ZAPiT Games announces Altera's programmable devices in gaming products

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ZAPiT Games and its research and development partner, Nytric, has announced the choice of Altera's MAX II CPLDs to create a first-of-its-kind interactive entertainment product for family-oriented gaming.

Altera Corporation, ZAPiT Games and its research and development partner, Nytric, has announced the choice of Altera's MAX II CPLDs to create a first-of-its-kind, highly affordable, interactive entertainment product for family-oriented gaming, and the Game
Wave game console.

Nytric's designers used the Altera device as a bridge between the Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) disk controller and the media processor in their development of the ZAPiT Game Wave console.

This approach allowed a highly cost-competitive consumer product using a standard DVD-player chipset while providing the interactivity essential for simultaneous multi-person game play.

"The design freedom allowed by Altera's programmable devices let us use standard components to minimize costs, while achieving high-end functionality normally found only in more costly devices," said executive producer , ZAPiT Games, Christopher Locke,. "There were really zero design trade-offs

in using the Altera part." The ZAPiT Game Wave is a DVD-based game console that hosts up to six players or teams. Unlike other game consoles, Game Wave's emphasis is on player interaction similar to traditional board games. The system uses up to six wireless remote controls for fast, wait-free interactive play of family-oriented content including trivia, word, casino and "parlor" games. The console also acts as a DVD player.

"Game Wave demonstrates how industry innovators can leverage Altera CPLD solutions to achieve clear product differentiation while reducing their overall bill-of-materials," said Marketing Director, Altera Asia Pacific, Louie Leung,. "Design innovations like this deliver a clear advantage in the price-sensitive consumer marketplace."