Spelunker™ Lands on Wii U™ and Nintendo 3DS™
In celebration of the game's 30th anniversary, the classic NES edition of the punishing platformer returns to challenge and confound gamers
Bellevue, Wash.--June 27, 2013--Tōzai Games announced today that Spelunker, the fiendishly challenging classic platformer, is available now for Nintendo's Virtual Console™ service for Wii U in North America and Europe. The game also launches today in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS in North America and is expected to be available in Europe on July 18. Notorious for its exacting controls and ridiculous number of ways to die, the game has become a cult phenomenon, especially in Japan, inspiring musical tributes, toys, comics and even sports slang.
Created by Tim Martin in 1983, Spelunker is the weakest action hero in the history of video games, whose colossal spirit for adventure is countered only by his miniscule threshold for pain. Wander through miles of uncharted caves in search of the legendary underground pyramid and its vast treasures. But beware of the scalding steam vents, poisonous bats and the avenging spirits of dead spelunkers that lurk in every corner of this massive underground labyrinth.
"When I served as executive producer on the NES game back in 1985, we had no inkling of how huge the Spelunker phenomenon would become," says Scott Tsumura, Tōzai's co-founder. "For a character who dies so easily in the game, his notoriety has endured for three decades now, and he continues to gain new fans as Spelunker is released on contemporary platforms."
In recognition of its ongoing popularity and cameo appearances in Japanese pop culture, Spelunker was presented with the Retro Game Award for Excellence at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. The complete history of the Spelunker game and an interactive look at wacky Spelunker fandom can be found at http://www.spelunker-hd.com/ You can also visit the Spelunker HD Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spelunker-HD/139505242768175
For more information on Spelunker for Wii U and to view the trailer, please visit http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/J7ozep0deR64QeyHBkj4TN_MOTK_i74I. For more information on Spelunker for Nintendo 3DS, please see http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/V2wCllr3o_vXfBrBSXW0aRNILTVzNIIl.
About Tōzai Games
From the classics of yesterday to the original IP of tomorrow, Tōzai Games delivers lasting gaming experiences to passionate gamers around the globe. Based in Bellevue, Washington, and Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, Tōzai Games is an experienced team of professionals dedicated to building successful licensing and publishing relationships around the world.
See upcoming Spelunker news at http://www.spelunker-hd.com/ and on the Spelunker Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/SpelunkerHD. To download Spelunker or other Tōzai Games' assets go to http://press.tozaigames.com/.
Keep up-to-date on Tōzai Games' upcoming projects on the Tōzai Games Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Tozai, on Twitter @TozaiGames and at http://www.tozaigames.com/ and http://www.tozaigames.co.jp/.
Bellevue, Wash.--June 27, 2013--Tōzai Games announced today that Spelunker, the fiendishly challenging classic platformer, is available now for Nintendo's Virtual Console™ service for Wii U in North America and Europe. The game also launches today in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS in North America and is expected to be available in Europe on July 18. Notorious for its exacting controls and ridiculous number of ways to die, the game has become a cult phenomenon, especially in Japan, inspiring musical tributes, toys, comics and even sports slang.
Created by Tim Martin in 1983, Spelunker is the weakest action hero in the history of video games, whose colossal spirit for adventure is countered only by his miniscule threshold for pain. Wander through miles of uncharted caves in search of the legendary underground pyramid and its vast treasures. But beware of the scalding steam vents, poisonous bats and the avenging spirits of dead spelunkers that lurk in every corner of this massive underground labyrinth.
"When I served as executive producer on the NES game back in 1985, we had no inkling of how huge the Spelunker phenomenon would become," says Scott Tsumura, Tōzai's co-founder. "For a character who dies so easily in the game, his notoriety has endured for three decades now, and he continues to gain new fans as Spelunker is released on contemporary platforms."
In recognition of its ongoing popularity and cameo appearances in Japanese pop culture, Spelunker was presented with the Retro Game Award for Excellence at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. The complete history of the Spelunker game and an interactive look at wacky Spelunker fandom can be found at http://www.spelunker-hd.com/ You can also visit the Spelunker HD Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spelunker-HD/139505242768175
For more information on Spelunker for Wii U and to view the trailer, please visit http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/J7ozep0deR64QeyHBkj4TN_MOTK_i74I. For more information on Spelunker for Nintendo 3DS, please see http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/V2wCllr3o_vXfBrBSXW0aRNILTVzNIIl.
About Tōzai Games
From the classics of yesterday to the original IP of tomorrow, Tōzai Games delivers lasting gaming experiences to passionate gamers around the globe. Based in Bellevue, Washington, and Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, Tōzai Games is an experienced team of professionals dedicated to building successful licensing and publishing relationships around the world.
See upcoming Spelunker news at http://www.spelunker-hd.com/ and on the Spelunker Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/SpelunkerHD. To download Spelunker or other Tōzai Games' assets go to http://press.tozaigames.com/.
Keep up-to-date on Tōzai Games' upcoming projects on the Tōzai Games Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Tozai, on Twitter @TozaiGames and at http://www.tozaigames.com/ and http://www.tozaigames.co.jp/.
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