PAC-MAN Paves Way for More Great Namco Titles on Android

Namco has today confirmed its commitment to Android™ as a major mobile gaming platform with the release of four classic titles on the Android Market™. Full versions of best-selling games, Inspector Gadget, Rolling with Katamari, Brain Coach with Dr. Kawashima and More Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima, are now available to worldwide users of the growing range of handsets running the Android platform.

The new games were developed by Namco Bandai Networks Europe and will be distributed by Namco Networks [1], a publisher and developer of mobile games and entertainment for mass-market casual gamers. They follow the success of PAC-MAN which Namco made available to Android users at no cost to support the launch of the first ever Android handset, the T-Mobile G1, in September 2008. According to T-Mobile, sales of the G1 far exceeded expectations with over 100,000 sold in the UK and one million sold in the US in the first six months of availability.

“Less than a year after the launch of the first Android-powered handset, the platform has already established itself as the leading open platform within the mobile industry and its potential for mass market adoption is clear,” said Scott Rubin, vice president of sales and marketing for Namco Networks [2]. “Android has fast become an important sales and development platform for Namco and we will continue to bring a broad range of exciting titles to users through the Android Market.”

The four titles announced today offer three different types of gameplay which take full advantage of the touchscreen interface common across all Android-powered mobile phones.

Inspector Gadget is a classic platform action game in which mobile gamers guide the world’s first bionic detective through multiple action-packed levels on his mission to defeat the evil Dr. Claw. Faithfully assisted by his niece, Penny, and uber-intelligent dog, Brains, Android users will be able to use the bumbling inspector’s world-famous Gadget ’Copter, Gadget ’Brella and Gadget Coat, as well as his spring-loaded shoes and extendable arms to progress through the game.

In Rolling with Katamari, the King of All Cosmos has knocked the stars out of the sky on a drunken night out. Playing as the pint-sized Prince, mobile gamers are charged with rolling their sticky Katamari ball around various levels to collect enough junk to fire into the sky and replace the lost twinkle in the heavens. The cute and quirky format, coupled with the humorous asides from the King as he alternately encourages, then berates you from his vantage point, has elevated the Katamari series to cult status with a global fan base.

Brain Coach with Dr. Kawashima and More Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima bring the popular brain training genre to Android users who can now test their brain age and undertake a gruelling training programme to get their neurons in tip top condition. Users of More Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima will also be able to upload their scores to Facebook allowing them to compete for the title of Biggest Brain with friends and the rest of Facebook.

Note to Editors:

Android devices include: T-Mobile G1, HTC Dream, HTC Magic, HTC Hero, T-Mobile myTouch 3G and Samsung i7500.

Android and Android Market are trademarks of Google, Inc.

About Namco Bandai Networks Europe

Namco Bandai Networks Europe is a leading publisher of wireless games and content for mobile, offering a wide selection of titles to consumers which includes all-time classic games such as PAC-MAN, Galaga and Galaxian, as well as contemporary titles such as Ridge Racer, Time Crisis, and the best-selling Brain Exercise with Dr. Kawashima series. Namco Bandai Networks Europe provides mobile phone content to all major carriers in Europe.

More information about Namco Bandai Networks Europe, its products and services can be found online at www.namcomobile.com [3].

About Namco Networks

Namco Networks America, Inc., a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) Inc., is a worldwide leader in cutting-edge, digitally distributed casual entertainment for the mass-market consumer. More information about Namco Networks products, including press releases, can be found at www.namcogames.com [4].