Croc 2
Encyclopedia
Croc 2, called Croc Adventure (クロックアドベンチャー) in Japan (working title Croc 2: Kingdoms of the Gobbos), is a video game released in 1999, is the sequel to Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
, developed by Argonaut Software between 1998 and 1999, and published by Fox Interactive
. Croc 2 was released on Game Boy Color
, Windows
, and PlayStation. A Dreamcast release was planned but eventually canceled for unknown reasons. The plot revolves around Croc searching for his missing parents, and saving the Inventor Gobbo from Baron Dante. The original soundtrack
features the guitarist Simon Gosling
.
a baby crocodile was found by the Gobbos who inhabit the Gobbo Islands. Rufus, the king of the Gobbos adopted the crocodile, and with the help of the rest of the tribe, raised him, teaching him the ways of the Gobbos.
Baron Dante arrived in the valley where the Gobbos lived. Angered by the happy Gobbos, he and his Dantinis swept into the Gobbo Valley and captured the Gobbos. King Rufus was taken by Dante himself and kept in a cage inside his Tower of Terror.
Croc managed to avoid being caught but he was left alone. He knew he had to help the Gobbos in any way that he could and save the King from Baron Dante. After having a long journey, Croc managed to rescue the Gobbos and destroy the Baron and save their King. Everything was right again in Gobbo Valley and the Gobbos celebrated by erecting a statue of Croc in their Valley.
Now, after Baron Dante was destroyed, Croc and the Gobbos resumed their lives of playing. But in the mean time, the evil Dantinis plotted the return of Baron Dante. Unfortunately, an unlucky Inventor Gobbo got captured when he witnessed Dante's return.
Back at Gobbo Valley, Croc was playing at the beach, and found a bottle washed up on the shore. He picked it up and he found a message with a baby crocodile footprint on it. The message explained that the senders were looking for their son. Croc was surprised. He took the message to King Rufus who read it and eventually told Croc that he would need to go to a far away land where there were other Gobbos who might be able to help him to find his parents.
Then all the Gobbos made a see-saw
. Croc stood on one end and a Gobbo pushed a boulder on to the other end to bring Croc to the distant mainland, where his search began.
One of the many changed elements is the health system; instead of the extra life system that Legend of the Gobbos had, Croc now has only one life and a heart count of up to 9; each hit Croc takes, or any time Croc falls into a bottomless pit, takes away one heart; the heart count can be restored by finding heart tokens in the levels, or by collecting 100 crystals; the starting maximum count for hearts is five, the player can buy Heart Pots from Swap Meet Pete to be able to collect more hearts.
A new addition to the game is that Croc has an extra jump, that is triggered by stomping and repeatedly pressing the jump button before hitting the ground and he can also ride vehicles in some levels, which include mine carts, a race car, a speedboat, a hot-air balloon, a hang-glider and an aeroplane.
Another new aspect is Swap Meet Pete's General Store. The store is owned by a large, anthropomorphic cat
, named Pete.
Pete is capable of teleporting Croc to other Gobbo Villages with the use of his Crystal Ball.
There are four villages Croc must traverse through before reaching the end of the game, each with Gobbo of different personalities. The four villages are the Sailor Village, the Cossack Village, the Caveman Village and the Inca Village. Each village has five levels, two bosses (with the exception of the Inca Village, which has only two levels, and one boss) and one Golden Gobbo level. Once the fourth village is finished, Croc then travels to Baron Dante's Tower of Power, and once the Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces are assembled, a fifth village can be unlocked; the fifth village is a corrupted version of the Gobbo village, created by Dante.
A Western-style village, featuring Cowboys and Native Americans, was planned but never finished. On the back of the manual, there are two Gobbos wearing western clothing who are both next to a Cossack Gobbo, implying that this was true.
IGN
gave the game an overall 7.5/10 for the PlayStation version, praising the games voice acting, graphics, soundtrack and size but criticizing its difficulty and camera angles. NowGamer also gave the game a positive review, giving it 8.4/10, only criticizing its difficulty. Gamespot
gave the game poor ratings, giving the PC version 3/5 and the PlayStation version 2.5/5, also criticizing the camera angles and the difficulty. Allgame
reviewed the PlayStation version and gave the game 2/5, also criticizing the game for its camera angles and difficulty. Unlike other critcs reviews, Allgame
also criticized the game's graphics. GamePro
was also negative, giving the game 3/5 and said "After weeks of playing Croc 2, I was praying each new level would be Croc 2's last, but it just kept dragging on and on".
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a platform video game published by Fox Interactive and developed by Argonaut Software for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and GameBoy Color. It was released on September 29, 1997 in the North America...
, developed by Argonaut Software between 1998 and 1999, and published by Fox Interactive
Fox Interactive
20th Century Fox Games is a video game publisher and developer mainly concerned with titles based on 20th Century Fox properties, such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, the Alien and Predator film franchises, Independence Day, Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, Avatar, 24, the...
. Croc 2 was released on Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
, Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, and PlayStation. A Dreamcast release was planned but eventually canceled for unknown reasons. The plot revolves around Croc searching for his missing parents, and saving the Inventor Gobbo from Baron Dante. The original soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
features the guitarist Simon Gosling
Simon Gosling
Simon "Goose" Gosling is a British designer and builder of special effects models. He is best known for his work on commercials featuring stop-frame animation for Brisk, Apple Jacks and Chips Ahoy in America, and the Windy Miller adverts for Quaker Oats in Britain.Gosling has created props and...
.
Storyline
Previously,a baby crocodile was found by the Gobbos who inhabit the Gobbo Islands. Rufus, the king of the Gobbos adopted the crocodile, and with the help of the rest of the tribe, raised him, teaching him the ways of the Gobbos.
Baron Dante arrived in the valley where the Gobbos lived. Angered by the happy Gobbos, he and his Dantinis swept into the Gobbo Valley and captured the Gobbos. King Rufus was taken by Dante himself and kept in a cage inside his Tower of Terror.
Croc managed to avoid being caught but he was left alone. He knew he had to help the Gobbos in any way that he could and save the King from Baron Dante. After having a long journey, Croc managed to rescue the Gobbos and destroy the Baron and save their King. Everything was right again in Gobbo Valley and the Gobbos celebrated by erecting a statue of Croc in their Valley.
Now, after Baron Dante was destroyed, Croc and the Gobbos resumed their lives of playing. But in the mean time, the evil Dantinis plotted the return of Baron Dante. Unfortunately, an unlucky Inventor Gobbo got captured when he witnessed Dante's return.
Back at Gobbo Valley, Croc was playing at the beach, and found a bottle washed up on the shore. He picked it up and he found a message with a baby crocodile footprint on it. The message explained that the senders were looking for their son. Croc was surprised. He took the message to King Rufus who read it and eventually told Croc that he would need to go to a far away land where there were other Gobbos who might be able to help him to find his parents.
Then all the Gobbos made a see-saw
See-Saw
See-Saw is a Japanese pop duo originally from Tokyo, Japan. Its members include Chiaki Ishikawa and Yuki Kajiura; former member left the group in April 1994 to pursue a writing career...
. Croc stood on one end and a Gobbo pushed a boulder on to the other end to bring Croc to the distant mainland, where his search began.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Croc 2 has advanced considerably compared to the previous game. Instead of simply finding six Gobbo in each level, the player must now complete various tasks.One of the many changed elements is the health system; instead of the extra life system that Legend of the Gobbos had, Croc now has only one life and a heart count of up to 9; each hit Croc takes, or any time Croc falls into a bottomless pit, takes away one heart; the heart count can be restored by finding heart tokens in the levels, or by collecting 100 crystals; the starting maximum count for hearts is five, the player can buy Heart Pots from Swap Meet Pete to be able to collect more hearts.
A new addition to the game is that Croc has an extra jump, that is triggered by stomping and repeatedly pressing the jump button before hitting the ground and he can also ride vehicles in some levels, which include mine carts, a race car, a speedboat, a hot-air balloon, a hang-glider and an aeroplane.
Another new aspect is Swap Meet Pete's General Store. The store is owned by a large, anthropomorphic cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
, named Pete.
Pete is capable of teleporting Croc to other Gobbo Villages with the use of his Crystal Ball.
There are four villages Croc must traverse through before reaching the end of the game, each with Gobbo of different personalities. The four villages are the Sailor Village, the Cossack Village, the Caveman Village and the Inca Village. Each village has five levels, two bosses (with the exception of the Inca Village, which has only two levels, and one boss) and one Golden Gobbo level. Once the fourth village is finished, Croc then travels to Baron Dante's Tower of Power, and once the Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces are assembled, a fifth village can be unlocked; the fifth village is a corrupted version of the Gobbo village, created by Dante.
A Western-style village, featuring Cowboys and Native Americans, was planned but never finished. On the back of the manual, there are two Gobbos wearing western clothing who are both next to a Cossack Gobbo, implying that this was true.
Swap Meet Pete's General Store
In Pete's store, Croc can buy items with the Crystals he collects in each level. When Croc finishes or leaves a level, any crystals collected will be added to the Swap Meet Pete card. There are only a few items that can be purchased in the store.Jelly Jumps
Jelly Jumps (Gummi Savers in the US version) can bounce Croc into otherwise inaccessible areas in a level. These areas often would contain more Crystals, a coloured Crystal, or an extra Heart Token. There are 3 different kinds, one costing 40, one costing 60 and one costing 80. Jelly Jumps are only active when Croc selects the correct Jelly Jump from the backpack and stands on a Jelly Jump marker of the same colour.Clockwork Gobbos
Clockwork Gobbos cost 50 Crystals. They are only active if Croc stands over a gears marker. In the Clockwork Gobbo areas, they are often set on platforms suspended above lava, acid, or bottemless pits with the goal of collecting any crystals (normal and coloured), Hearts and Heart Jars. Each area is timed. The challenge ends when the Clockwork Gobbo either stops completely, or falls off the platform.Heart Jars
Heart Jars cost 250 Crystals. They increase Croc's heart meter by one, so Croc can take more hits. But the maximum for the total number of heart jars the player could purchase is 9.Crystal Ball
The Crystal Ball is not an item that can be purchased. Pete uses it to transport Croc to any village that he has visited. New villages are only added when Croc finishes all the levels and defeats both bosses in that village.Characters
Croc 2 features many new characters, however several characters that were featured in Legend of the Gobbos are absent here.Antagonists
- Baron Dante, a Dark sorcerer and the main villainVillainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
in the Gobbo series. - Soveena The Squid, a giant purple KrakenKrakenKraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...
. - Cannon Boat Keith, a Pirate necromancer with an army of skeletons.
- Flavio The Thermal-Fish, a fish creature who can spit hot water.
- Lava Lamp Larry, a FireFireFire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
DemonDemoncall - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
created by Baron Dante. - Venus Fly Von-Trappe, a giant Venus Fly-Trap that likes to eat Gobbos.
- The Village Masher, a robotic T-Rex created by Mad Scientists to destroy all CavemanCavemanA caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
-kind. - Goo Man Chu, a giant Goo creature.
- Roger Red Ant, a giant ant that has a liking for explosives.
Reception
Unlike the first game, Croc 2 was met with mixed reviews.IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the game an overall 7.5/10 for the PlayStation version, praising the games voice acting, graphics, soundtrack and size but criticizing its difficulty and camera angles. NowGamer also gave the game a positive review, giving it 8.4/10, only criticizing its difficulty. Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave the game poor ratings, giving the PC version 3/5 and the PlayStation version 2.5/5, also criticizing the camera angles and the difficulty. Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
reviewed the PlayStation version and gave the game 2/5, also criticizing the game for its camera angles and difficulty. Unlike other critcs reviews, Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
also criticized the game's graphics. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
was also negative, giving the game 3/5 and said "After weeks of playing Croc 2, I was praying each new level would be Croc 2's last, but it just kept dragging on and on".
Soundtrack
- Karin Griffin - Composer, additional music
- Justin Scharvona - Additional music
- Simon GoslingSimon GoslingSimon "Goose" Gosling is a British designer and builder of special effects models. He is best known for his work on commercials featuring stop-frame animation for Brisk, Apple Jacks and Chips Ahoy in America, and the Windy Miller adverts for Quaker Oats in Britain.Gosling has created props and...
- Guitars - Noel Langley - Trumpet
- Gita Langley - Violin