Natsume’s Complete Fall Lineup Now Available at Retail for the Holidays

December 8, 2008

Natsume’s
Complete Fall Lineup Now Available at Retail for the Holidays

No Matter Who The Gamer Is On
Your Shopping List, Natsume Has A Video Game For Them

Natsume Inc. announced today that
the company’s full videogame lineup for 2008 is now available at retail,
including the most recent release of Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon for
the Nintendo DS. Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon joins Harvest Moon:
Island of Happiness, Princess Debut and Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge (all for
DS) and Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (for Wii) to complete its 2008 holiday
lineup.

"This has been a great year for
Natsume as we continued our Harvest Moon series with three brand new Harvest
Moon adventures this fall. Add to that some adorable educational fun with Hi!
Hamtaro: Ham Ham Challenge and our hugely popular new original IP, Princess
Debut and there is truly something for everyone on your list," said Hiro Maekawa,
President and CEO of Natsume.

For more information on each of
Natsume’s 2008 holiday lineup see the descriptions below. Each title is rated E
for everyone by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and are
available at retailers nationwide.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness
(DS) $29.99
Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness brings the largest portable Harvest Moon
experience ever to the Nintendo DS. Starting off with an abandoned farm, a
handful of seeds, and the determination to start a new life, it’s up to the
player to develop a mysterious, abandoned island into a bustling tropical
paradise. By harvesting crops, raising animals, and mining for precious gems,
gamers will help the island grow into a vibrant town filled with people,
businesses, and eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. Players can take on the
role of a male or a female, and choose who they want to fall in love and start a
family with. Gamers can also test their farming skills against each other and
compete for prizes via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness is
now available for an MSRP of $29.99.

Princess Debut (DS) $29.99
The critics are raving about Natsume’s new IP Princess Debut. GRRLGamer
calls Princess Debut a "breath of fresh air", Cool Moms Rule says the game is
"an anime version of Cinderella", and The Globe and Mail calls it "high quality
gaming for girls fascinated by the fantasy princess lifestyle."

In Princess Debut, players find
themselves in a fantasy world where they have 30 days to get ready for the big
ball; they’ll have to master their dance moves and win over one of the six
handsome princes to be their partner. They’ll meet and woo the princes through
the game’s large, branching storyline. Once the player convinces a prince to be
their dancing partner, it’s time to go out on the dance floor!

By utilizing the Touch Screen,
players guide their character gracefully across the dance floor while matching
their partner’s rhythm. All of the dances in the game are taken from
motion-captured professional dancers, so the game is just as impressive to watch
as it is fun to play. Princess Debut offers four modes of play including Story,
Ballroom, Practice, and Movie. With 20 outfits to find, 14 unique endings to
experience, and 18 different kinds of music and dance styles to choose from
(including Waltz, Latin Dance, Tango, Ballroom, and much more), there’s no
shortage of things to see and do!

Princess Debut is now available for
an MSRP of $29.99.

Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest
Moon (DS) $29.99
Rune Factory 2 is set several years after the first game. The evil Sechs
Empire has been defeated, and the Kingdom of Norad is once again at peace.
Things may not stay that way for long, however, as dark premonitions foretell of
dangers to come. It’s up to the player to uncover the source of these
premonitions and bring peace to the kingdom once more. Over the course of the
story, players will build and develop a farm, befriend townspeople, raise
monsters, take on quests, and find a wife. In a first for the Rune Factory
series, the story of Rune Factory 2 is multigenerational. Players begin the game
as Kyle, a strange man who comes to Alvarna Village. Eventually, players will
take on the role of Kyle’s child, opening up a whole new adventure. It’s an
innovative feature that allows players to follow the story of their family and
the townsfolk over two generations! Now available for an MSRP of $29.99.

Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility
(Wii) ) $49.99
In Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility, players find themselves in a troubled
island town which once prospered with life and energy, but is now in serious
trouble. The mystical Mother Tree that once watched over the island has
disappeared, and the Harvest Goddess is nowhere to be found! The island has lost
its connection with nature and the inhabitants don’t know what to do – it’s up
to the player to save the island! Players will help to rebuild the island by
working the land, befriending and raising animals, nurturing friendships, and
building a family. When the Mother Tree is reborn, the Harvest Goddess will
return and bring prosperity to the island once more. Long-time Harvest Moon fans
as well as new players will find an exciting, involving storyline and plenty of
activities to experience, including cultivating crops, caring for animals, and
participating in festivals.

Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility is
now available for an MSRP of $49.99.

Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge
(DS) $29.99
Hamtaro and his friends make learning fun in Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge.
Children will not only be entertained by the beloved hamster Hamtaro and his
adorable cast of friends, they will also develop their memory, word
comprehension, math skills, and many other abilities as they play through the
twelve engaging interactive games.

The game’s easy-to-learn touch
screen controls make the game fun and accessible for children of all ages.
Parents can take an active role in their child’s playing and learning with
features that let them monitor their child’s progress in each game, adjust the
difficulty level to match their child’s skills, monitor and control play time,
and even reward their child with special items. Hi! Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Challenge
for the Nintendo DS is a brain-training game geared at elementary-aged children.
Rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, it is currently
available for an MSRP of $29.99.

All of these titles are currently
available at various retailers nationwide. For more information, please visit
www.natsume.com.