A look at Apple’s game offerings for Macworld Expo

Apple has posted a Web page with details about next month’s game area at Macworld Conference & Expo, happening in San Francisco.

Game vendors centered in the games area include Aspyr, Bold, Feral Interactive and MacPlay. What’s more, Apple will set up dozens of Macs to show off the latest and greatest games available now and headed to the Macintosh.

Although the list is subject to change, there are a few surprises on the roster for this year’s show, including, apparently, a Mac version of “Marble Blast” and “Orbz,” two new Torque Game Engine-based games recently announced by Garage Games. Marble Blast resembles Sega’s popular Gamecube console title Super Monkey Ball, while Orbz appears to be a multiplayer action game involving shooting targets. Neither game has been announced for the Mac, yet, although efforts have been made to bring the Torque Game Engine to the Macintosh.

The event may even give showgoers their first chance to see as-yet unreleased titles like Aspyr Media’s forthcoming release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3; the long-awaited 3D action game from MacPlay, Aliens vs. Predator 2; and MacSoft’s upcoming releases of Neverwinter Nights and Unreal Tournament 2003. Feral will be showing off its new Mac conversions of Worms Blast and Enemy Engaged: Comanche vs. Hokum. Other Mac game publishers and developers will be represented too, including Freeverse Software, PopCap Games, and many others. (Apple cautions that the list is subject to change, so don’t be surprised.)

The games arcade area itself will be populated with the latest hardware from Apple, equipped with gear from graphics chip makers ATI and Nvidia, controllers from Logitech, Microsoft and Belkin, and sound systems from Harman/Kardon. More details are available from Apple’s Web site.