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WWW.MCVUK.COM
NEWS
Drawn To Life conquers the classroom THQ teams up with primary schools nationwide to engage artistic children with innovative Wii, DS platformer
Pupils around the UK have been encouraged to explore creativity with Drawn To Life
by James Batchelor DRAWN TO LIFE is being used in schools around the country in a bid to encourage children to take a greater interest in art. The Wii and DS platformer, which sees players drawing their own protagonist and other game elements, was published last week by THQ. “THQ has been working closely with a number of primary schools to trial using Drawn To Life: The Next
is an obvious next step for them. We have installed debug Wii and DS units into classrooms and at several schools
Chapter to help engage children in art,” UK and Europe PR manager Simon Watts told MCV.
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At several schools, Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter has been part of the syllabus for over a month. Simon Watts, THQ
“Schools are embracing more and more technological approaches to teaching so this
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the game has been used as part of the syllabus for over a month.
“I visited one of the schools myself last week to see how the children were getting on with the game and we received overwhelmingly positive feedback both from the pupils and the teachers. We are delighted to be able to engage with our audience in this way.” The use of the Drawn To Life sequel in the classroom has also helped to drive THQ’s Draw Your Hero promotional competition, with dozens of primary schools registering entire classes as participants.
When asked if more THQ games could be used for educational purposes, Watts was optimistic. “A number of recently published studies have found that video games can have a positive impact on a child’s development. So, given the right product, further ventures like this could be a possibility,” he said. “However, there are no further plans set in stone at this current time.” THQ: 01483 767 656
‘101-in-1 Wii has evergreen sales potential’ THE HIGH STREET could have a new evergreen hit on its hands in the form of Nordcurrent’s upcoming Wii
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NordCurrent is confident the Wii edition will sell consistently well in the run-up to Christmas and beyond.
101-in-1 Party Megamix is probably the best Christmas gift. Retailers can expect steady sell-through numbers. Alexander Bravve, Nordcurrent
title, 101-in-1 Party Megamix, according to the publisher. The game is the next entry in the 101-in-1 Megamix series, which started with 2008 DS title 101-in-1 Explosive Megamix.
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“Retailers can expect steady sell-through numbers,” said head of publishing Alexander Bravve. “With 101-in-1 Party Megamix Wii, we are expecting to outperform 101 DS. It is a brand new, fun
party game that appeals to all ages and is probably the best Christmas gift.” The DS game has been one of the company’s greatest successes, shifting more than 150,000 units worldwide and often appearing in the Top 20 of the DS Budget Charts throughout the year after its release. 101-in-1 Party Megamix presents its mini-games in the style of TV shows, with challenges spread across a range of fictional challenges. All of these activities support up to four players and make full use of the Wii’s motionsensitive controls.
101-in-1 is one of the biggest mini-game collections on Wii
To ensure the Wii game lives up to the success of its predecessor, Nordcurrent is pulling out all the stops to promote the title. “We are planning an extensive marketing campaign for 101-in-1 Party Megamix,” Bravve said. “It will cover national and regional press, lifestyle, specialist and kids magazines, online press, radio, Christmas gift catalogues, and so on. “There will also be competitions, previews, reviews and advertisements to ensure our audience will be well aware of this title.” info@nordcurrent.com