Bouncing balls are a magician's worst enemy

Gamers old enough to remember destroying bouncing balloons in the 1989 two-player arcade game Pang might also be aware that due to its popularity, instalments on the SNES and Game Boy were eventually released, and Rising Star Games is continuing to entertain gamers by launching PANG: Magical Michael on the DS today.

In a recent interview with Cubed3, Yen Hau, product manager at Rising Star Games spoke about the company's intent to appeal to gamers familiar with the series, as well as gamers who are not.

The simple yet challenging nature of the game makes it perfectly suited to the DS, and any age group really, so we’re looking at introducing PANG to a new generation of gamers, but at the same time reminding older gamers that a game many enjoyed in the past is back with a ‘pang’...sorry, a ‘bang!’

Gamers can inflate with excitement as PANG: Magical Michael launches in Europe and Australia from today, and the publisher aims to continue its promotional support for the game beyond its retail release and into the New Year.

The remaining quarter of 2010 should be a busy period for the publisher as it is set to release a number of games across the console and handheld markets. Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon is finally approaching its European release date of 8th October, both Ivy the Kiwi? for the Wii, and the DS should hatch in Europe before the end of the year, as should the sprouting of Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming.

Sadly, there also seems to be a number of games that won't make it outside of Japan, certainly not anytime soon if at all. Captain Rainbow, Tales of Graces, and Fatal Frame IV are all games that the community are requesting but unfortunately are out of the publisher's hands, in the words of Mr Hau.

Steal Princess, and Arc Rise Fantasia are two titles also not on Rising Star's release schedule but if it took Rune Factory 2 this long to get localised, we perhaps shouldn't give up hope yet. When asked whether Rising Star Games will turn its focus to the 3DS, Hau gave the rather predictable yet pleasing-to-the-ear response of:

You’ll have to wait and see!

[source cubed3.com]