Patapon priced to move

Innovation doesn't always top the sales charts. In 2006, Loco Roco arrived on the US PlayStation Portable, only to find its novel gameplay and distinctively charming visual style met with underwhelming sales.

With the studio's latest effort, the action rhythm game Patapon, set to arrive on the PSP next month, SCEA wants to give it every opportunity to surpass its predecessor's sales. To that end, SCEA director of software marketing Jeff Reese announced on the PlayStation blog that in order "to make it more accessible to everyone," Patapon would be sold at the budget price point of $19.99.

"Patapon is really different and highly creative, a new kind of PSP experience we don't want anyone to miss," Reese explained.

Patapon has players marshal an army of tiny soldiers by pushing buttons in a specific order and rhythm to order different actions. The game will feature more than 30 missions spread across 20 different 2D environments, and soldiers' weapons and shields can be combined in more than 100 different configurations.

Reese also nailed down the release date for Patapon, saying it would arrive in stores on February 26. For more on the E-for-Everyone-rated game, check out GameSpot's latest preview.