Patapon
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VGA 08: God of War, Patapon nominated for Best Handheld Game
Spike TV's 2008 Video Game Awards will be kicking off next month and the nominees and categories have all been set in place. Both PSP-exclusive titles God of War: Chains of Olympus and Patapon have been nominated for Best Handheld Game. Unfortunately, that's all these two have been nominated for. There can only be one winner and it's going to be a tough call between these two -- oh, yes, and the other nominees, of course. The PS3, on the other hand, has a huge amount of nominations -- so check out what's happening on PS3 Fanboy.
TGS 08: Patapon 2: bigger, badder and more badass
How big is Patapon 2? Well, take the original game ... and then multiply it by two. The upcoming PSP-exclusive sequel will feature a staggering amount of content which makes the original seem rather diminutive. While the first featured 37 levels, Patapon 2 Don Chaka will feature over 80. There were 187 weapons and items in the original -- and over 500 in the new game. Not only that, Patapon 2 will also feature a new multiplayer mode.While critics and fans have embraced Patapon's unique gameplay, the new content expansion should make the sequel much more appealing to newcomers and veterans alike. The core gameplay remains largely untouched -- each of the face buttons represents a certain sound, and pressing button combinations to the beat will command the Patapon to march, retreat and attack. However, they've added a new twist to the formula. Enter: the Hero Patapon.Players wanted a more personal interaction with their Patapon. With the Hero Patapon, they'll get just that. The Hero has an expanded set of moves and greater HP, making it far deadlier than the standard Patapon. While Patapon were fairly expendable in the original, players will want the Hero to stay alive. As it can be named by the player, many may think of it as their own unique "pet" in the game.%Gallery-27751%
Patapon 2 lives up to its namesake, contains twice as much content
Is there a title more apt than Patapon 2? Perhaps not. The upcoming sequel to the critically acclaimed PSP exclusive will be double the size of the original, according to Famitsu (via PSPHyper). The number of stages to be found in the upcoming sequel is twice that of the first title, giving players a lot more to play. In addition, the story will be fleshed out even more, with hero Patapon getting their own special abilities throughout the adventure.Although the gameplay concept was simple, it was very easy to lose the rhythm and meet one's doom in the original. Thankfully, the sequel will be a bit more accessible to players, as it will also indicate when a player is losing the beat. With more content, more enemies, more abilities, and multiplayer, it looks like there's a lot to be excited about when Patapon 2 releases in Japan later this year.
PSP E3 2008 screenshot roundup
Liberation? Retribution? There's definitely something up with the jump to handheld third person ... Dive deeper into the mystery in the gallery below, and then check out Super Stardust (um, not in HD), and a pair of colorful sequels posted after the break. %Gallery-27792% %Gallery-27794%
Here's a peek at first Patapon 2 screens
Patapon 2 has been announced for a Japanese Winter 2008 release, and the biggest new feature for the game is the four player ad hoc. You can see that multiplayer aspect in the screen above where the objective of the mode is to charge forward together with a Faberge egg, all the while fighting enemies. Sounds interesting. Check out the rest of the screenshots at Famitsu.
Patapon 2 gains four player multiplayer
The original Patapon was critically acclaimed for its simple, endearing, and surprisingly deep design. It shouldn't surprise anyone that the PSP exclusive music game is getting a sequel. The big draw this time? Ad-hoc multiplayer for four players. Hiroyuki Kotani explains to Famitsu (via 1UP) that there's a lot more to look forward to this time besides multiplayer. "There are lots more bosses and midboss-type enemies this time. We've got about double the amount of content to explore, just in terms of the number of stages alone. Add the customization options to that, and to be honest, you may never get to fully explore every bit of it." The game is being prepped for a winter release in Japan. Undoubtedly, the US will also get its own version some time in the future as well. Hopefully, we'll also be able to see more of Patapon 2 at E3 next week.
Famitsu: Patapon 2 marches on Japan PSPs this Winter
The latest issue of Famitsu (via PSPHype) reveals a sequel to Patapon is in the works and coming to Japanese PSPs this Winter (no US or Europe release mentioned). The game is being developed by Pyramid Studios, who made the previous game and LocoRoco. The magazine also has a two-page spread of LocoRoco 2, although gives no release date for any region. No matter how many times you shout pata-pata-pata-pon, the game won't get here any faster.[Via PSP Fanboy; Image via Penny Arcade]
Patapon and echochrome devs to speak at Develop
The teams behind the creative PSP games, Patapon and echochrome, will make an appearance at this year's Develop conference in July. Atsushi Li, director of Pyramid and Junichi Yoshizama, associate producer of SCE Worldwide Studios will discuss the tribal music game Patapon. Jun Fujiki and Tatsuya Suzuki will speak about the mind-bending echochrome. "We are privileged to welcome Ii-san, Yoshizawa-san, Fujiki-san and Suzuki-san to the Develop Conference and are thrilled that we can offer our delegates the opportunity to be inspired by what can only be described as some of the most creative video games designers on the planet," said managing director of Tandem Events, Andy Lane.
Test your Patapon knowledge, win prizes
Are you a Patapon master? Prove it in Sony's new official contest. Answer a series of trivia questions and you'll be entered in a contest where you can win a Be@rbrick figure, t-shirt and set of magnets. Twenty people will be randomly selected to win.If you haven't played Patapon yet, you'll need to download the demo from the PLAYSTATION Store in order to get all the knowledge you need. Unfortunately, the Store is currently down for maintenance, but will be back up tomorrow.
Glory! Freedom! This is PATAPON!!!
We do not know who made this incredible fan art, but we want to know you. This Patapon piece is inspired by the blockbuster action movie, 300. Not only does the piece accurately recreate one of the film's most iconic moments, it does so with the blood-curling beat of the Patapon tribe: Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon.Update: canecodesign is the artist. Check out the DeviantART page.
Readers pick best webcomic: 100 Kirbies
One hundred Kirby amalgams make for one hundred different avatars. Special thanks to VG Cats' Scott Ramsoomair for the Grim Fandango-inspired Kirby. As prize, we (and the Joystiq voters) crown the strip best webcomic of the week.Second and third place go to 2P Start (another great source of avatars) and Penny Arcade, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomic you stumble upon this week!
Patapon fan art gets vicious
Patapon has managed to find its way into the hearts of many PSP gamers. Already, the game has a legion of dedicated fans, and they're pouring their love into some clever fan art. Benny T. sent us some of his art: a vicious reinterpretation of the musical warriors. Considering how blood-thirty these critters actually are, we find these drawings to be a rather accurate representation of the Patapon's true nature.Check them all out here.
This comic is filled with Pata-puns
2P Start has a Patapon-inspired comic on their site, filled with puns (or as we call em, Pata-puns, get it?). It's a cute effort that managed to break through our cold, bitter hearts. Is that a smile that we're donning? How uncomfortable.Pacapon is one of our favorites. What about you?
Metareview: Patapon (PSP)
Ready the troops, it's time to march (pata-pata-pata-pon) into battle (pon-pon-pata-pon) with Patapon, a delightful rhythm-based action/strategy game standing proud and alone in a new genre. Patapon is another jewel in the ever-increasing library of notable games for the PSP and at only $20 you shouldn't even bother reading the reviews below -- just go get it! Pata-pata-pata-pon! IGN (92/100): "While LocoRoco appeared to have the cuteness crown with enjoyable play for the PSP, it looks like it will have to move over – the time for Patapon has come. If you own a PSP, make sure you go to the stores and you get a copy of this game. Your game collection will thank you, and you won't be disappointed." 1UP (90/100): "Patapon poses a serious challenge over its 15 hours (some arcane objectives and explanations don't help); it's not very portable (no pausing, headphones required), and some players won't enjoy the backtracking necessary to buff up their army or the unforgiving economy of the collectibles (you'll often find yourself with far too many items and not enough ka-ching). But it atones for its faults with understated strategic depth, an astounding sense of reward (both literal and whimsical), and an inspired difficulty curve that sticks with you to the end." EuroGamer (80/100): "While Patapon has got the same quirky sense of style and visual charm as [LocoRoco], it doesn't offer the same easy breezy gameplay. Instead, it offers an imposing amount of depth and a considerable amount of micromanagement. Which isn't necessarily a criticism - it's just that forewarned is forearmed, and if you're nuts about LocoRoco there's no guarantee that you'll go bonkers for Patapon, because it's complicated, and it can be frustrating. But then it can also be rewarding and yes, it's absolutely charming and that counts for a lot."
PSN Thursday: Sadists rejoice with new PAIN character
Not through pummeling your pixelated pals with PAIN? Well, this week the PSN update will allow you to procure for a pittance a pirate to persistently pound into pavement. Skurv Dogg is a new downloadable character for PSN's PAIN at a mere $.99. Beyond that there's your normal serving of Rock Band DLC with a side order of No Doubt for Guitar Hero III. Want more? Um, there's the Star Trek teaser trailer in glorious HD to fill your television screen for a little over a minute. Check out the complete list of content after the break and go say hi to the gentlemen at PS3 Fanboy for European update details.
Rumor: Patapon Spin-off?
According to EGM's Quartermann, their top guy for all things rumorlicious, something "Patapon-related" will be popping up on the PlayStation Network. It seems that this unique rhythm game might actually be getting some sort of spin-off. Patapon has barely just been released in the west and already we're hearing rumblings of a sequel or a spin-off. Hey, we're not complaining; we're just a little surprised. It would be nice to have another Patapon game, little eye people and all.[Via 1UP]
Patapon developer Q&A video
Patapon comes out ... well, today. This video by SCEA attempts to answer some last-minutes questions the members of Sony's Gamer Advisory Panel. We think we recognize some of the user names in this vid as PSP Fanboy regulars! The questions and answers aren't too revealing, but act as enough of a primer for those that haven't been following the game until now.
Win an exclusive Patapon Be@rbrick figure!
BE@RBRICK TM & (c) 2001-2007 MEDIACOM TOY CORPORATION This super-rare Patapon figure is not available outside of Japan. Enter our giveaway for your chance to win one!Are you as excited for Patapon as we are? (Read our review to find out why we're so excited about this game!) To celebrate the release of this unique PSP-exclusive music action game, SCEA has provided us a very exclusive Be@rbrick figure to give away. To enter, have a Patapon avatar on your Blogsmith profile, and leave a comment here. The comment must be left before Wednesday, February 28th, 5PM EST. You may enter only once on PSP Fanboy, and once on Joystiq. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing, one from each site. Grand Prize Winners will receive this Be@rbrick figure. Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC). You must be 18 years or older to enter.
PSP Fanboy review: Patapon
If there is one genre that has really flourished on the PSP, it would be rhythm games. Titles like Lumines, beats, Parappa the Rapper, and Gitaroo Man have made Sony's handheld a must-have for any fans of the rhythm genre. And while all those games were fantastic titles, Pyramid's most recent PSP title, Patapon, manages to blows them all away with some of the most unique rhythm-based gameplay you'll ever experience.Combining gameplay from a wide swath of genres, developers Pyramid managed to create a game that is part rhythm-based, part RPG, and part RTS. It's not always easy for developers to successfully combine genres to create a greater whole, but Pyramid absolutely nailed it with Patapon. The resulting gameplay makes Patapon one of the most unique titles to come along in years, on any system -- not just the PSP. You play the roll of a long missing deity to a tribe of big-eyed warriors, called Patapons, who have been banished from their land and have lost the will to fight. In order to help the Patapons regain their former glory and achieve their final hope of seeing the mysterious 'it' at the end of the world, they need you and your mighty war drums to whip them into shape and get them motivated for some serious combat.%Gallery-11630%
PSN Thursday: Demo MLB 08 twofer, Patapon
As Roger Clemens returns from hawking wolf tickets before Congress, baseball gears up for spring training with MLB 08 demos for both PS3 and PSP available on the PS Store today. If bats and balls aren't you thing, the Patapon demo has finally been released from the evil grips of the GameStop pre-order. Go get your genre-bending-tribal-warbanding on!Check out the complete list of content after the break, including PC Store additions -- or head over to PS3 Fanboy for European update details.
