Big Idea Productions and ValuSoft Release The Mystery of Veggie Island First VeggieTales PC Game Ships to Retailers Nationwide CHICAGO - Aug. 22, 2002 - Big Idea Productions, creators of the best-selling direct-to-video VeggieTales® children's series, and ValuSoft®, a division of THQ® Inc. and leading global publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and productivity software, have teamed up to bring the trademark silliness and original stories of VeggieTales to children of all ages with the release today of The Mystery of Veggie Island(TM) interactive PC game. Assisted by Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber, and the rest of the VeggieTales characters, players will join the veggie kids on a Cub Sprout camping trip on Veggie Island. Kids will explore the island, completing 11 fun, challenging activities, help Junior Asparagus earn his Achievement Certificate and even sing along with 10 brand new "Silly Campfire Songs with Larry." But that's just the beginning! When the Veggies find themselves stranded without a boat, the mystery of Veggie Island unfolds. In a crazy turn of events, kids will be faced with a dilemma that teaches them a valuable lesson in helping others. The Mystery of Veggie Island also incorporates a unique feature called Parental Controls. Parents can now determine how long their kids play with Bob, Larry and the Cub Sprouts by setting the game play timer in the start-up menu. When time's up, the game automatically saves and ends the VeggieTales fun until next time. "There are many entertainment options today, but few that help make kids better kids," states Phil Vischer, CEO and Chief Creative Officer at Big Idea Productions. "We are giving parents new, creative ways to pass values on to their kids--and entertain them in the process!" The Mystery of Veggie Island, the first VeggieTales interactive game, will be available at computer software retailers and mass merchants for $19.99 SRP. The second game, Jonah: A VeggieTales Game(TM), based on Big Idea's all-new theatrical feature film Jonah - A VeggieTales Movie(TM), will be available for $19.99 and release on October 1, 2002, surrounding the film's premier. The third VeggieTales CD-ROM game, VeggieTales Carnival(TM), will ship October 5, 2002 for a suggested retail price of $9.99. "We're bringing the hottest children's video series to the interactive software marketplace," says Doug Clemmer, President of ValuSoft. "The holiday season is the perfect time to debut these delightfully wacky characters and their healthy messages on the PC."