EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - October 26, 2007 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles™ is now available in retail stores in North America. Developed exclusively for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles brings the groundbreaking PC Engine CD game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood™ in two different versions to North America for the first time ever-- the original 2D form along with an updated version incorporating 3D graphics and new gameplay elements. In addition, gamers will also receive one of the most highly treasured games in the Castlevania series, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night™ with redone voice-over, translation and content previously available only in the Japanese version of the game.
"We took full advantage of the PSP system, adding more content in a portable Castlevania than ever before," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "With the Dracula X Chronicles, not only does the package include two of the most popular entries in the Castlevania series to date, but it also includes a complete remake of a title that was previously only available in Japan. This massive collection of old and new Castlevania content is a great value for PSP gamers and fans of the series alike."
The legendary action game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is reborn on the PSP system with incredible 3D graphics and classic side scrolling gameplay. In bringing the Japanese PC Engine CD classic to the handheld arena, gamers take on the role of intrepid vampire hunter Richter Belmont seeking the destruction of the maniacal Count Dracula once-and-for-all in this pivotal piece in the ongoing Castlevania saga.
Both the original version of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, localized in English for the first time and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, widely regarded as one of the most groundbreaking video games of all-time, are featured as unlockable items.
Players can battle through the game's more than 10 stages as either Richter Belmont or Maria Renard, each with their own unique skills and battle abilities. In addition to new 3D graphics, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles will feature new character designs by renowned Castlevania visualist Ayami Kojima. The game will also introduce a new sound collection system that will let players find songs from both Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night and create their own custom soundtracks as they play.
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB and available for an SRP of $29.99. For more information, please visit www.konami.com.
About Konami
Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties. Konami's titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill®, DanceDanceRevolution® and Castlevania®, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. KONAMI CORPORATION is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. KONAMI CORPORATION is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at www.konami.com.
KONAMI is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION.
About the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system
PSP system is the first truly integrated handheld entertainment system designed to handle multiple applications - music, video, photo, Internet, and wireless connectivity, with games as its key feature. PSP system features an unmatched library of portable entertainment content, totaling more than 270 games and more than 450 feature films, TV programs, and videos from major studios and record labels, as well as downloadable content from the Internet.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® game console the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) entertainment system and its online and network services the PLAYSTATION®Network and PLAYSTATION®Store
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PlayStation game console, the PlayStation 2 system and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.