Nintendo distributing Solatorobo in Europe this year

by JC Fletcher on Apr 11th 2011 11:56PM

Namco Bandai's Solatorobo: And Then to Coda was entirely charming, mechanically interesting, and technically impressive, based on our brief demo at TGS last year. So, of course, there are no signs that Namco Bandai plans to localize the DS mech action RPG for North America.

However, Europe is a different story, one that ends with "Solatorobo lived happily ever after on a retailer's shelf." Nintendo just announced that it will market and distribute the game itself in PAL territories as Solatorobo: Red the Hunter "later this year."

Cyberconnect2's Solatorobo, a sort of spiritual sequel to Tail Concerto, follows Red Savarin, a treasure hunter (who is also a dog person), who uses a mech to toss enemies and obstacles around as he explores floating islands.

Source: Nintendo

Tags: ds, europe, namco-bandai, nintendo, solarobo, solatorobo

Reader Comments (34)

Nintendo is still publishing DS games? Does that mean there's hope for Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute?

@Chaosjay
Of course. Lots o' games to localize, mah boi.

@The Only Girl

I thought Nintendo was done with the original DS. Especially since the new Nintendo Power only has 14 DS games listed in their Game Forecast, with not a single one coming from Nintendo.

Here's hoping that they're just saving the new stuff for E3!

@Chaosjay

It's a natural overlap at the moment. There were still GBA games being released in the first 6-12 months of the DS' lifespan. Economic conditions were drastically different in 2004, as well... So Nintendo may not want to so easily discard the 100+ million DS owners out there who are more likely to shell out £30/$40 for a new game over £200/$250 for a new console. (Not like I've been saying since the start that the 3DS was over-priced -- especially outside America -- or anything.)

Still holding out for Layton 4 on DS, but if they decide to make Spectre's Flute for 3DS then I wouldn't complain. Don't see it happening, though. Do see Layton 4 and 5 being released about the same time in US/EU/AUS though. And I would much rather they take their time with localisation and produce a quality product as usual.

good to heir that theirs a game like tail concerto loved playing that game when i was a kid.

wait... no north american release?

thanks for forgetting us namco bandai.

@johnny40000

They actually are. Look at this convenient quote: "Namco Bandai plans to localize the DS mech action RPG for North America"

/ sarcasm

@johnny40000
Furries aside, what did NA do to deserve the cold shoulder from Namco Bandai...?

@The Only Girl

Not buying their Tales games.

"as he explores floating islands."

Floating islands lol :p. As opposed to sinking islands?

@killerjuice

As opposed to islands that are on the ground, I'd think.

But the islands are the ground... right? Dammit folks, you're rattling my brain here.

@darkinchworm - Unless it's a Laputa-esque floating island.

@killerjuice

Floating, carried atop something (like a giant inflatable balloon/raft thing), sinking, underwater, or just regular old island that attaches to the sea floor.

is this furry related? what am i saying of course its furry related, so now its time for spicy curry....... i should took those rhyming classes..

I hope this has an anime so i can actually know what this is ...

@Come on Chang

You need supplementary material to get into an original game?

@Come on Chang
Games for children are the most complex of things. Like card games.

@Alexisonfire His opinion doesn't matter. He is a hardcore Anime fan.

Man, Europe has been getting a lot of exclusive DS RPGs, first Inazuma Eleven now this. I guess they don't think Americans won't play anything that doesn't have FF or DQ in the name?

For those interested:

Solatorobo is a "DSi-Enhanced" game, which means that it uses things like the added RAM or the camera, but still can be played on a DS Phat or Lite.

What this means for importing: DSi's and 3DS are region-locked for DSi-Enhanced games, but DS Lite/Phat are not. So if you have a Lite/Phat, go ahead and import.

As for how the game plays on a DSi vs. a Lite/Phat (without the enhancements), I'm not quite sure. I imagine more load times.

@Alexisonfire Thanks for that, it actually answers the questions I did have! My spawn both got DSi's for xmas, but I'm on an ancient DS Lite that is limping along. So I like to know what games I can play myself, and honestly anime + mech + anthro (I'm not a furry, I just like anthro animals.:P) is a big win for me. And that which comes out in Europe works here in Australia just fine usually!

@Alexisonfire

I see that as both a good and a bad thing.

Good because I still have my phat and I wuv it ... and I can import the game.

Bad because the region locking on the 3DS would prevent me from playing the game on it .... so that is one more reason I have for putting off adopting their new handheld.

"toss around"

I just got shivering Mischief Makers flashbacks.

I was just about to sell my DS, and then this news just reminded me that I probably shouldn't. I'll definitely import this. Namco is hella awesome, even if they make me sad by not bringing over some of their best games to NA. Namco and Atlus, the last two gaming companies I still truly support.

I guess it would be too much to expect Sigma Harmonics, Elite Beat Agents 2, and Soma Bringer?

Still, this will be great to see released.

A personal note to NamcoBandai.

I can't help but view this as a big middle finger to myself and the other gamers in America. First you make sure not to sell any of the really fun titles on the Tales series over here, you skip Naruto Ultimate Ninja 5 on the NA release but give it to Europe, and you made our X-Box players beta testers for the complete game, then refused to bring it over.

Frankly, I would like to return the favor. I have, since my post in your forums several years ago, not touched another one of your games. When I see your sticker on the box, I don't buy the game. If you don't wanna come over here, great. You can take Tales of Graces F, and F yourself with it. I will not be buying another game with your label on it, so help me.

I don't care if America doesn't see another Tales game ever again; we haven't seen HALF of them to begin with!

Who cares, where's the outside of Japan release of Soma Bringer, Nintendo? We're still waiting....

@TheRedComet It makes me sad I can only upvote this comment once.

@TheRedComet But just to clarify: I'm actually interested in Solatorobo and hope it does get published in the US as well. It looks like a fun game and I'd consider importing it since I have a DS Lite. I'm just much more interested in seeing a Soma Bringer release (and can NOT understand Nintendo's decision not to publish one of the greatest multiplayer action RPGs ever in the US).

I also think that adding region-locking to DSi hardware when the original DS and DS Lite had no such lock was a lame move on Nintendo's part. Several of the greatest games on the DS were only released in Japan or Europe and region-free hardware lets me play them without having to use homebrew or other means.

As a North American gamer who likes non Western games I'm getting more and more depressed each day,

@Bluebreaker

Tell me about it.... Sony and Nintendo can bitch all they want about piracy being the reason people aren't buying their games. While I firmly blame the lack of games being the reason people aren't buying their games.

When you have to resort to importing games because nothing they are releasing appeals to you, they are doing something wrong.

And as of late when they do get around to localizing a good game, they seem to manage to release it smack dab in the middle of me sitting on a huge back catalog of games. Relegating something that would have been a day one purchase and consumed too much of my spare time to an "I'll get it when I finish a few of these"

Do they really need the furry dog woman gnawing on a bone?

@Copybass Ah jeez zombies I think that's a dude...dude.

Still have my original PSX copy of Tail Concerto. I'm so fricken excited that they are finally making another! I looooooooved the first one.

Solatorobo: Red the Hunter

Nintendo distributing Solatorobo in Europe this year

Reader Comments (34)

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:10AM Chaosjay said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:02AM The Only Girl said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:51AM Chaosjay said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 6:03AM SSUK said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:10AM johnny40000 said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:12AM killerjuice said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:59AM The Only Girl said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:22PM thisredengine said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:11AM killerjuice said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:42AM Chaosjay said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:09AM darkinchworm said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:43AM BananaBoat said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 2:13AM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:11AM Senor Whopper said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:36AM Come on Chang said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:55AM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:00AM The Only Girl said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:24PM thisredengine said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:37AM TacoHell said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:53AM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 3:56AM mistwolf said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 11:46AM Scuffles said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:34AM TheChezDispenser said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:39AM Reploid said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 2:01AM andrewpoe said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 4:21AM ShivanSwordsman said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 8:08AM TheRedComet said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:51PM Peretz said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:21PM Peretz said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 9:37AM Bluebreaker said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 10:45AM Scuffles said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 12:51PM Copybass Ah jeez zombies said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:34PM Mr White said

Posted: Apr 12th 2011 1:58PM Stubs24 said

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