Zen Studios Announces Kickbeat For PlayStation Vita

Zen Studios today announced the upcoming release of Kickbeat for the PlayStation Vita. The game incorporates beat-matching mechanics, high energy music, and a martial arts flair to bring a new spin to the rhythm gaming genre as you battle your way through crowds of bad guys with your awesome dance moves.

“Several years ago, we asked ourselves, ‘What would happen if we took a beat-matching game,  replaced the abstract cues like bars, arrows, and button icons with kung fu fight scenes, and set it all to some incredibly intense music?’” said Neil Sorens, Creative Director for Zen Studios. “We spent three years turning that idea into in Kickbeat, and anyone looking for something fresh and exciting and the music genre is in for a treat.”

Kickbeat will feature licensed music from, “a diverse lineup of artists ranging from well-known bands such as Pendulum and Marilyn Manson, to indie pioneers Celldweller and Blue Stahli, to hidden talents like electronic music producer Voicians and Taiwanese rapper Shen Yi.” according to the presser.

“Kickbeat is a showcase example of passion, risk and creativity. Traditional publishers might shy away from this type of thinking, but we will embrace it.  After all, what’s the point of working in video games if you just keep making the same one?” said Zsolt Kigyossy, Managing Director for Zen Studios.

Zen Studios will be showing Kickbeat off to the press at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo.  Wanderson75.net actually took a look at the concept for this game at last year’s E3 and we were already impressed.  We can’t wait to see how far it’s progressed since then.  In the meantime, take a look at the trailer below and tell us what you think!

Stay tuned for more news, thoughts and reviews as we head out to Los Angeles, California to cover the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo starting in just 10 days!