Mobile Friday - Disney Mirrorverse - The First 50 Minutes

Mobile Friday this week is Disney Mirrorverse, a game on iOS and Android that's been out for nearly a year now.

I've seen this game been advertised in other games i play as well as seeing it in the app store. But, with it being free to play and Disney, i didn't really give it much of a chance and that's on me for judging it before playing it.

So i played it and this video shows the first 50 minutes, or so, of the game. and i'll be honest, i was pleasantly surprised. one of the bigger things i took away from my time with the game is how polished it felt and how much it respected the player as a gamer rather than as something to extract money from.

one of the first things the game does is set out why everything is as it is, and they use a Mirror Universe. it's simple and they throw in some Disney Magic to add to the effect. it holds your hand in telling you what to do, maybe a little quick for some players, but for the most part i'd say it works well. tho, the first enemies do feel like they take a few hits to kill. throughout the first 10 levels of the game, Chapter 1, the game continues to help teach you how to play. 

The game also guides you at the home screen, again teaching you what things do, where things are, and how to do things. i do appreciate this approach. it's something that makes me, as a gamer, feel like the game is thinking about what i need rather than treating me as a cash resource first for what the game needs.

It was a satisfying first hour with fun gameplay. nothing too complicated, but just enough story and characters to keep my interest and to keep me going along. the game does use an energy system to gate how much/how long you can play, but in the time i spent with it i never came close to not having enough as i kept on leveling up and earning more as well as being able to carry more.

I'd definitely say give it a try. there were no extra downloads after installing it and whilst it did get my phone warm, that could be due to trying out a "beta" 60 fps mode. feel free to talk in the chat if your phones get warm without that mode.

Cloud Monday - Brave: The Video Game - A Solid Game with a Solid Streaming Experience

In today's Cloud Monday, I'm playing Brave: The Videogame. It might be the first Disney movie tie-in videogame i've played since The Lion King and Aladdin on the Mega Drive. I have seen the movie and i do enjoy it, more so than Cars and Toy Story. But i knew nothing of the game before starting it.

I played through the tutorial and first "Level" of the game which was a little under an hour. I must admit i was surprised. it looks very much like a PS3 game when you start, and i admit it was what i expected from a game tie-in. But by the end, i was really enjoying myself and got far more immersed into the game than i expected. It's not the best game ever, but a solid 7 or 8 for sure and well worth trying out on via PlayStation Plus. Don't let the tie-in fool you either, it does well to tell it's story without needing the player to have seen/know the story of the movie.

But that's just from the first hour, or so, of the game so i really can't say if it holds true throughout. As for streaming, i found no issues playing this game via the PlayStation Plus Premium service. i found the controls responsive and the video quality stable and good. the only thing worth mentioning is that during the story cutscenes, which are uniquely made for this game and not pieces from the movie, there were many moments where macro blocking was evident. The problem is, without a disc copy of the game to compare with, i can't say for sure if it's due to streaming the game or rather due to video compression used for the game itself. If i were to guess, i'd say that it was already a part of the game, more so when there was no evidence of it happening during game play. One fine thing, the game does autosave which means we are somewhat at the mercy of it if we get the dreaded countdown to the stream being cut.

Switch Funday - Disney Classic Games - The Lion King - A Not So Funday

Welcome to Switch Funday. Today, i played The Lion King from Disney Classic Games. I went in so happy and excited. you can hear it in my voice from the start. This was a game i never finished but one i played a lot on the Sega Mega Drive. I thought that i would spend a couple of weekends playing through the game, something i never managed as a child. 

But, as you can see from the title, it wasn't as fun of a experience as i had hoped. If you hear my voice at the start and compare it to the end, you can hear how deflated i was from this hour of gameplay. at this point, i don't know if i'll come back to the game on Switch Funday or if i'll move it to my Backlog Conquering series.

Sega Have Released The Second Behind The Scenes Look At Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

Sega have released the second behind the scenes look at Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. in this video, members of the dev team start by reminiscing about the original Mega Drive version, before talking about parts of the game. they talk about the Mickey character, the music and sound effects, and reveal part of the development process as well as what went in to keeping it familiar as a Disney product and to the original Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse game.

Sega And Disney Have Released A Behind The Scenes Look At The Upcoming Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Remake

Sega and Disney Interactive have released a behind the scenes look at the upcoming Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse remake. this video features members of the original dev team, footage of the original game, members of the new dev team and footage from the new game. this 8 minute video features the old dev team members revealing the origins of the game, the new technology they brought to the game and they talk about being involved with the new game. the new devs talk about the pressure of remaking a old classic and getting permission to go ahead with the project, what they are trying to keep and add and what it's been like working with some of the original team.

EA Announce They Have A Multi Year Licensing Agreement With Disney To Make Videogames Based On Star Wars

EA have announced they have entered a multi year agreement with Disney to produce Core gaming audience videogames based on Star Wars. three of EA's top studios have been put to work, they are DICE, Visceral and BioWare who already have a Star Wars game With Star Wars The Old Republic. Disney will retain the rights to develop other Star Wars games for Mobile, Social, Tablets and online.

Press Release

Sega Release New Teaser Trailer, Could Be New Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Game

Sega have released a new teaser trailer today. no name was mentioned but the trailer offers some clues. the biggest clue is the small text on the bottom right, it says copyright 1990, 2013 Disney. a quick look on Wikipedia shows the biggest Disney game released on a SEGA system in 1990 was Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. couple this with the apple and clock work soldiers i'm pretty confident in saying this is either a HD Remake of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, in a simular vain to the recently announced Ducktails Remastered game, or a sequel.

No Platforms were announced, but Sony's EU PlayStation twitter account did tweet the story. Now they could just be fans of the original or they may have revealed it's coming to a PlayStation Platform. it would be easy to suggest that Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (2) will be a downloadable title coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U...but ultimately we have to wait and see.



Source: Sega Blog

High Impact Games Have Released New Screenshots And A Trailer For Phineas and Ferb: Across The 2nd Dimension On PSP

High Impact Games have released new screenshots and a trailer for the PSP version of Phineas and Ferb: Across The 2nd Dimension.


Watch Phineas and Ferb: Across The 2nd Dimension - PSP trailer in Tech & Gaming  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Screenshots

Disney Interactive Have Released A New Behind The Scenes Video For Epic Mickey 2 Introducing The Game

Disney Interactive have released a new behind the scenes video for Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two. this video features members of the dev team and Warren Spector introducing this game. the video shows in-game action and the devs focus on talking about some features and improvements to the game, like better camera controls, and advantages of brining the Epic Mickey series to the HD Consoles for the first time.

Disney Announce Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two For The PS3, Xbox 360, And Wii

Disney have announced a sequel to Disney Epic Mickey for the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii. Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is being developed at Junction Point with Warren Spector. Now, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse team up as they explore Wasteland. Mickey has his paint and thinner whilst Oswald can command electricity.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is also a musical, where at various points the game will progress through song. players choices in the game will affect the instruments used in these songs, letting players conduct their musicals. Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two will feature fully voiced characters.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two will make use of the Playstation Move, though there is no mention of support for Xbox 360 Kinect. the game can also be played in co-op, with one player controlling Mickey and the other Oswald.



Screenshots

Press Release

TT Games Have Released A New Game Trailer For Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean

TT Games and Disney have released a new trailer for Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean. this trailer shows in-game action from each of the 4 Pirates Of The Caribbean movies that are included in the game.


Watch LEGO Pirates Of The Caribbean in Tech & Gaming  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Sony Announce Toy Story 3: The Videogame On The PS3 Has Zurg As An Exclusive Character And Move Support

Sony have announced that the Playstation 3 version of Toy Story 3; The Videogame will exclusively come with Zurg as a playable character in the games Toy Box Mode. Sony also announced that Toy Story 3 does support the Playstation Move and downloadable mini-games will be available when the Playstation Move is released. Screenshots and a trailer have been released showing Zurg in Toy Story 3: The Videogame as well as some of the things that can be done with him.



Zurg Screenshots


From USA Playstation Blog

Microsoft Have Released Screenshots Of Disney Avatar Clothes

Microsoft have released screenshots of the upcoming Disney Avatar Clothes. Microsoft have previously announced that the Disney clothes are coming on December 24h. This Pack Includes branded shops, head gear, toys and bags.

Avatar Disney Clothes

Club Penguin Announce The Third Annual Coins For Change Campaign

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/Disney_Club_Penguin_Logo.svg/1000px-Disney_Club_Penguin_Logo.svg.png

Club Penguin have announced that this years Coins For Change Campaign will run from December 11th-22nd. The in-game Campaign allows players of Club penguin to donate their virtual coins from the game to the Coins For Change Campaign. Players use their coins to vote for how a $1 Million donation will be divided amongst projects.

for the first time, players will be able to place a personal donation and voice their own ideas on what children can do in their own communities to help others.

Press Release

KELOWNA, British Columbia --(Business Wire)-- Dec 07, 2009 Children who visit the snow-covered virtual world of Club Penguin (clubpenguin.com) can put the time they spend online to better use than ever this holiday season thanks to a unique giving program that launches this week.

The third annual Coins for Change campaign, which runs from December 11-21, 2009, allows the children who visit Club Penguin to donate the virtual coins they earn playing games in the virtual world to support a cause that matters to them.
Players can choose to support kids who are sick, kids who are poor or the environment. At the end of the campaign, the players’ donations serve as votes to determine how a $1M contribution will be divided to fund projects being conducted by charitable organizations selected by Disney Online Studios Canada.

“Since we launched Coins for Change in 2007, we’ve been blown away by the passion our players display for getting involved and doing their part to affect change and make the world a better place,” says Lane Merrifield, one of Club Penguin’s co-founders and executive vice president of Disney Online Studios Canada and Disney Online. “With millions of children and families in more than 190 countries now enjoying Club Penguin in English, Portuguese, French and Spanish, I think our audience will embrace the opportunity to make a difference through Coins for Change this year like never before.”

Players can donate virtual coins at multiple locations around the island of Club Penguin. For the first time this year they can also place a personal donation booth in their virtual igloo and host fundraising parties for their penguin friends, or attend benefit concerts at the Lighthouse. In addition, this year’s campaign will include suggestions on things children can do in their own communities to help others.

“With so many kids from around the world playing on Club Penguin, we want to continue to encourage that sense of community online and offline, and really get them thinking about their role as true global citizens who have the power to help others both where they live and around the world,” adds Merrifield.

Club Penguin is one of the largest and fastest-growing virtual worlds for children with a reputation for providing fun for kids and peace of mind for parents. Word filters and live moderators monitor chat and activity on the site and work to prevent the sharing of inappropriate or personally identifiable information.
Club Penguin is free to play, however special features such as front-of-the-line access to game features, exclusive parties and opportunities to customize your penguin and igloo require a membership.

About Club Penguin
Club Penguin (www.clubpenguin.com), a product of Disney Online, provides one of the largest and fastest-growing virtual worlds for children. Club Penguinworks to maintain a fun and safe online entertainment experience by using filtering technology and live moderators. The virtual world of Club Penguin, contains no third-party advertising and is free to use and enjoy, however a subscription membership provides access to additional features that enhance the play experience. Club Penguin is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, and can be played in English, Portuguese, French and Spanish.

About Disney Online
Disney Online (www.Disney.com), a unit of Disney Interactive Media Group, produces the No. 1 ranked community-family and parenting destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1996, Disney.com is the online and mobile web gateway to all of the company’s Disney-branded entertainment initiatives, providing comprehensive access to, and information about Disney movies, travel, television, games, music, shopping and live events.

Disney Interactive Studios Have Released Screenshots And Artwork For Epic Mickey

Disney Interactive Studios have released some artwork and screenshots for Epic Mickey. they have also officially announced the game. it currently has a release date of Fall 2010. you can visit the official site at www.disney.com/disneyepicmickey

Yen Sid, the sorcerer from the Sorcerer's Apprentice, has created a world for the forgotten Disney creations to live. the first inhabitant is Walt Disney's first cartoon character, Oswald The Lucky Rabbit. however, as the years pass he becomes forgotten and Mickey's popularity increases, Oswald becomes resentful. Oswald has made the Cartoon Wasteland comforter for other forgotten "retired" characters, but when Mickey finds Yen Sids map to the Cartoon Wasteland, Mickey inadvertently devastates it.

In the game, Mickey wields magical paint and thinner in an attempt to shape the world around him. the Paint can create, whilst the Thinner destroys, and every decision you make can have consequences in the Cartoon Wasteland.



you can click on the pictures to see them bigger.

Press Release

BURBANK, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Oct 28, 2009 Disney Interactive Studios today announced the development of Disney Epic Mickey, an adventure-platforming game with light role-playing elements for the Wii™ home video game console. The game stars Mickey Mouse who has been re-imagined for videogames by luminary game designer Warren Spector and his Junction Point game development studio. In Disney Epic Mickey, Spector, a life-long Disney fan, taps into Mickey Mouse’s rich history along with the characters and worlds brought to life by Walt Disney to create an edgy and unexpected cartoon adventure.

“Mickey is an adventurous and rambunctious mouse,” said Warren Spector, creative director and vice president, Junction Point. “I want to bring his personality to the forefront, place him in a daunting world and connect his spirited character with video game players worldwide. Ultimately, each player decides for him- or herself what makes Mickey cool.”

In the game’s fiction, a sorcerer named Yen Sid creates a beautiful, whimsically-twisted world where Disney’s forgotten and retired creations thrive. Originally, the powerful sorcerer from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in Walt Disney’s 1940 film “Fantasia” was nicknamed “Yen Sid” by Disney animators, although never named as such on screen. In Spector’s game, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit – Walt Disney’s first cartoon star created in 1927 – becomes the earliest inhabitant of Yen Sid’s Cartoon Wasteland after Mickey Mouse is created. Oswald makes the Cartoon Wasteland comfortable for other retired characters as they join him in this magical land. Years pass, and as Oswald dwells in the Cartoon Wasteland, he becomes resentful watching Mickey’s popularity swell. When Mickey curiously stumbles upon Yen Sid’s map, he makes an innocent yet terrible mistake and inadvertently devastates Oswald’s comfortable world. Eventually, Mickey’s mistake pulls him deep into the mysterious Cartoon Wasteland to face the destruction he unknowingly created.

“Having Warren combine creativity and innovation with one of the world’s most famous characters takes Mickey back to his creative roots and allows fans to deepen their engagement with him as a character – especially in video games,” said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager of Disney Interactive Studios. “In addition to Warren’s lifelong love of cartoons, films and comics, his visionary approach to game design and storytelling will make certain that this heroic tale of discovery and redemption resonates with Disney fans and gamers alike.”

Players use the Wii Remote™ to wield magical paint and thinner to re-shape the world around them. Paint’s creativity and thinner’s damaging effect give the player robust tools and empowers them to make choices about how they move through the world. Each player’s decisions to use paint, thinner or both dynamically changes the world with consequences that affect the environment, interactions with other characters, and even Mickey’s appearance and abilities.

“The core of this game is the idea of choice and consequence, and how that defines both the character and the player,” said Spector. “By putting the mischievous Mickey in an unfamiliar place and asking him to make choices – to help other cartoon characters or choose his own path – the game forces players to deal with the consequences of their actions. Ultimately, players must ask themselves, ‘What kind of hero am I?’ Each player will come up with a different answer.”

Blurring reality and fantasy, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’s role is as significant in the game as it was in real life. The Walt Disney-created Oswald appeared in 26 silent cartoons between 1927 and 1928 for Charles Mintz, who contracted with Universal for distribution. At this time, Oswald was primed to be Walt’s first big animated star. When faced with daunting production costs, Walt asked for more money to ensure the quality of the Oswald cartoons. When a deal could not be reached, Walt lost the rights to Oswald and with the rabbit went much of Walt’s staff. Among those who remained with Walt was animator, cartoonist and long-time friend Ub Iwerks, and together they created a new character named Mickey Mouse.

The initial concept behind Disney Epic Mickey originated within the Disney Interactive Studios’ Think Tank. The Think Tank conceptualized Mickey as a cartoon character thrown into turmoil. Spector expanded and refined Disney Epic Mickey’sconcept and built the game for a broad audience fully utilizing the Wii and Wii Remote for accessibility and engaging gameplay.

Developed by Junction Point in Austin, TX, Disney Epic Mickey is slated for a fall 2010 release. The game currently is unrated by the ESRB. For more information, go to www.disney.com/disneyepicmickey.

About Junction Point
Junction Point is Disney Interactive Studios’ Austin, Texas-based developer of console games with a focus on games where “playstyle matters.” Junction Point games offer strong, player-driven narratives, opportunities for problem-solving over puzzles and choices with significant consequences. The studio’s goal is to tell stories with players, not to them, allowing them to craft their own, unique experiences. Junction Point was founded in 2005 and joined Disney Interactive Studios in July 2007. For more information on the studio, go to www.junctionpoint.com.

About Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on tohttp://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.

Disney Interactive Studios Announces It Has Agreed To Acquire Wideload Games Inc.

Disney Interactive Studios has announced that it has agreed to buy Wideload Studios. as part of the agreement, Wideload Games Founder and CEO Alexander Seropian will Join Disney Interactive Studio's in the newly created role of vice president of creative. Alexander Seropian was the founder Bungie Software and one of the creators of the Halo series.

Press Release

BURBANK, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sep 08, 2009 Disney Interactive Studios announced today it has agreed to acquire Wideload Games Inc., a Chicago-based producer and developer of original interactive entertainment. As part of the agreement, industry veteran and creative visionary Alexander Seropian, Wideload Games founder and CEO, will join Disney Interactive Studios in the newly created role of vice president of creative, leading the company’s global creative efforts. Seropian, who is relocating to Glendale, Calif., is renowned as the founder of Bungie Software and was among the creators of the highly successful Halo® series – one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. Seropian will report directly to Global Product Development Senior Vice President Jean-Marcel Nicolai, and be tasked with overseeing creative development across Disney Interactive Studios’ portfolio of video games.

“Wideload Games is among the premier small creative game development studios in the world. Wideload Games will be a great fit for our portfolio of internal studios, and Alex joining the global product development team provides the entire Disney game portfolio with a strong creative influence,” said Graham Hopper, executive vice president and general manager, Disney Interactive Studios. “Alex has built his reputation around the power of original thinking. In leading the studio that created Halo, he helped turn great storytelling, exceptional design and polished gameplay into the ‘killer app’ for Xbox. Alex’s leadership of our creative community will enhance our ability to be a magnet for the best talent in the industry and enable the company to take an even more significant role in developing industry leading products.”

Seropian began his career in 1991 as founder and CEO of Bungie Software, which created the Marathon and Mythcomputer game series. Seven years later, Bungie Software made the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private U.S. companies. In 2000, Seropian negotiated the acquisition of Bungie Software by Microsoft Corp., and then oversaw the development, production and delivery of the critically acclaimed and highly successful game, Halo, the flagship title for the 2001 launch of the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft. In 2003, Seropian founded Wideload Games, which has released the games: Stubbs the Zombie™ in Rebel Without a Pulse™, Hail to the Chimp™,Texas Cheat ’Em™ andCyclomite.

“Joining Disney is an ideal next step, both for our studio and me,” Seropian said. “At Wideload, we’ve conscientiously built a forward-looking approach to game development that borrows many techniques from the film industry. Now, Wideload will be a part of one of the largest, most respected entertainment companies in the world. I’m looking forward to Wideload’s continued success as a part of Disney and I’m eager to bring all my experience to the creative community at Disney Interactive Studios.”

Wideload Games president Tom Kang will continue to lead the studio as studio director. As part of Disney Interactive Studios’ network of global internal development teams, Wideload Games will focus on creating new intellectual properties for Disney that target a broad audience. The studio, which will remain in its current Chicago location, is developing an unannounced original family console game scheduled for release in 2010 from Disney Interactive Studios.

Wideload’s focus will continue to be developing original video game properties using an innovative development approach that requires developing prototypes with small core creative teams and ramping up for product development with globally outsourced talent. To complement its console team and expand its portfolio of original intellectual properties, Wideload Games established Wideload Shorts in 2007 for the emerging online and handheld platforms. As part of Disney Interactive Studios, Wideload Shorts will continue to create original properties for casual, downloadable and mobile games.

Founded in 2003, Wideload Games’ core team of 25 full-time employees is comprised of many industry veterans and executives, including former Bungie Software personnel. In 2006, Tom Kang joined Wideload Games as president. Kang previously was president and CEO of CSMG Inc., one of the fastest growing sports management firms in the United States, which was acquired by Interpublic Group and Creative Artists Agency.

Terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.

About Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on tohttp://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.
© Disney

Disney Online Announce That Club Penguin Is Now Available In Spanish

Disney Online have announced that Club penguin is now Available in Spanish at www.clubpenguin.com/es . it will be supported by native Spanish speakers and has been localised using Spanish cultural references.

Press Release

MEXICO CITY --(Business Wire)-- Sep 02, 2009 Spanish speaking fans of Club Penguin can now waddle around, interact and play games in the popular, snow-covered virtual world in their own language.

The new Spanish version of the virtual world (www.clubpenguin.com/es) is supported by native Spanish-speaking staff that understands the unique cultural references of the audience and can provide timely and responsive moderation and player support as well as local currency payment options.

Lane Merrifield, one of Club Penguin’s co-founders and executive vice president of Disney Online, was in Mexico City to announce the launch of the virtual world in Spanish.

“We have significant numbers of Spanish speakers who have been playing the English version of Club Penguin, so creating a Spanish version for them and other kids around the world was a logical step in our continuing efforts to support our diverse audience. Our hope is to give every child an opportunity to experience the fun and creativity of Club Penguin in their native language,” says Merrifield.
The addition of Spanish brings the number of languages featured on Club Penguin to four. After launching in English in 2005, the online playground added Portuguese in November 2008, followed by French in March 2009.

“The Spanish version of Club Penguin creates a more immersive experience for the vast Hispanic communities across Latin America, Spain and the United States while maintaining the fun and safe online entertainment that kids and their parents have come to expect,” stated Diego Lerner, President, The Walt Disney Company Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. “Spanish-speaking children looking to explore and interact in this one-of-a-kind virtual world will no longer be confined by geographic or linguistic limitations, which is a perfect example of Disney’s strategy to create truly global, high quality entertainment for our audiences and fans.”

Club Penguin is one of the largest and fastest-growing virtual worlds for children. With its imaginative play environment,Club Penguin provides a wide range of opportunities for children to participate in fun and engaging skill-building games and activities, social collaboration, and real-world skill development.

The award-winning online playground has built a global reputation as an online environment that provides fun for kids and peace of mind for parents. Word filtering technology and live moderators monitor chat and activity on the site and work to prevent the sharing of inappropriate or personally identifiable information.

Club Penguin is designed for six to 14-year-olds but is fun for children of all ages. It’s free to play, however special features such as front-of-the-line access to game features, exclusive parties and opportunities to customize your penguin and igloo require a membership.

Signing up for Club Penguin is simple. A parent’s email address is necessary to create a penguin, and parental permission is required in order to activate an account and play in the virtual world. Parents can also create their own account and logon to view their child’s account history, change their child’s password, choose a different chat mode, and set a time limit for how long their child is allowed to visit Club Penguin.

About Club Penguin
Club Penguin (www.clubpenguin.com), a division of Disney Online, provides one of the largest and fastest-growing virtual worlds for children. Club Penguin works to maintain a fun and safe online entertainment experience by using filtering technology and live moderators. The virtual world of Club Penguin, contains no third-party advertising and is free to use and enjoy, however a subscription membership provides access to additional features that enhance the play experience.Club Penguin is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, and can be played in English, Portuguese, French and Spanish.

About Disney Online
Disney Online (www.Disney.com), a unit of Disney Interactive Media Group, produces the No. 1 ranked community-family and parenting destination on the World Wide Web. Launched in 1996, Disney.com is the online and mobile web gateway to all of the company’s Disney-branded entertainment initiatives, providing comprehensive access to, and information about Disney movies, travel, television, games, music, shopping and live events.

Disney Interactive Studios Announce Alice In Wonderland Movie Tie-Ins

Disney Interactive Stuidos have announced a Alice in Wonderland Movie Tie-In game. the game will come out on the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS and PC.
The Nintendo Wii and PC versions follow the storyline of the movie. you have to carefully select the characters needed to defeat the enemies the Red Queen sends to get you. the game has a upgradable combat system and "Impossible Ideas" which can be collected to replay levels and unlock Underlands secrets.
The Nintendo DS version has a unique art style, a special playable character, and unique character abilities. The Nintendo DSi camera will be used to detect colours and unlock content, and when it's all over you can connect with other DSi users and unlock more stuff in their games.
iPhone/iTouch applications will be developed and, like the games, are set for release the same week as the movie.


Press Release

BURBANK, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jul 23, 2009 As Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll fans become curiouser and curiouser (Carroll, 1865) about Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming “Alice in Wonderland” film, Disney Interactive Studios today announced development of video game adaptations of the beloved story. The video games, inspired by Tim Burton’s highly anticipated film starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, find Alice several years after the original “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” stories. Alice in Wonderland for Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Windows-based PC takes players on a topsy-turvy and immersive journey in Underland as Alice finds herself in a world of illusion and magic where nothing is quite like it seems. Alongside her endearing friends – Mad Hatter, March Hare, Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit – players aid Alice to defeat the Red Queen and Jabberwocky. Alice in Wonderland mobile games will begin launching later this year.

"These games fully capture the magnificent and whimsical world of Underland while experiencing key moments from the film,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “More than just a retelling of the movie, Alice in Wonderland introduces fans to an entirely new style of innovative gameplay designed to challenge the puzzle solving skills of older players while making the adventures accessible and enjoyable for the younger crowd. Innovative gameplay and distinct artistic styles on each platform give players a range of unique and engaging experiences."

Alice in Wonderland allows players to guide, protect and aid Alice as she journeys through the world of Underland while unraveling the game’s many twisted mysteries. Along the way, players call on a diverse and unique cast of characters such as the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat who each have unique abilities to help evade traps and solve challenging puzzles. The Mad Hatter can help Alice alter her perception of Underland and take advantage of optical illusions to open up places in the world the player alone would not have noticed. Meanwhile, the Cheshire Cat can use his ability to make himself and objects appear and disappear helping Alice through this strange world. Players must choose wisely when using each of the characters’ powers and combine the abilities to solve more complex puzzles.

The Wii and PC versions follow the film’s epic storyline and introduce new fiction and locations. With an upgradeable combat system, players collect “impossible ideas” to replay levels and unlock Underland’s secrets. Players must carefully select the supporting characters and their abilities to defeat the numerous enemies set forth by the Red Queen and her army of cards, destroy the Jabberwocky and restore Underland back into Wonderland.

The Nintendo DS version will introduce a new twist as players guide Alice alongside her diverse and enduring friends to combat the legions of the Red Queen’s Army. Creating their own path through Underland using an oracle, players lead, protect and help Alice on her quest. The DS version features an innovative art style unique to the platform, a playable character not seen on the home console version, and unique character abilities similar to those of the Wii and PC versions. DSi players will use the system’s camera to detect colors mapped to unlockable content when tasks are completed. Also included in the DS version is DGamer, the online community exclusive to Disney gamers on Nintendo DS, allowing players to connect with others and unlock additional items in their DS game.

Developed by Etranges Libellules in France, Alice in Wonderland will be available for Wii, Nintendo DS and Windows-based PC with the same week as the film release in early 2010.
Disney Interactive Studios will also release iPhone and iTouch applications for the franchise. A promo application will release in December, 2009 with the full game releasing next year. Alice in Wonderland: The Mobile Game will take you on an upside-down, inside-out adventure on your phone. The whole world is a puzzle and players must twist and turn their iPhone to have Alice make it through Wonderland safely. Also available on Java/Brew, Android and RIM February 2010.

About the Movie
From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER.
Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll’s beloved “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass” (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history, ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010.

About Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on to http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.
© Disney. Release dates, platform availability, and/or visuals shown are of product currently in development and may be subject to change.

Disney Book Group Have announced A Graphic Novel Anthology Based On The New Prince Of Perisa Movie

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Disney book group has announced a Graphic novel anthology based on The Prince Of Persia. the first book is 128 pages, 6 stories, all a prequel to the Movie, Prince Of Persia The Sands Of Time, and is currently set for a April 2010 release. It will have an initial Hardback run of 125,000.
The novel will be written by Jordan Mecher, he wrote the Movie script, and will also have cover art by Todd McFarlane, Spawn and Spider-Man. the rest of the art will be done by talented comic book artists.
There will be a discussion at Comic Con regarding the new Prince Of Persia Graphic Novel with Jordan Mechner, Todd McFarlane, Bernard Chang, Tommy Lee Edwards, and Cameron Stewart.

Press Release

LOS ANGELES --(Business Wire)-- Jul 21, 2009 Disney Book Group announced today the Prince of Persia graphic novel anthology, the first-ever graphic novel written by the creator of Prince of Persia, Jordan Mechner. Todd McFarlane (Spawn, Spider-man) created exclusive art to be featured on the cover, and interior art will include some of the most talented names in comics.

The 128-page graphic novel, a full-color action-adventure anthology featuring six original stories, is a prequel to “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” the feature film to be released by Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films on May 28, 2010. The Prince of Persia graphic novel anthology will publish in April 2010 simultaneously in hardcover and paperback with a 125,000 first print run.

“We are thrilled to publish Jordan Mechner’s book debut,” said Jon Yaged, vice president, U.S. publisher, Disney Book Group. “We have developed a fantastic publishing program for the Prince of Persia film release and this graphic novel is an incredible cornerstone.”
At San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 24, 2009 Jordan Mechner, Todd McFarlane, Bernard Chang, Tommy Lee Edwards, and Cameron Stewart will discuss the Prince of Persia graphic novel anthology for the first time at Disney Press’s panel (11:30am-12:30pm, room 3) at the San Diego Convention Center.

Jordan Mechner
Jordan Mechner is one of the videogame industry's most respected creators. His titles, including Prince of Persia, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Karateka and The Last Express appear frequently in critics' lists of the best games of all time.

Mechner's achievements in the videogame field are complemented by his work as a film writer and director. His documentary “Chavez Ravine: A Los Angeles Story” won the 2003 IDA award for Best Short Documentary, was shortlisted for an Academy Award®, and received its broadcast premiere on PBS Independent Lens in 2005.

Among his current projects, Mechner wrote the screen story and is an executive producer of the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures/Jerry Bruckheimer Films feature film “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.” Mechner recently signed on to write the feature film adaptation of the comic book Fathom for 20th Century Fox, which is set to star Megan Fox.
Mechner is currently collaborating with artists LeUyen Pham and Alex Puvilland on an original graphic novel trilogy for First Second Books.
Mechner received his B.A. from Yale University.

Todd McFarlane
Film director, artist, writer, and producer Todd McFarlane is widely recognized as one of the most influential comic book creators of the last two decades, McFarlane is best known as the creator of Spawn. That title’s hugely popular 1992 debut sold an amazing 1.7 million copies – an unprecedented feat in independent comics. The comic became an Emmy Award®-winning animated series on HBO and a live-action feature film from New Line Cinema.
McFarlane is the also the founder of McFarlane Toys, an international award-winning company and one of America’s top action figure manufacturers.

About The Movie
From the team that brought the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy to the big screen, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films present “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” an epic action-adventure set in the mystical lands of Persia. A rogue prince (JAKE GYLLENHAAL) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (GEMMA ARTERTON) and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world. Directed by Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) from a screenplay by Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard and a screen story by Jordan Mechner and Boaz Yakin with a cast that includes SIR BEN KINGSLEY and ALFRED MOLINA, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” hits theaters Memorial Day Weekend, 2010.

About Disney Press
Disney Press is an imprint of Disney Book Group (DBG); additional DBG imprints include Disney Editions, Disney-Hyperion, and Disney-Jump at the Sun. DBG is part of Disney Publishing Worldwide, the world's largest publisher of children's books and magazines, with over 300 children's magazine titles published and over 3500 children's books published each year. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books and magazines in 85 languages in 75 countries, reaching more than 100 million readers each month.

Disney - A Christmas Carol For The Nintendo DS Announced - Press Release

Dinsey Interactive Studios have announced a new DS game. A Chrismtas Carol is a Movie Tie-in game for thier upcoming "Disney's A Christmas Carol" Starring Jim Carey. The game is set for a November 3rd 2009 Release.
The game is a adventure puzzler with the player controlling Scrooge through the classic Dickens Tale. it will use many of the DS functions, like the microphone by blowing or shouting, or the stylus to pull, shake, drag and more. It features animated cutscenes that playout like a interactive story book, as well as actual chapters from the book for players to read.
The game also has it's own advent calendar and will give the player a gift on every new day of advent.

Press Release

BURBANK, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Jul 07, 2009 A new generation of fans will soon connect like never before with the illustrious story and characters of A Christmas Carol. Disney Interactive Studios today announced it will publish the video game inspired by “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” the Charles Dickens tale re-imagined by Robert Zemeckis as a major feature film starring Jim Carrey. Disney’s A Christmas Carol video game is scheduled for release exclusively for Nintendo DS™ in North America on November 3, 2009.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol video game is an innovative adventure puzzler for Nintendo DS that celebrates the spirit of the holidays with a Scrooge twist. It is the only video game inspired by the re-envisioned classic Dickens tale and gives Nintendo DS players a fantastical, super-sensory adventure with engaging activities for the yuletide season.

“Disney’s A Christmas Carol video game will bring the story to life in a new and interactive way,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “This game will provide hours of festive entertainment and is destined to be an instant classic for a whole new generation of ‘Christmas Carol’ fans.”

The game utilizes many of the unique Nintendo DS features. Players will guide Scrooge on his supernatural adventure, by blowing and shouting into the microphone and using the Nintendo DS stylus to pull, shake, drag, rattle and tap the different environments. In the game, players experience immersive animated cutscenes that unfold like an interactive story book with amazing beauty and detail. Players will also have access to actual chapters of the classic Dickens book and will interact with characters from the film, including Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Mr. Fezziwig, Marley and the three spirits of Christmas.

In addition, players can engage in several fun festive activities like singing carols, decorating with holiday ornaments, and cooking Christmas dinner in Tiny Tim’s kitchen. The game features 14 mini-games that include coin tossing, performing on the piano, a snaps card game, snow ball fights as well as a “Pass the DS” feature which allows for up to four players to compete in mini-games on one DS unit. A real-time advent calendar also lets players unlock surprises every day from December 1st through Christmas 2009.

Disney’s A Christmas Carol video game also includes access to DGamer, the online community exclusively for Disney gamers on Nintendo DS, allowing them to chat with other players and unlock additional items in their game.

About the Film
“Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3D motion picture event.

Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman) and his cheery nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

About Disney Interactive Studios
Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on to http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.
© Disney. Product names, release dates and features may be subject to change