Buy a Game. Help a Child.
Company: Legacy Interactive Product: The Tuttles Madcap Adventures
Looking for a way to make not only your kids, but thousands of kids around the world happy this holiday season? How about buying your child a videogame? Founded in 1983, the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation has dedicated itself to improving the lives of kids with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions. In addition to helping them to better understand their illnesses and helping to connect families facing similar situations, Starlight also helps provide these kids with activities that help ease the fear, loneliness and boredom that typically comes with long hospital stays. However, these things aren't cheap, which is awhy Starlight came up with a very interesting, and original, fundraiser.
According to Patricia Evens, Vice President, Development, at the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation, "Starlight wanted to do something innovative that reflects how people are having fun today." To do this, Starlight hooked up with Legacy Interactive and Animax Entertainment. Together, the two companies produced The Tuttles Madcap Misadventures. The Tuttles are your typical family who face atypical problems while on the road. Barry, the head of the clan, is an absent-minded inventor who, along with his wife, Barbara, decides to take the family on a vacation to the Alamo. Between Barry always being busy and Barbara's unhealthy addiction to Reality TV, the two feel that they aren't spending enough time with their kids, who have their own time-consuming hobbies. Their teen daughter, Jess, is constantly talking on her cell phone and their son, Zach, is a video game zombie.
While mom and dad are excited about the trip, the kids are less than enthusiastic since most of their trips end up in disaster. However, their parents are determined to make this the best trip ever; Barry builds a flying mini-van that comes with everything the family could ever need, while Barbara has stocked up on supplies for every emergency imaginable... well, almost every emergency. While flying to the Alamo, the van runs out of gas and the family crash lands in Egypt, which begins their madcap, globe-trotting adventure. The Tuttles is fun and instantly appealing to just about anyone, especially younger players. Players take control of each member of the family as they do their part in reaching the Alamo. Gameplay is straightforward and revolves mostly around solving level-based puzzles and collecting items. Action takes place across 40 levels and features an original comedic script written by the Emmy Award-winning Animax Entertainment, a company that has worked with Starlight in the past. The game contains over 300 lines of dialogue and features voicework from several prominent stars. Bob Saget plays the part of Barry and is joined by Jamie Lee Curtis as Barbara, Dominic Scott Kay as Zach and High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale as Jess. The Tuttles also marks the reunion of Saget with Full House star Dave Coulier. However, the real show stealer is William Shatner, who voices the on-board computer for the family's mini-van.
Though The Tuttles is a fun game, it is also great to know that you're also helping a great cause. Of the game's $19.99 price-tag, $15 of it is donated to the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. While videogames sometimes seem to be public enemy number one, it is great to see one that can really help to make a difference. This season, don't just make it bright for you own child, but for children around the world.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Related Links: The Tuttles Madcap Misadventures -- Official Site Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation
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