EA Confirms EA Playground For Wii, DS

Electronic Arts has officially confirmed the company's forthcoming EA Playground, a collection of schoolyard sports games for the Wii and Nintendo DS in development at EA Canada, the studio responsible for the well received Wii version of Madden NFL 2007. The game, which was first revealed as part of an IGN preview in early May, will feature a compilation of user friendly games that are designed to be easy to pick up and play by players of all ages and skill levels, not unlike the Nintendo Wii pack-in title Wii Sports. According to EA, both the Wii and DS versions will feature games that are specifically tailored to take advantage of their specific platforms, with players swinging the Wii remote to play tetherball, or blowing onto the DS microphone in order to shoot spitballs. In addition, while multiplayer gameplay is expected to play a significant role in EA Playground, the game will also feature a single player mode allowing players to unlock new activities as well as earn rewards and stickers that can be used to upgrade their character's abilities. “Young, old, male or female -- EA Playground has something for everyone,” said Executive producer Dave McCarthy. “EA Playground transports you to your fantasy playground, packed with interesting characters, over-the top gameplay, and a ton of collectables. Kids can bring the excitement of the playground home, and parents or even grandparents can re-experience their childhood thrills.”