Category: Games

Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts-based Pileated Pictures announced the release of GUS AND INKYS UNDERWATER ADVENTURES- CHAPTER 3 WILD WORD ROUND UP, the latest in a series of free, online e-learning games and animations, based on a character from the award winning PBS show, BETWEEN THE LIONS. The series of educational activities developed for the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) Get Ready to Read! program is aimed at fostering early literacy skills among preschool children. The games can be found at www.getreadytoread.org.

Media Classics Group International, Inc. announced that it has completed international distribution agreements with ENT INC. a Beverly Hills-based entertainment company for the distribution of its animated cel art library. This group of assets includes original art works that were the actual production cels used to create such animated TV shows as FLASH GORDON, BACK TO THE FUTURE, EWOKS, GHOST BUSTERS and HE-MAN.

Electronic Arts a world-leading interactive entertainment company and A&M Records plan to have world renowned, multi-platinum selling musical group The Black Eyed Peas provide and produce the soundtrack to the videogame and their likenesses as characters for the highly anticipated THE URBZ: SIMS IN THE CITY videogame. In an ambitious collaboration across the two industries, the game will include exclusive versions of nine tracks from the upcoming Black Eyed Peas' album "Monkey Business" due out this fall.

In the October issue of PLAYBOY, videogame vixens from a host of popular games will appear nude as part of an article on the changing face of gaming, reports CNN. Set to be part of the spread will be butt-kicking heroines from Majescos BLOODRAYNE, Midway's MORTAL KOMBAT, Namco's TEKKEN, Vivendi's upcoming RED NINJA and LEISURE SUIT LARRY: MAGNA CUM LAUDE and Sammy Studios' forthcoming DARKWATCH: CURSE OF THE WEST.

American Greetings Corp., creator and owner of STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, and DIC Ent., exclusive worldwide licensing agency for the popular girls' brand, have licensed the North American rights to publish STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: SUMMERTIME ADVENTURE to Mejesco.

MGM Consumer Products and Interactive, has launch the STARGATE SG-1 "Get In The Game" sweepstakes. This contest offers STARGATE SG-1 fans the chance to have his or her likenesses scanned and used as one of the characters in the first STARGATE SG-1 videogame.

To participate in the sweepstakes, participants need to register at www.mgm.com/contest.do between Aug. 24 and Sept. 24, 2004, 12:00 am PDT. A random drawing will take place on Sept. 27, and the winner will be announced by e-mail.

Six Websites dedicated to classic cartoon have combined their content forming Golden Age Cartoons. The seven historians behind the new venture include Jon Cooke (Unofficial Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Page), Matthew Hunter (Looney Tunes Page), Jack Tatay (Classic Cartoon Records), Thad Komorowski (who updates a terrific Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia), Pietro Shakarian (webmaster behind the Columbia Crow's Nest), Dan Porceddu and David Gerstein (The Felix The Cat Page).

Pixar Animation Studios and THQ Inc. announced an exclusive multi-property publishing agreement granting THQ the interactive rights to four upcoming Pixar animated feature films.

Blockdot, a Dallas-based game developer, has released its newest game, WHITE HOUSE JOUST. The game is available as a free download at www.kewlbox.com. Players can play as President George Bush or Senator John Kerry.

"The game is bi-partisan," says Dan Ferguson, creative director at Kewlbox.com. "It doesn't matter which side of the political fence you are on. We poke fun at everyone equally. Millions of people play our games every day at work, and this gives us an opportunity to tell them that after goofing off, go vote. Our system is hanging chad error free!"