One of the disappointments of E3 was not being able to get hands-on time with Hideo Kojima's new Game Boy Advance title, Boktai. The game was present in video-only form at Konami's booth, though the footage managed to shed more *ahem* light on this interesting game. The ten minute animated video stars two kids who are discovering all that Boktai has to offer, and it includes in-game footage with English text.

The game makes use of a little light sensor that is located on at the top of the cart. This sticks out of the Game Boy Advance (both versions) and measures direct sunlight to charge up a light-based gun in the game. This makes perfect sense in the game world, as you're constantly facing off against vampires. At certain areas in the game, light shines into the dungeons in the game world. At this point, you can charge up the light gun by exposing the cartridge to direct sunlight.

As the video comically demonstrated with the two friends playing the game, the sensor is capable of detecting shadows. Only direct sunlight will work, so don't pack this one if you're going to the Antartic for the winter. While it is possible to progress without being in the sun, you won't be able to fight the boss. The video does show that it's possible to avoid enemies using stealth, possibly some spillover from that other little series that Kojima works on.

Watching the video for the game, it's evident that this is a not-so-thinly veiled attempt on Hideo Kojima's part to get kids outdoors more often. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. The game looks interesting enough without the health lesson, and we'll be keeping an eye on it as development progresses.