Disney trots out Bolt

The upcoming Toy Story 3 notwithstanding, Walt Disney Pictures has made a habit of outsourcing its Pixar subsidiary's film-to-game tie-ins to THQ. However, since Disney began creating CGI films without the aid of Pixar beginning with Chicken Little in 2005, the publisher has tapped its own internal Disney Interactive Studios label for game adaptations.

That trend will continue with the upcoming John Travolta- and Miley Cyrus-voiced canine film Bolt. Today, Disney Interactive Studios said it will be releasing a game tie-in to the theatrical release, slated to hit retail shelves during the height of the holiday shopping season this November. Bolt will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS, and PC.

Developed by Avalanche Software, Bolt lets players assume the role of the titular wayward TV star pooch as well as his owner, Penny. As the dog, players will have a number of superheroic abilities, including laser vision and a superbark, while Penny's skills will be tailored more toward stealth action gameplay.

Whereas the film sees Bolt undertake a Homeward Bound-style storyline to return to his native Hollywood after being mistakenly shipped to New York City, the game "uses the film as a springboard, expanding upon the action and dynamic story elements." As such, the game features a globe-trotting adventure, where players will journey to five international locales, including Russia and Italy.

Altron (Zoo Tycoon 2 DS) has been charged with developing the Nintendo DS edition of the game, and it will allow for both cooperative and competitive multiplayer and a variety of minigames. The game will also link up with DGamer, Disney's social networking service that makes use of the DS's Wi-Fi Connection capabilities.