pre-order. So if you sign up, you're somewhat on the honor system regarding your intent to purchase later, when the order links go up.Regardless of what happens with the physical version, a PSN version has been rated by the ESRB and will be released for $25. European ratings are in progress. To find out if any version of Class of Heroes 2 interests you, check out the videos of the newly localized game above and after the break. Gaijinworks warns that the last video, of a "battle event," is "spoilerish" about events in the first game.[Thanks, Merrick]
Arc the Lad series, Tomba among Vita PSOne Classics launch lineup
MonkeyPaw Games will make five of its PSOne Imports and Classics available to Vita users tomorrow, when the new firmware adds PSOne support to the handheld. Alundra, Arc the Lad 1 and 2, Vanguard Bandits, and the recently released Tomba will all be playable on Vita in North America starting tomorrow, the publisher told Joystiq.The overall list of supported PSOne Classics for tomorrow's Vita launch, outside of MonkeyPaw's offerings, is largely a mystery. When announcing the feature at E3, Sony showed off a selection of games including Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy VII, Wild Arms, Twisted Metal 2, Cool Boarders 2, and Jet Moto, but didn't say if those games would be part of the launch lineup.MonkeyPaw hopes to have the rest of its PSOne games on Vita "soon."
Tomba leaps onto European PSN September 5
MonkeyPaw Games' PSN re-release of Tomba! is coming to Europe on September 5, the publisher told Joystiq today. The PSOne Classics version of Whoopee Camp's caveman platformer, about a pink-haired caveman battling pigs to reclaim an heirloom bracelet, was released in North America in June.MonkeyPaw has suggested to us in the past that it is interested in releasing Tomba 2 as well, provided sales of the original game are sufficient.
Tomba! coming soon to European PSN
Tomba! for PlayStation will be released soon on the PlayStation Store in Europe, following its June re-release in North America. Publisher MonkeyPaw Games is once again behind the digital offering, telling Joystiq "We don't have a release date yet, but it's going to be sooner than people think."We'll let you know as soon as we find a definitive date. We're also seeking confirmation as to whether the game will be called "Tomba!" or "Tombi!," the latter being its original European title. These things matter.
MonkeyPaw on the educational upside of Class of Heroes 2 Kickstarter
MonkeyPaw Games recently experimented with Kickstarter for a physical deluxe edition of the PSP game, Class of Heroes 2. The funding drive ended with $96,951 raised of the company's $500,000 goal."Our Kickstarter for Class of Heroes 2 didn't reach our funding bar but I think it was a great experience," MonkeyPaw CEO John Greiner told Joystiq, during an interview about the announcement of Tomba! for PSN. "Class of Heroes isn't a well-known brand but we were able to educate people about the game and its features. That will help immensely when we release the digital version."The drive may not have worked out to get Class of Heroes 2 onto UMD, but it served in an educational capacity about more than just Class of Heroes, Greiner suggested. "This drive was the first time a console game had been pushed on Kickstarter so that also entailed teaching people why we needed $500K. Not a small sum but not really that much when you consider this was a physical, deluxe boxed version of a console game."
Tomba! comes to PlayStation Network as a PSOne Classic this summer
One of Sony's most beloved first-party PlayStation 1 games is coming to the PS3 and PSP via ... a company other than Sony. Tomba!, the platformer starring the pink-haired caveman, will be released on the PlayStation Network soon by MonkeyPaw Games.In addition to being just incredibly cute, Tomba! has some serious credentials. After an illustrious career at Capcom during which he designed the Ghosts 'n Goblins games and produced the Mega Man series, Tokuro Fujiwara founded his own studio, Whoopee Camp, where he directed Tomba! and its sequel for publisher Sony Computer Entertainment."Sony and MonkeyPaw have a good working relationship," MonkeyPaw CEO John Greiner told Joystiq. "I think they appreciate the titles we've brought to the Store. And they value the support we give the games. Having a plethora of Japanese content is a distinct advantage PlayStation has over Xbox. But the games still need to be brought Stateside. So our model helps Sony spread their Japanese edge and we help Japanese developers get their titles to a wider audience. Hence, Sony is willing to work with us on titles that may not have otherwise been licensed out. Support is key."MonkeyPaw has been working on acquiring the Tomba! rights for a year. "We often have to chase down multiple right holders," Greiner said. "In this case, Sony and Whoopee Camp had rights that needed to be negotiated." The deal didn't necessarily include the sequel, however. "Tomba! 2 is a possibility but we need to really sell Tomba! 1 well before we can extend our relationship," Greiner explained. "It's the first time to work with Fujiwara-san so we're trying to make a good impression. Good sales have a way opening doors a bit wider."%Gallery-155958%
Study this Class of Heroes 2 trailer
You may want to support the continued localization and promotion of the JRPG genre in America – the overarching goal of the MonkeyPaw Games/Gaijinworks Kickstarter – but at the same time, you may not know a whole lot about the specific game being Kickstarted, Class of Heroes 2 for PSP.The publishers have sought to provide that missing information, releasing a new trailer for the school-themed dungeon crawler. You'll see plenty of gameplay footage, along with character art for all the different in-game races – all of whom are teenagers in school uniforms.
MonkeyPaw and Gaijinworks Kickstart a Class of Heroes 2 localization
MonkeyPaw Games and GaijinWorks, two companies dedicated to bringing classic Japanese games to the west, are testing the utility of Kickstarter for localization of Japanese games, with the most random test subject imaginable.Class of Heroes 2 is a sequel to a PSP dungeon crawler released here by Atlus in 2009. Like the original, it's a game about first-person, turn-based dungeon battling. The two companies plan to release it digitally -- but also, for supporters, in a crazy physical limited edition that promises to outpace any of the giant boxes sold by Ireland's former company, Working Designs.Bonuses in this Deluxe Pack include a custom box, a soundtrack, and other secret items that are still being prototyped. In addition to this, Kickstarter rewards include lapel pins, posters, plushes, pocket watches, and music boxes. Higher-level backers get things like trips to LA to go to E3 and meet with the team, and in-game credits in the placement of their choice.The Kickstarter is designed not to sell the game, but to fund both the digital and physical releases. "Our Kickstarter project is designed to allow fans that plan to download it digitally to support the game now," the companies explain, "helping it reach the funding threshold and expand the scope and depth of localization for BOTH the digital and physical releases." If successful, the companies hope to localize other Class of Heroes releases as well. "So if you're along for the whole ride, you'll eventually have a line of awesome Class of Heroes games on your shelf."
Vanguard Bandits ATACs PSN next week
Square Enix is enticing vintage RPG fans with a PSOne Classics "Winter of RPGs" promotion. It's not alone in populating the store with new old RPGs, however. MonkeyPaw Games informed us that Vanguard Bandits will be released in North America on November 15, for $9.99. That puts it right between Chrono Cross and Final Fantasy V. Vanguard Bandits is a strategy RPG developed by Human Entertainment, and published in North America by Working Designs. Players battle giant robots called ATACs (All Terrain Armored Combatants, of course) in grid-based environments.
Magical Drop and DIY shmup maker Dezaemon Kids on PSN imports today
MonkeyPaw Games returns today with more PSOne imports, including a second Dezaemon shooter-creation utility! Available today for $6, Dezaemon Kids further simplifies the creation interface for scrolling shooters, and -- oh yeah -- throws in over 100 sample games. It's a good thing the interface is designed with simplicity in mind, because as with all the PSOne imports, the text is presented in the original Japanese. The other game, Arcade Hits: Magical Drop, is a port of the original arcade game in Data East's beloved color-matching puzzle series. Both will be available whenever the PSN update happens today.%Gallery-138071%%Gallery-138069%
November 2 is BurgerTime on XBLA
Are you hungry for burgers? How about giant burgers on which a chef and some magically animated food have repeatedly trampled? Burgers which live only within your Xbox? Probably not, no. But if you want to play a game about said burgers, you'll be able to do so on November 2. MonkeyPaw Games announced today that BurgerTime World Tour will arrive on XBLA that day, with the PSN, PC, and WiiWare releases of the reimagined Data East classic to come later that year. Above, enjoy a pre-BurgerTime appetizer in the form of a new trailer.%Gallery-136459%
Europe gets PSN Imports section this week with three new games
If that local flavor isn't your thing, Europeans, then you may want to check out the new PSN Imports section. Sony's going to start hocking some retro Japanese games in your region, the PlayStation Blog revealed today -- the new initiative on PSN will feature "direct-from-Japan PS One imports and Classics." First up: Cho Aniki, Arc the Lad and Arcade Hits: Sonic Wings Special. Now, we know what you're thinking: Arc the Lad is totally a RPG, with tons of text and stuff. Yes, it is, but relax: the game's entirely in English, based on the US release by Working Designs. As for the other two, well, they're in the universal language that is shooting everything in sight.
Burgertime World Tour delayed for multiplayer testing
In the interest of making BurgerTime World Tour a more filling meal, publisher MonkeyPaw Games announced a delay of the downloadable reimagination of the Data East classic. Once announced for summer, it's staying in the kitchen until "a late October/early November date." MonkeyPaw said in a Facebook note that it wants BurgerTime World Tour to have "a fresh new multiplayer experience, including competitive online play and leaderboards." Features like these require a lot of QA, and therefore the publisher is holding off on the release until everything is stable. Then, of course, it has to work with Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo to figure out when they all want the game to go up on their respective storefronts. [Thanks, Steve.]
Joyswag: Come get free copies of this week's PSOne Imports
Was your interest piqued by Rapid Angel and Yakiniku Bugyou, the two import PlayStation games released on PSN this week by MonkeyPaw Games? Would you, perhaps, like your very own copy of the Japanese BBQ shop simulator Yakiniku Bugyou, or the anime brawler Rapid Angel? Would that be something you'd be into? Okay, we're going to stop speaking in questions now. We have 16 codes for each game, usable on the North American PSN, and we will place them on Facebook soon. If you want the best chance to win one of them, you should probably "Like" us to get an early alert when we add more. We'll also DM a couple to people who Like our page. The codes are courtesy of publisher MonkeyPaw Games, who also tends to hand out codes through its @MonkeyPawGames Twitter account.
Brawling and BBQ in this week's PSN imports
With the PSN back in action, MonkeyPaw Games can resume its task of publishing weird Japanese PlayStation games. It's announced two new (to us) games coming this week, one beat-em-up and one ... grill-em-up. Rapid Angel (or, in full: Kaisoku Tenshi The Rapid Angel) is an anime-style side-scrolling brawler, originally released in 1998, featuring (Japanese) voice acting and a weird two-player mode that puts the second player in the role of a flying "angel" that supports the first player. Yakiniku Bugyou is a game that would have sounded much stranger back in the PS1 days, pre-Cooking Mama: it's a game in which you place meat on different areas of a grill to cook to different heat levels, in order to satisfy customers who have very specific tastes. Both will be in the PSOne Imports store today, for $5.99 each.%Gallery-127756%%Gallery-127755%
BurgerTime World Tour trailer tours the world of BurgerTime
MonkeyPaw Games' refresh of the arcade classic BurgerTime has a new name. BurgerTime HD is out -- likely due to the existence of a Wii version -- in favor of BurgerTime World Tour. Along with the new name, MonkeyPaw released some new assets, including a trailer after the break. Not only do you get to see the bizarre cylindrical environments in which you build giant burgers -- you'll also, for the first time ever, get to see inside Peter Pepper's apartment. How thrilling!%Gallery-124540%
