EA has launched a 2D version of the Spore Creature Creator to promote the upcoming Spore Hero for the Wii, and Spore Hero Arena for the DS. With the flash applet you can create your own creature, using various parts. It's similar to the full 3D version of the Creature Creator, except for the Test Drive mode. This has been changed into a kung-fu game where you train your creature to become great at "Spore-Fu". By swinging your creature's limbs you destroy incoming targets, gain points and proceed through the levels. It's all easy to pick up and get acquainted with. As an added bonus, you can save your creature as PNG file, send an e-card of your creation and even load up your own (or somebody else's) creatures from Sporepedia. The 2D version has 250 body parts to choose from.

The game can be found at www.spore2d.com, more details are in the press release below.

EA Unveils Spore Creature Creator... Now in 2-D
New FLASH Application Gives Spore Players New Ways to Get Creative

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sep 16, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) - The revolutionary Spore™ Creature Creator is going 2-D! Maxis™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) studio, today announced Spore™ Creature Creator 2-D, a new Flash application where players experience an all new take on the variety and creative fun offered by the original 3-D Spore Creature Creator. Now available for free* at www.spore2d.com, players can create a creature from scratch or import a creature from the Sporepedia™, the library of 120+ million pieces of user-generated content in Spore. Five legs or ten, bat wings or horns; there are no limits to what users create. Once players have created their 2-D creature, they can embed it onto their social networking pages, and share it with friends via email. Spore Creature Creator 2-D takes creature-creating to new heights by making it a social, shared experience.

"Spore Creature Creator 2-D offers players a brand new way to express their creativity and share their creatures as it can be played by anyone with internet access," stated Caryl Shaw, Sr. Producer of Spore Creature Creator 2-D. "The clean art style and intuitive point-and-drag functionality makes it easy for creators of all ages to get in on the fun. It'll be interesting to see how players use this new creative application."

Spore Creature Creator 2-D features the full suite of more than 250 body parts, including limbs, eyes, feet, heads, and fun accessories like antlers and wings. Once players create their ultimate creature, they can play with them in the Spore Creature Trainer mini-game. Once complete, players can easily send their friends an e-card of their creature at www.spore2d.com

The launch of Spore Creature Creator 2-D comes just weeks before the launch of Spore Hero for the Wii™ and Spore Hero Arena for the Nintendo DS on Oct. 6.

Spore Hero delivers the unparalleled creativity of Spore in an action-adventure game, exclusively for the Wii. Set in a rich and vibrant world, Spore Hero empowers players to become a Hero as they embark on an epic quest to save their creature's home planet from destruction, engaging in fun battles and solving puzzles along the way. Players can collect and unlock more than 250 creature parts, all with unique abilities affecting the way their creature plays and combats in the world.

Spore Hero Arena takes players on a quest to save their galaxy from an evil force. Throughout the game, players create their own unique gladiator hero creature and guide it from planet to planet as they fight enemy creatures, collect new parts, gain upgrades and unlock special abilities that will benefit their hero.

To play the Spore Creature Creator 2-D, please visit www.spore2d.com. To learn more about Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena, play minigames and download fun content, please visit www.sporehero.com.