CD-ROM Roundup is a regular KidScreen feature that profiles CD-ROMs aimed at children anywhere from preschool to late teen that will be hitting retail stores in the coming months. By Andrea Haman (416-408-2300 (phone), 416-408-0870 (fax) or haman@brunico.com)

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Partial List of Retail Outlets & Estimated Street Price (US$):

Name: Wishbone Print Tricks

Publisher & Developer: Palladium Interactive, Larkspur, California; ImageBuilder Software, Portland, Oregon

Release Date & Markets: July; U.S and Canada at launch; Asia-Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, U.K. and South Africa in the fall

Storyline: Kids can create more than 20 printing and graphics projects, from greeting cards and stationery to bookmarks and posters, using ready-made templates or their own designs featuring Wishbone, the canine star of the popular educational PBS series. As well, owners of the CD-ROM can access a Wishbone Web site where they can send electronic greeting cards and postcards, complete with sound clips from the television show.

Platforms: Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Power Macintosh, Macintosh

Target Audience: 5-plus

Promotion:

-retail support for this title along with two other Wishbone CD-ROMs, Wishbone and the Amazing Odyssey, the first title in the line, and Wishbone Activity Zone, shipping in September

-targeting the back-to-school

period at retail

-tie-ins to other Wishbone products, such as trailers on videos

-promotions to be announced

Partial List of Retail Outlets & Estimated Street Price (US$): CompUSA, Computer City, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Electronics Boutique, Babbage’s; $19.99

Name: Hidden Pictures Workshop

Publisher & Developer: Palladium Interactive, Larkspur, California; ImageBuilder Software, Portland, Oregon

Release Date & Markets: July; U.S., Canada, South America, Asia-Pacific, Australia, New Zealand

Storyline: ‘Hidden Pictures,’ a popular feature of the more-than-50-year-old children’s magazine Highlights for Children, comes to life in an entirely new way with the first software title from Palladium and Highlights. The title includes 40 animated puzzles that challenge kids to discover the objects hidden in illustrations. It also has three levels of difficulty, as well as an Art Studio where kids can design, draw and paint their own pictures.

Platforms: Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Power Macintosh, Macintosh

Target Audience: 5-plus

Promotion:

-extensive retail support, including point-of-purchase materials and store education, such as sales materials for staff and in-store product demonstrations

-flyers and other promotional materials packaged with Highlights for Children and tie-ins to other products from the company

-promotions to be announced

Partial List of Retail Outlets & Estimated Street Price (US$): CompUSA, Computer City, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Electronics Boutique, Babbage’s; $19.99

Name: IBM Brings You Crayola Magic Wardrobe

Publisher & Developer: IBM, Atlanta, Georgia; Hyperspace Cowgirls, New York, New York

Release Date & Markets: August; U.S., Canada

Storyline: This second Crayola-branded title from IBM allows girls to customize paper dolls and dress them in clothing from 12 historical periods. Girls can print the dolls and clothing to extend their play off the computer. They can also read their dolls’ diaries and learn about famous women from each period in history.

Platforms: Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Macintosh

Target Audience: 6 to 12

Promotion:

-part of a ‘Buy 1, Get 3 Free’ retail promotion for the back-to-school season in which customers who buy the title will receive a premium pack of Mighty Math Number Her’es, Kid Riffs and Encyclopedia of U.S. Endangered Species

Partial List of Retail Outlets & Estimated Street Price (US$): Best Buy, Computer City, CompUSA, Egghead Software, Toys ‘R’ Us, Nobody Beats the Wiz, Zany Brainy; $29.95