Atlus bringing 3D Dot Game Heroes to America on May 11, 2010 @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on November 17, 2009

News: Behold the pure retro sexy.

Over the last few months, game writers who follow the Japanese gaming scene have become absolutely enamored with a little game called 3D Dot Game Heroes. Developed by From Software, 3D Dot Game Heroes is a Legend of Zelda-like overhead action game designed entirely from Lego-like "3D pixels". It is currently scheduled to be released for the PlayStation 3 on May 11, 2010.

The game was inspired by the classic 8 and 16-bit titles those of us over the age of 20 grew up on and, according to Atlus, looks "pure retro sexy". It's hard to argue with some of the screenshots and artwork that can be found right here and at the game's official website, 3DDotGameHeroes.com.

Even the gameplay and features sound pure retro sexy:

Story
A long, long time ago, the Dark King Onyx brought an age of darkness upon Dotnia Kingdom. Only by the bravery of a hero with a legendary sword was Onyx sealed in an orb, restoring peace to the world. But Fuelle, a powerful Dark Bishop, has stolen the orb, and with it, peace. Dotnia requires a hero once more! Can you live up to the legend?

Features

Ultimate retro love letter -- Seamlessly fusing new and old, the golden era of gaming is felt in every detail of this lovingly-crafted adventure. Eye-popping visuals capture the nostalgic charm of pixel graphics in cutting edge 3D. Simple, but deep action-adventure gameplay is a throwback to the 8-bit era. Veterans will find references and jokes that pay homage to the great games of yore.

Awe and adventure live again -- Embark on the next generation of classic exploration and discovery in a grand story-based quest. A hero sets out to gain the power of the six sages and the six orbs that protected the kingdom of Dotnia, which now stands on the verge of destruction.

Customize your hero -- When pixels are your building blocks, the possibilities are unlimited. Freely edit the look of your character, or design one completely from scratch, and then trade designs with friends via a compatible USB storage device. Your hero's blade is also upgradeable, letting you add length and width to create a sword that fills the whole screen!

"The 8 and 16-bit classics many gamers cut their teeth on are magical, down to their blocky sprites and elegantly simple gameplay," mused Aram Jabbari, Manager of PR and Sales for Atlus, while twirling his rattail and wearing a poorly coordinated denim-on-denim outfit. "3D Dot Game Heroes captures all of that legendary charm and more, bringing classic visuals, familar sounds, and a grand sense of exploration and discovery into stunning next-gen realization, all the while giving countless winks and nudges to the fans those iconic games mean the most to. This is pure action-adventure gaming at its finest, a true love-letter to a time-honored genre," he added while putting baseball cards in the spokes of his 10-speed.

Rumors abound that the game could be coming to the Xbox 360 as well as the PS3. While nothing is official on that front, I know it would make me very happy as I don't currently own a PS3 and I desperately want to play this game. Although this game just might make me get one.

We'll have more soon.