In early October, a new breed of super hero takes flight for PlayStation when Sony combines forces with the demented wit and voice of Phil Hartman in presenting Blasto. Blasto combines 3D game play, constantly streaming environments and plenty of wise cracks. Looks like Earthworm Jim has finally met his match.

Screenshot from Sony's Spawn: The Eternal.

Everyone loves an anti-hero and this Christmas Sony and Todd McFarlane form an unholy alliance with the release of Spawn: The Eternal. This single player, third person action fighting game takes our hero from hell to three different time periods. Along the way, players must fight familiar faces from the comic book, new animated series and film. Players will also be challenged with a series of puzzle situations that will lead to their meeting and defeating the mighty Malebolgia.

Popeye's our favorite sailor man and this fall Brilliant Digital Entertainment gives him and the gang a Multipath Movies line of 3D interactive cinema. For PC play, Popeye and the Quest for the Woolly Mammoth is the first in a series of three animated features targeted for viewers five to twelve years old. Multipath Movies are digitally animated stories, each containing hundreds of plot alternatives leading to multiple and distinct conclusions. Interactive decisions are requested every 30 to 45 seconds and because users can choose the mood of Popeye, Olive Oyl, Brutus, Swee' Pea or others the experience becomes more like watching a cartoon than playing a game.

Fox Interactive's previous first-person shooter games are the antithesis of Anastasia: The Adventures of Pooka and Bartok. Releasing in November to coincide with the movie release, it is for children 6 through 10. The program uses a variety of exploration, problem-solving and testing skills.

Fox Toons enters the market for the very young with value priced programs for children 3 to 8. The Baby Felix Creativity Center will help children with basic reading, math, art and music while the Hello Kitty Creativity Center focuses on reading, counting and math skills.

Baby Felix Creativity Center is one of the first titles in Fox Interactive's FoxToons line of games.

For the anime connoisseur, in early October, THQ is shipping Ghost in the Shell for the Sony PlayStation. Based on the super successful Japanese sci-fi film, players must take-on evil high-tech forces by maneuvering one man tanks called Fukochimas. Featuring 12 missions and 10 minutes of original animation from the same team that did the film and a separate training mode, Ghost in the Shell could be the surprise hit much like the film was.

A New Scope
This relatively new industry is now stretching its arms to encompass an ever-widening scope of interests. No longer the domain of adolescence alone, everyone can now find something on the shiny plastic discs that allow us to travel, play, learn, create and explore our world and our interests.

Opponents of computer CD-ROMs have been warily watching the industry. Over the last three years, the annual E3 convention has increased in size and the breadth of products that it represents, rebuking earlier prophecies of failure. As a vehicle for the promotion of art, graphics and animation, the CD-ROM has benefited greatly from technological advancements, opening new doors for program development to the benefit of creators and users alike.

Joseph Szadkowski writes on various aspects of popular culture and is a columnist for The Washington Times.