Apple recently launched the Apple TV, which features Siri-enabled search, and the ability to play games using a specially designed touch sensor controller. With the set-top device comes more opportunities to take advantage of “appisodes,” which are apps that show an interactive animated cartoon episode. Some are made from actual broadcast TV episodes from popular series, remade to include interactive elements, making it a great time for a brand like the Care Bears to shine.
Variety reports that American Greetings has released a new interactive video application that kids of all ages can enjoy. Titled Care Bear-A-Thon, the app enables users to guide their favorite Care Bear from the popular television and toy series across various stories, using the remote control as a motion controller.
Available now free of charge, the app will draw kids into the world of the lovable bears, based on a series of interactive experiences. These include working with the main star, Funshine Bear, through different scenarios, like riding a bicycle or writing on a notepad. Other characters, like Tenderheart Bear, are also featured.
The app was co-developed by start-up team Plumzi, a company that specializes in creating appisodes based on animated TV shows, with more offerings sure to be on the way. Care Bears, which were created by American Greetings in the 80s, became a popular TV show, and has seen multiple resurgences. One of the most recent being a Netflix show called Care Bears & Cousins that will premiere in the fall.
“The Care Bear-A-Thon appisode for Apple TV is an exciting and immersive experience for Care Bears fans of all ages,” said Sean Gorman, president for American Greetings Entertainment. “Plumzi is a premier appisode technology platform, and we are very proud of our collaboration on this first-to-market innovation starring the Care Bears.”
“The linear TV format as we know it was invented for what television sets could do 80 years ago play images and sound only,” said Plumzi CEO Guillaume Cohen. “With the emergence of new viewing platforms like the new Apple TV, viewers have many more ways to experience a story and take part in the narrative.”
American Greetings is no stranger to providing Care Bears fans with various products, including greeting cards, consumer products and a new Netflix series, Care Bears & Cousins, set to premiere on Netflix in the months ahead.
This isn’t the first time that a company catered to an all-ages group using a motion-sensitive device, as Nintendo returned to top-form in the market back in 2006 with its Nintendo Wii, entertaining players of all ages with various games with motion-based controls. However, that platform never really got a Care Bears game to cater to that audience, where Apple TV has Care Bear-A-Thon to turn to.
Many animated kids shows are picking up the appisode format, so fans should look forward to plenty more Care Bears adventures to come. For those who don’t own an Apple TV, there’s also an iOS version available.
