Join Raphael in Rhythm Thief and The Emperor's Treasure

15th March 2012 – Prepare to hone your sleuthing skills and tap out some rocking rhythms as Nintendo and SEGA launch the latest rhythm action-adventure, Rhythm Thief™ & the Emperor’s Treasure, across Europe on 5th April 2012, exclusively for Nintendo 3DS ™. This funky, up-tempo adventure is packed full of over 50 rhythm-based challenges set against the background of a 3D anime style Paris that is waiting to be explored. If you just can’t wait until the game launches, then make sure you check out the playable Nintendo 3DS Demo, available to download from the Nintendo eShop today.

In Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure we meet Raphael, a young Parisian boy who leads a secret double life. He seems just like any other boy, living in the French capital with his trusty dog Fondue. But he assumes the new persona of a virtuous thief, breaking into some of Paris’s most famous museums to steal priceless works of art; only to return them a couple of days later. On his adventure he meets Marie, a violinist with a mysterious past, and clashes with Vergier, the superintendent at the Paris constabulary; all the while hoping to find his missing father.

Help Raphael avoid the museum guards and police by completing rhythm-based challenges and exploring the anime-styled Paris. A range of features on Nintendo 3DS are at your disposal to conquer these challenges. Tap the Touch Screen, push the buttons, work the stylus and control the gyro in time to the music. If you lose the beat, you could empty out your Groove Gauge and it’s game over! But if you complete the challenge you will be rewarded with medals that can be traded for items that make future rhythm games easier to complete, or bonuses such as music or more games to play.

Exploration is the key to discover the mystery of why Raphael and Marie’s lives are interlinked through the same strange symbol on his father’s coin and on her violin. As you progress through the story, new areas of the map will become available and you are free to explore the beautifully rendered city, along with some of the most notable Parisian landmarks. By tapping the Touch Screen with the stylus you can explore the scene with plenty of medals to be found, interesting characters to speak to and puzzles to solve.

Complete side quests, collect sound bites and visit Auban’s Shop to help progress along your Parisian quest. Discover and take part in the side quests which include gathering five notes hidden within scenes to create a scrap of paper called a Phantom Note. Collect all pieces of Phantom Notes to unlock bonus content. Raphael can also collect sound bites which can be saved in his recorder and can, on many occasions, be used to solve puzzles. By exploring and collecting as many Phantom Notes and Sound Bites as you can, you will be able to unlock new chapters and progress further within the story.

If you’re feeling competitive, then you’ll also be able to challenge your friends in a variety of multiplayer levels through either Local Wireless or Download Play. When you encounter another Rhythm Thief player via StreetPass ™, a new character appears on the streets of each player’s map. Their character will only stay on your map as a fan if you can beat their high score in a rhythm game battle! You can have up to 90 fans on your map at any one time, and as you begin to accumulate fans, a range of special characters become available.

Check out the playable Nintendo 3DS Demo of the Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure available to download from the Nintendo eShop today, allowing you a taster of the game ahead of its European debut on 5th April 2012.

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