Looks like the Wildcats will be coming back to the Wii one last time. A pair of new games including High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE! for the Wii and High School Musical 3: Senior Year for the Nintendo DS have been announced. While Sing It! was a karaoke game, the new Wii game looks to be a dancing rhythm game using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. On top of that, songs from all three HSM movies will be available in the game.

The DS version lets you use the stylus to have your characters dance on-screen to songs from the third movie, collect pictures for the yearbook, and uses the new DGamer service to interact with other HSM fans. Both games come out this holiday, and yes, I’m buying at least the Wii game. Release and pack shots after the break!

Disney Interactive Studios Announces Upcoming Releases in the “High School Musical” Video Game Franchise

 

Popular Disney Franchise Extends New Storylines and Adventures to Popular Gaming Platforms This Holiday

BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Disney Interactive Studios announced today the release of new video games this holiday season for the globally successful “High School Musical” franchise. High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE! for the Wii™ home video game console, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC allows players to “dance” along with favorite characters to familiar “High School Musical” songs from all three movies, as well as experience another memorable year as Wildcats at East High. High School Musical 3: Senior Year for Nintendo DS™ features all new songs from the upcoming theatrical release of “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” and lets fans play through the game as the Wildcat whose personality is most like theirs.

“We’re building on the success of last year’s line up of ‘High School Musical’ video games with new immersive extensions to the hit property,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “We’ll continue to bring exciting and fresh interactive experiences to ‘High School Musical’ fans everywhere, delivering new storylines, characters and songs.”

High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE! for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 system and Windows-based PC lets players experience the music, familiar locations and popular characters from all three movies, including the upcoming “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” Players move to the rhythm of the hit songs using the controllers unique to each video game console, such as Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™, to classic “High School Musical” anthems, including “We’re All In This Together” and “What Time Is It.”

Players take the role of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad or Taylor, or can customize their own Wildcat, using a variety of outfits, shoes and hairstyles. In addition, the game features various multiplayer modes, including competitive and cooperative play. In competitive mode, users can earn power-ups to affect other players’ performances, while in cooperative mode players need to dance simultaneously and in sync to earn high scores. Fans can also follow along to choreography from the stars, and complete songs to earn points and unlock new songs, clothing and characters.

A unique rhythm-based dance game, High School Musical 3: Senior Year for Nintendo DS also allows players to experience the music, scenes and characters from the “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” film. Players take on the role of the main characters to play along to the rhythm of songs from the upcoming theatrical release. The game features trivia-based personality quizzes that allow players to determine the Wildcat whose personality is most like theirs. This feature lets fans dance through the game as that specific character, performing songs and experiencing the fun themed to Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad or Taylor’s personalities. In addition, High School Musical 3: Senior Year utilizes the DS stylus and D-pad to capture special photos to create a custom East High senior yearbook layout, to keep for years to come.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year for Nintendo DS also features DGamer integration, a new online community designed exclusively for Disney gamers, which allows players to interact with other Nintendo DS gamers via a Wi-Fi connection and online at www.DGamer.com. DGamer allows players to log into either their DS or online accounts to create and customize a unique 3-D avatar and persistent profile. Players will be able to use the service to chat with friends in “High School Musical” chat rooms, as well as accessorize their avatars with unlockables earned while playing the games.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE! for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 system and Windows-based PC and High School Musical 3: Senior Year for Nintendo DS are scheduled for release this holiday season. All titles have an anticipated Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating of E for Everyone.

For more information on Disney Interactive Studios, please visit www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.

Product names, dates, pricing and platform availability are not final and may be subject to change.

About Disney Interactive Studios

Disney Interactive Studios is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California and has five internal game development studios around the world including Avalanche Software, Fall Line Studio, Propaganda Games, Black Rock Studio and Junction Point Studios.

About Disney Channel

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 95 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on 27 Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group.

About HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR

Disney’s “High School Musical” phenomenon leaps onto the big screen in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR, which finds high school seniors Troy (ZAC EFRON) and Gabriella (VANESSA HUDGENS) facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High’s talented ensemble. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR will be released only in theaters in Fall 2008.

BusinessWire