StarFlyers Alien Space Chase

Developer/Publisher: Fremont, California-based The Learning Company

Demo: Five to eight

Genre: Edutainment

Premise: A group of normal kids morph into superheroes via a little girl’s sugar-powered imagination in this game featuring a motley crew of original characters. Protagonist Katie becomes the roughest, toughest star pilot in the galaxy, and her cardboard-box robot Klanker transforms into a super-powerful machine. Each adventure–in which Katie’s pals are often involved–is triggered by a real-world event, like Katie dropping her mother’s jewelry box and scattering jewelry all over the house, or pets being let loose at a bring-your-pet-to-school day.

Platform: CD-ROM

Street Date: June 2002

SRP: US$19.99

Kingdom Hearts

Developer: Los Angeles-based Squaresoft Arts (Final Fantasy) and Disney Interactive

Publisher: L.A.’s Square Electronic Arts

Demo: Boys 12 and up

Genre: Action RPG

Premise: The first joint-venture between Disney Interactive and Squaresoft, Kingdom Hearts combines classic Disney characters with new characters and environments. Sora is a 14-year-old boy who loses both his utopic island home and his two best friends in a massive storm. While searching for his pals, Sora runs into Court Wizard Donald and Captain Goofy, protectors of the Disney Castle on a mission to find the missing King Mickey. Behind the storm, the king’s disappearance and the destruction of several worlds are the Heartless–beings spawned from darkness. Sora joins forces with Donald and Goofy to recover Sora’s friends, return the King to his rightful position, and save the universe from the Heartless.

Platform: PS2

Street Date: Fall 2002 in North America

SRP: US$49.99 to US$54.99

Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension

Developer: U.K.-based Tiertex Design Studios (Game Boy Advance) and Asylum Entertainment (PS, PS2 and GameCube)

Publishers: LEGO/Electronic Arts

Demo: Boys six to 14

Genre: Adventure

Premise: Based on the TV series, this one-player game catches up with Nick Bluetooth in the Outer Dimension. A full 20 levels of action are spread out over four different game worlds. Nick uses his ‘glinching’ ability to morph his body into different forms and tools–including Armor, Gliding Wing, Welding Arm, Grapple Arm and Jetwings–to defeat the evil Gorm.

Platforms: Game Boy Advance, CD-ROM, PS2 and GameCube

Street Date: November 2002 (U.S. Game Boy Advance), April 2003 (worldwide Game Boy Advance, CD-ROM, PS2 and GameCube)

SRP: US$29.95 (CD-ROM), US$39.95 (PS2), US$34.95 (GBA), with GameCube pricing pending.

Vexx

Developer/Publisher: New York-based Acclaim Entertainment

Demo: 13-plus

Genre: Action-adventure

Premise: As the shadowraith Dark Yabu systematically enslaves the people of Planet Astara, a young villager named Vexx evades capture and slips aboard the enemy’s windship. There, Vexx finds the last pair of Astani Battlegauntlets–relics from the ancient Astani civilization that can bring down Dark Yabu. The gauntlets leap from their cask onto Vexx’s outstretched hands, lending him strange powers (such as improved fighting, climbing and strength) that he slowly masters with the help of Reia, the last-living member of the Astani race.

Platforms: PS2, GameCube, Xbox

Street Date: October 2002

SRP: US$49.99

Yu-Gi-Oh! Expert Duel Stories: The Immortal Duelist Soul (working title)

Developer: Konami of America in San Francisco, California

Publisher: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan

Demo: 10 to 14

Genre: Card battling

Premise: Featuring hundreds of game cards, millions of different deck combinations and dozens of opponents, Yu-Gi-Oh! Expert Duel Stories takes the popular Japanese trading card game and the new Kids’ WB! TV show to the electronic world. The ultimate goal is to become King of Games by winning Card Battles. Up to two can play via a cable link.

Platform: Game Boy Advance

Street Date: Fall 2002

SRP: US$29.99

StarFox Adventures

Developer: U.K.-based Rare (Donkey Kong, GoldenEye 007)

Publisher: Nintendo

Demo: 13-plus

Genre: Adventure

Premise: Eight years after the defeat of Andross (chronicled in StarFox 64), mysterious hero Fox attempts to save Dinosaur Planet from the evil General Scales. Fox is joined by his new sidekick Prince Tricky, a small triceratops with a big mouth that can dig enormous holes and breathe fire. Returning characters include Slippy in Weapon Tech Development, Peppy in Mission Support and Rob the Robot.

Platform: GameCube

Street Date: June 2002

SRP: US$49.99

Samurai Jack: The Legend Begins (working title)

Developer: U.K.-based Virtucraft

Publisher: San Jose, California-based BAM! Entertainment

Demo: Six to 17

Genre: Action-adventure

Premise: A great warrior displaced to the distant future by an evil shape-shifting wizard, Samurai Jack must find the Amulet Elements to return to the past and defeat the powerful sorcerer.

Platform: Game Boy Advance

Street Date: Fall 2002

SRP: US$29.99

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Developer: Japan-based Genki Co

Publisher: San Francisco, California’s Ubi Soft

Demo: 12-plus

Genre: Combat-adventure

Premise: In the first game title based on the film, playable characters Mu Bai, Jen, Shu Lien and Lo seek revenge upon Jade Fox through sword mastery and other martial arts.

Platforms: PS2, GameCube and Game Boy Advance

Street Date: Q4 2002

SRP: US$49.99, US$29.99 for GBA