Why? Because a representative from the game's North American publisher, Aksys Games, has revealed that the download-only title will be between eight and ten gigs in size. That's one hell of a big download.

Won't be a problem for anyone with a more recent system (80, 120, 250), but man, an 8-10GB download...it doesn't seem so long ago Microsoft were trying to keep online games under 50mb.

How Big Is Downloadable Record of Agarest War? [Siliconera]

We were so positive Cho Aniki Zero wouldn't make the trip overseas that we gave it the "Only in Japan" tag, certain that a game featuring muscle-bound snowmen with smaller snowmen jutting from their groins wouldn't fly stateside, but there you go. Not only is Aksys making it available as a digital download from the PlayStation Store this Spring, they are using words like thrust and poled to announce it.

"Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, proudly brings you this announcement, in exaltation of all that is manly: in spring 2010, Cho Aniki Zero will be oiled up and ready to thrust its way onto your PSP system!"

*sigh*

The game features five levels of shooting action, in which players choose between Idaten and Benten, pick a giant, muscled sidekick, and then go to town, collecting Man Protein so they can fire off their Men's Beam in order to defeat the evil forces of Emperor Balzac II. What more could you possibly want?

North American PlayStation 3-owning fans of Arc fighters like Guilty Gear and the recently-reviewed BlazBlue were somewhat disappointed last year when Battle Fantasia was released exclusively for the Xbox 360 at retail. Relief is now in sight, however, as Aksys announces a fall release for the game in downloadable for on the PlayStation Network.

"The fans have been asking for it and we're here to deliver," said Frank "Bo" deWindt II, Project Lead, Aksys Games. "Thanks to the revival of the fighting genre this year there hasn't been a better time to release such a fun and exciting fighter like Battle Fantasia on the PlayStation Network."

See? They would have released it on the PlayStation 3 earlier, but it just wasn't a good time. It should be interesting to see how well the magic-meets-steampunk game does as a downloadable title, seeing as the 360 boxed version didn't exactly take the country by storm.

BIT.TRIP BEAT(WiiWare 600 Wii points) is one part Pong, on part rhythm game, where they player controls a paddle with their Wii remote, bouncing oncoming balls away to the lovely beat of 8-bit music. Changes in the music and scenery let you know how well you're doing, and up to three friends can join you in local multiplayer, because tripping alone is never a good idea. It's basically an Atari 2600 game created with modern development techniques, creating something that could be described as retro-licious, if it weren't for the fact that anyone actually using that term is a complete and utter tool.

Those of you who want retro without the obnoxious licious might get a kick out of Summer Games II for the Commodore 64 (Virtual Console 500 Wii points), though boy those C64 games haven't held up well over the years.

As always, see below for the official Nintendo game descriptions.

BIT.TRIP BEAT (Aksys Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): BIT.TRIP BEAT is a rhythm game that brings retro action into the present, letting you use the motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller to bounce beats. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. The challenges are mighty, but if you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you'll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga.

Summer Games II™ (Commodore 64, 1-8 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): A thousand athletes. A hundred countries. Billions watching around the world as you enter the stadium, marching confidently among your nation's strongest, fastest and boldest young men and women. Your gaze sweeps the crowd as you realize the scope of your achievement. You are about to compete against the world's best athletes in a 3,000-year-old competition. This is the pinnacle of athletic achievement: the Summer Games. Summer Games II challenges your competitive skills with a series of athletic contests for one to eight players. Experience the excitement and realism of eight different events: cycling, equestrian, fencing, high jump, javelin, kayaking, rowing and triple jump. Practice each event to sharpen your skills, then choose from the 18 countries you can represent in the competition.

Recently announced for Japan in the pages of Famitsu, Aksys is picking up the ball and running it to North America with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game due out this summer. As mentioned previously, the 2D fighter features twelve highly-detailed characters, each one animated with over 1800 frames worth of hand-drawn sprites. That's a whole mess of sprites.

The console version of the arcade fighter features new music, new animations, and a full-fleshed out story mode that apparently makes use of a girl with chipmunk ears and a tail, so I wholeheartedly approve. Online play and the ability to switch between Japanese and English voices is nice, but they had me at random chipmunk girl.

The long-running Arc System Works 2D fighter series will welcome GGXXACP to the fold on these shores in Spring of 2009. The Japanese version first shipped in March of last year.

What makes this entry so worthy of its "Plus"? Two returning characters (Kliff and Justice), a new story mode, and changes to both the Versus and Survival modes. We'll hold off for the Alpha Double Upper Dash edition, sure to be announced any day now.

We'd advise not requesting copies of Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon at the same time, especially for asthmatics.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus in the House! [Aksys Games]

Bit.Trip Beat is an upcoming WiiWare title that takes the age-old concept of a paddle and balls and mixes in some of the latest Chiptune music in order to create a game that looks, from the trailer on their website, like it would be an absolute blast to play.

“The Gaijin Games team wanted to make a game that used the tools of today to inspire the fun of yesterday. Our goal was to make a game that was as simple in gameplay as the games of the early 80s and equally as fun—even though gamers' tastes have changed over the years,” continues Alex Neuse, Designer of Gaijin Games. “And let's face it, sometimes a really good video game is just awesome. We hope you enjoy BIT.TRIP BEAT.”

Before you comment, be sure to head over to http://aksysgames.com/bittripbeat to check out the tiny trailer they've got running on the front page. That right there is a game I could see myself playing for a good long time. No fancy graphics, no orchestral soundtrack. Just me, some colored blocks, and a scoreboard.

Well, unless of course I have some friends around, seeing as the title will support multiplayer. It just sounded much cooler that way.

AKSYS GAMES ANNOUNCES BIT.TRIP BEAT
Once again, getting the high score is all that matters in life

Torrance, CA (January 13, 2009) - Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment software, is pleased to unveil BIT.TRIP BEAT exclusively for WiiWare™! Developed by Gaijin Games, BIT.TRIP BEAT marks the first adventure of Commander Video. Using the Wii Remote™, players will test their twitch skills as they battle through a retro-esque universe, familiar to the old generation and yet reinvented for the new.

BIT.TRIP BEAT STORY
Everything comes from something. We were before we became. From life comes rhythm, and from rhythm comes life. We are beings of information. Everything is a conduit for learning. We communicate in bits and bytes. And we will return to something once we become nothing; after our BIT.TRIP is complete. “BIT.TRIP BEAT is a crazy mix of 80s aesthetics and modern game design,” states Michael Manzanares, Producer of Aksys Games. “It's challenging, yet fair, and completely addicting."

“The Gaijin Games team wanted to make a game that used the tools of today to inspire the fun of yesterday. Our goal was to make a game that was as simple in gameplay as the games of the early 80s and equally as fun—even though gamers' tastes have changed over the years,” continues Alex Neuse, Designer of Gaijin Games. “And let's face it, sometimes a really good videogame is just awesome. We hope you enjoy BIT.TRIP BEAT.”

Key Features: · Bring Back That Loving Feeling BIT.TRIP BEAT brings back the classic arcade-style gameplay where getting the high score matters!

· Pixel Blocks For The Win Keeping the arcade-style gameplay isn't enough, BIT.TRIP BEAT sports a unique retro-inspired art style that will stimulate your senses.

· Old School Tunes Who said old-school 8-bit music was out? BIT.TRIP BEAT bumps the latest chiptune music to keep the action fresh!

· Friends Can Play Too! Can't beat a level? No problem, BIT.TRIP BEAT allows 2 to 4 player co-op mode! But don't think that makes it any easier…

BIT.TRIP BEAT has not been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and BIT.TRIP BEAT can be found at www.aksysgames.com/bittripbeat . Nintendo trademarks used under license. WIiWare is avaialble through the Wii console.

"Guilty Gear 2: Overture retains a lot of elements that the fighting games are known for, so it's cool to see how familiar moves like the Gun Flame make the transition to 3D," said Michael Manzanares, Project Lead, Aksys Games. " Except now though, you're facing off against an entire army instead of just one character. You'll lose (badly) if you think you're a one-man army, so you definitely have to remember that you have your own army to command."

GUILTY GEAR 2: OVERTURE ON XBOX 360 IN FALL OF 2008

The 2D fighting game phenomenon is now an intense tactical action game!

Torrance, CA (March 11, 2008) Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, announced today that Guilty Gear 2: Overture will arrive exclusively on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in Q3 2008. This Xbox 360 exclusive will take the frantic one-on-one fighting game series in an exciting new direction as an intense tactical action game.

"Guilty Gear 2: Overture retains a lot of elements that the fighting games are known for, so it's cool to see how familiar moves like the Gun Flame make the transition to 3D," said Michael Manzanares, Project Lead, Aksys Games. " Except now though, you're facing off against an entire army instead of just one character. You'll lose (badly) if you think you're a one-man army, so you definitely have to remember that you have your own army to command."

Guilty Gear 2: Overture Prologue
In the far future, humanity succeeded in developing an endless energy called the divine power. But although they were able to obtain wisdom, mankind could not cast aside their foolishness. Tension among the major powers led to the creation of biological weapons that were based on that power - Gears.

Justice, the only Gear able to command the legions of biological weapons, went berserk and declared war on all of humanity. That was the beginning of the worst war in history - The Crusades.

In response, mankind formed an order of elite knights, and with their participation, Justice was defeated. With her fall, all Gears ceased to function and entered a dormant state. The long-lasted Crusades came to an end, and it seemed like mankind restored peace.

However, true history has yet to reveal itself

Guilty Gear 2: Overture Features

* Tactical Melee Action
Take part in battle alongside your servants and destroy your enemies!
* Over Fifty Servants at Your Disposal
Engage in dynamic battles by balancing resources and deploying troops to turn the tide of battle!
* Dual Language
Experience the thrilling continuation of the Guilty Gear saga with fully voiced dialogue!
* Multiplayer Deathmatch
Team battle or Free-for-all, test your mettle on Xbox Live with up to four players!
* Refined Mechanics
Enjoy new items, skills, tweaks, and additional modes not seen in the original import!

Guilty Gear 2: Overture has not yet been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and Guilty Gear 2: Overture can be found at www.aksysgames.com.

"MiniCopter: Adventure Flight is a great game for budding RC modelers and children who enjoy playing with RC toys," said Akibo Shieh, President, Aksys Games. "MiniCopter allows kids to customize their helicopter without worrying about breaking their toy and seeing immediate results.

MINICOPTER: ADVENTURE FLIGHT TOUCHES DOWN ON THE
Wii™ IN THE SPRING OF 2008

All the fun of RC helicopters without the fear of losing an eye!

Torrance, CA (November 28, 2007) - Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, is bringing the popular RC hobby onto your television screen when MiniCopter: Adventure Flight is released on the Wii in the spring of 2008.

"MiniCopter: Adventure Flight is a great game for budding RC modelers and children who enjoy playing with RC toys," said Akibo Shieh, President, Aksys Games. "MiniCopter allows kids to customize their helicopter without worrying about breaking their toy and seeing immediate results.

MiniCopter: Adventure Flight Features:

• Mission based gameplay!
Engage in 42 missions in 7 different environments from a child's bedroom, hospital, hotel room and more! Use your air cannon and lift suction to discover hidden areas and coins.

• Customize your RC Helicopter!
Outfit your helicopter with a variety of body kits and parts that can alter the performance of your heli and improve your scores in Mission Mode.

• 2 Player Split Screen Mode!
Battle against your friend in a Race for the Rings Mode to see who's the best helicopter pilot!


• Customizable Controls!
Choose from the Wii Remote™ tilt, pointer controls or play with a Classic Controller!

MiniCopter: Adventure Flight has not yet been rated by the ESRB. More information about Aksys Games and MiniCopter: Adventure Flight can be found at www.aksysgames.com.