Humongous Entertainment's Junior Sports series, the first-ever CD-ROM sports games designed for kids, debuts at E3.

WOODINVILLE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 1997--

Backyard Baseball(tm), the first title in the new series, to

hit retail stores in October

She steps up to the plate. Here's the windup and the pitch. She swings! Pow!

Humongous Entertainment hits a grand slam with the unveiling of its Junior Sports(tm) series for 5-to 10-year- olds at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Atlanta June 19-21 at booth 4445. This new series, from the international award-winning creators of hand-animated children's software, serves up the first and only CD-ROM sports series designed for and featuring kids. First to bat is Backyard Baseball(tm), featuring all the action and statistics of adult sports games, with simple mouse-driven controls that even the smallest sports fan can master.

Backyard Baseball captures the fun and laughter of playing a pickup game with kids in the neighborhood. Children can choose their team names and colors and select from a variety of playing fields, including a playground, sandlot, parking lot and stadium. Kids select their teams from 30 of the funniest boys and girls in town. Each player has a unique look, personality and abilities, so picking the ideal team is always a fun challenge. Entertaining play-by-play announcers Sunny Day and Vinnie "the Gooch" share amusing tidbits about each player and add witty perspective to the game when calling every pitch, swing and catch.

"Until now, the friendships, good times and pure playfulness of sports could not be found in computer games for kids," said Ralph Giuffre, Humongous Entertainment executive vice president of marketing and licensing. "Junior Sports creates an exciting experience designed for and starring kids, with colorful characters and hand-drawn animation that bring sports games to life."

"With its incredible 3-D ball movement, Backyard Baseball is one of the most complex games we've ever developed," said Rich Moe, Backyard Baseball co-designer and lead programmer. "We've calculated realistic ball movements based on the game's field surfaces and objects such as trash containers and fences, so the ball bounces and rolls in a true three-dimensional manner."

Powerful Surprises

Backyard Baseball combines all the action of a full baseball simulation, including pitching, hitting, fielding and statistics, with the fun and excitement of a children's game. Hitting has never been easier: Kids control when to swing, how hard to swing, and where to hit the ball. Pitchers choose from a variety of pitches, hoping to throw the perfect strikeout. For the littlest athletes, the game features a T-ball mode that allows them to take a whack at every ball that is served up.

Backyard Baseball also delivers an exciting variety of special Power Ups surprises for hitters and pitchers. Power Ups, awarded for pitching a strikeout or making a hit when up against a tough pitcher, are unusual bats, pitches or energizing juice that kids can use during game play. When kids are up at bat, Power Ups include boosted bats such as:

--Under Grounder. Kids dig this bat that drives the ball into the dirt and makes it mysteriously reappear somewhere in the outfield.

-- Crazy Bunt. "That ball has eyes!" A Crazy Bunt takes the ball on unexpected twists and turns to steer clear of all the fielding players.

When kids are pitching, Power Ups include crazy cartoon pitches such as:

-- Elevator Ball. This ball takes the art of pitching to new heights. It hovers along the ground until the last moment, when it rises into the strike zone.

-- Fire Ball. "Pitching heat" takes on a whole new meaning when this ball catches fire as it speeds to the plate.

Baseball Cards

Kid characters take center stage in Backyard Baseball. During game play, children get to know each Backyard Baseball kid character. The characters have their own baseball cards that give information about them and indicate their star rating in four main categories: running, throwing, hitting and catching. During game play, kids also discover each character's unique abilities and traits such as coordination and attention span. Time of day also plays an important role in each game because parents may call players home for a piano lesson or supper.

"Backyard Baseball gives each kid character a colorful, unique personality and detail that are unprecedented in other sports games," said Mark Peyser, co-designer and lead artist for Backyard Baseball. "Each player has a distinct look, likes and dislikes, as well as a particular attention span and coordination. Children fall in love with the characters and have a blast playing this hilarious game."

Kids can print team photos, character baseball cards and statistics to get the lowdown on their favorite players. Included among the characters are:

-- Stephanie Morgan. She loves baseball and collects caps, jerseys and baseball cards from all her favorite teams and players. Her short attention span is her Nemesis; she talks all the time and, between words, chomps on a piece of bubble gum.

-- Jorge Garcia. Probably the richest kid at the ballpark, Jorge may also be the biggest whiner. Jorge always wears a shirt and tie, but don't expect him to slide; he doesn't want to get his clothes dirty.

-- Ashley and Sidney Webber. They are identical twins who love to play on the same team. Separate them, and they may not play up to their potential.

-- Maria Luna. She wouldn't be considered an all-star, but put her on a team whose uniforms are pink -- her favorite color -- and a whole new ballplayer emerges.

Backyard Baseball League Play

The Backyard Baseball League(tm) lets kids choose a team and play 16 action-packed games on their way to the League Championship. If the team is lucky enough to win the League Championship, the National Championship is on deck, with the World Championship waiting in the wings. Statistics are compiled throughout the season, so kids can keep track of their favorite players at any point during the season. Junior Sports

Junior Sports games give kids a new way to enjoy the fun and innocence of the backyard contests that create so many childhood memories. Thirty of the funniest boys and girls in the neighborhood make sure a game is never too far away as your child chooses teammates. The Junior Sports series provides all the action and excitement of adult sports games, while easy-to-use controls allow even the littlest athletes to compete with the best of the backyard leagues. Humongous Entertainment's feature-film-quality animation brings quirky personalities and offbeat antics to the first series of sports games featuring and designed for kids!

Platform and Availability

Backyard Baseball will be available on hybrid CD-ROM for Windows 95, Windows 3.1 and Macintosh for $39.95 in October.

Humongous Entertainment

Established in 1992 by Shelley Day and Ron Gilbert, Humongous Entertainment is recognized for pushing the edge in interactive storytelling and delivering high-quality, hand-animated CD-ROMs starring endearing original characters including Putt-Putt(r), Freddi Fish(tm), Pajama Sam(tm), Fatty Bear(tm) and Buzzy the Knowledge Bug(tm). Humongous Entertainment creates interactive Junior Adventure(tm), Junior Field Trips(tm), Junior Arcade(tm), Big Thinkers(tm) and Junior Sports games that encourage kids to explore, discover and have fun. Humongous Entertainment, a subsidiary of GT Interactive Software Corp. (NASDAQ: GTIS), can be reached on the World Wide Web at www.humongous.com .

-0- Freddi Fish, Pajama Sam, Fatty Bear, Buzzy the Knowledge Bug, Junior Arcade, Junior Adventure, Junior Field Trips, Junior Sports, Backyard Baseball, Backyard Baseball League and Big Thinkers are trademarks of Humongous Entertainment Inc. Other brand names and products may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. These products and Humongous Entertainment Inc. are not in any manner affiliated with Putt-Putt(r) Golf Courses of America Inc.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Visit Humongous Entertainment's online press room at www.humongous.com/about/pr0.html for news releases, awards, articles, screen shots, product and company information plus more.

CONTACT: John Uppendahl, [e-mail], 206-951-2127

Mike Salvadore, [e-mail], 206-951-2149