THQ Takes Nickelodeon's 'Rugrats' on a Scavenger Hunt With New Nintendo 64 Board Game
Game Based on No. 1 Kids TV Show, Follows Top-Selling Rugrats PlayStation Game
CALABASAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 1999--THQ Inc. (Nasdaq/NM:THQI - news) is breaking out of its playpen to bring the new Nintendo 64 board game, ''Rugrats(TM): Scavenger Hunt,'' based on Nickelodeon's No. 1 kids show on TV, to kids of all ages this June.
''Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt'' combines the most popular kids property with the most popular kids gaming system and features the lovable characters, voices and music from the Emmy award-winning children's series.
''THQ is bringing 'Rugrats,' the hottest and most recognized characters on kids' TV to the Nintendo 64, the sought-after game console for children,'' said Germaine Gioia, vice president of marketing, THQ. ''What we love about 'Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt' is that it's a quality kids game created especially for them. Additionally, parents trust the brand and kids love the characters. It's a winning combination.''
''We've had tremendous success with our initial 'Rugrats' games in what is traditionally an older-skewing market,'' said Steve Youngwood, director, Software, Publishing and New Business, Nickelodeon Consumer Products. ''In working closely with the creators of the show, THQ and Nickelodeon are thrilled to extend and deliver a true 'Rugrats' experience to the Nintendo system.''
THQ's and Nickelodeon's first PlayStation release, ''Rugrats: Search for Reptar,'' debuted as the third best-selling video game during the first two weeks of its launch, according to the NPD Group. The NPD produces reports based on retail sales of video games, computer games and educational games.
About the Property
''Rugrats,'' the highest rated kids television program in the United States, is Nickelodeon's animated series about life from a baby's point of view. The ''Rugrats'' are Tommy, the one-year-old hero; his best friend Chuckie; the twins from next door, Phil and Lil; and Tommy's bratty cousin Angelica.
Whenever adults are around, the ''Rugrats'' act like real babies, but when they're alone, they talk to each other with the vocabulary of five-year-olds. As Tommy and his pals wobble through life, supported by legs not yet used to walking, they show us the world as a baby views and understands it.
The ''Rugrats''' world is one that exists below our knees; where mundane things turn into grand, comic adventures. ''Rugrats'' has won numerous awards including the Emmy, CableAce and Parents Choice awards. Furthermore, the feature film from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, ''The Rugrats Movie,'' debuted as the No. 1 in the United States in its first week of release.
''Rugrats'' was created by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo and Paul Germain.
About ''Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt''
The game, aimed at the 6-14-year-old, lets kids of all ages play as their favorite Rugrats character in one of the first interactive 3-D board games for the Nintendo 64. Featuring the lovable characters and voices from the Emmy Award-winning television series, ''Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt'' allows 1 to 4 players to go diaper-to-diaper in search of hidden treasures.
The music is original ''Rugrats'' music composed and recorded for THQ by Mark Mothersbaugh, the composer of all ''Rugrats'' music for the television show and feature film.
Kids can venture to Angelica's Temple of Gloom, hunting for and collecting broken ancient Aztec pieces before the evil Aztecca Queen gets her hands on players. Kids can also journey back to the Pre-a-Stork Era to help their dinosaur friend Reptar clean up a big candy mess on Reptar's Island or scuba dive for hidden pirate treasure in Pirate Treasure Hunt.
THQ develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software worldwide for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, and those manufactured by Nintendo and Sony. The THQ Web site is located at thq.com.
Note to Editors: Nickelodeon, ''Rugrats'' and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, demand and competition for the company's products, and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Contact:
THQ Inc., Calabasas
Aimee Greenholtz, 818/223-3116 (Media)
Deborah Lake, 818/591-1310 (Investors)
or
Nickelodeon
Jennifer Levine, 212/846-8670 |
