Tomba! Leaps onto PSN This Summer

The most demanded PSone Classic in PSN’s history, Tomba!, is set to be immortalised on the PlayStation Store this summer. MonkeyPaw Games has confirmed that it’s bringing the title Stateside, with a European release certain to follow further down the line.

MonkeyPaw Games’ John Greiner said in an interview with Joystiq:

Sony and MonkeyPaw have a good working relationship. I think they appreciate the titles we've brought to the Store. And they value the support we give the games. Having a plethora of Japanese content is a distinct advantage PlayStation has over Xbox. But the games still need to be brought Stateside. So our model helps Sony spread their Japanese edge and we help Japanese developers get their titles to a wider audience. Hence, Sony is willing to work with us on titles that may not have otherwise been licensed out. Support is key.

Tomba! – known as Tombi! overseas – is one of the original PlayStation's most universally acclaimed games. It was directed by former Capcom man Tokuro Fujiwara, who founded Whoopee Camp, the studio responsible for developing the original title and its sequel.

MonkeyPaw has been trying to acquire the licensing rights to the classic for over a year.

Greiner explained:

We often have to chase down multiple right holders. In this case, Sony and Whoopee Camp had rights that needed to be negotiated.

The deal doesn’t include the platformer’s sequel just yet, however:

Tomba! 2 is a possibility but we need to really sell Tomba! 1 well before we can extend our relationship. It's the first time we've worked with Fujiwara-san so we're trying to make a good impression. Good sales have a way opening doors a bit wider.

You know what you need to do if you want the complete Tomba! series stored on your PlayStation 3...