Doesn’t the name “The Flying Hamster” sound like a cute-’em-up that a Paris-based studio would create for the PlayStation Portable? I thought so too. Independent developer The Game Atelier hopes to bring its brand of cutesy hamster mischief to the masses as a digital download this year.

If there’s one thing I know an awful lot about, it’s definitely not shmups. Disguise the genre with adorable critters and turn down the difficulty, and now we’re going at a more comfortable speed. That appears to be the basic idea beingThe Flying Hamster— accessible, friendly shootery for the whole family.

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I should also mention The Game Atelier’s intention to bring the game to PC and iPhone once this lead version is completed. More importantly, the main character’s name is Newton. As far as I’m concerned, there are few greater hamster names in existence.

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