Idolm@ster Shiny Festa

Bandai Namco's hit game and anime series "The idolm@ster" has returned to the PSP with a trio of games to get your feet tapping!

Honey Sound                     Funky Note                Groovy Tune
Main logo with subtitles for each game. 

Announced on Bandai Namco's official "THE IDOLM@STER" web portal, only day prior to the franchises's 7th Anniversary concert, Namco Bandai promised fans that the first preview of the games would be available at the concert. Within a few hours of the concert's end they posted the video to their web page.

"THE IDOLM@STER" follows an idol producer and a group of 13 girls (depending on which game you are playing) as they join the 765 (prounounced NAMUKO) production agency in order to fulfill their dreams of becoming Japan's top idols. The series first made its debut in Japanese arcades in 2005 and has grown in popularity eventually landing a two season anime series in 2010.

The main cast of most "The IDOLM@STER" games (minus Ritsuko Akizuki) 

In their newest game, Bandai Namco has brought back the full roster of girls from the "Idolm@ster 2" game released on the Playstation 3 and Xbox360. "Shiny Festa" takes a note from the Idolma@ster's previous PSP game "Idolm@ster SP". To make sure that everyone could enjoy their favorite idols, Bandai Namco broke up the game into three different games "Perfect Sun" "Wandering Star" and "Missing Moon" Each game featuring different idols and a different rival.  While SP focused on the series's main plot of raising your idols, "Shiny Festa" takes a step back from the story and focus mostly on the rhythm game aspect of the series. 

Ritsuko Akizuki  Haruka Amami Chihaya Kisaragi Azusa Miura 
[Naomi Wakabayashi] [Eriko Nakamura] [Asami Imai] [Chiaki Takahashi]
Shiny Festa: Honey Sound cast including voice actress's names 

Mami Futami Iori Minase Yayoi Takatsuki Hibiki Ganaha Ami Futami
[Asami Shimoda] [Rie Kugimiya] [Mayako Nigo] [Manami Numakura] 
Shiny Festa: Funky Note cast
(Mami and Ami Futami are both voiced by Asami Shimoda) 

Takane Shijou  Yukiho Hagiwara Miki Hoshii Makoto Kikuchi 
[Yumi Hara] [Azumi Asakura] [Akiko Hasegawa] [Hiromi Hirata] 
Shiny Festa: Groovy Tune cast

Typical Idolm@ster games involve training, practicing, and promoting your idols to overcome their rivals and snag the top idol spot in the nation. However, Shiny Festa claims that it will focus on rhythm game aspect by offering different ways to promote your idols. 

By using the new rhythm mode you can enter your idols to perform on stage and charm the audience. 

A first for the series! You can give your idols instruments to perform as a band! 

Using stages and songs from Idolm@ster 2, you can give a passionate concert for your fans! 

With the idolm@ster anime gaining popularity, you can play songs exclusive to the anime while watching some of the anime's classic scenes. 

Finally, You can make a music video for your idol with costumes from the spin off game series "G4U" (Gravier for you)

All modes of game play appear to use the same rhythm game play which uses a timing button hit system, However not many details of the system have been revealed yet. 

Yayoi, Mami, and Miki perform with the game play system visible.
(Photo courtesy of famitsu.com) 

THE IDOLM@STER SHINY FESTA is set to be released on October 25th 2012. With a promise of special pre-order goods to those who pre-order all three games. Each game will be 5,980 yen for UMD versions and 5,380 yen for the download version.