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'Emerald Island' Makes its Kid-Friendly Debut

by Rainier on Nov. 3, 2008 @ 10:05 a.m. PST

Fluid Entertainment's Emerald Island is an original MMO aimed at children that challenges players to become online eco-heroes in a mission to save a vibrant, imaginary, virtual world from environmental destruction.

Emerald Island offers kids a green-themed virtual world featuring fun and adventure, awesome games and cool characters. Players are challenged to “Help Save Emerald Island!” from environmental destruction at the hands of the pillaging Pirat invaders. Designed for children age 6 to 12, Emerald Island features next-generation technology (including advanced safeguards to ensure a secure online experience), player-driven characters and an evolving plotline that invite kids to create a rich virtual world and then overcome obstacles to preserve it.

Newcomers to Emerald Island are greeted with the following scenario: Captain Blunderbore and the Pirats have decimated the environment of seven of the eight islands in the World of Viridis. Only Emerald Island remains. The nasty Pirats, however, are gathering their forces to stage a final assault and fulfill their mission of razing the land, pillaging its natural treasures and overthrowing Tamino, Emerald Island’s elusive hero. As Emerald Island’s only hope for survival, visitors are invited to team up with a diverse cast of characters to defend the still-lush island and its capital city of Bloomtown. To do so, they must explore their surroundings, don disguises to infiltrate the rodents’ lair, and navigate increasingly challenging quests in which reward comes in the form of both currency and status. When not distracted by the Pirats, Emerald Island “Seedizens” turn their attention to their home plots, where they decorate their dwellings and transform dirt plots into vibrant gardens. They also drive Bloomtown’s economy by selling crops and collecting items for trade.

With its focus on interactivity, Emerald Island encourages creativity, expression, exploration and collaboration, and offers kids a fun way to engage with real-world scenarios as they learn about the environment. As players tend to their gardens, for example, they have the chance to learn about the more than 100 different plants that are featured in the game. Frequently updated activities and mini-games contribute further to the development of problem-solving, reasoning, social and computer skills.

In keeping with the environmental theme of the game and to encourage players in real-world environmentalism, Fluid Entertainment has partnered with Trees for the Future, an organization dedicated to sustainable agroforestry and to helping communities around the world plant trees. For each new subscription received over the next 30 days, Fluid Entertainment will donate 10 trees to Trees for the Future.

Emerald Island is available for download and immediate play at the official website.

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