Smooth criminals

SEGA's new 3DS rhythm game with the rad name is officially hopping flights from Japan to North America and Europe next year under the new moniker of Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure.

Playing as the thief Raphael, you attempt to unravel the mystery of what happened to your father through stealing, puzzle solving and, presumably, letting the music take you over in what we imagine to play out an awful lot like a Danny Ocean fever dream.

Rhythm Thief looks to use nearly every feature of the handheld including multiplayer, touch and gyroscopic controls as well as StreetPass functionality, which is sure to be a hit at flash mobs the world over come early 2012.

Check out the new screenshots of the game in action as well as a trailer and tidy press release below.

FEEL THE RHYTHM, BEAT THE MYSTERY!

Forget the Paris you know and prepare for a whole new adventure on Nintendo 3DS

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (August 30th, 2011) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure™ exclusively for Nintendo 3DS™. In Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure, players are immersed in the mysterious rhythmic adventure in the city of Paris, recreated in stunning 3D vision on the Nintendo’s new handheld console. Pump up the tempo in early 2012 with the most mysterious musical adventure to hit the Nintendo 3DS yet.

“Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure blends rhythm, puzzles and a compelling story set in one of the world’s most exciting cities in a way that has never been seen before,” says Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “This unique blend makes creative use of the Nintendo 3DS’ technology, offering an engaging, challenging and most importantly fun experience throughout.”

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure sees players enter the secret life of Raphael, infamous among Parisians as an honourable thief for stealing famous works of art only to return it days later. Dive into Raphael’s world and help him find the Wristlet of Tiamat to unmask the mystery behind his father’s disappearance. Whilst unravelling the truth players will encounter an assortment of different rhythm challenges to master. Tap the screen, swipe the Nintendo 3DS stylus and control the gyro to the beat of the music to manoeuvre Raphael through the unique streets of Paris, brought to life by stylish animations and vibrant 3D maps and landscapes.

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure offers a unique enjoyable single player experience, as well as toe-tapping multiplayer and uses the innovative StreetPass™ communication system. Unearth the clues hidden behind treasures scattered around Paris, call on your sense of rhythm and use all your puzzle solving skills to help Raphael get to the bottom of the mystery.

For more information, please visit the official site at www.sega.com/rhythmthief.