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Lost Fragment · Dec 14, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CASTLE OF SHIKIGAMI III ON THE Wii IN THE SPRING OF 2008  Bullet hell comes to the Wii!

Torrance, CA (December 14, 2007) Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, is set to release Castle of Shikigami III, a vertical scrolling shootem-up on the Wii in the spring of 2008.

"Caste of Shikigami is known in Japan for its lively characters and challenging difficulty. There's just something to be said when a game paints the screen with enemy gunfire and rewards you for living life on the edge, said Michael Manzanares, Project Lead, Aksys Games. I've always been a fan of the Shikigami series, and I'm glad we had the opportunity to bring this latest installment to the States.

Castle of Shikigami III Features:

Tension Bonus System! Your proximity to enemy units and gunfire determines your score and firepower!

10 memorable characters! Each character has their own specialized weapons and powers, anything from chain lightning to psychic blades!

55 possible story combinations! Experience a wide variety of scenarios with fully voiced dialogue!

2 Player Co-op Mode! Dodge a never-ending barrage of bullets alone or with a friend! 
Exclusive console-only Dramatic Change Mode! Switch between two characters in the middle of the fight to improve your chances for survival! 

Castle of Shikigami III has not yet been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and Castle of Shikigami III can be found at www.aksysgames.com.

Video of the JP version in action

So basically, this is Touhou with more characters?

sixteen-bit · Dec 14, 2007

Lost Fragment said:
So basically, this is Touhou with more characters?

Not really, it borrows from several shooters though.
-"Buzz" system that rewards you for grazing bullets without getting hit somewhat akin to Psyvariar.
-One of the characters has a Shikigami move that emulates the reflect feature in Mars Matrix and other Takumi shmups.

There are several other homages, but I don't remember them now. I was a fan of the last game.

Any word on the 360 version?

PepsimanVsJoe · Dec 14, 2007

No word on a publisher for the 360 version?
Bummer

Zombie James · Dec 14, 2007

Now this is what'll get me excited about the Wii. Any chance of a North American release?

edit: Wait, what? 360 version?

sixteen-bit · Dec 14, 2007

_leech_ said:
Now this is what'll get me excited about the Wii. Any chance of a North American release?

This is a press release for the North American version.

Lost Fragment · Dec 14, 2007

_leech_ said:
Now this is what'll get me excited about the Wii. Any chance of a North American release?

edit: Wait, what? 360 version?

This is the North American release

Abel · Dec 14, 2007

Yeah, it's awesome it's being localized for the Wii, but would be nice if the 360 version got some love too... I love Shmups, so I can't wait

Stumpokapow · Dec 14, 2007

Personally I'm going with the 360 version, but to be quite honest it won't make a lot of difference either way. If the Wii version is cheaper, I'll go with that.

Zombie James · Dec 14, 2007

Lost Fragment said:
This is the North American release

Screenshots threw me off.

bryehn · Dec 14, 2007

Sweet. I really liked the first two.

PepsimanVsJoe · Dec 14, 2007

I'd like to see my arcade stick get some use on non-fighters.
Oh and the achievements are a factor as well. I'm sure there's a couple for 1-credit/1-life clearing this game.

So yeah..definitely 360 version.

jarrod · Dec 14, 2007

Wait a minute, like 2 weeks ago the 360 version was a "sure thing" and the Wii version "under consideration"? :lol

Actually, I wonder if Aksys might reconfigure the 360 release for XBLA, now that Ikaruga and Exelica are headed that way?

Heretic Kazuma · Dec 14, 2007

PepsimanVsJoe said:
No word on a publisher for the 360 version?
Bummer

Yeah, it's a damn shame. I'd totally buy the 360 version just to play this in glorious 720p/1080p. I suppose a Wii version will suffice. :lol

radios shipping overview · Dec 14, 2007

Zuh? 360 version, c'mon.

Chromax · Dec 14, 2007

Wait, bullet hell is when they swarm you with bullets right? like Touhou and Mushihime..

I thought Shikigami series uses the fast-bullet approach...maybe I'm thinking of another game.

Jiggy · Dec 14, 2007

Nice news! Now just make the price right and I'll probably buy. Go 2D gaming, go challenging gaming.

Jirotrom · Dec 14, 2007

Chromax said:
Wait, bullet hell is when they swarm you with bullets right? like Touhou and Mushihime..

I thought Shikigami series uses the fast-bullet approach...maybe I'm thinking of another game.

no you are right, the shikigami games are not bullet hell games.

Civil · Dec 14, 2007

I didn't think there was much of a market for bullet hell games in the US. So many of them are Japan-only.

I don't even bother trying, I can't even do these things emulated with the speed turned down and save states.

PantherLotus · Dec 14, 2007

has this not been posted in the Wii Screenshot Thread for more than a month already? I've been posting those screenies (or was it the previous sequel?) for a while...

radios shipping overview · Dec 14, 2007

PantherLotus said:
has this not been posted in the Wii Screenshot Thread for more than a month already? I've been posting those screenies (or was it the previous sequel?) for a while...

This is about the US release.

Lost Fragment · Dec 14, 2007

PantherLotus said:
has this not been posted in the Wii Screenshot Thread for more than a month already? I've been posting those screenies (or was it the previous sequel?) for a while...

Gotta be for the previous one since these screens were just uploaded to Aksys' FTP today. I don't really pay attention to that thread.

Space Runaway · Dec 14, 2007

I didn't like part 1 much but 2 was pretty decent. I'd buy this at a budget price.

GDGF · Dec 14, 2007

More shoot em ups are always welcome!

Mamesj · Dec 14, 2007

Please, use the VA from CSII.

KevinCow · Dec 14, 2007

Holy shit, you play as a flying person instead of a spaceship??!?!?!?!?!

GhostSeed · Dec 14, 2007

Sweet US release! Does anyone know if the JPN version is 480p?

Jeff-DSA · Dec 14, 2007

YES!

I think we need more shmups on consoles and less guns in schools!

Prospero · Dec 14, 2007

I can tell from the screenshots that it's probably too hard for me, but I'll buy it anyway just to support the shmups I love, but don't have time to practice anymore.

Amir0x · Dec 14, 2007

I am buying this.

GDGF · Dec 14, 2007

KevinCow said:
Holy shit, you play as a flying person instead of a spaceship??!?!?!?!?!

Once upon a time I was making a Gamemaker side scrolling shoot em up where you played as a flying cyborg in a trenchcoat. It would have been cool, but once I created the main sprite
I got terribly bored and didn't finish.

Tain · Dec 14, 2007

99% of you can probably already play this on your PC, as a heads up. Controller freedom and stupid high resolutions are great.

The 360 version with leaderboards sounds interesting, though, and I still expect it to get an NA release.

Holy shit, you play as a flying person instead of a spaceship??!?!?!?!?!

i like genres

Mr_Furious · Dec 14, 2007

No 360 version for U.S. then? Fuck

Jeff-DSA · Dec 14, 2007

KevinCow said:
Holy shit, you play as a flying person instead of a spaceship??!?!?!?!?!

Yeah, but that's not exactly new in the genre...

RedBoot · Dec 14, 2007

Wow, I knew this had a 360 version, and I'd been hoping it would come out in the US, but I'll take a Wii version. If it comes out for the 360 as well then I'll have to judge Price vs HD/Achievements, but either way I'm just glad this is coming out here.

As a side note, isn't Reika Kirishima there from one of those old FMV games?

Heretic Kazuma · Dec 14, 2007

RedBoot said:
As a side note, isn't Reika Kirishima there from one of those old FMV games?

Yeah. Time Gal, I think.

TunaLover · Dec 14, 2007

I love you Aksys

DaBargainHunta · Dec 14, 2007

Hell yes!!!

I have the two U.S. Shikigami games on PS2 (Mobile Light Force 2 and Castle Shikigami 2), so I'm stoked that this is coming to the Wii.

BrodiemanTTR · Dec 14, 2007

Shmups on the Wii? In MY America?

I'll buy it.

Someone brief me on the Shikigami series. Yay? Nay?

Mr Jared · Dec 14, 2007

I'm buying a game for my Wii? And on that day the world shall collapse.

Unless they bring the 360 version over here. In that case, back to the land of dust it goes.

Hcoregamer00 · Dec 14, 2007

I am buying this, and I don't have a wii (just yet).

AfunkyArcadeStick · Dec 15, 2007

Shows what the Wii really is capable of, amirite?

Hcoregamer00 · Dec 15, 2007

AfunkyArcadeStick said:
Shows what the Wii really is capable of, amirite?

Cool shooters?

radios shipping overview · Dec 15, 2007

Hcoregamer00 said:
Cool shooters?

Played with arcade sticks, no less.

AfunkyArcadeStick · Dec 15, 2007

Hcoregamer00 said:
Cool shooters?

with NES graphics and 25yo gameplay, yes.

Xiaoki · Dec 15, 2007

BrodiemanTTR said:
Shmups on the Wii? In MY America?

I'll buy it.

Someone brief me on the Shikigami series. Yay? Nay?

This one. Nay.

Shikigami 3 was very short and very easy.
If it sells for $20 it might be worth it depending on how much of a shooter fanatic you are.

Comparing this to Touhou games is like comparing a Ford Pinto to a Porsche.

drohne · Dec 15, 2007

actually i think i'd rather have this on wii than 360 -- i can move my wii over to the small tv and play it tate. JUST MAKE SURE IT SUPPORTS GAMECUBE PADS, AKSYS -- I WANNA USE MY HORI

TunaLover · Dec 15, 2007

AfunkyArcadeStick said:
with NES graphics and 25yo gameplay, yes.

Where's your Junior TAG?
I guess is unnecesary ask if you have even trying any Shikigami game before.

radios shipping overview · Dec 15, 2007

AfunkyArcadeStick said:
with NES graphics and 25yo gameplay, yes.

Do you actually use an arcade stick? And for what?

..Wait, maybe that's a question I don't want to ask.

Xiaoki said:
Shikigami 3 was very short and very easy.

Well, let's see your one-credit all-clear score.

Xiaoki · Dec 15, 2007

jiji said:
Well, let's see your one-credit all-clear score.

If I use Reika I could do that blind folded. However, are you going to pay me to stomach playing through this game again?

sixteen-bit · Dec 15, 2007

BrodiemanTTR said:
Someone brief me on the Shikigami series. Yay? Nay?

Shikigami no Shiro (Mobile Light Force 2 to North America) - Nay! (Double Nay! on MLF2)
Shikigami no Shiro II (Castle Shikigami 2 to north America) - Yay!

SNSII has the distinction of being one of the few titles released on DC, PC, GCN, and Xbox. No reason not to be a STG fan and not own it.

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Aksys bringing Castle of Shikigami III (bullet Hell) to Wii

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