No Matter Who The Gamer Is On Your Shopping List,
Natsume Has A Video Game For Them

Burlingame, Calif., December 8, 2008 – Natsume Inc., a worldwide
developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, announced
today that the company’s full videogame lineup for 2008 is now
available at retail, including the most recent release of Rune Factory
2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon for the Nintendo DS.  Rune Factory 2: A
Fantasy Harvest Moon joins Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, Princess
Debut and Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge (all for DS) and Harvest
Moon: Tree of Tranquility (for Wii) to complete its 2008 holiday
lineup.

“This has been a great year for Natsume as we continued our Harvest
Moon series with three brand new Harvest Moon adventures this fall.
Add to that some adorable educational fun with Hi! Hamtaro: Ham Ham
Challenge and our hugely popular new original IP, Princess Debut and
there is truly something for everyone on your list,” said Hiro
Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume.

For more information on each of Natsume’s 2008 holiday lineup see the
descriptions below.  Each title is rated E for everyone by the
Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and are available at
retailers nationwide.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness (DS) $29.99
Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness brings the largest portable Harvest
Moon experience ever to the Nintendo DS. Starting off with an
abandoned farm, a handful of seeds, and the determination to start a
new life, it’s up to the player to develop a mysterious, abandoned
island into a bustling tropical paradise. By harvesting crops, raising
animals, and mining for precious gems, gamers will help the island
grow into a vibrant town filled with people, businesses, and eligible
bachelors and bachelorettes. Players can take on the role of a male or
a female, and choose who they want to fall in love and start a family
with. Gamers can also test their farming skills against each other and
compete for prizes via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Harvest Moon:
Island of Happiness is now available for an MSRP of $29.99.

Princess Debut (DS) $29.99
The critics are raving about Natsume’s new IP Princess Debut.
GRRLGamer calls Princess Debut a “breath of fresh air”, Cool Moms Rule
says the game is “an anime version of Cinderella”, and The Globe and
Mail calls it “high quality gaming for girls fascinated by the fantasy
princess lifestyle.”

In Princess Debut, players find themselves in a fantasy world where
they have 30 days to get ready for the big ball; they’ll have to
master their dance moves and win over one of the six handsome princes
to be their partner. They’ll meet and woo the princes through the
game’s large, branching storyline. Once the player convinces a prince
to be their dancing partner, it’s time to go out on the dance floor!
By utilizing the Touch Screen, players guide their character
gracefully across the dance floor while matching their partner’s
rhythm. All of the dances in the game are taken from motion-captured
professional dancers, so the game is just as impressive to watch as it
is fun to play.  Princess Debut offers four modes of play including
Story, Ballroom, Practice, and Movie. With 20 outfits to find, 14
unique endings to experience, and 18 different kinds of music and
dance styles to choose from (including Waltz, Latin Dance, Tango,
Ballroom, and much more), there’s no shortage of things to see and do!
Princess Debut is now available for an MSRP of $29.99.

Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon  (DS) $29.99
Rune Factory 2 is set several years after the first game. The evil
Sechs Empire has been defeated, and the Kingdom of Norad is once again
at peace. Things may not stay that way for long, however, as dark
premonitions foretell of dangers to come.  It’s up to the player to
uncover the source of these premonitions and bring peace to the
kingdom once more. Over the course of the story, players will build
and develop a farm, befriend townspeople, raise monsters, take on
quests, and find a wife. In a first for the Rune Factory series, the
story of Rune Factory 2 is multigenerational. Players begin the game
as Kyle, a strange man who comes to Alvarna Village. Eventually,
players will take on the role of Kyle’s child, opening up a whole new
adventure. It’s an innovative feature that allows players to follow
the story of their family and the townsfolk over two generations! Now
available for an MSRP of $29.99.

Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii) ) $49.99
In Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility, players find themselves in a
troubled island town which once prospered with life and energy, but is
now in serious trouble. The mystical Mother Tree that once watched
over the island has disappeared, and the Harvest Goddess is nowhere to
be found! The island has lost its connection with nature and the
inhabitants don’t know what to do – it’s up to the player to save the
island! Players will help to rebuild the island by working the land,
befriending and raising animals, nurturing friendships, and building a
family.  When the Mother Tree is reborn, the Harvest Goddess will
return and bring prosperity to the island once more. Long-time Harvest
Moon fans as well as new players will find an exciting, involving
storyline and plenty of activities to experience, including
cultivating crops, caring for animals, and participating in festivals.
Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is now available for an MSRP of
$49.99.

Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge (DS) $29.99
Hamtaro and his friends make learning fun in Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham
Challenge. Children will not only be entertained by the beloved
hamster Hamtaro and his adorable cast of friends, they will also
develop their memory, word comprehension, math skills, and many other
abilities as they play through the twelve engaging interactive games.
The game’s easy-to-learn touch screen controls make the game fun and
accessible for children of all ages. Parents can take an active role
in their child’s playing and learning with features that let them
monitor their child’s progress in each game, adjust the difficulty
level to match their child’s skills, monitor and control play time,
and even reward their child with special items. Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham
Challenge for the Nintendo DS is a brain-training game geared at
elementary-aged children. Rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment
Software Rating Board, it is currently available for an MSRP of
$29.99.

All of these titles are currently available at various retailers
nationwide. For more information, please visit www.natsume.com or
http://www.clevercomm.com/Natsume/

PR Email