A mock-up of the Kaplan SAT Prep DS, under development by Aspyr Media
Oh, Brain Age: what have you wrought?
Later today,
Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions (a division of Kaplan, which is in turn
owned by Newsweek's own parent company, The Washington Post Company)
will announce that it is partnering with Aspyr Media to develop an
as-yet-untitled SAT test prep game for the Nintendo DS. Versions for
Windows-based PCs and Macs are also in development. According to Aspyr
co-founder Ted Staloch, Aspyr reached out to Kaplan Test Prep last
summer to see if the two companies might be able to work together on a
game that would hit the sweet spot of Brain Age fans and students
studying for the SAT. "This is not a study break," Staloch told us last
week during a phone interview. "This is a way to prepare for the test."
Staloch
and Kaplan's director of pre-college programs Kristen Campbell were
reticent to share many details, as the game is still early in
development. Campbell did say that part of the appeal to Kaplan was the
ability to reach young people through videogames, just as it has done
via iTunes and manga.
"The reality is that for a lot of students, the way they study has
changed," says Campbell. "This is a great way to supplement our
tutoring or classroom programs."
As the caption says, the image
above is a mockup of what the game's menu will look like, as well as
its main character. We asked Aspyr for more detail about the main
character; here's what the publicist told us via email:
This yet-to-be-named character is a big part of our game.
He/she/it is your in-game companion. It will either be an active part
of a game or it’ll just be there to guide you along or cheer you on. To
hear our designer describe it, it’s also a visual representation of the
player and his or her progression in the game. The character will
"evolve" as you play, doing different animations, opening up different
customizations, etc.
The two companies expect to announce the game's name, along with
additional details, in 4-6 weeks. Check back with us then for a closer
look.
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