Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Pixar's 'Rush,' new Sesame Street game coming to Kinect (for kids)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/pixars-rush-new-sesame-street-game-coming-to-kinect-for-kid/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/pixars-rush-new-sesame-street-game-coming-to-kinect-for-kid/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/pixars-rush-new-sesame-street-game-coming-to-kinect-for-kid/#comments Microsoft's latest batch of kid-friendly Kinect games includes projects developed in collaboration with Disney Pixar, Sesame Workshop, National Geographic and the Games for Learning Institute. Wow. Back in our day, we had to make do with The Castle of Dr. Brain.

Disney Pixar's game, codenamed "Rush," will scan and deposit you and your diminutive kin into the wonderful worlds seen in five Pixar movies: The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story 3 and Cars 2. It sounds like you can expect some minigames while you're in there, though Microsoft prefers to call them "exciting challenges." (One of them is pictured above.)

Kinect Sesame Street TV purveys basic education in the best way possible: via adorable muppets, with Sesame Street footage filmed specifically for Xbox 360. Kinect will also host Kinect Nat Geo TV, which lets you interact with the natural world as an animal (in case you've grown tired of being a hedgehog all the time), and a game tentatively called "Project Columbia." It's proposed as a way to immerse young gamers in books, pairing storytelling with interactive music and illustrations.

We'll see more of these projects before they start arriving in Spring 2012. Another game, Double Fine's Happy Action Theater, is due this holiday. You'll just have to see the trailer to understand its insane exuberance.

Continue reading Pixar's 'Rush,' new Sesame Street game coming to Kinect (for kids)

JoystiqPixar's 'Rush,' new Sesame Street game coming to Kinect (for kids) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>double-fine-happy-action-theaterkinectkinect-nat-geo-tvkinect-rushkinect-sesame-street-tvmicrosoftnational-geographicproject-columbiarelease-daterushspring-2012xboxTue, 18 Oct 2011 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Impressions: Afrika]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/impressions-afrika/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/impressions-afrika/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/10/impressions-afrika/#commentsPokémon Snap fans, beware! Afrika is the Pokémon game you know and love, just all grown up ... and, ya know, without all those Pocket Monsters. Instead, you're chasing around lions and tigers and, erm, zebras with fancy Sony brand cameras, trying your best to capture shots and not get trampled.

Oh, wait, that's right! There is no "trample." In fact, there's no interaction with the animals of any kind. You don't even get the satisfaction of oddly petting them like in Endless Ocean. With Afrika, you get an African safari simulator and little else. Which really makes it hard for us to even classify Afrika as a "game" as opposed to edutainment. Sure, there are assignments and "challenges," should you so choose to engage them, but there is little (if any) real progression through the experience.

Better cameras do unlock as you complete assignments and a whole mess of National Geographic footage/stills/information also serve to reward various complete objectives, but none of this makes the "game" any more game-ey. Those of you looking for an interactive African safari simulation, Afrika is for you. For those of you whose first interest is seeing if you can run down a rhino, look elsewhere -- this "game" ain't for you.

Gallery: Afrika

JoystiqImpressions: Afrika originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>afrikae3-2009impressionsnational-geographicnatsumesafarisimulationWed, 10 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[National Geographic publishing Afrika in the US]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/19/national-geographic-publishing-afrika-in-the-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/19/national-geographic-publishing-afrika-in-the-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/19/national-geographic-publishing-afrika-in-the-us/#commentsFiled under:


Remember Afrika? It's a nature-themed PS3-exclusive photography game that met moderate success when it debuted in Japan earlier this year. An English release seemed unlikely due to the niche content of the game, but it appears the game will be making its way to American shores -- and from an unlikely source, as well.

National Geographic has picked up the rights for Afrika, rebranding it as National Geographic: Africa. It's promised to release next month -- but with potentially very little fanfare.

For more on National Geographic: Africa, read our previous stories on Afrika.

JoystiqNational Geographic publishing Afrika in the US originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>afrikanational-geographicnational-geographic-africaWed, 19 Nov 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[National Geographic gets into gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/national-geographic-gets-into-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/national-geographic-gets-into-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/national-geographic-gets-into-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Taking a break from merely educating the world about bees with tiny radios and environmental dangers, National Geographic has announced that it is getting into the video game biz. The educational institution has formed a new game division shockingly called National Geographic Games, which will be focused on delivering educational titles across all platforms, including PCs, consoles and handhelds.

Some early fruits of this venture have already fallen from the tree, including Herod's Lost Tomb on the iPhone, as well as Namco Bandai's National Geographic: Panda for the DS. The division is also working with Sony on National Geographic: Africa, with future projects including Rain Forests and Greencity also in the works. The division describes each of these efforts as offering "entertainment with substance," though whether or not that will keep players from tuning out after they get bored of ogling topless natives remains to be seen.

JoystiqNational Geographic gets into gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSiphoneMobilenamconamco-bandainamcobandainational-geographicnational-geographic-gamesnational-geographic-pandanationalgeographicnggPS3sonyWiiTue, 18 Nov 2008 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Namco bundles DVD with National Geographic Panda]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/namco-bundles-dvd-with-national-geographic-panda/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/namco-bundles-dvd-with-national-geographic-panda/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/namco-bundles-dvd-with-national-geographic-panda/#commentsFiled under: ,


Namco Bandai just dished out a press release about upcoming National Geographic Panda. With the game hitting U.S. retail shelves this fall, the prospect of playing with virtual pandas on your DS is not the only enticing aspect panda fans should be focusing on. All copies of the game will come packaged with a DVD titled Secrets of the Wild Panda. What is Secrets of the Wild Panda? Well, it's an hour-long special produced by National Geographic on the subject of, you guessed it, panda bears. So instead of just being a DS game full of cute pandas to play with, it also holds some educational value, as well.


[Via press release]

JoystiqNamco bundles DVD with National Geographic Panda originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandainamconamco-bandainational-geographicnational-geographic-pandapandasecrets-of-the-wild-pandaTue, 30 Sep 2008 18:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq eyes-on: How to Build a Better Being, with Will Wright]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/29/joystiq-eyes-on-how-to-build-a-better-being-with-will-wright/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/29/joystiq-eyes-on-how-to-build-a-better-being-with-will-wright/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/29/joystiq-eyes-on-how-to-build-a-better-being-with-will-wright/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



We're starting to get a little sick from Spore fever, since we gamers have been hearing about it for what seems like eons. But once the title launches September 7 in North America (and September 5 in Europe and Asia), we'll have to ride the wave of hype again when the rest of the world hears about the title. Set your TiVos for one of the first (of potentially many) Spore tie-ins; the National Geographic Channel will air its HD special, How to Build a Better Being on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 PM. The production is also included in the $80 Spore Galactic Edition.

The show offers a primer in DNA and genetics beyond what we remember from high school, connecting science with Spore. It's less a look at the game directly and more of a handshake (sometimes literally) between Will Wright and genetic scientists.

How to Build a Better Being centers on the Creature Creator and the genetic basis for the game's evolution and multitude of parts. After watching a screener, we wish it also covered science behind other parts of the game. However, the hour-long show works as a companion to that fundamental Spore angle.

Continue reading Joystiq eyes-on: How to Build a Better Being, with Will Wright

JoystiqJoystiq eyes-on: How to Build a Better Being, with Will Wright originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DSeaElectronic-Artsgeneticshow-to-build-a-better-beingMacmaxisnational-geographicnational-geographic-channelPCsciencescience-of-sporesporespore-creature-creatorwill-wrightFri, 29 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Namco Bandai's Panda game dated for U.S.]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-namco-bandais-panda-game-dated-for-u-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-namco-bandais-panda-game-dated-for-u-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-namco-bandais-panda-game-dated-for-u-s/#commentsFiled under: ,

The first English-language screens of Namco Bandai's National Geographic Panda have emerged from E3, as well as a North American release window of this fall. We also received a smattering of gameplay details, listed beneath the almost unforgivable title of "It's PANDA-MONIUM!"

According to these, the aim of the game is simply to rear your own Baby Panda or Giant Panda (you can tickle and play with them via the touchscreen, as you would a Nintendog), keeping them fed, clean, and happy during their time in Panda Park (which, incidentally, changes depending on whether you play at day or night).

To do this, you'll get a daily allowance which can be used for panda food or toys (such as ... gherkin-shaped see-saws?), and as you play more, further Baby Pandas will gradually begin to "move" into Panda Park, which is probably just Namco Bandai's way of avoiding the whole panda sex thing. Probably for the best.


[Via press release]

JoystiqE308: Namco Bandai's Panda game dated for U.S. originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbandaicutee3-2008e308namconamco-bandainational-geographicnational-geographic-pandapandaThu, 17 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[National Geographic Pandas are no slackers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/national-geographic-pandas-are-no-slackers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/national-geographic-pandas-are-no-slackers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/national-geographic-pandas-are-no-slackers/#commentsFiled under: ,



We simply can't fault Namco Bandai's inspired decision to develop a game based on panda bears. When it comes to pandas, there is no universal divide in opinion (as there is with dogs and cats) -- everybody is a panda person. That kind of popularity can only be gained from being extremely cute and extremely rare.

Launching in Japan on July 31st, purchased copies of Panda-San Nikki (National Geographic Panda) will probably be anything but rare. That's because this game is freakin' adorable, as the latest screenshots in our gallery demonstrate. There are more pandas on see-saws, pandas trying to roll on a ball, pandas using a slide, pandas in hats -- in fact, Game Watch reckons there are over 800 animations (pandamations?) on display here. We always thought these wonderful creatures just sort of sat around, but they seem to be rather active!

JoystiqNational Geographic Pandas are no slackers originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbandaicutenamconamco-bandainational-geographicnational-geographic-pandapandaMon, 14 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Say 'awww' to these new National Geographic Panda screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/say-awww-to-these-new-national-geographic-panda-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/say-awww-to-these-new-national-geographic-panda-screens/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/say-awww-to-these-new-national-geographic-panda-screens/#commentsFiled under:

Seriously, if there was anything that could melt the heart of the most cold individual, it's images of a panda bear playing with a beach ball. And, we have just that, in our gallery below, courtesy of Namco Bandai.

We have to say, that with each new National Geographic Panda screen we're exposed to, our desire for the game grows. We just want to take care of cute little panda bears. Is that so wrong?


[Via press release]

JoystiqSay 'awww' to these new National Geographic Panda screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandainamconamco-bandainational-geographicnational-geographic-pandapandaSat, 07 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Namco reveals National Geographic Panda and Digimon World Championship]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/namco-reveals-national-geographic-panda-and-digimon-world-champi/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/namco-reveals-national-geographic-panda-and-digimon-world-champi/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/namco-reveals-national-geographic-panda-and-digimon-world-champi/#commentsFiled under: ,


Today is a very happy day for us here at DS Fanboy. We had no idea that pandas on see-saws would be making their way to our country. Back when we saw the scans showing the Japanese game, we thought it was much too quirky and original to be released over here. Oh how glad we are to be wrong.

So, what is the game, exactly? National Geographic Panda and it will release this fall. The game has you interacting with panda bears at Panda Park. Mistreating the bears will cause them to leave your park, whereas nurturing them and making sure they're having fun means new pandas will come to your park and stay. Sounds great to us!

The other game Namco announced in the press release we received is Digimon World Championship. The new game will feature over 200 kinds of Digimon and will feature Wi-Fi support for battling online. Those of you familiar with the Digimon series of games should know what to expect here. No word on a release window for the game.

Check out our galleries below for screenshots of both these games.




[Via press release]

JoystiqNamco reveals National Geographic Panda and Digimon World Championship originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandaidigimondigimon-world-championshipnamconamco-bandainational-geographicnational-geographic-pandapandaThu, 17 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST