Highway 61 Interactive Explained

Highway 61 Interactive
Developer:Graphix Zone
Publisher:Graphix Zone, Sony Music Entertainment
Released:1995
Genre:Graphic adventure
Modes:Single-player
Platforms:Mac OS, Windows 3.x

Highway 61 Interactive is an interactive CD-ROM released in 1995, based on the musician Bob Dylan and his music career. It was developed and published by Graphix Zone, with Sony Music Entertainment as co-publisher.

Overview

The game opens with a menu of a collage of photos and objects meant to represent the musician. Clicking on any object takes you to a 3-D interactive environment of places of Dylan's career, such as Greenwich Village, Madison Square Garden, and the recording studios of Columbia Records.[1]

Previously unknown songs were included on the CD, such as an electric version of "House of the Rising Sun".[2]

Development

Highway 61 Interactive was developed by Graphic Zone, a California multimedia company.[3] Graphic Zone's founder and president Chuck Cortright, a fan of Bob Dylan, approached the musician's manager and lawyer to make the game. Discussions lasted six months before approval, with a staff of twenty spending seven months completing it. Bob Dylan himself chose the game's title and cover art, as well as which songs and music would be included.[2] Celebrity photographer Daniel Kramer choose twenty of his early photographs of Dylan for use.[4]

Highway 61 Interactive was launched at the Sony Music Studios in February 1995. At the event, Al Kooper and Roger McGuinn performed Dylan's songs "Mr. Tambourine Man", "My Back Pages", and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door".[2]

Reception

Joel Selvin from SFGate considered the interactive to be "more bells and whistles than real train ride."[5] Chris Willman from the Los Angeles Times praised its amount of environments used, saying it surpassed Graphix Zone's previous title Prince Interactive.[6] Bob Cannon from Entertainment Weekly gave the game a "B" rating.

Notes and References

  1. Dylan's Back Pages. Baskin. Jeff. Wired. Condé Nast. June 1, 1995. June 24, 2017.
  2. Bob Dylan Gets Virtual with New CD-ROM. Strauss. Neil. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. April 20, 1995. June 24, 2017.
  3. Web site: The Pop Life. Strauss. Neil. The New York Times. June 14, 1994. June 25, 2017.
  4. Web site: Celebrity Photographer Puts Bob Dylan Images on CD-ROM. Kaufman. Marjorie. The New York Times. June 25, 1995. June 24, 2017.
  5. Web site: A Bumpy Ride on 'Highway 61' / Interactive Bob Dylan disc bungles a sure bet for interested fans. Selvin. Joel. San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. February 13, 1995. June 24, 2017.
  6. Web site: CD- ROM Review : **** BOB DYLAN. Willman. Chris. Los Angeles Times. February 18, 1995. June 24, 2017.