Smart Discs

by Charles Mohnike
June 2000

Inside DVD Magazine

DVD Video
URL: www.insidedvd.com
MSRP: Free

Inside DVD is an innovative, free entertainment magazine distributed as a DVD disc. Each issue contains previews for upcoming theater attractions, soon-to-be-released DVDs, music and PC and console games. As an added bonus, the "B" side of each issue contains a full-length, recent-run movie.

While it’s clear that the possibilities of a multimedia magazine are still in their infancy, Inside DVD does a good job of presenting a wide variety of audio and video presentations in a format that’s easy to navigate with your DVD video player’s back and forward buttons. The issue we reviewed used narrators to guide us through the process of selecting one of four categories, then a second sub-menu and narrator led us to the particular movie trailer or audio presentation we wanted to view. As a magazine, it’s apparent that Inside DVD is designed largely as a promotional tool for media outlets, but heyit’s free, and you can’t beat the bonus movie. To subscribe, check out the Inside DVD Web site.

Boggle
CD-ROM
URL: www.hasbro.com
MSRP: $9.99

This release from Hasbro Interactive marks yet another classic table game entering the virtual world, and fortunately for Smart TV’ers it translates very well to TV. In the classic Boggle, players scrambled 16 lettered dice in a 4 x 4 grid and then worked against an hourglass to form as many words as they could before the sands of time signaled the end of a round. Hasbro’s new CD duplicates the classic version and adds four new fast-paced variations that can be played by 1-4 players, or with other users via the Internet.

The simplicity of Boggle makes it ideal for living-room play. Even at a good distance from the screen, the lettered dice and text are clear and easy to read.

Backyard Football
CD-ROM
URL: www.humongous.com
MSRP: $19.99

As the latest release in Humongous Entertainment’s popular "Junior Sports" series, this game CD brings the football experience to kids ages 5-10. The sharp animation and high-quality sound are perfect for TV viewing, and game play is surprisingly easy to navigate with a mouse or game pad. Players can choose from season or single-game modes, offering complex features like custom-built teams and a pre-season practice function. In either mode, animated characters provide a running play-by-play commentary. Game play is fast enough to be exciting, but paced to let kids keep track of what’s happening on the field.

Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp
DVD Video
URL: www.digitalleisure.com
MSRP: $49.95

Lovers of Dragon’s Lair will be happy to know that Digital Leisure has released Don Bluth’s sequel, Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp on DVD.

Players must choose the correct movements at the appropriate times, and the animation is as lively and colorful as ever. The action of the game is quick and so it offers you two modes: regular and slow. In addition to game play, the menu features a selection that lets you watch the story unfold as a feature film.