Scholastic’s Magic School Bus was a game that focused on science, primarily astronomy, and it offered a myriad of gameplay segments that were engaging enough to keep kids playing but that were never too hard.
Tag: Novotrade
California Games
Epyx scored a series of hits in the late ’80s with its Games series, and the California edition was ported to every console ever conceived by man. Ok, maybe not that many, but it sure does seem like everyone had a chance to play California Games, no matter what console or computer they had. The Genesis got a port of its own, courtesy of Ecco wonder group Novotrade, but what could have been the best version of all turned out to be a major letdown. After spending time with this one and seeing all the lost potential, we think someone at Novotrade deserved to be smacked in the head with a solid steel footbag.
Exo-Squad
The early ’90s wasn’t a safe place for Saturday morning cartoons. The three major networks were beginning to lose interest in keeping the tradition alive, and many great shows unfortunatley saw an early end. Exo-Squad was one show that disappeared seemingly overnight, and all we were left with were some awesome toys, great memories… and a Genesis game!
Cyborg Justice
One would think that heavily-armed robots beating each other senseless would be a no-brainer formula for a great game. Sega and Novotrade apparently thought so, as Cyborg Justice was their idea of a beat-’em-up that couldn’t lose. Unfortunately, it needed a bit more time in the oven, and the game we got was a half-baked attempt at best.
Richard Scarry’s Busytown
Game analysts everywhere are quick to point out that there’s a large sector of people who aren’t interested in all the bells and whistles of modern consoles (or their high price tags). This, they say, explains why Nintendo’s Wii is such a success. Well, if analysts had just stopped to talk to the preschooler set, they would have found this out years ago! Yes, as long as a game is good, young kids don’t care what console it’s on, and in this area the Genesis can hold its own against the competition – modern or not. Take Richard Scarry’s Busytown, for example. Here’s a game that covers all the bases and provides an instantly accessible world to kids who aren’t even old enough to read yet. It even supports the Mega Mouse!