Children are attached at the hip to their video or computer gaming systems, and in a world that is filled with extreme action and adventure games it can be concerning to parents exactly what their children are playing or being exposed to.
(prHWY.com) March 5, 2012 - Seattle, WA -- Children are attached at the hip to their video or computer gaming systems, and in a world that is filled with extreme action and adventure games it can be concerning to parents exactly what their children are playing or being exposed to. Shoot for the Stars Productions has created a video game that is targeted to a group of individuals who rarely play videogames; pre-teen or tween girls.
"Tween girls rarely express a desire to pick up a videogame and play it", said Shoot for the Stars Productions CEO Regina Walford. "We think we've come up with a family-friendly gaming solution that will allow tweens to live out their innocent fantasies, and give parents peace at mind that their child is playing an age-appropriate game."
Shoot for the Stars Productions has created a videogame that resembles the 1960s board game "Who's Your Date?" Girls will be presented with several celebrity look-alike avatars and will ask a series of random questions to see which date is the best match for them. Once a match has been made the new couple can explore an entire online world and engage in hundreds of age-appropriate activities.
"We found out that most tween girls just want to spend a day with their favorite celebrity", said Walford. "We designed the game to let them spend that day with them and develop a fictional relationship."
Activities that the new couple can engage in include traveling to the circus, going clothes shopping, taking dance classes, exploring outer space, talking to aliens, and horseback riding. Each activity contains points that are used to develop a relationship with the fictional character. Engage in too many activities and the new boyfriend might get angry, shop for clothes too often and he might get bored.
"It really is just like real life", said gaming designer Heath Filmore. "This really is a Sims-like
video game for girls. It contains all the elements except for the making out, arguments and negative aspects parents are worried about in the Sims."
The video game has been beta-tested by several focus groups for the past three months. Reactions have so far been mixed with girls loving the video game and wanting more, and others just completely not interested in the video game at all.
"The girls that didn't like the video game were the same ones who said they had little or no interest in video games to begin with", said Filmore. "It'll happen. Video games are hit or miss with girls."
"I loved the game and wish there were more activities I could do with my date", said 12-year-old Sherri Swanson. "I can't wait to show my friends."
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