The Ant Bully Muscles Into Stores
And it's arrived atop an looming tidal wave of promotion.
Published: July 24, 2006
Licensed games are becoming commonplace, and if it's a kid's movie -- thanks to the wholly myopic view that video games are for kids -- it's a virtual certainty. Luckily, licensed games are at least getting better, some of them reaching the point where they could stand on their own without the license... almost. We don't dare comment on where The Ant Bully will fall, but given that Artificial Mind and Movement is behind the game... well, that doesn't really tell us anything. It could be very solid indeed or [game=533hideously mediocre[/game].
It's like a condensed version of the very same crapshoot you go with any licensed game release these days. Fun! One thing's for sure, though, if you happen to watch TV -- particularly kid's TV -- you're going to have the digital tale of a kid shrunk down by ants to learn a lesson about self-respect crammed into your eye sockets.
"Midway´s relationship with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on The Ant Bully is an important part of our company´s expansion into the younger gaming market," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. "We´ve timed our marketing campaign and launch for the game closely with that of the film, allowing players to help an ant–sized Lucas on his quest to help save the ant colony as soon as the movie premieres."
A "timed" marketing campaign is a nice way of saying "if you watch Kids' WB, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite or Cartoon Network, or read Nickelodeon Magazine, MAD Kids, DC comics, Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids or Disney Adventures, visit Kids AOL, CartoonNetwork.com, KidsWB.com, Nick.com or Nickelodeon.com, or eat at Burger King or drink ICEEs or Langer's Juices, this shizz will be all up in yo grill." Except, y'know, not nearly as much of a run-on sentence or a mouthful that only the Micro Machines man could get out in a single breath. Yeah, we just made a reference to kids' stuff that's 20 years old. We're out of it.
The game should be in stores tomorrow, and if you needed a little extra push to pick up a copy, there is a free kid's movie ticket inside, so you could at least get your little screaming munchkin inside the theatre before the incessant wailing drives you batty. That's a plus, right? We may have a review up soon, but given the past history of completely random releases from Midway to our office, we're not holding our breath here.
It's like a condensed version of the very same crapshoot you go with any licensed game release these days. Fun! One thing's for sure, though, if you happen to watch TV -- particularly kid's TV -- you're going to have the digital tale of a kid shrunk down by ants to learn a lesson about self-respect crammed into your eye sockets.
"Midway´s relationship with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on The Ant Bully is an important part of our company´s expansion into the younger gaming market," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. "We´ve timed our marketing campaign and launch for the game closely with that of the film, allowing players to help an ant–sized Lucas on his quest to help save the ant colony as soon as the movie premieres."
A "timed" marketing campaign is a nice way of saying "if you watch Kids' WB, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite or Cartoon Network, or read Nickelodeon Magazine, MAD Kids, DC comics, Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids or Disney Adventures, visit Kids AOL, CartoonNetwork.com, KidsWB.com, Nick.com or Nickelodeon.com, or eat at Burger King or drink ICEEs or Langer's Juices, this shizz will be all up in yo grill." Except, y'know, not nearly as much of a run-on sentence or a mouthful that only the Micro Machines man could get out in a single breath. Yeah, we just made a reference to kids' stuff that's 20 years old. We're out of it.
The game should be in stores tomorrow, and if you needed a little extra push to pick up a copy, there is a free kid's movie ticket inside, so you could at least get your little screaming munchkin inside the theatre before the incessant wailing drives you batty. That's a plus, right? We may have a review up soon, but given the past history of completely random releases from Midway to our office, we're not holding our breath here.
