The duo also worked on the groundbreaking PlayStation title UmJammer Lammy.

Their latest offering, marching title Major Minor's Majestic March, was released April 24. The game did not make the Media Create weekly top fifty for the 4/20 - 4/26 sales week. According to Japanese site Do Blog, the game didn't get anywhere near the top fifty.

It apparently sold only 600 copies in its first two days on sale. Matsuura has had low sales before — PaRappa sold only 35,000 in its first month. Word of mouth caused that game to ultimately become a smash hit. Three hundred copies of the game were given out to V-Jump readers; however, those numbers should not factor into weekly sales.

We've compared the Do Blog sales tallies with the Media Create ones, and there is a discrepancy between the numbers: Some are lower, some are higher.

ゲームソフトランキング2009年04月20日～04月26日 [ドぶろぐ via チラシの裏でゲーム鈍報]

The music-based game centers around drum major Major Minor as he leads his band. Starting April 19, Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV will be airing animated Major Minor's Majestic March anime shorts until April 23 when publisher Square Enix releases the game in Japan. For those not living in Japan, the anime will stream on the game's official website.

"Square Enix have been fantastic in their support — the anime shorts, promotion video and website have all been beyond our expectations," NanaOn-Sha's Dewi Tanner tells Kotaku. "It goes without saying that we're all looking forward to the launch here in Japan next week."

If the Masaya Matsuura-designed title's visual look is familiar that's because the art was done by Rodney Greenblat, who also did the art for PaRappa and UmJammy Lammy. While PaRappa The Rapper launched an animated series in 2001, NanaOn-Sha is not currently pursuing an anime for Major Minor's Majestic March.

「メジャマジ・マーチ」公式サイトでテレビCM公開。4月19日よりフジテレビ系列にて超短編アニメも放映 [4Gamer via ANN]

While the new screens don't, in any fashion, illustrate any variety in the NanaOn-Sha developed Wii title, they show that creators Masaya Matsuura and Rodney Alan Greenblat of PaRappa the Rapper fame haven't lost their touch, stylistically.

But variety Major Minor's Majestic March has, according to publisher Majesco, who promises 7 fantastical locations, 30 new band members and 20 different instruments. That's 57 things! Coincidence?! I think not.

Square Enix, that's who. Proving that not all Square Enix games are coated in zippers and hairgel, Major Minor's Majestic March follows a young cat from a family of famous drum majors who happens upon a magic baton infused with the spirit of his great-great grandmother. Great!

According to the game's Associate Producer Dewi Tanner, "I can say with confidence that Major Minor is unlike anything you've ever experienced - the obvious appeal of NanaOn-Sha's audio expertise and Rodney's fabulous art amount to quite a ride.
Expect zany character designs (a crocodile in a suit?), awesome music, talking marching batons and stage designs that vary from family-friendly to stern. Truly stern."

The title will be out in Japan April 23. It's not yet dated for elsewhere, but Majesco, not Square Enix, will be publishing in North America. Check out our E3 2008 impressions here.

Square Enix lists the game's genre as "Marching Action." Boy, I hope Marching Action becomes the new FPS.

Meja-Maji March [Square Enix]

On its surface Major Minor's Majestic March is very simplistic, but then again so was Parappa the Rapper. And that's an apt comparison. Both games were created by Masaya Matsuura and both feature bright cartoon characters drawn with bold, clean lines.

Instead of tapping out a rhythm on a controller, as players did with Parappa, Major Minor's Majestic March has players setting their own tempo as the Drum Major of a marching band. That may not sound like a big difference but what it means is that it takes the control away from the game and allows gamers to dictate how they want to play. The key to the game isn't rhythm as much as it is consistency.

To play the game you hold the remote facing you and then pump it up and down in your hand as if you were holding a baton. The faster you pump it the faster your band moves and the faster the music plays. As you march along predetermined routes special power-ups and negative items pop-up on the screen. To grab them you have to swipe your controller left or right as you pass the items. You also pass a number of would-be band mates who can be tagged into your band.

The key to te game is to keep your rhythm steady while paying attention to what you want and sometimes have to swipe.

If you march too fast some of your band members might get exhausted and mess up your music and if you go to slow you might not make it up the steeper hills.

The final game will ship with seven levels, each broken up by rest periods, and additional modes including a straight forward multiplayer mode and a father and son mode which allows one player to keep the temp and another to swipe for people and items.

The game will also support bands of up to 80 members, which each of their instruments playing on a separate track.

Playing around with an early build of Major Minor's Majestic March was fun for a time, though also fairly wearing on the arm. The one issue I did have with the game was that the swiping recognition didn't seem as tight as it should be. I was told that they developers were still working to finesse those controls and recognition.

This is one of those titles that could get the sort of fan base that Parappa landed, but I think it's far to early to tell.

On the DS they'll be showcasing the recently announced Mistwalker RPG AWAY Shuffle Dungeon, featuring the combined talents of famed RPG creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, character designer Naoto Oshima and composer Nobuo Uematsu. Trying desperately to outshine that title on the DS will be Wonder World Amusement Park, Babysitting Mania, and physics-based puzzler Marker Man Adventures.

Between Major Minor and AWAY, this is shaping up to be the most exciting Majesco line up in years. Hit the jump for more info.

MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES LINEUP FOR 2008 ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT EXPO

EDISON, N.J., July 9, 2008 - Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), today revealed its product lineup for the 2008 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles from July 15th - 17th at booths #421 and 423. Featuring Wii and Nintendo DS games that offer fun for the entire family, the lineup reinforces Majesco's position as an innovative provider of video games for the mass market.

"Majesco's 2008 E3 lineup is filled with fun games that capitalize on the broad appeal and reach of casual games platforms like Wii and DS," said Gui Karyo, Executive Vice President of Operations, Majesco "We are showcasing the sequel to our best-selling original cooking franchise, Cooking Mama World Kitchen, as well as featuring strong new IP including Our House and Major Minor's Majestic March from the creative team behind PaRappa the Rapper. In short, we have something for the entire family."

Below is additional information on Majesco's E3 2008 lineup:

Major Minor's Majestic March

Release date: Holiday 2008

Platform: Wii

Designed exclusively for Wii, Major Minor's Majestic March marks the return of the creative team behind the renowned PaRappa the Rapper franchise-legendary game designer and multimedia musician Masaya Matsuura and famed New York artist Rodney Alan Greenblat. This innovative rhythm-based music game turns the Wii RemoteÔ into a "magic" baton that bandleader Major Minor uses to keep tempo, recruit new band members and pick up valuable items. Players can add up to 15 different instruments to their dynamic procession-including brass, woodwinds, and percussion-to alter its composition and resulting performance.

Cooking Mama World Kitchen

Release Date: Holiday 2008

Platform: Wii

The best-selling, award-winning cooking franchise returns! In Cooking Mama World Kitchen, Mama brings a lot more to the table, including all new 3D graphics, all new recipes from parfait to shrimp au gratin, comedic kitchen mini-games, new gameplay modes and much more. Cook with Mama and her friends by using the Wii Remote as your universal cooking utensil in this fun, family-friendly sequel to last year's Cooking Mama Cook Off.

Our House

Release Date: Q1 2009

Platform: Wii

Our House is the only game that lets players build and remodel their homes into their own unique customized creations. Players use their Wii Remote to hammer, saw, paint, tile and much more as they assemble and decorate their family dwelling. Compete with friends in the four-player "build-off" mode or share creations with others via a WiiConnect24 community-building feature. If you dream it, you can build it!

Zoo Hospital

Release Date: September 2008

Platform: Wii

Zoo Hospital is the first game of its kind on Wii that lets players experience a veterinarian's job. Players use the Wii Remote in surgical procedures to eliminate parasitic pests, perform dentistry, and remove foreign bodies like gallstones to restore the health of 48 ailing zoo mammals, reptiles and birds. Soothing and feeding each animal while following up on post surgical patients in their enclosures is as important as precise operations, since happy, healthy animals increase the Zoo Rating which in turn affects the number of visitors patronizing the zoo.

AWAY Shuffle Dungeon

Release Date: Fall 2008

Platform: Nintendo DS

Featuring creative contributions from RPG creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, character designer Naoto Oshima and composer Nobuo Uematsu, AWAY Shuffle Dungeon for Nintendo DS is a groundbreaking role playing saga co-developed by Mistwalker and AQ Interactive. Players take control of the young hero "Sword," the sole resident left of the once booming Webb Village, who must rescue as many kidnapped townsfolk as possible from a mysterious unknown that has trapped them within underground dungeons. Saved villagers will lend assistance to Sword's quest, as will the magical ‘Fupongs' and dungeon treasure he finds that lets him shop in the village specialty stores for armor, weapons, health, medical aid and more.

Wonder World Amusement Park

Release Date: Holiday 2008

Platform: Nintendo DS

In Wonder World Amusement Park, players experience the thrill of a day at the park anytime and anywhere! Using the Touch Screen, players will toss, drive, shoot, whack, fish and spin in 30 different mini-games scattered throughout six themed zones: Carnival, Spookyville, Prehistoric, Pirate, Fairy Tale and Space. Players can also unlock six interactive rides through gameplay or challenge a friend via local Wi-Fi multiplayer.

Babysitting Mania

Release Date: September 2008

Platform: DS

Based on the hit online simulation, Babysitting Mania lets players progress through more than 100 levels of fast-paced, overlapping challenges as they feed, entertain and clean up after unruly kids in 20 chaotic houses. Players use the Touch Screen to manage every aspect of the household with speed and precision, from strategically employing "timeouts" to overseeing bonus birthday party levels that add neighborhood party guests to the mania.

Marker Man Adventures

Release Date: November 2008

Platform: DS

Guide loveable stick figure, Marker Man, through hundreds of physics-based puzzles using the stylus as a creative tool to draw simple machines that help him safely bring Doodle Dog home. Players will collect power-ups, discover hidden areas and use logic to progress through a scrolling world of various themes

MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES 'MAJOR MINOR'S MAJESTIC MARCH'

Legendary Designer Masaya Matsuura and Artist Rodney Alan Greenblat Bring First Marching Band Game Exclusively to the WiiTM System

(BRISTOL, U.K., January 31, 2008) - March to the beat of your own drum as Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today announced Major Minor's Majestic March for the Wii™ home video game console. Developed by NanaOn-Sha, Major Minor's Majestic March marks the return of the creative team behind the renowned PaRappa the Rapper franchise-legendary game designer and multimedia musician Masaya Matsuura and famed New York artist Rodney Alan Greenblat.

"There's something magical about marching bands that truly captures the imagination. The concept of leading a virtual band that's reliant on your musicianship is a perfect fit for the interactive capabilities of Wii," said John Merchant, Marketing Manager, Majesco Europe. "The combined musical and artistic superiority of Matsuura and Greenblat make them a natural choice to deliver this innovative title exclusively to the Wii audience."

Major Minor's Majestic March turns the Wii Remote™ into a "special" baton that the bandleader, Major Minor, uses to keep tempo, recruit new band members and pick up valuable items. While marching through eight whimsical locations that contain various hair-raising events, Major Minor strives to create the most impressive parade ever. Players can add up to 15 different instruments to their dynamic procession—including brass, woodwinds, and percussion—to alter its composition and resulting performance. Players are scored on how well their band maintains its rhythm and manages obstacles that could otherwise throw the procession into disarray. The band keeps tempo to more than 25 popular marching band songs from around the world, composed into original medleys for each stage.