Princess on Ice dancing onto DS
This one almost slipped by us
Publisher/developer 505 Games has announced Princess on Ice, an ice dancing simulation it is co-creating with Arc System Works.
The most interesting thing about the game isn't the fact that you follow the fortunes of young ice dancers Kelly, Gabrielle, Alyssa and Madison, who train diligently so that they may enter the Princess on Ice Tournament, the most prestigious ice dancing event of the year.
No, far more exciting than having to dance your way through the world's premier ice skating rinks, perfecting your triple axel in order to impress the judges, is the game mechanic. It's based around a rhythm-action dynamic, see, with the stylus used to follow dance prompts on the touchscreen.
So you tap circles before the time runs out to skate, quickly follow arrows to spin, pair matching shapes to jump or tap them before they disappear in order to step. Everything you do on the touchscreen affects your dancer's performance on the top display – let the 'heat' meter drop too low and your ice queen will lose points with the judges.
If ice success turns to failure, console your little princess by customising her appearance. Hundreds of fashionable accessories, clothing and headwear are promised and more can be unlocked, along with new levels, special moves and even storylines.
No screenshots yet but let's hope they get the visuals finished soon: Princess on Ice should be carving its way to shops this April.
