NEW YORK, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American International Toy Fair, Booth #1949 -- LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. , a leading developer of technology-based learning products, today announced fourteen new licensed, Web-connected software titles for its recently unveiled handheld gaming systems, the Leapster2 Learning Game System and the Didj(TM) Custom Gaming System. New titles feature popular characters and stories from leading entertainment properties including Cartoon Network, Lucasfilm Ltd., Nickelodeon and Warner Bros. All new games will connect to the proprietary LeapFrog(R) Learning Path to extend the learning online and further enhance the fun gameplay experiences.
"LeapFrog's educational gaming systems are a great way to get kids engaged in learning and gaming," said Paul Southern, senior director of domestic licensing and marketing of Lucas Licensing. "With the new Star Wars: The Clone Wars games for the Leapster2 and Didj systems, the LeapFrog and Lucas Licensing teams worked together to ensure kids will experience high-quality games that reflect the excitement of our new Clone Wars movie and TV series, while also delivering the educational integrity that LeapFrog is so well known for."
Leapster2 is the latest handheld in the popular Leapster family and offers a sleek new form for enjoying new games such as the exclusive educational game license for Lucasfilm Animation's new CG-animated movie and TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer Camping Adventure: Explore Spanish Words!. The five new licensed titles expand the preschool gameplay online with fun activities and rewards that encourage continued play while allowing parents to see what their child is learning and share in their accomplishments.
The Didj handheld is the first totally customizable educational gaming platform for grade-schoolers and features nine new titles in its introduction year. Didj offers everything from arcade-style play with SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog to adventure gaming with the exclusive educational game licenses for Lucasfilm's INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL and STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS to brain-teasing fun with Warner Bros' Nancy Drew: The Mystery in the Hollywood Hills. Beyond extensive customization features that allow kids to personalize the look and feel of games, parents and kids can customize the learning content, too-connecting gameplay with schoolwork. The Didj system supports what kids are learning in school, from spelling lists to multiplication tables, and lets them practice skills in a fun way.
Parents can get an early peek at the Leapster2 and Didj handhelds and software, as well as the LeapFrog Learning Path at leapfrog.com/gaming and leapfrog.com/learningpath.
"Our licensing partners are vital to our gaming business, especially in a year where we'll be introducing two new systems, Leapster2 and Didj," said Doug Carlucci, vice president of licensing and content acquisitions at LeapFrog. "We know that kids want to play video games that feature characters and stories they love and it's important that we can deliver fun experiences while reinforcing our commitment to learning through this exciting medium."
Learning is Not One-Size-Fits-All
LeapFrog's proprietary new Learning Path is an integrated part of all new gaming titles for 2008. It is a free online tool at leapfrog.com that interfaces with LeapFrog products to show parents what their child is learning and how their activities or games map back to the Scope and Sequence of educational skills that is at the core of every LeapFrog product. Each time parents connect their Leapster2 or Didj system, they can see how education comes to life for their child-the games their child has been playing, the skills they have been practicing and the progress they have been making.
Availability
The Leapster2 handheld will be available in the summer of 2008 with an MSRP of $69.99 and new titles at an MSRP at $24.99. The entire library of 33 titles is cross-compatible with all the Leapster(R) platforms. New licensed titles include:
-- Lucasfilm Ltd.'s Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Math -- Disney/Pixar's WALL-E -- Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer Camping Adventure: Explore Spanish Words! -- Scholastic's I SPY: Treasure Hunt -- Scholastic's Outwit!
The Didj system will be available in the summer of 2008 with an MSRP of $89.99 and new titles with an MSRP of $29.99 each. New licensed titles include:
Summer 2008 -- Cartoon Network's Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends -- Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants: Fists of Foam -- Nicktoons(TM): Android Invasion -- SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog Fall 2008 -- Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull -- Warner Bros' Nancy Drew: The Mystery in the Hollywood Hills About LeapFrog
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., is a leading designer, developer, and marketer of innovative, technology-based learning products and related proprietary content, dedicated to making learning effective and engaging for all ages, at home and in schools, around the world. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog has developed a family of learning platforms that come to life with more than 100 interactive software titles, covering important subjects such as phonics, reading, writing, math, music, geography, social studies, spelling, vocabulary, and science. In addition, the company has created a broad line of stand-alone educational products for children from birth to 16 years. LeapFrog's award-winning U.S. consumer products are available in six languages at major retailers in more than 35 countries around the world. LeapFrog School's multisensory products currently reach students in more than 100,000 classrooms across the United States. LeapFrog School is a business division of LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.
LeapFrog, DIDJ and LEAPSTER are trademarks or registered trademarks of
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Lucasfilm, STAR WARS, THE CLONE WARS, INDIANA
JONES and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & (C)
Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. (C) 2008 VIACOM. SpongeBob SquarePants
created by Stephen Hillenburg. TM & (C) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(s08). All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Copyright (C) 2008 LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
Media contacts:
Erin Nelson Jenna Martin
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Kaplow Communications
510-596-3437 212-221-1713
