- Data Design Interactive
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Data Design Interactive 
Type Private Founded United Kingdom (1983) Headquarters Stourbridge, United Kingdom Data Design Interactive was a United Kingdom based video game developer and video game publisher. It was founded in 1983, became a limited company in 1999 and ceased trading in 2009[1]. It developed games on the multiple games platforms including PC and consoles. The company became notorious for producing a large number of extremely poor games for the Nintendo Wii.
Contents
Popcorn Arcade
The Popcorn Arcade was Data Design Interactive's publishing label intended to capitalize on the rapid growth of the market for lower-price Wii games. From 2007 DDI released over 30 'family friendly' titles on its Popcorn Arcade label targeted at casual gamers. The games were simple in graphics and gameplay and used characters intended to appeal to children, such as Ninjabread Man, Billy the Wizard and the Myth Makers.
The Popcorn range sold over 3 million units of which over 2 million were in the first year alone. Sales peaked at 40% of the European market for Wii games in this price segment [2]. Later titles such as Kidz Sports Crazy Mini Golf and Mini Golf 2 sold over 400,000 units.[3]
Innovations included Crazy Mini Golf's use of the angle and rotation of the Wii remote to detect small swings rather than the accelerometer - this made the control far more sensitive than Wii Golf, which only used the accelerometer and thus requires a harder, longer swing. Mini Golf 2 improved on the sensitivity and was one of only 4 titles with Motion Plus support demonstrated at the Launch of Motion Plus at E3 2009.[4] Battle Rage 3D was the first Wii title to feature stereoscopic 3D support, requiring Red/Green glasses.[5]
Licenses
Data Design Interactive worked with global brands and licences including Kawasaki, Mini, Harry Potter, BMW, Austin Mini, Rover, Austin-Healey, Spearmint Rhino, Habitrail, LEGO, London Taxi, Tonka and Nickelodeon.
GODS
'Game Orientated Development System' was a game engine developed by DDI for rapid cross platform games development. By re-using large amounts of code between titles DDI achieved very short product release cycles with relatively few development staff. This was often clearly visible in the end product as games looked and played very similarly.
Brands
Data Design Interactive developed their own brands including:
Myth Makers
A range of characters based on cute versions of international mythical characters. Each mythical character is designed to widen its potential market by suiting different seasons and times of the year including Christmas, Easter and Halloween.
Kidz Sports
Kidz Sports is a collection of sports video games for younger gamers. The range is not a licensed style product but more akin to the backyard style titles. The game characters are child oriented in a cartoon style.
Critical response
The Popcorn Arcade range of Wii games received overwhelmingly negative reviews that were highly critical of the products' quality.[6] Gamers and press strongly criticised poor graphics, flawed gameplay, unresponsive controls and lack of polish all associated with rushed production schedules or "shovelware" games.
Data Design Interactive's Kidz Sports Series were IGN's Worst Reviewed Wii Games[7], with all 3 titles receiving 1.0 out of 10. None of Data Design Interactive's Wii games had received a review score higher that 3.0 out of 10. The lowest score of all DDI titles was 0.8 out of 10, given to Action Girlz Racing.[8]
In 2008 games reviewers on IGN and GameSpot UK declared they believed DDI were damaging the Wii games market's credibility by saturating the market with substandard products. One review called for Nintendo to refuse to publish DDI games on the grounds that they were killing public interest in the Wii.[9]
Notable games
- Action Girlz Racing
- Anubis II
- Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing
- Hamster Heroes
- Kawasaki Quad Bikes
- Kawasaki Jet Ski
- Kawasaki Snow Mobiles
- Kidz Sports Basketball
- Kidz Sports Ice Hockey
- Kidz Sports International Soccer
- Kidz Sports Crazy Mini Golf
- LEGO Rock Raiders
- London Taxi: Rushhour
- Mini Desktop Racing
- Monster Trux: Arenas
- Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom
- Myth Makers Super Kart GP
- Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland
- Ninjabread Man
- Offroad Extreme! Special Edition
- Party Pigs: Farmyard Games
- Rock 'N' Roll Adventure
- Urban Extreme
External links
Notes
- ^ "WebCHeck - Select and Access Company Information". Wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk. http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/81317a98f3611fd15174f01df94add0a/compdetails. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ (2008-09-15). "Popcorn Arcade Hits 40% Market Share of the European Value-Priced Wii Games - Wii News at IGN". Uk.wii.ign.com. http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/910/910198p1.html. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ "Popcorn Arcade Range exclusive preview | Retail Biz | MCV". Mcvuk.com. http://www.mcvuk.com/retail-biz/previews/403/Popcorn-Arcade-Range. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ "IGN Video: Kids Sports: Crazy Mini Golf Nintendo Wii Video - E3 2009: Wii MotionPlus". Uk.wii.ign.com. http://uk.wii.ign.com/dor/objects/14354251/kids-sports-crazy-mini-golf/videos/crazyminigolf_trl_wiimotionplus_60409.html;jsessionid=1ho7ld8fu2bpk. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ "3D Stereoscopic Trailer For Wii’s Battle Rage: Robot Wars". Cinemablend.com. 2009-02-05. http://www.cinemablend.com/games/3D-Stereoscopic-Trailer-For-Wii-s-Battle-Rage-Robot-Wars-15033.html. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ James Lyon (2007-10-16). "Popcorn Arcade Roundup Wii Review - Page 1". Eurogamer.net. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/popcorn-arcade-roundup-review. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ by IGN Nintendo Team (2010-07-07). "Worst Reviewed Nintendo Console Games - Wii Feature at IGN". Wii.ign.com. http://wii.ign.com/articles/926/926179p2.html. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ Lucas M. Thomas. "Action Girlz Racing Review". IGN. http://wii.ign.com/articles/953/953363p1.html. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ Surette, Tim (2007-09-18). "Wii getting 13 from Data Design - Wii News at GameSpot". Gamespot.com. http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/anubisii/news.html?sid=6166508. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
References
External links
Categories:- Companies established in 1983
- Video game developers
- Video game companies of the United Kingdom
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