Sakura Wars announced for GBC

[05.26.99] » Sega's announcement of development and publication for the Game Boy Color also includes the popular Japanese strategy RPG for the handheld.

   According to the Nihon Keizai Shinbun, Sega Enterprises of Japan has officially announced its intentions to develop and publish games for Nintendo's Game Boy Color, in addition to the Neo Geo Pocket and the recently released WonderSwan. The company has no handheld system of their own, and is therefore publishing games through its admitted arch-rival in order to increase market share. Thankfully, RPG fans benefit -- the first title to be announced is the strategy RPG / dating sim Sakura Wars.

   Sakura Wars, for those not familiar with the series, is a mecha strategy RPG which, oddly enough, mixes in dating simulation elements. Developed by Red Company, two Sakura titles have been published on the Sega Saturn. (Red Company is also responsible for Thousand Arms, which mixes dating elements into an RPG as well.) The series is set in the early 1900s -- which means the mechas are steam powered, of course! Sega has not revealed whether or not the GBC Sakura Wars would be a direct sequel to the series, or simply a remake; the latter seems more likely.

   The game is tentatively scheduled for a 1999 release in Japan. No US release has been announced as of yet.