Sony has a couple of big names in the puzzle gaming world working on an original puzzle game for the PS3 and PSP. The company opened up an official site today for Qruton, a puzzler that's being directed by Yasuhito Nagaoka and designed by Kaori Shinozaki. The game will see PSN release on June 18 for both PS3 and PSP, priced at 1,000 yen each.

You might recognize the two creators if you were paying attention when the credits for the original Mr. Driller rolled.

Nagaoka started work following college at then Namco making 3D race games before moving on to Mr. Driller as his director debut. He switched over to Sony Computer Entertainment where he served as planner on Saru Getchu 3 (Ape Escape 3). He's now working on Piyotama and Qruton.

Shinozaki joined then Namco after graduating college. She served as designer on Mr. Driller and other games. Nagaoka called her over to Sony, which she joined in 2008.

Qruton for PS3 (left) and PSP (right).

Gameplay in Qruton takes place on a play field full of Qruton Cubes, cubes with the numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4. You move a cursor around the field and rotate the positions of the cubes in an attempt to get a 2 x 2 grouping consisting exclusively of identical numbers. Such a grouping explodes, and the numbers on its pieces rise up by 1 (pieces labeled 4 return to 1).

If your resulting pieces happen to be lined up with like-numbered pieces in their surroundings, you'll end up forming combos, resulting in chains of explosions.

Modes of play include the following:

Time Attack

See how high a score you can get within three minutes

Endless Mode

As you play this mode, cubes eventually transform into "Black Cubes." You can't rotate groupings consisting exclusively of four black cubes. If all cubes on the field turn black, the game ends.

Puzzle Mode

Given a pre-set field, you have to clear all the cubes in as few rotations as possible.

Nagaoka's work on Ape Escape has apparently had an influence here, as the Qruton story involves monkeys. You play as Choko Aoyama, who's researching Qruton Cubes with his superior, Mr. Akasaka. Qruton Cubes have the mysterious properties of exploding when like numbers are lined up. Choko forms such a pattern one day, and the resulting explosion ends up transforming Akasaka into a monkey! Choko must conduct experiments with the Qruton Cubes in order to return Akasaka to human form.

You can see a video of Akasaka's transformation and a gameplay demonstration at the official site. Or, access this direct link:

• Qruton preview video