Kotaku: Kid's Games

THQ Sells A Billion Dollars' Worth Of Nickelodeon Crap

Mike Fahey — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:40:00 MDT

Never underestimate the power of the licensed children's video game. For every one of us who laughs at the very thought of THQ's upcoming The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game, there are ten children who would savagely tear off your limbs to get their hands on it. THQ, Nickelodeon's long-standing partner in the game-space have revealed just how lucrative the market for licensed Nick-fodder has been for them over the years, claiming sails of over $ billion and 50 million units worldwide. The 2008 lineup features said Nakie Brothers game, a concert tour sim, SpongeBob's Drawn to Life, and games based on their Avatar, Back At The Barnyard, and Tak and the Power of Juju shows. Wait, a Tak game based on the TV show based on the video game? Tak has truly gone full circle. Such is the power of the juju.

THQ's Nickelodeon Portfolio Surpasses Billion Dollar Mark as Company Announces Extensive New Lineup for 2008
First-Ever The Naked Brothers Band Video Game Puts Kids on Nationwide Concert Tour Where They Play Instruments, Control the Stage Shows and Create Music Videos

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—THQ Inc. (NASDAQ:THQI) today announced its upcoming portfolio of video games based on the company's long-standing relationship with Nickelodeon. THQ's longstanding partnership with Nickelodeon has resulted in sales of more than $1 billion and accounted for more than 50 million units worldwide.

This year's feature titles include the video game debut of The Naked Brothers Band. The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game (working title) is based on the highly rated TV show that follows the lives of a kids' rock band fronted by real-life brothers Nat and Alex Wolff. In addition, SpongeBob SquarePants will take on a new creative form this year in Drawn to Life™: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition. Based on last year's top selling Drawn to Life™ video game for Nintendo DS™, the game will allow players to draw their own characters and populate the world of Bikini Bottom with their own creativity. The 2008 portfolio will also include new games based on leading Nickelodeon TV shows Tak and the Power of Juju, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Back At The Barnyard. Nickelodeon fans can also look forward to a new installment of the popular Nicktoons.

"With the enormous popularity of Wii™ and DS coupled with our exceptionally diverse portfolio of Nickelodeon-based games, THQ continues to lead in family entertainment," said Jim Huntley, director, global brand management, THQ. "Featuring new forms of gameplay such as the music-based The Naked Brothers Band and the drawing-based Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition, we expect our upcoming titles to offer completely new ways for families to play together."

"Gaming is one of the primary activities of our audience, whether it's online or on the console," said Steve Youngwood, Executive Vice President, Digital Media for Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family. "THQ's interactive video games based on our hit shows have continued to help Nickelodeon maintain its position as a leader in gaming entertainment for the family, and we look forward to the addition of these new releases to our library."

The 2008 Nickelodeon portfolio is scheduled for release in Fall 2008 across multiple game systems, including the Wii™ video game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Nintendo DS. For more information on THQ's Nickelodeon titles and the rest of THQ's family product lineup, please visit www.playthq.com.

Great Games For Kids: Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword?

Maggie Greene — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:30:00 MDT

Chris Plante has an interesting post up on kid's games — well, sort of. Following the idea that there's no reason to patronize children with edutainment and titles aimed specifically at wee munchkins, he argues there are plenty of games that grown up gamers play and love that are appropriate for kids, including ... Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword for the DS? Well, yes — with a few caveats. But why a Ninja Gaiden game of all things? It's all in the mechanics:

I call it the scribble factor. On the normal setting, the player can wildly scribble across the screen, mostly back and forth between enemies, and fair pretty well. Eventually, they must learn to make distinct and correct pen strokes to progress, but by that appointment they have a move-set so exciting and large it allows for plenty of creativity. The complexity's nice for advanced gamers. The scribble factor's great for a young player, creating a sense of wonder as the game translates his simple movements into elaborate, elegant attacks.

Some interesting food for thought on what makes for good 'children's' games.

Baby's First Sword [Hardcasual]

Hey Kids! Exercise With Your DS

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:00:02 MST

Boy, the Japanese game industry is smart. Feed them games to fatten them up and then feed them games to slim them down. In Japan, the DS has already seen it's fair share of exercise titles with walking and yoga games. Now, Japanese kids and parents can exercise together with Hiromichi Oniichan no Oyako Taisou Navi. The title is fronted by kiddie exercise guru Hiromichi Sato. He's quite famous and popular in Japan. In the "game," Hiromichi show various exercises to keep fit, and kids can collect various in-game items. Though, call me old fashioned, but shouldn't kids go run around outside, get in fights and stuff?
Hiromich's Game [Famitsu]

Grade Schoolers Use Phones To Pay 4 Games

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 15:20:59 MST

Rejoice kiddos! Now y'all can use keitais to support yer Mushi King and Oshare Majo habit. Just swipe a cell phone on the reader, which automatically deducts e-money stored on the cellie. This is not a new service, but it is new for kiddy games. Sega will start testing to see how the customers respond in a trial run. Wait, wait, wait. What are eight year-old children doing with mobiles? Scratch that. What are eight year-old children doing with mobiles that have e-money?

Oh yeah, this is Japan. Momentary brain fart. Sorry.

Full Release Here [Sega]

PS3 to Have Parental Controls Says Sony

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 09:22:08 MDT

Earlier this week in Tokyo, the country's biggest retailers and developers (sans Nintendo) met with the Tokyo government to discuss the effects of games on children. The government is considering changing Japan's game rating system and prohibiting the sale of certain software to minors.

The console companies each had an opportunity to speak. Sony stated that the company is putting "parental locks" on the PS3 and already has them in play on the PSP. The company seemed more than obliging and willing to make their consoles kid safe. Sony also stressed that they were interested in using games as an educational tool. Moreover, Microsoft stated their support in "comprehensible package" for the entire industry and was attempting to raise parental awareness.

The software makers were more upfront. Square Enix's Yoichi Wada pointed out that, "It's necessary to verify whether or not youth crime and video games are connected." He warned the Tokyo officials not to judge thoughtlessly. Namco, likewise, added that scientific grounds have not yet been proven.

If the Japanese government starts enforcing an over-18 policy, the software companies are the ones that'll get screwed the hardest. Console manufacturers have the luxury of picking developers with more government friendly software. Sony's sliding "parental controls" into their next-gen console seems like the best solution. Software manufacturers are free to make the games they want, while parents are presumably free to block certain content. And smart kids are free to disarm those parental controls. Call it win-win.

Full Story Here [Watch Impress]

Racist Game at Wal-Mart

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 08:24:21 MDT

Once upon a time, there was a peaceful forest. Isolated, elves and beetles co-existed together in happiness, until one day when a hoard of foreign beetles penetrated the community. Havoc ensued, and the land was thrown into war.

That's pretty much the plot to the popular (and xenophobic) Mushi King. ("Mushi" is Japanese for "beetle.") So the foreign bugs are bad, huh? And every thing was better before they arrived? Blame all yer troubles on the newcomers.

The "big in Japan" kiddy card based game is hitting Wallmart stores. Expect all discriminatory undertones to be lost on 8-year old gamers.

Godzilla Style Bugs [Mushi King CM] Thanks R Hunter!
Mushi King [Official Site]

Video Games Not For Kids (Anymore)

smizek2 — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 13:00:00 MDT

Online diarist David Tolin has a problem. Tolin is blessed with children but cursed by the impossibly hot summers that come with living in south Texas. Keeping his kids indoors to prevent death by a blazing sun is difficult without video games; and currently video games are doing their share to make things difficult too.

Tolin goes on about how video games used to be kids' territory and the changes the industry has seen in the last 20 years. He even blames Sony for ushering in the age of video games for adults. It's a compelling (if long) read, giving some context for both his argument and the current state of video games.

Diary of an Aging Gamer - Generation Lost [eToychest.org]