Based on ancient Japanese lore, Murumasa: The Demon Blade plunges players into the mystical Genroku era, ruled by the skilled shogun Tsunayoshi Tokogawa. But this culture is threatened; Tokogawa’s thirst for power leads to a conflict over the enormously powerful, though cursed, Demon Blades. Used in hatred, drenched in blood, the cursed blades condemn those who use them to tragedy, madness, and untimely deaths. As chaos spreads, denizens from the netherworld breach their realm as these malevolent swords summon evil spirits - and the Dragon and Demon Gods as well.

Featuring hand-drawn 2D art reflecting the heritage and tone of the storyline, Muramasa: The Demon Blade transports players into a little known mythology, envisioned by the creators of the critically acclaimed Odin Sphere. Players take on the role of a male ninja or female kunoichi, utilizing their ninja prowess to traverse the clever side-scrolling levels that feature vertical progression as well as the traditional horizontal stage advancement.

A number of cursed blades exist throughout the world. Blades that thirst for blood the moment they’re drawn. Even those blades thought to be holy slowly become corrupted over time as they are used in hatred and drenched in blood. Those who wield these blades slowly become homicidal. The curses laid on these blades are said to condemn those who use them to tragic and untimely deaths.

It is in the Genroki era, a period of time in which the shogun Tsumayoshi Tokogawa reigned, that the force of the damned began to emerge, threatening the peace and prosperity that had long existed in the world. The cursed blades became the focus of the greed, self-righteousness, and arrogance of those who’d gain possession of them, and inevitably it was these conflicting desires that led to war.

As the flames of chaos and disaster spread, denizens from the netherworld were dragged into the confusion as not only the evil spirits were summoned by the swords, but the Dragon and Demon Gods as well. How will the destinies of those drawn to these cursed blades unfold?

“Ignition Entertainment is immensely proud for the opportunity to bring Muramasa: The Demon Blade to the legions of North American gamers yearning for top-quality, original action games on Wii.” said Shane Bettenhausen, New Business Development Director of Ignition Entertainment. “The talented developers at Vanillaware have crafted an absolutely stunning adventure through feudal Japan that balances subtle, sophisticated artistry with razor-sharp, addictive gameplay.”

“We continue to maintain our strong commitment to bring quality games to the marketplace,” said Ajay Chadha, President of Ignition Entertainment. “We feel deeply honored for the opportunity to bring Vanillaware’s magnificent masterpiece Muramasa: The Demon Blade to gamers stateside.”

“We developed Muramasa: The Demon Blade in the same way as we did Odin Sphere, so there are bound to be a lot of similarities. I want it to be a very fun game for everyone who picks it up,” said George Kamitani, game director and Vanillaware President.

• Beautiful 2D graphics
• Large variety of environments
• Two playable characters
• Replayability (multiple playable paths throughout the game)
• Supports Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Classic controller, and GameCube controller
• 16:9 widescreen support
• Excellent music and sound
• Timeless side-scrolling game play.
• Optional challenge stages and mini-games throughout
• Satisfying action elements leading to nice depth of combat (Combat is fast yet intuitive)
• Story elements and cut scenes are well integrated and not obtrusive.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is currently in development by Marvelous Entertainment and Vanillaware exclusively for the Wii, and is expected to ship in Sept. 2009.