Companies’ First Project Together Will Bring Popular HUGO Franchise To Game Boy® Advance In The U.S. Market
January 19, 2005
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Bandai Namco | San Jose, Ca., (January 18, 2005) - Leading video games publisher and developer Namco Hometek Inc. announced today they have signed a deal with the Denmark-based pioneer of interactive television entertainment, ITE, to bring two projects from the global "HUGO" franchise on the Game Boy® Advance to the U.S. market this year. Working closely with ITE, Namco will deliver the addictive platforming/puzzle game HUGO - The Evil Mirror and the fast-paced kart racing title HUGO Bukkazoom for young gamers ages 12 and under.
"We're excited to partner with ITE, a true leader in the interactive entertainment industry, to bring the HUGO franchise to the North American video game market," said Jeff Lujan, Business Unit Director, Namco Hometek Inc. "We hope HUGO - The Evil Mirror and HUGO Bukkazoom! are just the beginning of many successful game launches between ITE and Namco. "
In HUGO - The Evil Mirror, players embark on an adventure through 60 different game levels and three unique worlds in order to free main character Hugo who has been trapped in a mirror by the evil witch Scylla. Featuring three levels of difficulty, numerous power-ups, a unique "monster system" and strong puzzle elements involved in each level design, HUGO - The Evil Mirror will be available this June exclusively on the Game Boy Advance.
In the wacky and cartoonish fast-paced kart racing game, HUGO Bukkazoom!, players control a host of characters from the HUGO world as they zip around the free roaming universe. This simple and easy to play racing game boasts three different and distinct environments, five game play modes, unlockable karts and power ups as well as multiple game play modes. Solid game play and amazing physics that are rarely seen on the Game Boy Advance add to this title's overall playful tone. HUGO Bukkazoom! will be available this March.
"We are always actively pursuing new games and content platforms for the HUGO franchise," said Niels Jørgen Skov, Executive V.P. of Sales & Marketing at Interactive Television Entertainment. "We knew that partnering with Namco for these two projects would be a great fit, and we hope to pursue more opportunities with them in the future."
For more information on HUGO - The Evil Mirror and HUGO Bukkazoom! please visit: www.namco.com.
About Namco Hometek Inc.
Namco Hometek Inc. is the U.S. consumer division of Namco Limited, a Tokyo-based world leader in the high-tech entertainment industry. Based in San Jose, CA, Namco Hometek Inc. is an award-winning video games publisher for next generation game consoles. Namco has created some of the industry's greatest video game franchises: Tekken®, SOULCALIBUR®, Dead to Rights®, Pac-Man WorldTM, Ridge Racer®, Time Crisis® and ACECOMBATTM. For more information about Namco and its products log onto www.namco.com.
TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, PAC-MAN WORLDTM, Ridge Racer®, Time Crisis® and ACECOMBATTM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Namco Limited in the United States and/or other countries.
Dead to RightsTM is a trademark or registered trademark of Namco Hometek Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
About ITE (Interactive Television Entertainment)
ITE (Interactive Television Entertainment ApS) is the largest multi-platform game developer and publisher in Denmark with expertise and knowledge of games and educational concepts across a multitude of formats. In 1990 ITE launched the interactive television show "HUGO the TV Troll" in Denmark and subsequently created an explosive international market based on this character. With over 8.5 million HUGO games on PlayStation, Nintendo and PC platforms sold, and with new markets opening in the USA, Latin America and China, ITE is poised to build on its success as a major brand for children's entertainment worldwide. ITE is owned by the Danish venture company, Olicom A/S.
HUGOTM, HUGO the TV TrollTM, BUKKAZOOM! TM and HUGO - The Evil MirrorTM are trademarks belonging to Interactive Television Entertainment ApS.
TM, ® , Game Boy Advance is a trademark of Nintendo. ® 2004 Nintendo.
CONTACTS:
Stacy Schwartz/Laura Weir
Bender/Helper Impact
(310) 694-3138/(310) 694-3116
[email protected]/[email protected]
- OR -
Mika Kelly
Namco Hometek Inc.
(408) 235-2133
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