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TAITO Enters Android Market, Picking Up Steam in the United States

Posted on: Friday, 27 February 2009, 14:37 CST

SPACE INVADERS and ARKANOID Doh It Again to be Released!

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- TAITO Corporation (TAITO(R)), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., has begun distributing its classic games SPACE INVADERS(R) and ARKANOID(R) Doh It Again via Android Market, the Android(TM) mobile phone platform's content store.

In an effort to be one of the first to support the coming flood of Android-compatible mobile phones, TAITO previously released a free "Lite" version of ARKANOID Doh It Again. Now that the distribution of paid apps via Android Market has become possible, TAITO is following up this initial release with full commercial versions of SPACE INVADERS and ARKANOID Doh It Again.

Ever since its 1978 release to worldwide acclaim, pioneering video game SPACE INVADERS has been enjoyed by millions and played via a wide variety of platforms and home gaming consoles. While this new release preserves the classic scenario--the player maneuvers his beam cannon left and right, attempting to shoot down waves of descending Invaders--the addition of touch screen controls has resulted in an intuitive style of play never seen before. The "Nagoya Attack" technique and other tricks present in the original game, of course, remain intact.

Originally released to the arcades in 1986 and later followed by a number of home console releases within Japan and overseas, ARKANOID is TAITO's famous block-destroying game.

Despite its simple premise--players use their VAUS spaceship to deflect the energy ball and destroy the space wall above, brick-by-brick--ARKANOID Doh It Again is packed with 99 stages and a wide variety of power-up items, resulting in a deep and satisfying game experience.

These new SPACE INVADERS and ARKANOID Doh It Again releases have been re-tuned to make full use of the T-Mobile G1's touch screen and trackball*, creating smooth, stress-free controls. The games also allow the player to switch instantly and effortlessly between vertical (portrait) and horizontal (landscape) screen modes without interrupting play.

While TAITO has long been active in the mobile phone content market, both within Japan and abroad, this new participation in the global Android Market portal signals TAITO's efforts to bring appealing entertainment to an ever larger audience.

*SPACE INVADERS is controlled exclusively via the touch screen.

TAITO's Android Market line up

ARKANOID Doh It Again

Publisher : Square Enix, Inc.

Platform: T-Mobile G1

Genre: Arcade & Action

Price: $5.99

Region: United States

Release Date: Now Available

SPACE INVADERS

Publisher : Square Enix, Inc.

Platform: T-Mobile G1

Genre: Arcade & Action

Price: $5.99

Region: United States

Release Date: Now Available

About TAITO Corporation

TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS, and developed such fan favorites as EXIT(TM) and ARKANOID. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at http://www.taito.com/.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises - FINAL FANTASY(R), which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST(R), which has sold over 47 million units worldwide - under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

ARKANOID, EXIT, SPACE INVADERS, TAITO and the TAITO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TAITO Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY and SQUARE ENIX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

SOURCE TAITO Corporation

Source: PR Newswire

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