Rune Factory: Frontier

Wednesday 31st March 2010: Leading video games publisher Rising Star Games has today confirmed that Rune Factory Frontier, from the creative minds behind the timeless Rune Factory and Harvest Moon games on DS, will launch tomorrow (1st April) on the Nintendo Wii.

Playing as Raguna gamers stumble upon the tranquil town of Tranrupia while searching for Mist who mysteriously disappeared. On finding her in the town, Raguna is persuaded to stay and start a new life in Tranrupia, and so the adventure begins.

As he settles into his new life Raguna can learn various trades such as farming (crops can be exchanged for money), forging (create tools and equipment), fishing, crafting (items such as medicine and plant food can be created in the lab), and cooking. Gamers can also freely explore the town and Whale Island - a gigantic flying island above the town - which is accessed via a tiny sprout; when watered it becomes a giant beanstalk.

Key features to Rune Factory Frontier include rewarding life-like interactions with NPC characters, which promote prosperity and help the town grow; a dynamic ecosystem, allowing gamers cultivate and harvest crops; and Runeys, the four different spirits that inhabit the town and can be caught and released in various places to enhance the growth of crops.

As you'd expect characters offer quirkiness in abundance: there's Melody, who settles in Tranrupia because she finds a hot spring on Whale Island; two characters named Iris, who look the same and possess the same powers; Uzuki, a girl from a warrior family who is too scared to fight in real life and Eunice, who loves to cook and clean.

In an added twist there are a collection of dungeons to explore and monsters to expunge, which is key to progression as it allows gamers to level up. However, in the dungeons players can also befriend monsters and nurture them as companions who will eventually fight and tend crops for gamers - once given a Rune Stone they can also be bred.

As the town grows in size so do the number of inhabitants and gamers will also be able to expand and customise their home. But trouble brewing on Whale Island threatens the peaceful town and ultimately Raguna is challenged with protecting his friends, the love of his life and the town of Tranrupia.

"We're delighted to confirm Rune Factory Frontier's debut on the Nintendo Wii," says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. "The game makes full use of the Wii's capabilities using the Nunchuk and Wiimote to till the land, swing swords and even knock on doors, making it an incredibly immersive game that will have gamers hooked from the start."

Rune Factory Frontier launches on 1st April for the Nintendo Wii.

Screenshots and artwork can be downloaded directly here.

Sign up to Rising Star Game's Media Bank here: www.risingstargamesmediabank.com

For further information, screenshots and press samples (when available), please contact:

Ali Wood (Premier PR)

ali.wood@premierpr.com

Yen Hau (Rising Star Games)

yen.hau@risingstargames.com

France - Namco Bandai Partners

Emilie Berndt

eberndt@namcobandaipartners.com

Germany - Koch Media

Andrea Stepper

A.Stepper@kochmedia.com

Spain - Namco Bandai Partners

David Fraile La Ossa

dfraile@namcobandaipartners.com

Italy - Cidiverte

Giovanna Cosentino

gcosentino@cidiverte.it

Benelux - CLD Distribution

Philippe Coopmans

philippe@cld.be

Nordic - Bergsala

Johan Lenngerd

johan.lenngerd@bergsala.se

- END -

About Rising Star Games

Rising Star Games Limited is a video games publisher for Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo DS™ and Wii™, Sony PS3 and PSP™ in the PAL territory. A joint venture between Japanese video game publisher and content developer Intergrow Inc and long standing Nintendo Nordic distributor Bergsala AB, Rising Star Games is now in its sixth year of trading and has published more than 50 titles including the worldwide hit series Harvest Moon alongside the renowned renegade Nintendo Wii title, No More Heroes. For more information please go to www.risingstargames.com.

About Hoshi

Within Hoshi you will discover the rich and intricate tapestry of Japanese gaming. Explore the latest releases, catch up on the latest news, discover new worlds and new characters, and most importantly interact and share your experiences with like-minded fans from around the world.

Join us now and we will keep you exclusively up to date with news, competitions, and special offers.

www.risingstargames.com/hoshi