Scooby-Doo first appeared in 1969 as an animated TV series. Now, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is presenting the lovable dog and the Scooby gang of mystery solvers in a game for the Nintendo Wii, DS and PlayStation 2. In “Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Swamp,” kids solve strange mysteries, unlock fun costume pieces as well as collect Scooby Snacks to buy character accessories and clothing. Players won’t have to face the game’s challenges alone. Friends can take on the role of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma or Fred at any time using a drop-in, drop-out two-player co-op. Kids can experience the game free at

Parents of young girls should look out for the new THQ video game “Fancy Nancy: Tea Party Time!” for the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS. Based on the bestselling “Fancy Nancy” children’s books by Jane O’Connor, the game invites girls to join Fancy Nancy and her friends as they help Nancy’s favorite neighbor, Mrs. DeVine, prepare a marvelous tea party. The game involves collecting hidden objects, overcoming obstacles and solving puzzles in order to bring the splendid soirée together. Throughout the game, players are able to take pictures of themselves or their friends using the DSi camera function and create fancy stickers to post in the Sticker Album, or insert their photos into the game and become guests at Mrs. DeVine’s tea party.

Another game from THQ, sure to please the younger set and scheduled to launch next month, is “The Penguins of Madagascar Video Game.” Based on the popular Penguins of Madagascar animated series from Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation SKG, this game is the first in a series. In the game, the unsung penguin heroes of the zoo — Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private — have been tasked with madcap missions. The Penguins must use teamwork in order to complete levels and build useful tools and gadgets to advance in the game.

Individual play is fun, but sometimes it’s nice to do family activities. With “Disney Sing It: Family Hits,” parents can join in on this interactive karaoke video game that features songs from favorite Disney films. Now available for the PlayStation3 and Wii console, Disney Sing It: Family Hits features 30 songs and videos from Disney and Disney-Pixar films. The game also includes tips from Tony award winning singer/actress Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Princess Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog,” helping players to improve their vocal skills. Players can also improve their Spanish, since 20 of the songs may be sung in Spanish or English.

All of the songs are accompanied by videos featuring montages and original footage from their respective Disney movies. In Disney Sing It: Family Hits, players use the pitch bar to assist in hitting the right notes and can sing solo, partner up for a duet, compete head-to-head, or pass the microphone around to up to six players in Family Mode. To relive key moments, Sing It Encore Mode enables players to play back their performances and add fun effects to customize their tunes.

Beyond consoles and into the virtual world, fans of the Littlest Pet Shop should look out for the new Littlest Pet Shop Online toys in retail shops. The new toys coordinate with the Littlest Pet Shop Online (LPSO) gaming experience. This online world was created by Entertainment Arts (EA) in 2009. The developers are about to launch enhancements to the site including a feature called “Collect-a-Pet,” which will broaden the online play experience with a series of in-game activities and challenges that players must complete to unlock cute “Reward” pets that can be added to their growing virtual pet collections. Littlest Pet Shop Fans can play for free under the basic membership plan, but registration at is required.

EA is also preparing for new games that will blossom in the coming spring on the Nintendo 3DS. EA’s “My Garden,” will allow players to grow custom gardens in six different environments. My Garden will offer 3D graphics that seem to bring flowers to life. With the help of a cute sidekick named Tanuki, players will test their green thumbs on a variety of missions that inspire them to create beautiful outdoor spaces. Digital gardeners will choose from hundreds of flower and plant varieties as well as unique items to design, cultivate and enhance landscapes. My Garden will be released with the Nintendo 3DS platform in March 2011.