No one needs to tell Tim Schafer and Double Fine Productions how to get to Sesame Street. They’ve already found the way.
Today Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced Tim and his team at Double Fine are hard at work on Sesame Street: Once upon a Monster, a new Xbox 360 Kinect game that will bring kids and the likes of Cookie Monster together with motion controls. Kids (or adults masquerading as kids who want a piece of Elmo) will play as Cookie Monster, Elmo or other Sesame Street characters as they explore a living storybook called Once Upon a Monster. Kinect will allow the players to jump, dance, fly and more through the imaginary world.
If the name Tim Schafer rings a bell then it should. He’s the guy behind the dizzying rich world and characters of Psychonauts and the savage nature of Brutal Legend. With Once Upon a Monster, Tim and his team will channel their love for Sesame Street as children and their passion for making games into a new experience that promises to “promote lifelong lessons about making friends, cooperation, and recognizing and labeling emotions.”
The real trick for Double Fine is getting kids to use the full-body motion controls properly. I’ve seen how kids under the age of 5 behave in front of Kinect and let’s just say navigating simple menus is quite the adventure.
Click any of the Sesame Street: Once upon a Monster first-look screens below to view the high resolution version. Then join me in craving a chocolate chip cookie… or ten.
