New York, NY - September 1, 2005 – Atari's (NASDAQ: ATARI) upcoming line-up of Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Z video games ushers in a year of DBZ gameplay innovation. One of the most exciting and broadly-appealing video game franchises in recent years, Atari's Dragon Ball Z video game franchise has sold more than eight million units in the U.S. alone since May 2002. Atari's latest offerings introduce new features and game design enhancements that will change the ways DBZ fans "play the show."
Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system is the first title in the venerable series to allow players to battle in true 3D. This 3D fighting action game empowers players with over 50 playable characters, the most ever in a DBZ game, and never-seen-before combat styles and locations such as aerial and underwater. Atari will also introduce it's first-ever DBZ title for the Nintendo DS, Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2. Rounding out the lineup is Dragon Ball GT: Transformation, a Game Boy Advance game that invites fans to play through the most exciting parts of the action-packed grand finale of the Dragon Ball epic.
"This is without a doubt our most exciting and aggressive Dragon Ball lineup to date, and represents a new era of collaboration between Atari, FUNimation and Bandai," said Matt Collins, Director of Global Brand Management at Atari. "Our goal for the forthcoming Dragon Ball titles will be to ensure that the games remain authentic while simultaneously delivering innovation that will thrill and surprise fans and result in stand-out games within their respective video game genres."
Highlights of Atari's Dragon Ball lineup include:
- Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi (October 2005) -- From developer Spike, DBZ Budokai: Tenkaichi is the only 3D DBZ game to combine fighting and flying in wide open, destructible environments. With the ability to battle in the air or underwater, players have the unprecedented power and freedom to experience the intensity of DBZ in an all new way. Offering over 50 playable characters, multiple gameplay modes and a combination of melee and energy attacks, DBZ Budokai: Tenkaichi promises to be one of most exhilarating DBZ games yet.
- Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 (November 2005) – Utilizing the technology of the Nintendo DS, Supersonic Warriors 2 incorporates dual-screen fighting action, touch-pad sensitivity and tag team fighting for teams of up to three characters. The game also offers unique DBZ plotlines and intriguing 'what-if' scenarios that provide fans with the chance to experience DBZ content in a new way via a single-player story mode whereby players create distinctive gaming adventures with each playable DBZ character.
- Dragon Ball GT: Transformation (August 2005) – The first-ever exclusively DBGT game in the U.S. and the franchise's first action-adventure title for Game Boy Advance, Dragon Ball GT: Transformation offers non-stop action for gaming on-the-go. Developed by WebFoot, the game will offer players total control of the most powerful GT warriors as they play through the first half of the DBGT animated series.
In addition, Atari will release Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 in SCEA's "Greatest Hits" program for the PlayStation2 game console with a bonus feature made especially for the series' most passionate fans. For the first time ever in a Budokai game in the U.S., fans will be able to unlock the original Japanese voiceover cast.
About Dragon Ball Z
- One of the hottest brands in the video game industry with more than eight million units sold since May 2002;
- 512 episodes of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT have aired, collectively;
- More than $3 billion in worldwide merchandising;
- More than 15 million Dragon Ball Z home videos sold;
- More than 8.5 million hits per day on www.dragonballz.com;
For additional information on Dragon Ball Z please visit www.atari.com/dragonballz.
About FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ: NAVR), is a brand management company and one of the nation's leading independent home video entertainment companies. The company has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights with its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For images, or more information on FUNimation or any of its properties, contact Jeff Dronen at 817-788-0627, ext. 251 or jeff.dronen@funimation.com.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as DRIVER, The Matrix, Stuntman and Test Drive; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer, and Dragon Ball Z. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext – ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.
