'Ico' and 'Shadow of the Colossus' on PS3 for spring 2011

(All rights reserved - Sony Computer Entertainment / Team Ico)

Fumito Ueda, director of the Team Ico series, confirmed during a Tokyo Game Show press event that the studio's first two PlayStation 2 games will be re-released on PlayStation 3 in spring 2011 - sometime between March and May.

They will sport re-mastered high definition graphics, support 3D TV and, in North America and Europe at least, will be pressed to the same game disc.

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus came to be regarded as two of the PlayStation 2's best games, with praise lavished upon their atmosphere, attention to detail, and the sense of connection between players and the game's characters.

Ueda also targeted a "Holiday 2011" release (October to December) for Team Ico's current project, The Last Guardian. The game combines elements from its predecessors, starring a boy who befriends a huge griffin as they both make their way through an ancient ruin populated by hostile troops.

While owners of the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and especially the Nintendo Wii can purchase older games via each console's online store, Sony has been exploring high definition remakes.

The first two PlayStation 2 games in the God of War series were given a graphical makeover and re-released for PS3 in advance of God of War III earlier this year. The three Sly Cooper platform games have been given the same treatment for a November 2010 release pending Sly's spring 2011 appearance in Heroes on the Move.

The debut trailer for Ico and Shadow of the Colossus: The Collection can be seen on YouTube.