Marvelous Entertainment Announces 'Followars' Game for Apple iPad

TOKYO, June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Japanese publisher of the "Harvest Moon" and "No More Heroes" video game series, and developer Route 24 have jointly announced the release of "Followars," their first title for Apple's iPad.

A new 2-player-only title developed exclusively for iPad, Followars connects your iPad to your Twitter account for a new and original gaming experience. Match the people you are following on Twitter against those of an opponent in epic RPG-esque turn-based battles over a local multiplayer on your iPad. As you win battles, you will accumulate Battle Points (BP) to improve your overall ranking as you climb the ladder to eventually reach the top rank. In a unique twist, the latest tweets by the people you are following will show up as speech bubbles uttered by their character in the game.

The results of each match can be automatically tweeted so that not only your followers, but the whole world can follow your progress by following the official #followars hash tag on Twitter.

"Marvelous is very excited to release its first title on Apple's new platform, but it's also the next logical step in our constant march towards innovation and creativity," said Toshinori Aoki, Executive Managing Director at Marvelous Entertainment. "This time, we are even taking this motto to a higher level by getting into what is a completely new market for us on a completely new platform."

"I've always been an Apple fan, having released a few applications on iPhone. When I heard about the new iPad, I knew this was another great opportunity to develop something original on a new platform!" said Kenichi Nishi, President of developer Route 24 and director of Followars. "I love gadgets and new technologies, so combining Twitter's formidable communication tools with Apple's iPad feels so intuitive and natural."

For more details on Followars, please visit: http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/game/followars/en/

To view in-game results, search the official #followars hash tag on Twitter.com

About Route 24 and Kenichi Nishi:

After starting his career at Squaresoft, Kenichi Nishi set up his own development companies (Love-de-Lic, Inc. and Skip Ltd.) releasing original titles such as Chibi-Robo and Captain Rainbow, as well as working with talented and famous creators such as Ryuichi Sakamoto and Kenji Eno. Preferring to work with a smaller team, he set up a new company called Route 24 in 2006, focusing mainly on applications for the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

More information on Route 24 can be found at http://www.route24.jp/

About Marvelous Entertainment

Marvelous Entertainment is a leading Japanese creator of interactive entertainment with such esteemed franchises as Harvest Moon, Rune Factory, Luminous Arc and No More Heroes under their corporate umbrella.

More information on Marvelous Entertainment can be found at http://www.mmv.co.jp/game/

SOURCE Marvelous Entertainment Inc.