"Jester has long been renowned for creating original and entertaining product. With our strong organisational structure and key licences, we are now ideally placed to take advantage of the expanding video game market" commented Jester Interactive CEO Gavin Morgan.
The well regarded developer will release the first of its motorsport titles, with Super Trucks - the official game of the truck racing championship - released for PlayStation 2 in time for Easter 2002. It will then be followed by the previously announced Official Isle of Man T.T. motorcycle game, with other motorsport titles to follow, ensuring the company starts with a strong portfolio.
Jester has also secured the entire 23-game back catalogue of veteran developer Graftgold and also holds the rights to two of the best-known video games of all time: Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy. 2002 will also see Jester release a soon-to-be-announced 'Super Club' branded PC version of its Music franchise, the latest in its award-winning music-creation series.
Product information:
Super Trucks is an all action racing game, faithfully recreating the powerful motor sport. Featuring officially licensed trucks, teams, drivers and circuits, the game is a showcase of both the PlayStation 2's capabilities and of truck racing. An extensive marketing and PR campaign will support its release, with Jester Interactive working closely with the sport's leading competitors for cross-promotional activities.
Jester's Game Boy Advance update of Manic Miner mixes old with new. The original game's 20 stages have all been recreated down to the last gameplay nuance with old favourites such as 'Eugene's Lair' and 'Attack of the Killer Telephones' identical to those of the classic ZX Spectrum version. The handheld game also contains additional new stages, and has undergone a graphical makeover to bring the game bang up to date.
This reinvention will then continue as the new publisher furthers its Music series, with a special club edition endorsed by one of the UK's leading Super Clubs. The PC title will continue Jester's quest to deliver studio-quality music-creation software within an easy-to-use to package. Further details of the 'Super Club' deal will be announced at a later date.
"Titles such as Super Trucks and the Official Isle of Man T.T. will continue our enviable reputation as producers of quality entertainment software and also demonstrate an eye for a franchise that could equal anything else in the marketplace," continued CEO Gavin Morgan.
"Similarly, in acquiring the back catalogue of Graftgold titles we have a ready-made series of classic games just waiting to be updated for modern tastes," he continued. "Good gameplay is something that never dates, and we are looking forward to reinventing the likes of Manic Miner for today's games players. And with the new incarnation of Music rounding off our initial batch of titles we are extremely excited about the year ahead."