Bit.Trip Saga is a retro-style music

Music video game

A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...

 video game developed by Gaijin Games

Gaijin Games

Gaijin Games is an independent video game development studio, best known for their BIT.TRIP series of video games. The studio was founded in 2007 by Alex Neuse and is located in Santa Cruz, California.-History:Gaijin Games initially emerged in 2004...

 and published by Aksys Games

Aksys Games

Aksys Games Localization, Inc. is a video game publisher that specializes in translating and localizing Japanese video games for English-speaking markets. It was founded by Akibo Shieh in 2006. Some of its clients include Namco Bandai Games, Xseed Games, and Atlus USA. Aksys Games is best known for...

 for the Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...

 handheld game console

Handheld game console

A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...

. It was released on September 13, 2011 in North America. It will be released in Europe by Rising Star Games

Rising Star Games

Rising Star Games is a video games publisher formed as a joint business venture between Scandinavian distributor Bergsala and Japanese video game publisher and content developer Intergrow....

 during the first quarter of 2012. It is a compilation of all six downloadable video games released for the Nintendo Wii

Wii

The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...

's WiiWare

WiiWare

WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...

 service, including Bit.Trip Beat

Bit.Trip Beat

Bit.Trip Beat, marketed as BIT.TRIP BEAT, is an arcade-style music video game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys for the Wii's WiiWare download service. It was released in 2009 in North America, and released in Japan and PAL regions in the same year...

, Bit.Trip Core

Bit.Trip Core

Bit.Trip Core, marketed as BIT.TRIP CORE, is an arcade-style rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service...

, Bit.Trip Void

Bit.Trip Void

Bit.Trip Void, marketed as BIT.TRIP VOID, is an arcade-style bullet hell rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service. It was first released in Japan in 2009, and later in North America and PAL regions in 2009 and 2010, respectively...

, Bit.Trip Runner

Bit.Trip Runner

Bit.Trip Runner, marketed as BIT.TRIP RUNNER, is an arcade-style 'rhythm game' developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service...

, Bit.Trip Fate

Bit.Trip Fate

Bit.Trip Fate, marketed as BIT.TRIP FATE, is an arcade-style scrolling shooter rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service.-Gameplay:...

, and Bit.Trip Flux

Bit.Trip Flux

Bit.Trip Flux, marketed as BIT.TRIP FLUX, is an arcade-style rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service.-Gameplay:...

.

Gameplay

All six of the Bit.Trip titles will support the Nintendo 3DS' stereoscopic 3D visual effects. All of the games feature "simple graphics" and "challenging gameplay tied to a soundtrack of Atari 2600

Atari 2600

The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...

-like bleeps".

Development

Bit.Trip Saga is a compilation video game to be released for the Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...

 handheld game console

Handheld game console

A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...

. Bit.Trip Saga was announced on April 28, 2011 in a press release by Aksys Games

Aksys Games

Aksys Games Localization, Inc. is a video game publisher that specializes in translating and localizing Japanese video games for English-speaking markets. It was founded by Akibo Shieh in 2006. Some of its clients include Namco Bandai Games, Xseed Games, and Atlus USA. Aksys Games is best known for...

, its publisher. Gaijin Games

Gaijin Games

Gaijin Games is an independent video game development studio, best known for their BIT.TRIP series of video games. The studio was founded in 2007 by Alex Neuse and is located in Santa Cruz, California.-History:Gaijin Games initially emerged in 2004...

, which, along with Aksys, were responsible for the creation of all the Bit.Trip titles included in this collection, which included Bit.Trip Beat

Bit.Trip Beat

Bit.Trip Beat, marketed as BIT.TRIP BEAT, is an arcade-style music video game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys for the Wii's WiiWare download service. It was released in 2009 in North America, and released in Japan and PAL regions in the same year...

, Bit.Trip Core

Bit.Trip Core

Bit.Trip Core, marketed as BIT.TRIP CORE, is an arcade-style rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service...

, Bit.Trip Void

Bit.Trip Void

Bit.Trip Void, marketed as BIT.TRIP VOID, is an arcade-style bullet hell rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service. It was first released in Japan in 2009, and later in North America and PAL regions in 2009 and 2010, respectively...

, Bit.Trip Runner

Bit.Trip Runner

Bit.Trip Runner, marketed as BIT.TRIP RUNNER, is an arcade-style 'rhythm game' developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service...

, Bit.Trip Fate

Bit.Trip Fate

Bit.Trip Fate, marketed as BIT.TRIP FATE, is an arcade-style scrolling shooter rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service.-Gameplay:...

, and Bit.Trip Flux

Bit.Trip Flux

Bit.Trip Flux, marketed as BIT.TRIP FLUX, is an arcade-style rhythm game developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games for the Wii's WiiWare download service.-Gameplay:...

.

Pre-release reception

The release of all six Bit.Trip games has garnered excitement from journalists. Kotaku

Kotaku

Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...

's Michael McWhertor wrote that its numerous features would make it "worth the cost/wait". GameZone

GameZone

GameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...

's David Sanchez wrote that "Bit.Trip Saga will be a worthwhile purchase for indie gamers and fans of all-around awesome games".