You have to hand one thing to Bandai- the company knows what to do when it comes to making the most out of their anime licenses for video games. Over the years, we've seen the company make all sorts of big moves, like selling the Dragon Ball Z license to Atari and releasing all sorts of games from the Gundam and Digimon series. This year, the company's showing even more initiative, as they've formed a few wing called Bandai Games that will focus solely on games, including the forthcoming Cowboy Bebop and Digimon World 4. Well, add one more license to the list of games making their way to our shores this fall- Zatch Bell.

If you're unfamiliar with the show, let me fill you in. The show focuses on a unique pair of boys. One is a typical school kid with a powerful brain, and the other is a unique, toddler-type figure who is actually known as a Mamodo. The student thinks nothing of this new sibling's arrival, but it turns out he's actually part of a traditional battle between him and other Mamodos. Every 1,000 years, 100 different creatures of this race are sent to Earth to battle for supremacy, to be called King of the Mamodo. This poses a problem for this duo, as they constantly find themselves fighting these creatures, as well as their human partners, in hectic battles for survival. So the game will take full advantage of this the only way it knows how- in fighting game mode.

Zatch Bell will allow you to choose from different duos, and not just the heroes from the show, as you focus on your quest to become the Mamodo King. Each duo packs different powers and unique spells that can be used during battles, as well as devastating combination attacks to wipe away precious energy. The control system should be easy enough to learn, yet tough to master, as new spells and attacks will become available during your journey. Win enough battles and you'll be able to collect special edition trading cards, so you can gain access to additional Mamodo characters and scenarios.

The game will look and sound familiar to those who absolutely love the show, either on DVD or on Cartoon Network. The graphics are said to copy the anime-styled look, right down to particular animations and beautiful attacks. Some clips from the show should also make their way into the final product, to add to the appeal and style of it. And those worried about the voicework can relax- Bandai is adding both the US acting and Japanese voicework to the game, so you can choose what best fits your style.

Whether Zatch Bell will turn out to be a big hit depends on how the development goes over the next few months, and what unpredictability and effort it'll show as it nears its Fall release. The company should have the game center stage at E3, however, so keep it here for further coverage and several mispronunciations of the word "Mamodo". I bet someone here on staff will probably call it "Mambo" by mistake. And who wants to be a Mambo king? Anyone?