"'Innovation' is a double-edged sword," Reese wrote. "The gaming landscape is littered with cult-favorites that buck the trends and try a completely different approach, but have trouble finding a broad audience."

Reese explained that while the $20 pricepoint is typically reserved for the Greatest Hits line, the genre-bending nature of Patapon needed a little extra incentive to attract a wider audience on its February 26 release.

In 2004, Namco's Katamari Damacy (PS2) was released to North American audiences at $20 and was met with critical acclaim and brisk sales, prompting a gradual boost in MSRP for its sequels. Many developers have since tried to capture this brand of success by releasing "quirky" games at bargain prices, though few have caught on with such a wide audience as the Katamari series.