In a press release today, Square Enix has announced that their PSP title Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep will be releasing this summer in North America. The game originally launched in Japan in January.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep follows three characters: Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, three youths who have been training under Master Eraqus to become Keyblade Masters. The game feature's Kingdom Hearts' familiar battle system with new features such as Command Styles and Dimension Links.

New to the North American release will be new features, such as Crown Stickers, and extra boss, and additional multiplayer options. The game's official site can be found here.

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep will be released in North America this Summer. Coming exclusively to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the game is a prequel that reveals the untold origins of the popular KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep is the highly anticipated fifth installment in the beloved RPG series that has shipped over 14 million copies worldwide. Enjoy three unique gaming experiences through three main characters - Terra, Ventus and Aqua - in order to uncover the mysteries of the story. With a distinctive battle system and multiplayer mode, KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep adds a new depth to the KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.

The game also introduces Disney worlds and characters that have never been seen in previous KINGDOM HEARTS titles, including Sleeping Beauty's Enchanted Dominion, the Dwarf Woodlands from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Deep Space from Lilo and Stitch. In addition, all-new stages have been added to familiar worlds like Neverland from Peter Pan. Disney lovers will rejoice at seeing their favorite characters appear on the handheld arena.

Akira_EX via release.square-enix.com »