Infogrames Entertainment Inc. has published its list of the forthcoming titles it plans to show or talk about at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. While it doesn’t appear that Infogrames is trumping its MacSoft subsidiary again as it did last year, the company did note a variety of new titles — mainly emerging from its kids’ imprint, Humongous Entertainment — that are pegged squarely at the Mac crowd.
Infogrames noted that Backyard Hockey would make its debut at this year’s show. It’s presumably the latest in Humongous’ Backyard Sports series, which features pint-sized cartoon personalities who play sports games with an arcade twist.
Also coming is a new title based on the enormously popular Nick Jr. franchise Blue’s Clues. The game is called Blue’s Preschool, and it’s headed out on hybrid CD-ROM.
Another Nick Jr. franchise gaining in popularity is Dora the Explorer, the bilingual young tot who travels to various locations with her monkey friend as they learn to follow instructions. Dora the Explorer: Backpack Adventure is also coming on hybrid CD-ROM this year.
If a preschooler has lived in your home any time in the past decade, chances are that you are familiar with Thomas the Tank Engine, the enormously popular kid’s show featuring anthropomorphic railroad engines. Infogrames also notes the introduction of a new hybrid CD-ROM for Mac and PC called Thomas & Friends.
Release dates and specific details about each game are not yet available; E3 exhibitors usually save that info for the event itself, which happens later this month in Los Angeles, Calif. But kids’ games are often slated for summer or early autumn releases, especially if they’re pitched to school districts as having educational content. Consumer-oriented titles are typically released in the months leading up to the holiday season, so it’s a good bet you’ll see most of them in stores before the end of the year, and most a great deal sooner.
Infogrames also noted the pending release of Master of Orion III, the new space-based strategy game currently in development at Quicksilver Software. It’s slated for a release both for PC and Mac later this year.