The Nintendo Wii is often labeled as the “kiddie console,” but it’s not been justified until now. Nickelodeon and 2K Games this afternoon unveiled the first Wii game specifically designed for pre-schoolers: Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue.
Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue will also ship for the PlayStation 2. Oh, and did we mention that the game will release next week? Yep, it ships in North America on February 12. (Pre-order it here from Amazon.com.)
Based on Nickelodeon research with preschoolers and their families to determine how the platform’s motion-play capabilities are absorbed by younger children, Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue was designed with 13 Wii-centric motions that maximize the engineering of the Wii Remote for a preschooler.
Taking on the role of Diego in a race across Africa, gamers stomp to scare away lions, jump with Baby Jaguar, paint stripes on zebras, climb up ladders and swim across the jungle river by mimicking those actions with the Wii Remote.
Research findings show that parents often chose to stay in the room and participate in gameplay; accordingly, the game has a unique feature which allows parents to collaborate with younger gamers by using the special Safari Guide Helper Feature and a second Wii Remote. Preschoolers can, by themselves, help Diego blow up a hot air balloon by pumping up and down, but their actions are enhanced with speed and vibrant animations when assisted.
Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue was developed by High Voltage and will be available for the Wii for a suggested retail price of $39.99 and the PS2 for $29.99.