Data Design Interactive

Data Design Interactive is a United Kingdom based video game developer, as well as a video game publisher. Founded in 1983 and became a limited company in 1999 they have developed games on a variety of platforms, including the PC, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and the Wii.

Popcorn Arcade
The Popcorn Arcade is Data Design Interactive publishing label aimed exclusively to capitalise on the rapid growth of the Wii Market. Popcorn Arcade is targeted at casual gamers. The range features characters like the notorious Ninjabread Man, Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing and the Myth Makers Super Kart GP. The Popcorn Arcade range of Wii based titles have received harsh industry criticism for low quality.

Licenses
Data Design Interactive has worked with global brands and licences in the past, past licenses have included, Kawasaki, Mini, Harry Potter, Spearmint Rhino, Habitrail, Lego, Tonka and Nickelodeon.

The GODS Engine
Data Design Interactive have developed and uses 'Game Orientated Development System' (or G.O.D.S.). The Engine was developed to produce cross platform games for multiple systems.

NuYu
NuYu (pronounced New-You) is Data Design Interactive's customisable player character editor which is exclusive for their Popcorn Arcade Wii range. NuYu’s allow the user to capture a caricature of themselves and others. After creating them, they can be used as participating characters in NuYu compatible games.

The first game featuring NuYus will be Kidz Sports – Crazy Mini Golf.

Brands
Data Design Interactive have developed their own brands including;

Myth Makers

A range of characters based on cute versions of international mythical characters. Each mythical character is designed to widen its potential market by suiting different seasons and times of the year including Christmas, Easter and Halloween.

Kidz Sports

Kidz Sports as the title suggests, is a collection of sports video games for younger gamers. The range is not a licensed style product but more akin to the backyard style titles. The game characters are child oriented in a cartoon style.

Critical response
Many of Data Design Interactive's recent games are criticized by gamers and critics alike, frequently citing graphics, gameplay, and lack of polish all associated with rushed production schedules or "shovelware" games, mostly due to the fact that DDI uses the same game engine (G.O.D.S.) for most of their games, and that many of these games are carbon copies of each other, due to having identical layouts, music, characters, etc. Some of their games have received a rare 1.0 or less at IGN, and other rating sites such as Gamespot.

On October 31, 2008, Data Design Interactive's Wii Kidz Sports Series, Kidz Sports: Basketball, Hockey, and International Soccer earned first place for the Wii section of IGN's Worst Reviewed Nintendo Console Games, with all 3 titles receiving a 1.0 from them. IGN also gave honorable mention to the rest of Data Design Interactive's Wii library, with all games so far receiving no more than a 3.0 from them.

Reviews on IGN and on Gamespot UK through 2008, both from staff writers and gamers personal experiences, target DDI as a major influence in damaging the games markets credibility and for saturating the market with inferior products. One review went as far as suggesting Nintendo should ban DDI from making games as they thought it would be the death of the Wii. More recently, their game, Action Girlz Racing, was given a 0.8 by IGN, one of the lowest scores ever in the sites history.

In Issue 44 of Official Nintendo Magazine, readers were issued the challenge to "Play Ninjabread Man and enjoy it". They later said it was impossible.

There is an online petition for Nintendo to revoke Data Design Interactive's license to make Nintendo games.

Notable Games

 * Action Girlz Racing
 * Anubis II
 * Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing
 * Kawasaki Quad Bikes
 * Kawasaki Jet Ski
 * Kawasaki Snow Mobiles
 * Kidz Sports Basketball
 * Kidz Sports Ice Hockey
 * Kidz Sports International Soccer
 * LEGO Rock Raiders
 * London Taxi: Rushhour
 * Mini Desktop Racing
 * Monster Trux: Arenas
 * Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom
 * Myth Makers Super Kart GP
 * Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland
 * Ninjabread Man
 * Offroad Extreme! Special Edition
 * Rock 'N' Roll Adventure
 * Urban Extreme