Anyone up for another PSP-focused post?

I hope so, because here's another one.

I also picked up this import-only PSP release some time ago, by the way--after someone on Twitter made me aware of its wonderful box art (which can be seen in the photo below).

The game in question is Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke, a ukiyo-e-swathed puzzler (of sorts) that was developed by Silicon Studio and published (in 2009) by From Software for the PSP.

I can't tell you much more about it than that, though, because I've yet to play it. (Of course!) I'll do my best to rectify that in the coming weeks, and if I do I'll try to share some impressions of it here.

See also: 'Is that a copy of Airu de Puzzle (PSP) in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?'

Donkey Kong x Japanese Ukiyo-e

How would some of gaming's most cherished characters look if they had been conjured up during the latter half of the 17th century rather than the late stages of the 20th?

Artist Jed Henry tackles that rather curious question in a recent series of illustrations (like the one below and here) that suggest how, say, Donkey Kong and Mario, would have looked had they been painted or printed in the ukiyo-e style that came to life in Japan in the 1600s.

A number of other classic game franchises are given the same treatment in a series of pieces that can be found in Henry's deviantART gallery. Among them: Kirby, Metroid, Pokémon and Star Fox.

See also: 'Looks like I'll have to add Soul Bubbles to my DS wish list'

Looks like I'll have to add Soul Bubbles to my DS wish list

I've heard only good things about the Mekensleep-developed, Eidos-published title, Soul Bubbles, yet I haven't added it to my DS collection.

That may have to change now that I know the game includes two bonus levels done in the ukiyo-e style. (According to wikipedia, ukiyo-e is is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries that feature motifs of landscapes, tales from history the theatre and pleasure quarters.)

Yes, I'm a sucker for ukiyo-e. Sadly, few games feature graphics inspired by this style--in fact, the only one I can think of right now (other than Soul Bubbles, of course) is Konami's ancient arcade title, Mr. Goemon. (Goemon's one and only DS outing features the similar sumi-e style, as does Ōkami and its forthcoming sequel, Ōkamiden.)

Speaking of awesome art styles, I'd have to slap myself if I failed to point out the cute-as-hell box art created for the Japanese version of Soul Bubbles, known as Awatama:

In a perfect world, I'd pick up a copy of Awatama instead of Soul Bubbles, but as of now the former costs about three times as much as the latter ($48.90 compared to $13.87).

Buy: Awatama or Soul Bubbles

(Via tinycartridge.com)