A joint venture between Marvelous Interactive Inc. and Bergsala means more Japanese games will be making their way to the west, and quicker!

Marvelous Interactive Inc. and Bergsala have created Rising Star Games Limited (otherwise known as Rising Star) to help bring Japanese games to the west. The company will be focusing on the PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS.

The company intend to shorted the length between Japanese and Western release dates, to try and cut down on importing. They promise that on occasions the European release date will be prior to the Japanese one.

"Japan is the most vibrant and creative territory for videogames with global appeal," said Mr. Owe Bergsten, CEO, Rising Star Games. "Rising Star will identify the best Japanese titles which are most suitable for European gamers and work closely with our development teams to ensure that they can be published, fully localised, of course, on or ahead of their native release."

Mr. Shigeki Takeuchi, Managing Director, Rising Star Games, added: "Rising Star is a radical new concept for the global interactive entertainment industry � reducing the delay European consumers would ordinarily expect. By removing the gap between Eastern and Western releases, we're giving the European games industry a legitimate domestic business, and European gamers the titles they crave."

The first titles that will emerge from the company include Bubble Bobble and Space Invaders on the Nintendo DS, and Sword of Destiny for the PS2. Also promised this year is a new Evolution series for the PSP. Brief information on the two Nintendo DS games can be found below.

Bubble Bobble Revolution

This title utilises the touch screen of the DS and allows players the chance to interact with the game, but precise details have not been released at present.

Space Invaders Revolution

The classic title will see an update on the Nintendo DS, and will also use the hardware in exciting ways.

The Hertfordshire-based company plan to release Harvest Moon: Oh Wonderful Life on the GameCube in September, and on the PS2 in October. Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town will see its GBA release in June, and the new Harvest Moon DS will also be arriving in November 2005.