In a recent press release, Atlus announced that it is localizing the Game Boy Advance title, DemiKids. The game is an offshoot of the popular Japanese series Shin Megami Tensei.

Like certain other handheld collection/trading RPGs, two versions of DemiKids will be available. This series will use the titles of Light and Dark to separate the two versions of the game.

The story of DemiKids centers around a group of sixth-graders named Jin, Akira, and Lena. The three are active members of the "Mystery Club," which searches for (as the name would suggest) generally mysterious items. One fateful day, while looking around in the school's library, the trio discovers a spell book that looks quite (cha-ching) mysterious. Submitting to their young curiosity, the kids decide that performing a summoning ritual would be a good, productive idea. This ritual not only summons an evil demon, but now there is a time rift outside the school, which locks the events of their world in a recurring loop. Whenever the main character leaves the school, time reverts back to the when school was dismissed. Our main three turn to a (cha-ching) mysterious new student named Amy to receive the "Demolyzer," which allows them to capture and summon demons. Let the games begin. . . .

Features shared by the two versions will include the ability to collect over 350 total demons by capturing them and trading with other players. Adding to customization possibilities, a "Demon Fusion" system will be present, which allows players to create hundreds of new demons or make existing ones stronger. DemiKids will also give players the ability to negotiate with demonic denizens in order to avoid battles and even gain levels.

So how do the versions differ? First and foremost, Light and Dark each have different main characters. Jin takes the spotlight in the Light version, while Akira stars in the Dark version. That being said, the two versions display slight differences in the plot. Each version also packs a unique spin on the aforementioned "Demon Fusion" system. In Dark, one can increase the parameters of all party members, while Light will limit you to only increasing the parameters of your partner, who is a guardian demon protecting you. Also, each of the two games will have a number of demons that its opposite version does not have, and these can be traded from player to player with a link cable.

DemiKids raises the bar in the monster collecting genre by introducing the sophisticated demon-recruiting system, an innovation sure to entice young and seasoned gamers alike," said Akibo Shieh, Project Lead, Atlus U.S.A., Inc. "This stylish RPG brings the most popular aspects of the hit Japanese Shin Megami Tensei series to the handheld market, and is sure to be an instant classic!"

The game will retail for $29.99. No exact release date was mentioned.