Get the Spelunker HD Ultimate Edition PS3 bundle on PSN, including the main game plus all of the Championship DLC! The 110 massive caverns in the main game will test even the most avid explorers, while the DLC, 90 of the most deviously crafted stages ever assembled, will bluntly reveal the hero’s fragility. Play with up to three friends locally and up to five online. Evade enemies, unlock
vaults and amass treasure as you wind deep below the surface of the
earth.

Already own the main game? Well, you can now get all of the Championship DLC in one tidy bundle too! It’s ultimate spelunking! Check it out!

You wanted them and you got them… but, careful what you ask for. The much intensified caves are sure to extract a few unpleasant exclamations from even the most agile and refined explorers. Supplied with fifty lives (yes, fifty) at game start, even the most blundering explorer is bound to last at least a few minutes… right?

Spelunker HD received a free patch on August 28th that includes improved online multiplayer viewing options and ten new Championship stages as a bonus. These bonus stages combined with the ninety DLC stages really crank up the lethal magnitude. So, if you haven’t donned your headlamp in a while or are not even sure what all the fuss is about – it is a great time to fire up your PlayStation and confront the world’s most treacherous terrain with gaming’s most fragile character!

The last two Championship DLC packs are now complete and available for download on October 2nd in North America and on the 3rd in Europe for $1.99/€1.99 each. These last 20 stages round out the Spelunker HD DLC, 100 of the most hellish and deviously crafted stages ever assembled. You bite back as Spelunker, the explorer with a backbone as rigid as grandma’s dentures. While you’re chewing on that, don’t forget that PlayStation Plus members get 50% off the game and all DLC for two weeks, so put down the Melba toast and get cracking!

Spelunker HD received a free patch on August 28th that includes improved online multiplayer viewing options and ten new Championship stages as a bonus. So, if you haven’t donned your headlamp in a while or are not even sure what all the fuss is about – it is a great time to fire up your PlayStation and confront the world’s most treacherous terrain with gaming’s most fragile character!

Spelunker HD received a free patch on August 28th that includes improved online multiplayer viewing options and an additional area with ten new Championship stages! Seven DLC packs have also been released – each set in a new area and containing 10 Championship stages. The Championship DLC packs are available in North America and Europe for $1.99/€1.99 each.

The Championship stages crank up the heat with more dangerous enemies, more treacherous tricks and more perilous caverns – you’ll never have a better opportunity to find out if your spelunking skills are of championship caliber. So quit holding your breath, it’s time to muster your courage and confront the cave!

Spelunker HD received a patch on August 28th that allows improved online multiplayer viewing options and includes a new area with ten new Championship stages for free! Seven DLC packs are also being released – each containing 10 Championship stages set in a new area. The Championship DLC packs are available on August 28th in North America and on the 29th in Europe for $1.99/€1.99 each.

Additionally, PlayStation Plus members will be able to purchase both the Spelunker HD base game, as well as the new Championship Mode DLC packs for 50% off for two weeks starting August 28th, 2012. So don’t tarry, renew your love of the cave and find out if your spelunking skills are of championship caliber!

Update as of August 31, 2012: To our players in the European regions, Sony Europe is experiencing some technical issues causing certain Championship DLC Packs to not appear properly in the PlayStation Store. If you experience this problem in your region, you may still find the missing DLC Packs by using the PlayStation Store’s search function. Also, in some European regions, DLC Pack 7 is missing the PlayStation Plus 50% off pricing. Again, Sony Europe is working to correct this problem. We apologize for any inconvenience and will post an update when more information is available.

Update: The issues are now resolved.

Japan’s percussion group ‘Sideshow’ recently released their first album.　A year ago, the group made a strong impression on us here at Tozai Games when we discovered their live Spelunker tribute on YouTube (see article below). Now, you can hear their self-arranged tunes on CD, including the fan-favorite Spelunker theme… check it out here. Rock on Sideshow!

Newly Established Office Will Release an Enhanced Version in Japan

Tozai, Inc. announced the expansion of their global gaming business with the opening of a Japanese office, Tozai Games, Inc., in August. Located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, the new office was formed by Tozai US president and co-founder, Sheila Boughten; Tozai US senior advisor and co-founder, Scott K. Tsumura; and Takuya Banno, who will serve as president of Tozai Japan.

Prior to establishing Tozai Japan, Banno was partner marketing manager, marketing senior manager and strategy planning leader at Microsoft Japan, and president of B-Project, Inc. Banno has produced many games, including his notable work as lead designer of “Minna de Spelunker” (“Spelunker HD”), which was awarded the PlayStation®Store Top Sales Award in Japan.

Building on a long history with the Spelunker franchise, the executives will expand the Spelunker and Lode Runner brands to various platforms including consoles, handhelds and smartphones, and will continue developing the global business of importing and marketing of foreign games in Japan.

“Tozai has always been committed to preserving popular classic videogame franchises by updating them for contemporary platforms,” said Boughten. “By working with our partner office in Japan, we are in a great position to leverage our existing projects and discover new opportunities.”

The company also announced that they have acquired the Japanese development and distribution rights to “Minna de Spelunker” from Irem Software, and will release an enhanced version in Japan as a PlayStation®3 downloadable game. Tozai Japan will manage the intellectual property of Spelunker in Japan, including expansion to additional platforms. Tozai Japan has exclusive rights for Spelunker and Lode Runner titles via contract with Tozai US.

“Some games are too much fun to let die just because their original platforms are no longer available,” Tsumura said. “Spelunker is a great example of this, and we’re pleased to be in a position to continue the legacy of this outstanding series and franchise in Japan and the rest of the world.”

Tozai Japan will release “Minna de Spelunker Tozai Games Version” in Japan soon. The game includes a long-awaited Championship Mode, which features 10 additional super difficult stages with 50 lives, new content trophies and a new mural. Additional Champion Mode stages will be forthcoming. Plans for the game in the US and Europe have yet to be announced.

(SCEE PlayStation Plus Members take 20% off for first two weeks!)

Those of us who played Tim Martin’s original 1983 Spelunker may no longer have all our hair, but for those who do, BEWARE: This remake retains all the challenge that drove us mad enough to pull our hair out in earlier days, but with more new obstacles and enemies than… well, a wig has hairs. So, kindly remove any fine china from your gaming room and stock the fridge with a week’s worth of food before getting started – it’s a looong way down.

Spelunker HD has nostalgic 2D gameplay (including a retro graphic set), all-new high-def 3D graphics, 100 newly designed levels placed in ten ever-deeper environments and the good old eponymous hero (reputedly gaming’s weakest character) who you’ll learn to love and hate all over again. You can go it alone or play cooperatively with up to five friends either locally or online, and SCEE and SCEA will have shared leaderboards and the ability to play together – so, get your dander up and show those Yanks who rocks!

BuzzFocus.com nominates Spelunker HD in two game-of-the-year categories: Best Console DLC Standalone Game & Most Entertaining Platformer. View the lists.

Joystiq.com’s JC Fletcher describes Spelunker HD as “…a platformer built not on speed or daring leaps of faith, but on caution.” and honors the fragile protagonist with a top pick of 2010. Check it out.

PSNStores.com’s Eric G. calls Spelunker HD a masterpiece and ranks it #1 as PSN Game of the Year. Read all the praise.

On a recent trip to Japan, our very own Scott Tsumura met up with five members of the highly talented group Sideshow for a few laughs and some fine sushi. Their group consists of eight percussionists who play professionally in various Tokyo symphonies and ensembles. We at Tozai were so impressed with their rendition of the Spelunker music we found on YouTube that we made it the top link in our Fan Tributes section on the Spelunker Home page. Take a look and a listen!

Be sure to check out the new “Gathering Place for Cave Explorers” game space now open on PlayStation®Home! Complete with Spelunker-themed rewards, clothing and furniture items, it’s a must-visit for all Spelunker HD fans! Plus, you can match-make with your friends! Additional game space in the cave will be coming soon! Watch for more news.

At last you can start your spelunking adventure!  How it will end, nobody knows — but rest assured, no other creature down there is on your side.  Get ready for the $9.99 challenge of your life!

The Spelunker HD team is on deck today at the Sony PlayStation Blog to answer your questions and comments.

Please join us: Spelunker HD: Updated Classic Hits PSN Soon

We’re pleased to announce the official North American release of Spelunker HD for PS3 on the PlayStation® Network. This robust remake of Timothy Martin’s groundbreaking 1983 release, which won the PlayStation®Store Top Sales Award in Japan for 2009, will remind you of just how fragile your existence truly is. Don’t let the trivial $9.99 price tag of the game fool you; after an evening or two in the caves you will be shelling out cash for night lights in the hallway and a motion detector for the foot of your bed – luckily the two Spelunker HD themes are free.

Your objective in each of the 100 newly designed levels is to reach the ancient statue that stands at the entrance to yet a deeper, more heinous cave. Each sprawling cave is a labyrinth, worthy of a bit of head scratching, but a crude map will light up as you explore helping you to eventually wind your way through. En route, you are free to operate the archaic mine equipment (rusted elevators and hydraulic carts) as well as ride the automated machinery (rotating mining wheels and conveyors) that still churn in the dank caverns. You’ll collect a plethora of items and power-ups, encounter a vast array of creatures (both living and dead), detonate bombs and launch flares, as you run, jump and climb your way ever deeper. Whether your quest is driven by greed (unearthing every hidden gem and nugget) or knowledge (unlocking the sacred, lost mysteries) you will crave the cave. Just how low can you go? Visit the official Spelunker HD web site for more information.

Prepare yourself for a new Spelunking challenge!
Spelunker HD is coming to the North American PlayStation® Network on Nov. 23rd

The ultimate underground adventure is back with 100 all-new levels, and the first ever multiplayer exploration.

Stay tuned for more information!