Though pre-empted last week by early issues of Nintendo Power, today Konami has officially announced Castlevania Judgment for Wii. But unlike previous Castlevania action titles, Castlevania Judgement offers a 3D fighting experience.

Though an untraditional Castlevania title, the famous Koji "Iga" Igarashi is still producing the game. The fighter is set to feature a variety of the characters spanning the 22 year lifetime of the series. The character design will be of anime style and handled by popular manga artist Takeshi Obata, known for illustrating the popular manga Death Note.

The game will feature motion controls using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk combo allowing players to slash, stab, and whip with simple motions. Environmental elements will also play into the core experience of the game allowing the player to pick them up and attack their foe, and monsters will also appear on the field to complicate things for combatants.

Finally the game will feature two forms of connectivity. Nintendo WiFi connectivity will be used for head-to-head online play and the game can also establish a connection to the DS title Castlevania: Order of Eccelsia to unlock bonus gameplay content.

Castlevania Judgment will be available for Wii this fall.

KONAMI ANNOUNCES CASTLEVANIA JUDGMENT FOR Wii™

Release Marks Iconic Franchise’s Next Generation Debut on Wii™ and its Entry Into the Fighting Game Genre

El Segundo, Calif. – July 1, 2008 – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced that Castlevania Judgment, the first Castlevania title in the fighting game genre, is currently in development exclusively for Wii™. Developed by legendary Castlevania series producer Koji "Iga" Igarashi, Castlevania Judgment bridges the past with the present as it pits several generations of the Belmont clan against a host of characters that span the franchise’s 22-year history.

"We wanted to take this addition to the signature Konami franchise in a direction that really sets it apart from the previous Castlevania titles in the series," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "The Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk capabilities, along with the iconic characters, make this game the ideal entry point into the fighting game genre. This combination is certain to thrill old and new fans of the franchise."

With 3D environments rendered on Wii, players can choose sides in an epic battle of good versus evil using iconic Castlevania characters designed by famed manga artist Takeshi Obata. Using the motion-sensing controls of the Nunchuk and Wii Remote™, players can slash, stab and whip their way across a variety of stages and environmental elements with various surrounding objects as weapons. Select characters can also set traps and make use of monsters on the field to achieve victory in a clash of epic proportions. As an added bonus, players are also able to compete head-to-head using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection™ and connect with Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia on the Nintendo DS™ to unlock bonus gameplay content.

Castlevania Judgment will be released in North America Fall 2008 on Wii™. For more information, please visit: www.konami.com.