Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., announced today that Castlevania Judgment for the Nintendo Wii has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Produced by legendary Castlevania producer Koji "Iga" Igarashi, Castlevania Judgment marks the franchise's entry into the 3-D versus-action genre with a host of characters that span the franchise's 22-year history.

"Konami has taken the Castlevania franchise in a new direction by uniting both new and legendary characters in a multiplayer combat game created exclusively for the Wii," said Anthony Crouts, vice president of marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "With gorgeous characters and rendered 3D graphics, Castlevania Judgment takes full advantage of the Wii console. Players utilize the Wii Remote and Nunchuck capabilities to swing and throw objects, creating an immersive experience that is only possible on the Wii."

With 3D environments rendered on the Wii, players can choose sides in an epic battle of good versus evil using iconic Castlevania characters designed by famed manga artist Takeshi Obata. The title brings together several generations of playable characters from 22 years of past Castlevania games, including Simon Belmont, Maria Renard, Dracula and Alucard. Fans of the series will also be introduced to new characters like Aeon, who uses time-based magic attacks and can clone his weapon, giving it the appearance of the hands of a clock.

Castlevania Judgment also makes use of the motion-sensing control scheme of the Nintendo Wii, allowing players to slash, stab and whip their way across a variety of stages and fight an assortment of environmental elements. With the Wii Remote and Nunchuck capabilities, players can create weapons and gain health from surrounding objects, set traps, and employ the help of monsters on the field to achieve victory. Featuring an online fighting mode using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Castlevania Judgment will also interface with Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia on the Nintendo DS to unlock exclusive gameplay content.

Castlevania Judgment is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB and is now available on the Nintendo Wii for $49.99.