Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Wii(TM) and PC Comes to Retail
Sleuthing Canine and Rabbit Duo Seize Space in Stores with the Series' Award-Winning Second Season Coming to Retail in North America
NEW YORK, March 10 -- Atari, Inc., one of the world's most recognized videogame publishers announced today that Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space has shipped to retailers in North America through its partnership with Telltale Games. Fans can play this videogame sitcom as their favorite canine and rabbit detective duo on Wii(TM) and PC. The critically acclaimed franchise's second season features five full episodes of the unhinged humor, vexing mysteries, and exotic environments audiences have come to expect from the series.
In Sam & Max: Beyond Time & Space the canine gumshoe and hyperkinetic "rabbity thing" explore the surreal and supernatural, venturing out of the confines of their New York City office to intriguing locales like Santa's North Pole workshop and a bumping zombie dance party as they attempt to solve an epic mystery over the course of several bizarre misadventures. Along the way, the Freelance Police will get a little help from some familiar faces from the series' first season, including Bosco, Flint Paper, and Stinky!
The game's very accessible approach is ideal for living room play on the Wii with friends and family. Episodes are the perfect length for the discerning casual player who desires a satisfying gaming experience within a reasonable amount of time. Additionally, the game boasts an innovative, integrated hint system that detects when a player is stuck and provides adjustable levels of assistance, unobtrusively integrated within the game experience.
Sam & Max got their start in comics in 1987, courtesy of cartoonist Steve Purcell. They have appeared in several formats over the years, including a graphic adventure game, Sam & Max Hit the Road, in 1993; an award-winning animated series in 1998; and an online web comic in 2006, for which Purcell was awarded an Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic. Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space won IGN's "Best Graphic Adventure Game" award in 2008, along with two "Editor's Choice" accolades from PC Gamer.
Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space is rated "T" (for teen) by ESRB and will be available on Wii and PC beginning March 9 for a suggested retail price of $19.95 in North America.
Telltale is the first and only studio to release interactive episodic content on a monthly schedule. Founded in 2004 by LucasArts veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for downloadable game seasons and releasing more than 30 games to date. Telltale's titles have won numerous awards including "Adventure Game of the Year" accolades from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers, and have been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times to Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes episodic series on Mac, PC, Wii(TM), Xbox 360(TM) with plans to expand to additional platforms and channels in 2010.
About ATARI, SA
Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.
Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Lunar Lander®), original owned franchises (Test Drive®, Backyard Sports(TM), Deer Hunter®), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters®, Project Runway(TM), Dungeons and Dragons®).