Astro Boy: Omega Factor, released in Japan as Astro Boy: Tetsuwan Atomu (アストロボーイ・鉄腕アトム), is a beat ’em up video game developed by Treasure and Hitmaker, and published by Sega. The game was released for the Game Boy Advance on December 18, 2003 in Japan; August 18, 2004 in North America; and February 18, 2005 in Europe. The game is based on Osamu Tezuka’s manga and anime franchise Astro Boy. However, it also features characters and plotlines from the artist’s entire canon of work.
While Astro Boy had been well known for decades in Japan, the North American release was delayed to coincide with the premiere of the Astro Boy TV series in 2004. During this delay, Treasure made some game improvements to the North American version of the game. The game received positive reviews from critics, with strong praise focused on the game’s visuals, and limited criticism on level design. In 2010, the game was included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die.