DVD TV game

A DVD TV game (or DVDi, "DVD interactive") is a standalone game that can be played on a set-top DVD player. The game takes advantage of technology built into the DVD format to create an interactive gaming environment compatible with most DVD players without requiring additional hardware. This technology has been used for gaming, advertising, music, education, and corporate training.

History

DVD TV games were first developed in the late 1990s. They were poorly received and understood as an entertainment medium. However, DVD-based game consoles like the Playstation 2 popularized DVD-based gaming, and also functioned as a DVD video player.

In 1997 Digital Leisure was formed and started producing a version of the popular Laserdisc game Dragon's Lair on DVD.

In 2002, Screenlife introduced the first DVD board game with the Scene It? Movie Edition. Since then, Screenlife has sold over 15 million games, and has more than 20 titles in its collection. Screenlife Games is considered the front-runner of the overall DVD Game market, having pioneered the category and has won numerous awards since its first release.

In 2004, Snap TV,Inc. a Santa Monica-based toy and interactive game introduced a series of DVD Games. With 12 games that target children ages 3 - 12, the company is the leading producer of DVD games for kids.

Imagination Games are leaders in DVD Games, with titles that include Press Your Luck, Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Imagination Games recently won the Stevie Award for Most Innovative Company Under 2,500 employees in both the USA and Asia Pacific.

In 2007, MGA Entertainment released a DVD Game version of the popular television game show Jeopardy!. The game featured host Alex Trebek, 3 wireless buzzers and a plugin unit for your DVD player that keeps score. They had previously released a DVD Game version of the $100,000 Pyramid and announced they planned release a Wheel of Fortune DVD Game in 2008.

In 2008, Pressman Toy Corporation released The Office DVD Game based on the NBC-TV sitcom. The game is narrated by Paul Lieberstein who plays the character Toby Flenderson on the show.

In addition, the format has been used to import some video games to the DVD format, allowing them to be played with a standard DVD player rather than requiring a PC. Examples include Dragon's Lair and Who Shot Johnny Rock?. At least one PC/console game has also been adapted as a DVD TV game: Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness was released in 2006 as a DVD game entitled Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Action Adventure.

Companies producing DVD TV games

• Snap TV, Inc.
• Screenlife
• Imagination Games
• BrickLoop, Inc. (U.S. Patent 7335098 Awarded February 26, 2008)
• The Cannery
• CIRCUS
• Digital Leisure (Several Games)
• Hasbro
• HER Interactive
• Hirameki
• Lean Forward Media
• Little Worlds Studio
• MusicandBrands
• MGA Entertainment
• Pressman Toy Corporation
• Vision Wise Inc
• ZyX
• ZOO Digital Group