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Nov 4, 2010 0

Sneak Peek at uDraw GameTablet

For all those gamers out there mark your calendars—there are only ten days left until Wii’s newest gaming system, uDraw GameTablet, hits the shelves.

Jackie Breyer, editor in chief of The Toy Book, and I got a chance to take a sneak peek at the latest addition to the Wii family.

Even those who aren’t necessarily artistically inclined will feel like a Picasso with uDraw Studio, which is bundled with the GameTablet. For those in the art world, uDraw Studio is reminiscent of a design program or high-tech Etch A Sketch.

With access to a SD-Card, gamers can save, export and print their work on compatible devices.

The action component to the uDraw GameTablet comes in the form of Dood’s Big Adventure! Comparable to Sonic the Hedgehog, players can draw, tilt, and maneuver their way through 60 different levels.

By far, my favorite uDraw game was Pictionary. Similar to the classic game—minus the pen and paper—the Wii version has a few updates, including a game mode where the screen moves as you draw.

The uDraw GameTablet will retail for $69.99 and includes the uDraw Studio. Dood’s Big Adventure! and Pictionary will retail for $29.99.

—Mackenzie Allison

Jun 15, 2010 0

2K Play and Nickelodeon Announce Nickelodeon Fit Exclusively for Wii

2K Play and Nickelodeon have announced Nickelodeon Fit, a youth fitness product designed exclusively for the Wii system. Scheduled for release this fall, Nickelodeon Fit provides a new way for kids to stay physically active as they exercise and engage with their favorite characters, including Dora, Diego, Kai-lan, and The Backyardigans, all together in a video game for the first time.

Developed in collaboration with physical education and exercise science expert Dr. Jackie Goodway, Nickelodeon Fit features 30 exercise games targeting cardiovascular activity, core muscles, upper and lower body strength, balance, motor skill development, and foot and hand-eye coordination. Using either the Wii Remote or the Wii Balance Board accessory, kids embark in an imaginative array of physically challenging activities. They can jump rope with The Backyardigans, go river rafting with Diego, leap over hurdles with Kai-lan, pogo stick with Dora, and even participate in a stamina-building relay race featuring all of the game’s characters.

Nickelodeon Fit incorporates a tracking feature so parents can monitor the progress of their children in metrics, including total exercise time and different intensities of physical activity on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. In addition, they can customize workout routines to focus on designated areas of improvement. For example, cross-country biking with Dora can be selected to address endurance and dirt boarding with Diego can be selected to help improve balance and dexterity.

Nickelodeon Fit is being developed by High Voltage Software, Inc. and features voice actors from the Nickelodeon television shows. The game is tested by children for age-appropriateness and exercise fun. It has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

For more information, click here.

Apr 8, 2010 0

Konami to Distribute Def Jam Rapstar Video Game This Fall

Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. has entered an exclusive distribution agreement with Autumn Games, 4mm Games, and Def Jam Interactive for the upcoming music videogame Def Jam Rapstar. Developed by 4mm Games, Terminal Reality, and Def Jam Interactive, Def Jam Rapstar is the first true interactive Hip Hop music game experience for consoles, and will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii this fall.

Def Jam Rapstar is the only music game that focuses exclusively on Hip Hop. The game offers more than 40 Hip Hop songs, including region-specific music for the UK and Europe. Players move through the game by rhyming, using their console camera, and uploading their video to the fully integrated Def Jam Rapstar community online. Def Jam Rapstar also offers gamers the ability to freestyle over tracks by Hip Hop producers and upload their freestyle performances for the world to decide how good they really are.

Hip Hop artists confirmed as part of the game are 2 Pac, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, Notorius B.I.G., Slick Rick, and the Wu Tang Clan.

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