Spanners At The Ready For Worldwide Robot Wars!

11th April 2007 - Take up the challenge and design the ultimate fighting machine as Custom Robo Arena launches on the Nintendo DS. With hundreds of components to choose from, players can compete against the computer, friends and family or even battle it out to prove their skills against Robo Commanders from across the globe , utilising the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Service. Custom Robo Arena launches across Europe on 25th May 2007.

Players follow the adventures of a young boy who has just transferred to Midheart High School and dreams both of winning the CustomRobo Championship and fighting Robo-crime by joining the police force. Under the guidance of his new friend, Liv, our hero must learn the skills of a Robo Fighter.

The aim of the game is to compete in prestigious Custom Robo competitions but, before taking part in the tournament, players must complete challenges and competitions to unlock all the key elements needed to create the best robot in the world. These consist of Body, Pod, Gun, Bombs and legs, all of which can be selected for the robot and manipulated using the Nintendo DS touch screen in pose mode.

Once the first spare parts are found in-game, you can start customising the components for your Robot at the Garage, where Robots are prepared for Battle. Having unlocked all the parts, players will have thousands of combinations to choose from to produce their ideal combination of attack, speed and defensive abilities. This variety allows players to alter their Robots to suit every situation.

Battles are fought in colourful 3D battle arenas, with obstacles for the player to run around, jump onto and even hide behind during a challenge which all adds to the intensity of the fight. Throughout the game players must aim to crush their opponent with the full force of their machine, whist avoiding all blows from the challenging Custom Robo. This requires players to strategically assess all elements of a fight to customize the ultimate winning robot!

During the single player Battle Mode in Custom Robo Arena, players set out to become the ultimate Robo Commander champion, moving their robot with the D-pad and using the other buttons to dispatch opponents with bombs and gunfire. The unlockable Robocade is an area where players can battle against a freely customisable opponent as well as take part in arcade style battles to increase their scores. Depending on their performance players will be awarded a gold, silver or bronze trophy. But to be eligible for this extra honour they must win five bouts in a row.

In addition to these modes, gamers have the opportunity to take on other players around the world with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. The game's multiplayer mode allows players to choose to battle with a randomly selected opponent, people of a similar ability level or even with a specific friend. Friends and rivals codes can also be managed, creating rosters and tracking their progress in Custom Robo Arena.

So get designing and prepare for battle as Custom Robo Arena smashes its way onto shelves across Europe on 25th May 2007 for the estimated retail price of approximately £30.

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For further information please contact the Nintendo Press Office on 020 7307 3103.

Notes to editors:

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection - FREE, SIMPLE & SAFE

The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service launched globally in November 2005 and as of December 2006 has a staggering 3.5 million unique users and over 100 million online gameplay connections. . The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service allows you to play games over the Internet, wirelessly, at home or at a public Wi-Fi (wireless internet) hotspot provided by (territories to insert provider details), using a Nintendo DS and a Nintendo Wi-Fi compatible Nintendo DS software.

The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service is free* - there are no fees or subscriptions to pay (usual broadband line rental costs apply when accessing the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection at home). It's simple to use - you simply turn it on and select Wi-Fi. There are no complicated menu screens or confusing instructions to follow. It's safe for everyone - you currently do not have direct communication with other players when playing anonymously and therefore personal details or inappropriate comments can't be exchanged. For further information on Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service visit www.nintendowifi.com

About Nintendo

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 387 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda and Pokémon®. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Grossostheim, Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in Europe.