Eidos shows America its Secret Stash
Handheld-focused boutique label revealed
It was just last week that we were getting a bit confused about Eidos' trans-Atlantic release philosophy. Now however the company's cunning plans have been revealed with the announcement of Eidos sub-label, Secret Stash.
According to the official press release, this new brand has been created as the platform for a lineup of 'punchy, modern, and unique video games,' which effectively seems to mean it's the place for cheap and cheerful games sourced from up-and-coming developers in Japan and Europe.
Interestingly, Eidos has some previous form with this type of approach – it launched Fresh Games back in 2002. The label was designed to pump quirky Japanese games into the Western market; something it did successfully for about 12 months, with PlayStation 2 titles such as Mad Maestro! and Mr Moskeeto followed less successfully by games such as Legaia 2: Duel Saga and Ace Golf.
But then everything went mysteriously quiet. Let's hope Secret Stash has a more productive life.
First up for our American chums will be some games already released in the UK: Zendoku and Diner Dash (both in DS and PSP flavours), and Chili con Carnage (PSP). Future DS releases such as Touch The Dead (aka Dead N Furious in Europe), Glory Days 2, and the scantily-clad, lady-themed PSP game Pocket Pool (which is being released by other publishers in Europe), will also be siphoned off for the label in the US.
More exciting though for those of us in Europe is the first mention of a new DS title, Nervous Brickdown. Sadly not a game about brickies who've forget to take their daily dose of valium, this is a Breakout-clone that twists the action with retro-gaming inspired graphics and environments such as space shooters, action platforms and haunted houses.
Ten modes and 135 levels are promised, with Breakout's focus on using a moving platform to bash bricks swapped with pinging sailors out of the depths using a submarine, squirting tubes of paint onto paper, playing versions of Space Invaders, and various other abstract takes on the half-Pong game.
Being developed by new DS Paris-studio Arkedo, Nervous Brickdown is due for release in Europe through Eidos, and in the US through the funky Secret Stash sometime this summer.
