Japanese trademark overload! Banjo for Xbox? New Square Enix game and more inside!

The Tokyo Patent Office has released a fresh batch of embargo-busting game titles, registered by some of the biggest players in the games industry, with new titles from Square Enix, Namco and Sega, amongst others, blinking their way into the cold light of day.

First of interest is Square Enix’s trademark application for Curse of Promathia and the considerably less exciting-sounding Photocard Paradise. Curse of Promathia, to be called Chains of Promathia in the US we believe, is a looming Final Fantasy XI update and is possibly going to be the “limbo” area of the game which is expected to be launched in April of this year. Photocard Paradise is without question one of those quirky photobooth games that are rammed with giggling schoolgirls the length and breadth of Akihabara.

Namco revealed and confirmed a whole batch of “Tales of” games, as well as some thrilling quiz coin-ops. Tales of Rebirth, Tales of Justice, Tales of Honesty, Tales of Tactics for iMode Namco Rehabilitainment were all revealed, as well as Quiz de Quest, Medal no Tatsujin and The Medal Game Master. Make of that what you will.

Sony Computer Entertainment registered Vib Ripple, which is either the final name for Mojib Ribbon outside of Japan, or a new game in the series. We were not able to clarify this either way.

Nintendo’s applications are a bit of a disappointment this time around. Golfing Legends is possibly the most exciting registration - perhaps a Nintendo DS licensed golfing title. The Big N also secured Kirby: Mirror Labyrinth for Game Boy Advance.

Konami also registered a fresh load of baffling game titles. Aside from Frogger: The Mystery of the Ancient Civilization, other titles include Buster Scorpion, Diet Channel – likely to be a gym machine - and Invasion of Chaos.

Sega’s recent registration of Teddy Boy Blues is a little more exciting, however. It would seem the firm is poised to relaunch the wonderful Teddy Boy Blues franchise, with the revelation that the name has been registered for a next-generation outing. This, of course, might well be a re-release of the 1985 coin-op classic under the Sega Ages banner, but we live in hope.

Then we have Banjo Pilot, which, depressingly, is not the long-rumoured Xbox game of the same name, rather the GBA title revealed by Rare in 2003. However, it does seem strange that Rare would take so long to register a game that was revealed nearly six months ago.

We’ll bring you updates from all mentioned titles in the coming months. Whatever happens, it looks as though this year’s E3 is going to raise the bar considerably.