The Sony Imagesoft booth at the Summer CES was loaded with games and programs. There were several ESPN sports games, game-show games, and multimedia programs. You really need to budget your time in a booth this complete.
Wheel of Fortune will feature special footage of a digitized Vanna White. Other realistic additions include the show's theme music, backgrounds and sound effects. If you are saying to yourself "I will have solved all the puzzles within an hour," you're wrong, because there are 6,000 to solve. Wheel of Fortune will be available for the Sega CD and IBM CD ROM.
The Three Ninjas Kick Back, another movie title being brought to gaming systems by Sony Imagesoft, will feature all the fierce fighting seen in the movie. Your goal is to save your grandfather from the evil clutches of Koga. Featured solely in the Sega CD version are first person hang-gliding and skateboarding action.
Attention soccer fans, get ready for some high-paced action with Championship Soccer '94. The game features computer-assisted passing for those that can't pass by themselves, slide tackles, and diving head shots. The Sega CD version will include animated introduction sequences, over 90 CD sound effects, and varying weather conditions for the true fans who know soccer isn't just played on sunny days. Also play as your favorite team in day or night games.
Based on the action movie of the same name, "No Escape" portrays you as a Marine Special Forces Agent sent to an island prison, and not to work if you get my drift. The only way out of this living hell is to reach many sub-goals en route to escaping the island. Not that the idea of "No Escape" sounds easy, but there are many hidden traps along the way, and you must face the nasty, evil gang, the Outsiders. The Sega CD version will feature a 3D map of the prison island to explore as you play.
ESPN Baseball Tonight features digitized player animation and all 28 Major League Baseball teams. ESPN's Chris Berman calls the shots with pre- and post-game reports. ESPN Baseball will be available for the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Sega CD and IBM CD ROM. The Sega CD Version will include real players from the major leagues. Also featured in Baseball Tonight are home run derbies and pitching radar. Full-season play is still up in the air at this stage in development.
Take on the NFL in ESPN Sunday Night NFL, which features 28 real teams that can play through a season, playoffs and the Super Bowl. Sunday Night NFL offers a new endzone-to-endzone view that eliminates the passing window seen in all other football games. The new view really sets Sunday Night NFL apart from all other games because it keeps the gamer focused on the receiver and not a passing window. Once again, ESPN Sunday Night NFL will be available for the Sega CD (which will have the real players), Super Nintendo and Genesis.
ESPN National Hockey Night features the NHL and its players in a fast-paced arcade-type hockey game. In Hockey Night, you can play a full 84-game season and track statistics with the help of a battery back-up. Also featured is the ability to change game play views at anytime during play. When you switch between overhead vertical to side view, every player is remapped and placed in the exact same position as in the previous view. ESPN National Hockey Night will be available on the Sega CD and Genesis as well as the Super Nintendo.
ESPN Speed World is a stock car racing game for the Sega CD, Genesis and Super Nintendo. In paying attention to detail, Speed World features "drafting" and a from of passing cars while using the draft called "slingshoting." Commentary is provided by ESPN's very own Jerry Punch. Unfortunately, ESPN Speed World does not have the NASCAR license, so no real drivers or cars will be seen in this racing cart, but you can race an entire season with a championship at stake.
NBA Hangtime '95 for the Sega CD has real NBA players and a selection of 27 NBA arenas. In addition to the NBA venues, are 15 international outdoor courts where "street" games are held. NBA Hangtime is actually two separate games in one. There is a two-on-two full court game with real NBA players. Game two offers an outdoor game with "street" type players from around the world. NBA Hangtime '95 offers one to four players in either competitive or co-operative play in any combination in both basketball games.
Soccer fans haven't been left out. Championship Soccer '94 offers high paced action for soccer junkies. Featuring computer-assisted passing for those that can't pass by themselves, slide tackles and diving head shots as well. The Sega CD version includes animated introduction sequences, over 90 CD sound effects and varying weather conditions. For true soccer fans, who know that soccer isn't just played on sunny days, it offers day or night games.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is taken from the movie hit of last fall with the same name. This action/adventure game will literally transform the game player into Frankenstein. As Franky, you explore six levels to learn the secret of your creation. Travel from Ingolstadt to the Arctic and everywhere and anywhere between. All of the games' characters were rotoscoped so realism should pull through. Frankenstein will be available for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Also a version will be released for the Sega CD that will include two different game-play engines with 3D modeling and backgrounds. The 3D modeling and background detailing should make the Sega CD version pleasant to view.
Another Sega CD and IBM CD ROM title Sony Imagesoft game show title will be released in the future: Jeopardy. Special footage of Alex Trebek exclusively for this game, and a database of 5,000 answers should keep all of you Jeopardy enthusiasts at heel for a while. Digitized graphics and sound make Jeopardy just like the game show that it was taken from.
Possibly the most exciting Mickey Mouse game to come down the old gaming chute in quite some time, Mickey Mania from Sony Imagesoft pays tribute to Mickey's 65th birthday in sheer gaming style. Featured in Mickey Mania are three unique game-play engines, including side scrolling and the innovative "coming-at-you" 3D engine. Disney and Sony working together have produced a game that should not go overlooked as a simple children's game. All of our hearts and imaginations will be wrapped up in this game that includes Mickey cartoons from Steamboat Willie to The Prince and the Pauper. Mickey Mouse may be dubbed as a kid icon, but this game will have the potential to appeal to the child in all of us.
Sony was also showing some very detailed CD programs. The Haldeman Diaries allows you to take an extensive look at the diary of H.R. Haldeman, Chief-of-Staff for former President Richard Nixon. This extensive multimedia diary includes the complete 2,200 page unedited text from the Haldeman diary, and over 60 minutes of video shot by Haldeman himself. In addition to that, 900 photographs (some being official White House photos), 30 minutes of dictated diary entries, and a 120-page unmailed letter to Haldeman's prosecuting attorney, Jim Neal, are included For all of you history buffs, this should be an excellent addition to your library.
Sony is releasing Earthquake, another CD program, in conjunction with ABC news. This multimedia experience has longtime Nightline anchor Ted Koppel as the chief moderator. Over 40 minutes of earthquake video, and thousands of photographs, charts and maps make Earthquake a shaking experience. Earthquake covers all majors quakes in the 20th century and more. Earthquake should make an excellent reference with great visuals to help you imagine the experience.
Coming for the Sega CD under the Sony Imagesoft nameplate is The Exterminators, an interactive movie shot specifically for the video game. The Exterminators was written by Ed Naha, the author of "Honey I Shrunk the Kids." In the game, you must arm yourself with a flame-thrower to get rid of a bunch of pesky man-eating bugs the size of cars. Other enemies include giant fire ants, scorpions and more. Sounds to me like this is more than your average can of Raid can handle.
Based on the action movie of the same name, "No Escape" puts you in the role of a Marine Special Forces Agent sent to an island prison. The only way out of this living hell is to reach many sub goals en route to escaping the island. There are many hidden traps along the way and the evil Outsiders gang to face. The Sega CD version will feature a 3D map of the prison island to explore as you will.
Finally, based on the Malibu Comic hero, Prime uses digitized artwork to bring the comic book feel to your Sega CD. In the game you star as your hero, Prime and possess all of his secret powers in the quest to rescue your abducted girlfriend, Kelly. In this "beat-um-up" you can do just that, or take to the skies and battle the bad guys, but watch out for those nasty airborne obstacles.
