Koei has announced that the much anticipated RPG experience ‘Opoona’, an exclusive for Wii, is available now in-store and online through various retailers across North America. Developed by Artepiazza, the group that previously worked with Square Enix on early Dragon Quest titles and has more recently been used for the remake of Dragon Quest IV on the Nintendo DS, many believed Opoona would not receive a Western release, but here it is at long last!

Sadly the game sold little more than 10,000 units when launched in Japan, being pitted against the release of Super Mario Galaxy at a time when the Wii was in somewhat of a slump in the Far East, leading many to presume the highly rated, and extremely innovative RPG would be left over there without a translation. Thankfully it seems Koei is keen to recoup the costs of development and is thus bringing it overseas to see how it fares here.

“While on an interplanetary family vacation, the young boy Opoona crash lands on Planet Landroll after his family’s spaceship is involved in a mysterious accident. Separated from his family, Opoona is forced to live alone. On the planet, Opoona must find a job, search for his siblings, and defend himself and the people of Landroll against creatures known as the Dark Rogues. Luckily for Opoona, he is the descendant of a long line of warriors known as the Cosmo Guards. Thus, Opoona’s adventure begins as he struggles to establish a new life and reunite his family.

The game’s action-oriented battle system lets players use powerful “Energy Bonbons” against their enemies. Using just the NunchukTM, players can manipulate an Energy Bonbon’s trajectory in a number of different ways. All of Opoona’s commands are also controlled by the Nunchuk, to allow a complete “single-hand control” of the game. The gameplay in Opoona is not just about battling; it is a “Lifestyle RPG.” As Opoona, players must adapt to a new environment, meet new people, and contribute to society through work, all while becoming aware of the precious world and people around him. As the game progresses, Opoona will develop relationships and uncover a broader range of activities including new jobs and clues to new adventures. The unique characters and a modern fantasy world created by Art Director, Shintaro Majima, are sure to fascinate gamers. From futuristic buildings to ancient ruins and strange rock formations in the wild, the world of Opoona is a remarkable fusion of both contemporary designBuy-Design and whimsical fantasy.”

As stated before, developer ArtePiazza worked closely with Enix before it joined with Squaresoft, working directly on four installments of the best-selling Dragon Quest franchise, and that talent has been transplanted onto the Opoona project, showcasing the some of today’s most creative game designers including: Art Director Shintaro Majima, Planning Director Sachiko Sugimura, and Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, acclaimed for his contribution to the FINAL FANTASY XII soundtrack.

With any luck it will not be too long before Koei introduces the game into the European market as well…