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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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Isle-themed game joins slots and bingo
A new Hawaii-themed computer game is available online. Hide this column from your boss.
Slingo Quest Hawaii is a combination of slots (as in slot machines) and bingo and was produced by Boston-area games publisher Funkitron Inc. for New Jersey-based Slingo Inc., a digital interactive entertainment company.
Slingo Quest Hawaii builds on the original Slingo Quest, with 60 levels that take players through the islands to collect Hawaii-themed postcards. You know, like Mario collects coins, or Lara Croft collects artifacts -- and some pretty cool weapons -- but your columnist digresses.
It is the first Hawaii-themed game Funkitron has created, though Slingo has other Hawaii-themed games on its Web site.
It was created for Slingo's typical older female customer who would probably enjoy going to Hawaii, said Dave Wall, Funkitron president.
The game uses island place names and maps, which Wall says are "accurate but cartoony -- and we do take some liberties," with placement of a coral reef, a sunken ship and pirate ship area, he said.
As it happens, Funkitron's Slingo Quest Hawaii programmer recently honeymooned in Hawaii. The game's theme music is played by Wall, on an ukulele his wife gave him for Christmas.
The postcards players collect are made from "actual photos that we got from a photo service," he said.
The game is only out for PCs right now. A Mac version will follow, but Wall didn't have a firm release date yesterday.
A free trial of the game is good for 60 minutes of play; it costs $19.95 to purchase.
Just remember, TheBuzz is not responsible for any scoldings you get for wasting company time.
Boost for J-pop
Kauai-based broadcaster George Hochman has been shopping -- no, not at Nordstrom.
He has a $25,000 deal to buy a Honolulu FM translator at 107.5 on the dial, from Colorado-based Kona Coast Radio LLC, led by broadcast entrepreneur Victor A. Michael Jr.
According to an FCC filing, Michael's intention was to rebroadcast the contemporary Christian format of KHAI-FM 103.5, owned by California-based Educational Media Foundation.
Upon approval from the Federal Communications Commission, Hochman will put the translator to work for his KORL-FM 101.1 which plays Japanese pop music.
"The nice thing about translators is, you can use them to fill in the gaps where you need them ... the terrain on Oahu is pretty rough and you can stick 'em in where you think it's going to benefit you the most," he said.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com