Disney's Activity Center

{{Infobox video game series

| title = Disney's Activity Center

| image = Disney's Aladdin Activity Center.jpg

| caption = The 1994 video game Disney's Aladdin Activity Center

| platforms = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Playstation

| developer = Disney Software / Disney Interactive
Gryphon Software

| publisher = Disney Software / Disney Interactive

| first release version = Disney's Aladdin Activity Center

| first release date = 1994

| latest release version = Disney-Pixar's Monsters, Inc. Activity Center

| latest release date = 2002

| genre =

| spinoffs =

}}

Disney's Activity Center is a series of PC and PlayStation games released by Disney Interactive with each title consisting of various activities and minigames to be completed, using aspects of their licensed property.

Development

Disney Interactive was founded in 1994 via the acquisition of Sanctuary Woods, to develop and market a range of interactive entertainment based on their properties.{{Cite web|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1996/10/21/5713-19961021/|title=Special Report: Interactive Production: Disney interacting with Victoria|date=October 21, 1996|first=Ian|last=Edwards|access-date=2018-12-29}} The company's distribution was handled by Disney division Buena Vista. Ex-Sanctuary Woods' 35 staff in their local Victoria, British Columbia office became a small part of Disney Interactive's 300 employees, handling the programming, sound and graphic design, and art. Meanwhile, Disney Interactive managed the animation and creative from their Burbank head office. The developers aimed to have a "true and fair representation of the original property", having the feature films' directors and producers working alongside their artists and designers.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_wgsEAAAAMBAJ_2|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_wgsEAAAAMBAJ_2/page/n68 69]|quote=disney activity center interactive studios.|title=Billboard|date=1995-02-18|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|language=en}} The developer was one of several interactive divisions of film studios sprouting at the time, including Universal Interactive Studios, Turner Interactive, Fox Interactive, Sony Imagesoft, and Imagination Pilots (MGM). Disney Interactive felt the initial success of the Activity and Storybook games would boost the success of their Learning Series (kicked off with Ready to Read with Pooh) and the first game from their creativity line Disney's Draw & Paint.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sQ4EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22disney%22+activity+center%22+interactive+studios&pg=PA66|title=Billboard|date=1997-02-22|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|language=en}}

List of games

Game	Year of release !Notes
class="wikitable"
Disney's Activity Center: Aladdin	November 1994 \|The game's designers and artists worked hand in hand with the film's directors and producers. The title sold 100,000 copies by 18 February 1995.
Disney's Activity Center: The Lion King	1995 \| Ryan O'Donohue replaces Jonathan Taylor Thomas as the voice of Young Simba because Thomas was busy acting as Tom Sawyer for Disney's live action production of Tom and Huck.
Disney's Activity Center: Toy Story	1996 \|
Disney's Activity Center: The Little Mermaid	1998 \|
Disney's Activity Center: The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride	1998 \|
Disney's Activity Center: A Bug's Life	1998 \|
Disney's Activity Center: Beauty and the Beast	1999 \|
Disney's Activity Center: Tarzan	1999 \|
Disney's Activity Center: Toy Story 2	1999 \|
Disney's Activity Center: Winnie the Pooh	2000 \|Based on the story Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.{{cite book\|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_CQ4EAAAAMBAJ\|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_CQ4EAAAAMBAJ/page/n83 72]\|title=Billboard\|date=2000-02-19\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media\|language=en}}
Disney's Activity Center: Dinosaur	May 16, 2000{{Cite web\|url=http://www.gamedaily.com:80/news/april_00/4_28/index.shtml\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010521205417/http://www.gamedaily.com/news/april_00/4_28/index.shtml\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=2001-05-21\|title=GameDaily - Interactive Entertainment Industry News for 4-28-00\|date=2001-05-21\|access-date=2018-12-31}} \|
Disney's Activity Center: The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea	2000 \|
Disney's Activity Center: 102 Dalmatians	2001 \|
Disney's Activity Center: The Emperor's New Groove	2001 \|
Disney's Activity Center: Atlantis: The Lost Empire	2001 \|
Disney's Activity Center: Tigger	March 2001{{cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Disney+%22Activity+Center%22+billboard&pg=RA1-PA49\|title=Billboard\|date=2001-02-17\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media\|language=en}} \|
Disney's Activity Center: Monsters, Inc.	2002 \|

Critical reception

On AllGame, Disney's The Lion King Activity Center received 3.5 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21735|title=Disney's The Lion King Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} Disney's Aladdin Activity Center received 3.5 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17610|title=Disney's Aladdin Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} Disney's Toy Story Activity Center received 3.5 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21935|title=Disney's Toy Story Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} Disney's Winnie the Pooh Activity Center received 3.5 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=22846|title=Disney's Winnie the Pooh Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} Disney's 102 Dalmatians Activity Center received 3.5 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=28969|title=Disney's 102 Dalmatians Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} Disney's Dinosaur Activity Center received 2 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=25257|title=Disney's Dinosaur Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} Disney's Tigger Activity Center received 3 stars,{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=33205|title=Disney's Tigger Activity Center - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}} and Disney's Tarzan Activity Center received 3 stars.{{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=46321|title=Disney's Tarzan Activity Center [Disney's Classics] - Overview - allgame|publisher=allgame.com|access-date=2014-08-04}}

The Boston Herald thought that by 1999, the titles had become predictable cash-ins to Disney films, who would generally have voice actor replacements and the same structure as previous games in the series; the newspaper also commented that Activity Center games were one part of the triad (along with the "action game" and the "print studio" that Disney Interactive would generally release with each new film).{{cite journal|date=1999-08-01|title=Predictable Disney trots out Tarzan; Tarzan Activity Center, for ages 4-8; Tarzan Print Studio, for all ages; and Tarzan Action Game, for age 8 and up. Disney Interactive, $20-$30. CD-ROM for Windows 95/98 2 stars.|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55317245.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117100354/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55317245.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-17}} Knight Ridder thought the Tarzan triad weren't groundbreaking yet fun enough to keep kids entertained, deeming the Activity Center as a pleasant diversion.{{cite journal|date=1999-07-14|title=St. Petersburg Times, Fla., Software Reviews Column.|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55161706.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117100306/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55161706.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-17}} The Herald News thought the series was catered toward children and kept them in mind during the design process.{{cite journal|date=2001-04-12|title=Kids get creative with 'Kid Pix'|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0EFF00D136D3E091.html}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The Washington Post considered the games as tie-ins that Disney was cranking out at the time, strictly for fans of the film properties.{{cite journal|date=1999-07-16|title=Screen Shots|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-613640.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119082423/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-613640.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-19}} The Los Angeles Times noted the games featured an online component, but the Internet content wasn't assured as safe by Disney.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-dec-14-tt-65273-story.html|title=One Disney Activity Center Is Groovy; the Other's a Dog|last=Gudmundsen|first=Jinny|date=2000-12-14|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2018-12-29|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}

Commercial performance

Aladdin was the 3rd most popular education game in the week ended December 2, 1995,{{cite journal|date=1995-12-11|title=Bestsellers|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-865843.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115233431/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-865843.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-15}} and 4th most popular in the Macintosh category in the week ended December 9, 1995.{{cite journal|date=1995-12-18|title=Bestsellers|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-866964.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115233535/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-866964.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-15}} The Lion King was the most popular title in the Macintosh category in the week ended February 3, 1996,{{cite journal|date=1996-02-12|title=Bestsellers|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-772073.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008201907/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-772073.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-10-08}} the 2nd most popular title in the Macintosh category in the week ended March 5, 1996,{{cite journal|date=1996-03-11|title=Bestsellers|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-767691.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118104858/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-767691.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-11-18}} and the 8th most popular in the week ended May 4, 1996.{{cite journal|date=1996-05-13|title=Bestsellers|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-784928.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008201922/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-784928.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-10-08}} In the month of May 1997, Toy Story was the 3rd top-selling software in Home Education (MS-DOS/Windows), while Aladdin and The Lion King were the 4th and 8th best-selling under Home Education (MacIntosh).{{Cite web|url=http://kidscreen.com/1997/06/01/15952-19970601/|title=Top-Selling Software March 1997|access-date=2018-12-29}} Tarzan was the 4th top selling education title in the week ended July 17, 1999.{{cite journal|date=1999-08-09|title=Bestsellers|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-606157.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306215020/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-606157.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-03-06}}