Knowledge Adventure taps into dino-cool with Jurassic Park III

Kids have always been fascinated with dinosaurs, but the level of intrigue spiked off the charts when Jurassic Park was released in 1993, and again in 1997 when sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park hit theaters. Generating US$2.5 billion in worldwide merch sales, it’s no wonder Knowledge Adventure is keen to get in on the franchise’s action. On the Torrance, California-based gameco’s slate are three new CD-ROM titles based on Jurassic Park III, a Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment film that hits theaters July 18.

Launching next month, Jurassic Park III: Dino Defender and Jurassic Park III: Danger Zone! are both action-adventure games with suggested retail prices of US$30 each. In Dino Defender, a violent typhoon has knocked out Jurassic Park’s electrical fencing, and I think we all remember what those nasty velociraptors do with a bit of freedom. Kids eight and up are charged with trapping and tranquilizing dinos on the lam to restore order on the island.

In keeping with the natural disaster theme, Danger Zone! starts with a severe earthquake that destroys the Park’s stash of dino-DNA. Kids ages six-plus go head-to-head in an obstacle course race to collect a complete DNA sample and clone a dinosaur.

Slated for an October rollout is ScanCommand: A Jurassic Park III Game (SRP US$50). InGen’s nefarious scientists have crafted a legion of dinosaur baddies to take over the island. Kids ages eight and up must use a nifty handheld scanner to turn ubiquitous barcodes on products found around the house into special powers that will create a race of stronger, smarter dinosaurs.

THQ gets manly with The Ripping Friends vid game license

Calabasas, California-based THQ has picked up interactive game rights to The Ripping Friends, the latest toon series to come out of John Kricfalusi’s toon studio Spumco. The first 13 eps of the TV show are set to begin airing Saturday mornings on Fox Kids this fall, and a vid game title for Game Boy Color will be first out of the gate from THQ this holiday season. John K. will consult on all video game titles spun off the television property.

Sony Pictures’ mouse gets game

Activision has acquired global interactive rights to develop games based on Columbia Pictures’ US$300 million-grossing feature film Stuart Little and its sequel Stuart Little 2, which is slated to launch theatrically in summer 2002. The deal encompasses Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and an option for Gamecube development, and the first title to come to spin off the franchise will be for Game Boy Color in fall 2001.