Beginning June 25, 2004, contestants can register on the SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW site (www.SkyCaptain.com) to register and download the AIR COMBAT CHALLENGE, courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Blitz DS Games. The free, downloadable game, based on SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (to be released Sept. 17), puts players in the cockpit as members of aviator Joseph Sullivan's (Sky Captain, played by Jude Law) Flying Legion. Players will take control of their own fast and agile P-40 Warhawks to defend the world against the mysterious Totenkopf and his mechanical monsters.
Pilots will have five weeks to perfect their skills and on Aug. 2, the AIR COMBAT CHALLENGE tournament begins. The three-week contest will pit contestants against one another for a chance to win an all-inclusive trip to the London premiere of SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW in October.
The game is divided into four levels. In level one, pilots must navigate through New York and destroy the Giant Robots. In level two players take to the skies and battle the Flying Wings that are attacking the city. Level three takes place underwater, as your plane becomes submersible and you join the Amphibious Squadron - a specialized fleet of planes designed to combat under the sea in battle against the Giant Mechanized crabs that roam the ocean floor.
Throughout each level, pilots must destroy enemies while making laps around courses based on the New York skyline and an environment based underwater. Points are awarded to pilots with the quickest times and the number of enemies damaged or killed. As players achieve better scores, they can secure credits, which can be used to purchase, engine, wing and weapon upgrades.
The final level featuring battle around Commander Cook's (Angelina Jolie) Flying Fortress will be released a few weeks prior to the Sept. 17 of the CG intensive movie shot entirely against bluescreens.
To bring a striking similarity between the world the filmmakers envisioned and the game itself, Paramount Pictures and Blitz DS Games recreated models and digital elements from the original movie assets, as well as created several custom tools and processes to create the game. The game also includes three scenes from the movie.
Mark Cohn, vp of game development at Blitz DS Games states, "Our main goal with the game was to develop a fun and engaging experience that was consistent with the excitement of movie. We couldn't be more proud of being selected as the developer of choice by Paramount to create a PC game that is definitely one of the most technology advanced downloadable games available and sets the stage for how future online branded games should follow."
Blitz Digital Studios (www.blitzDS.com), located in Valencia, California, is an award-winning production studio specializing in the integration of multiple digital technology, including 2D and 3D animation, and was responsible for GARY THE RAT.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
