is a video game developed by AlphaDream

AlphaDream

is a Japanese video game development company founded in 2000 by Tetsuo Mizuno in: Tokyo, Japan. It was formerly known as Alpha Star. In partnership with Nintendo, it has produced software for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS...

 for Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...

 and the sequel to Tottoko Hamutaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu (Japan only), Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!

Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!

is a Hamtaro adventure video game developed by Shogakukan and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Color handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 2001, and was later released in North America on October 28, 2002, and in Europe on January 10, 2003...

and Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak

Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak

is a Nintendo video game for Game Boy Advance and the sequel to Tottoko Hamutaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu and Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!. Therefore, it was the second Hamtaro-game released in America and Europe, but the third one in Japan...

. It was released in Japan and PAL regions (but was poorly distributed in some countries which makes copies of this game rather rare). It was set to be released in North America, but was cancelled. The series is based on the manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

 Hamtaro

Hamtaro

is a Japanese anime series. The main character is a hamster named Hamtaro who has a variety of adventures with other hamsters, called "Ham-Hams" . The show is based on a manga series by Ritsuko Kawai, Hamtaro Gets Lost and Other Stories, and Jealous Hamtaro and Other Stories...

, written by Ritsuko Kawai

Ritsuko Kawai

Ritsuko Kawai is the creator of the anime television show Hamtaro. Kawai originally created Hamtaro as storybooks for children first published in 1997 and then the anime came to Japan in July 2000.Hamtaro is about a little hamster and his friends...

.

Plot

The game involves an extensive plot. One day while playing outside, Bijou witnesses a great rainbow. The rainbow disappears and Prince Bo falls to the ground. The Prince states that he can make rainbows by using his umbrella. He tries to prove it to disbelieving Stan and the rest of the Ham-Hams, but realizes too late that the colors on his umbrella are gone! And thus, Hamtaro and his Ham-Ham friends must set off on a journey in order to collect things that are the proper color for Prince Bo to use for his umbrella so he can create a rainbow to return home.

Gameplay

Certain minigames are needed to reach the colors, and the player must have certain Ham-Hams in their party in order to play them. For example, Sandy is needed to ride pigeons, Bijou is needed to collect falling petals, and Penelope is needed for rolling on top of cans to get across small streams.

In addition to the original Ham-Hams, the game contains some additional characters, most of which were never seen in the English anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

. These include Prince Bo, who is the prince of Rainbowland (a castle that is made of clouds); Flora, or Nurse-Ham; Tux; and other various characters.

Playable Characters

In the game, there are 13 different playable Ham-Hams. Hamtaro, Bijou, Oxnard, Boss, Cappy, Maxwell, Pashmina, Penelope, Panda, Stan, Sandy, Howdy & Dexter are the playable characters. You only start out with a limited amount of Ham-Hams, but as you go on your quest for colors, you will find other Ham-Hams that will join your party.