LOS ANGELES (June 11, 2009) — TAITO Corporation (TAITO®), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., today announced that, with the cooperation of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Japan, action-puzzler WATERWAYS™ will be on sale at the App Store® worldwide and available for the iPhone® and iPod touch® on June 11. WATERWAYS, developed by Dutch studio Rough Cookie, was the winning concept of the Netherlands-Japan GameJam 2008 contest, held as part of the "Netherlands in Japan 2008-2009" celebration.
Last year was the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Japan and the Netherlands, and this year, 2009, marks 400 years of trade between the two nations. Sponsored by the Dutch game organizations NLGD Foundation and the Dutch Game Garden, and also backed by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan GameJam 2008 contest was held by Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Japan as part of the continuing "Netherlands in Japan 2008-2009" celebration.
The Netherlands government invests in the growth of its national creative industry, and for this reason the "Netherlands in Japan 2008-2009" celebration has also featured events focusing on cross-cultural exchange via games. TAITO has long taken an active role in promoting the industry and mobile gaming in particular by participating in world-class events such as the International Mobile Gaming Awards. Hoping to make use of this prior experience and eager to contribute to the longstanding friendship between Japan and the Netherlands, TAITO participated in the "Netherlands in Japan 2008-2009" celebration by joining the panel of judges for the Netherlands-Japan GameJam 2008 competition and agreeing to publish an extended and adapted version of the winning concept.
GameJam winner WATERWAYS is an action puzzle game designed and developed by Dutch studio Rough Cookie. Players assume the role of a heroic cow named Patch. When the Netherlands' state-of-the-art water management system "Caretaker 3000" goes haywire, leading to widespread flooding, it's up to Patch to navigate a series of water-filled mazes and drawbridges in an effort to reach and repair the leaking valves. WATERWAYS makes full use of the iPhone/iPod Touch's motion sensors, with intuitive controls and instantly appealing game play.
TAITO and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Japan hope to continue to work together for the benefit of both Japan and the Netherlands' game industries.
WATERWAYS
Publisher | TAITO CORPORATION |
Platform | iPhone / iPod Touch |
Release Date | Thursday, June 11, 2009 |
Genre | Game (Puzzle / Action) |
Price | US$2.99 / EUR2.39 |
Region | Worldwide |
Copyright | © Rough Cookie 2009 / Published by TAITO |
About TAITO Corporation
TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS®, and developed such fan favorites as EXIT™ and ARKANOID®. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at http://www.taito.com/.
About Rough Cookie
Based in The Netherlands, Rough Cookie is focused on the design and development of triple-A quality games for high-end mobile and handheld devices including the Apple iPhone. Rough Cookie is founded in 2008 and is privately held. More information on Rough Cookie can be found at http://www.roughcookie.com/.
WATERWAYS and Rough Cookie are trademarks or registered trademarks of Rough Cookie B.V. ARKANOID, EXIT, SPACE INVADERS, TAITO and the TAITO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TAITO Corp in the United States and/or other countries. SQUARE ENIX is a registered trademark or trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co. Ltd., in the United States and/or other countries. iPhone, iPod touch, and App Store are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.