Nippon Ichi's Disgaea franchise has a number of things going for it, not the least of which is a droll cast of penguins forced into underworld servitude on account of their transgressions as mortals. In September, a report in Japan's Dengeki Online revealed that NIS was prepping a spin-off PlayStation Portable title devoted to the penguins--properly known as prinnies--which is due in the island nation later this month.

　　Today, NIS America corroborated that report, saying Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? will be available for the PSP in North America on February 17. As previously revealed, the game is a divergence from the turn-based strategy seen in the Disgaea franchise and will instead focus on side-scrolling action.

　　As for the setup, Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? follows the travails of one of Etna's naturally tuxedoed servants, who she compels to locate the "ultimate sweets" after her own candies are stolen. NIS emphasized the game's brutal difficulty level, saying players only get 1,000 lives to beat the most "challenging side-scrolling action game ever." The game will have multiple difficulty settings, however, including Standard and Hell modes.

　　To keep clear of Enta's wrath, players will be afforded a variety of moves with their prinnies, including lift and throw, stomp, and hip-pound. Prinnies will also be able to commandeer vehicles such as tanks, planes, and UFOs.