|
|
 |
 |
NEWS |
 |
| An Article from Toys & Family Entertainment | | FIRST-TIME GAMES FOR FIRST-TIME GAMERS
The video game industry changes as new systems are released and new technology becomes available. Game companies must constantly adapt to keep pace with the changes in the category. UFO Interactive Games has been keeping pace with the innovation and new technology in the category since it was founded in 1999. The company is a video game publisher that has worked with Sega, Nintendo, and Sony since its creation. UFO’s latest adaptation is the creation of the new UFO family division, which will focus on educational skill-based interactive play for children ages 3-6.
UFO has always published a wide variety of games. The company’s philosophy has been “about creating games for all gamers.” says Dereck Wong, vice-president of UFO Interactive Games. Recently, UFO has seen the potential in the casual games category. “The game industry is traditionally geared toward males.” Wong says, “But now, casual games are geared toward the female audience, children, and toward the family.” The idea of family-oriented games resulted in the creation of UFO’s family division.
While video games are a fairly accessible form of entertainment, many games can be too complicated for 3-6 year-old children to play, which leaves them out of the loop. UFO’s family division was created not only to solve that problem, but to make sure the activity would also foster interactivity. “When we established UFO Family, it was about also having this interaction with the parent and the family, to have them gaming together,” Wong says.
UFO has tried to create that interactivity in its Interactive Storybook series. The games each feature four classic stories that children are familiar with, linked to simple and often educational mini-games that the child can play as the story progresses. The games were designed for the child and the parent to play together, with the child handling the interactive parts of the game and the parent helping them along. The games also feature a freehand drawing mode, and a music composition mode. The first Interactive Storybook game, Interactive Storybook DS Series 1, for the Nintendo DS portable system, was released at the end of September. More Interactive Storybook games are scheduled for release at later dates. UFO Family is also publishing the Smart Boy’s Game Room and the Smart Girl’s Play House, two titles that are respectively geared toward boys and girls ages 3-6. Each features 13 mini-games, such as car games and Whack-a-Mole style games for boys, and shipping and picnic-themed games for girls. “We’re really excited about what Smart Boy’s and Smart Girl’s is going to do, because there’s nothing else out there that does this sort of thing.” Wong says.
While UFO Interactive is an official third-party licensee for Nintendo, the choice to release these games on the DS is based on the portable console’s unique mechanics. The use of the stylus rather than just the conventional button-pushing system makes the games easier for younger children to interact with. It also opened up options such as the free-hand drawing mode, which would be hard-if not impossible-without the stylus controller.
UFO will continue to expand its casual games category. Coming up is a maze-based game called Kurupoto for the Nintendo DS, which will be released at the end of the month. The company is also working on titles for the Nintendo Wii system, based on the epic Chinese fable about the Monkey King, which also has a popular following in Japan. With a slew of new titles on the way, UFO is obviously looking toward the future. “we’re really excited about this new area.” Wong says.
|
|
|
