By David Wylie
Canwest News Service
The march of Canada’s colourful penguins has continued all the way to the top of video game sales charts.
The journey to the release of Disney Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force for the Nintendo DS is a fairy tale success story.
In 2005, three Kelowna, B.C., residents decided to launch a virtual world in which penguins are used to represent community members. All were parents who wanted a safe place online where their kids could interact with others.
Word of Club Penguin spread quickly, gathering millions of users before the popular site caught the eye of Walt Disney Co.
Captivated by Club Penguin’s ability to attract and retain users, Disney bought the icy online paradise – designed for kids aged six to 14 – in 2007 for $350 million US.
Now, 18 months later, Club Penguin’s success continues to snowball with the newly released DS game, which is currently one of the best-selling North American titles for the hand-held console.
In Nintendo’s rendition of the Club Penguin world, players are recruited into the ranks of the Elite
Penguin Force and use spy gadgets, as well as their wits, to solve puzzles and save the world from three machines that have gone haywire.
Kids familiar with the online world will have no trouble finding their way around. Familiar landmarks abound, from the barber pole lighthouse to the skating rink. The DS experience feels much like the online play, keeping Club Penguin’s quirky humour and the colourful scenery.
There are also a handful of mini-games, such as fishing and flying, to keep kids with short attention spans occupied.
The game is also intended to encourage more people to join the online community. For one thing, coins – Club Penguin’s official currency – can be earned on the DS by completing games and tasks. The cartoon cash can then be transferred to the web account. However, a paid membership is required to buy many of the accessories for the penguins.
There are also codes included with the game to unlock items in the web world.
With the success of Club Penguin on the DS, it’s a safe bet that it will only be a matter of time before a Nintendo Wii title is announced.
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“Peddling add-ons”:
There was further proof late last week that the folks at Sony are getting tired of being slammed for the higher cost of the PlayStation 3.
Sony sent a news release Thursday accusing Microsoft of “peddling add-ons” for its Xbox 360.
Sony says when consumers buy a PS3 they get free access to online play, Wi-Fi, a big hard drive and a Blu-ray player. But those who buy a $199 Xbox 360 end up paying an extra $270-$320 to get the same features – minus the Blu-ray player.
Sony didn’t have anything nice to say about Nintendo’s Wii either: “The Wii’s lack of enhanced features comes at the expense of a comprehensive entertainment solution.”
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RIP Electronic Gaming Monthly:
Publisher Ziff Davis Media revealed on Jan. 7 it had sold its 1UP Digital Network, which includes popular gaming magazine EGM, to UGO Entertainment. UGO promptly announced that the
January EGM would be the 20-year-old magazine’s last issue.
One gaming blog jumped on the news declaring, “Print is dead.”
However, it may be prudent to note that such rumours are greatly exaggerated — for now.
dwylie@canwest.com
