Rhythm Thief & The Emperor’s treasure is now available for purchase in North America, Sega have announced. It will be priced at $29.99 and can be purchased at all major retail outlets.

In Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure, players are immersed in a Parisian escapade, brought to life by stylish animations and vibrant 3D landscapes on the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system,” the press release reads.

“Players enter the secret life of Raphael – an infamous yet honorable thief known for stealing famous works of art only to return them days later – and help him unearth clues to solve the mystery behind his father’s disappearance.”

The game is available exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS and is a game that blends songs and puzzles with an exciting story set on the streets of Paris.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

SEGA Europe and SEGA of America today announced Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure exclusively for Nintendo 3DS. The game, of course, is a rhythm based game, and will be released in early 2012. Have a look at the full press release below:

In Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure, players are immersed in the mysterious rhythmic adventure in the city of Paris, recreated in stunning 3D vision on the Nintendo’s new handheld console. Pump up the tempo in early 2012 with the most mysterious musical adventure to hit the Nintendo 3DS yet.

“Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure blends rhythm, puzzles and a compelling story set in one of the world’s most exciting cities in a way that has never been seen before,” says Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA of America. “This unique blend makes creative use of the Nintendo 3DS’ technology, offering an engaging, challenging and most importantly fun experience throughout.”

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure sees players enter the secret life of Raphael, infamous among Parisians as an honourable thief for stealing famous works of artonly to return it days later. Dive into Raphael’s world and help him find the Wristlet of Tiamat to unmask the mystery behind his father’s disappearance. Whilst unravelling the truth players will encounter an assortment of different rhythm challenges to master. Tap the screen, swipe the Nintendo 3DS stylus and control the gyro to the beat of the music to manoeuvre Raphael through the unique streets of Paris, brought to life by stylish animations and vibrant 3D maps and landscapes.

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure offers a unique enjoyable single player experience, as well as toe-tapping multiplayer and uses the innovative StreetPass communication system. Unearth the clues hidden behind treasures scattered around Paris, call on your sense of rhythm and use all your puzzle solving skills to help Raphael get to the bottom of the mystery.