Muppet monster adventure
Encyclopedia
Muppet Monster Adventure is a platform game
for the Sony
PlayStation developed by Magenta Software
and Jim Henson Interactive in 2000
, and published by Midway Home Entertainment
in both Europe
and North America
.
or England
, their destination is a 'run-down, old castle in the middle of nowhere'. His uncle Kermit
reminds him that they had to accompany Professor Honeydew on this journey to hear the reading of his uncle's will, emphasising the value of friendship. After becoming frightened of his surroundings, and the door of the castle being opened by a mysterious figure, Robin passed out.
Robin is awoken by Pepe
, Beaker
and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, in some sort of underground laboratory. Honeydew explains that the laboratory belonged to his deceased uncle, and that after Robin fainted the group of Muppets was ambushed and many of them transformed into monsters by the castle's 'evil energy'. In addition, the castle’s energy has begun to permeate the nearby village, causing it to become twisted and evil. Robin asks what can be done, and Honeydew presents him with a special ‘Power Glove’ that takes evil from monsters and stores it in a backpack. Informing him that the glove will only work with ‘the amphibian anatomy’ he sends Robin on his way to collect evil energy from the village and try to save the Muppets from being monsters forever.
Robin embarks on his adventure with assistance from Pepe, who transmits important information to him at key points in the game. Other Muppet cameos include the Swedish Chef
, who requires ingredients to be collected, Rizzo the Rat
, who has a Muppet Token and teases Robin to come and get it in numerous levels, and Beaker himself who appears with a jetpack on his back that can be used to destroy obstacles in Robin’s way. Able to travel wherever he pleases using the ‘Hub’ (a portal to all the areas of the village) as long as he has collected enough evil energy, Robin initially fights his way through the innards and grounds of the Castle von Honeydew itself, before defeating (and thereby rescuing) Gonzo
, who has turned into ‘Noseferatu’, a vampire. Next, Robin ventures into the outskirts of the village, nicknamed ‘The Deadlands’, where he encounters villainous pirates and reanimated skeletons. After defeating the ‘Wocka Wocka Wearbear’ and transforming him back into Fozzie Bear
, Robin is able to advance to the forests around the village known as ‘Neverleave Forest’. After avoiding falling prey to transmogrified hunters and evil pumpkin farmers, Robin must fight his own uncle Kermit to save him from an eternity as ‘Ker-monster’ (a spoof of Frankenstein). Having done this, Robin moves into the river-dwelling and Arab quarters of the village before doing away with the fearsome Muck Monster, who transforms back into Clifford
.
With over half the village now saved and purified, Robin moves into Madness Marsh, a treacherous region of the village which is home to its heavily armed hiking community. Robin dispatches them in short order and comes to face the fearsome ‘Ghoul-friend of Ker-monster’ (a thinly-veiled parody of Bride of Frankenstein
) and initiates her transformation back into Miss Piggy
. Having now gained access to the village’s more mountainous regions, Robin battles through what is locally called ‘The Whatsamatterhorn’, defeating all manner of foes including a group of violent monks. Having saved his friends and believing his journey to be complete, Robin returns to the centre of the castle only to find one final enemy awaiting him – Baron Petri von Honeydew himself. In a scene reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera
, Robin turns the Baron’s projectiles against him and finally lays his mad soul to rest. Having achieved all this in such a short space of time, Robin succumbs to another faint.
He is awoken, once again, by Professor Honeydew. This time, however, all the other Muppets are with him and seemingly unchanged. He is also lying in the hallway of the Castle itself, where the butler
(the figure who opened the door) has led the group of Muppets. Robin exclaims that he has had the most amazing dream and describes his adventure to all those present, who assure him it was indeed a dream. However, as he and the group ascend the stairs and pass a painting of the late Baron von Honeydew, the painting appears to move and say ‘shush’ to Robin, indicating his adventure may well have been something more than a dream after all.
(Robin’s spin attack is identical in execution to Crash’s), Croc
, and Super Mario 64
(the game's swimming system was described as 'intuitive' and compared favourably with Mario’s ‘flying underwater’ style controls).
Despite some fundamental similarities in controls and platforming setpieces used, the game was praised for the array of context-specific transformations that Robin can perform. Inspired by the transformations the Muppets themselves undergo, Robin is able to use their abilities (by taking on their appearance) once he has collected all four pieces of an amulet bearing the relevant Muppet’s face. Noseferatu’s amulet grants Robin the power to glide, the Wocka Wocka Werebear’s enables him to climb, the Muck Monster’s allows him to dive underwater, Ker-monster’s permits him to push and pull large blocks, and the amulet bearing the Ghoul-friend of Ker-monster gives him the ability to perform door-smashing karate chops.
The mechanisms by which the game progresses are relatively simplistic. Each level requires a certain amount of ‘evil energy’ (dropped by enemies and scattered freely around all levels) to open it, and only three may be unlocked before a boss has to be fought. Bosses, however, do not require the collection of evil energy but instead need ‘Muppet Tokens’, a gaming MacGuffin
similar to Super Mario 64’s Power Stars that resemble a golden block shaped like Kermit’s head. Once a set number of these have been collected (some are found scattered around levels while others require the completion of certain minigames), the boss is accessible and can be defeated, opening up the next stage of the game.
’s Scott Steinberg called it ‘surprisingly polished and enjoyable’, but was unimpressed by the game’s sound effects and ‘forgettable’ soundtrack. Jeremy Conrad at IGN
disagreed with Steinberg's verdict on the soundtrack, deeming it 'probably the best part of the entire game', but found the gameplay 'isn't really anything we haven't seen before'.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
for the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation developed by Magenta Software
Magenta Software
Magenta Software is a Video Games Developer based in Liverpool, England.In October 2007, Magenta Software won the Children’s Jury Giga Maus award for Buzz! Junior: Robo Jam. In November 2007, Magenta Software won a British Academy Children’s BAFTA for Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party. It was founded in...
and Jim Henson Interactive in 2000
2000 in video gaming
-Events:* May 11–13 — 6th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo ; the 3rd annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E³* June 26 — International Game Developers Association renamed from Computer Game Developers Association...
, and published by Midway Home Entertainment
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
in both Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Plot
Robin is delighted that he and the Muppets are finally going on a vacation. His hopes are dashed, however, when he learns that rather than KrakatoaKrakatoa
Krakatoa is a volcanic island made of a'a lava in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The name is used for the island group, the main island , and the volcano as a whole. The island exploded in 1883, killing approximately 40,000 people, although some estimates...
or England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, their destination is a 'run-down, old castle in the middle of nowhere'. His uncle Kermit
Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, first introduced in 1955. He is the protagonist of many Muppet projects, most notably as the host of The Muppet Show, and has appeared in various sketches on Sesame Street, in commercials and in public service announcements over...
reminds him that they had to accompany Professor Honeydew on this journey to hear the reading of his uncle's will, emphasising the value of friendship. After becoming frightened of his surroundings, and the door of the castle being opened by a mysterious figure, Robin passed out.
Robin is awoken by Pepe
Pepe the King Prawn
Pepe the King Prawn is one of The Muppets, performed by Bill Barretta. He was first introduced in the 1996 TV show Muppets Tonight. At the time, he would sing along with his partner, Seymour the Elephant, although neither of the two had any real musical talent.Pepe ditched his partner and began a...
, Beaker
Beaker (Muppet)
Beaker is a Muppet character from The Muppet Show. He is the shy, long-suffering assistant of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and is likewise named for a piece of laboratory equipment, although his shape more closely resembles an Erlenmeyer flask....
and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, in some sort of underground laboratory. Honeydew explains that the laboratory belonged to his deceased uncle, and that after Robin fainted the group of Muppets was ambushed and many of them transformed into monsters by the castle's 'evil energy'. In addition, the castle’s energy has begun to permeate the nearby village, causing it to become twisted and evil. Robin asks what can be done, and Honeydew presents him with a special ‘Power Glove’ that takes evil from monsters and stores it in a backpack. Informing him that the glove will only work with ‘the amphibian anatomy’ he sends Robin on his way to collect evil energy from the village and try to save the Muppets from being monsters forever.
Robin embarks on his adventure with assistance from Pepe, who transmits important information to him at key points in the game. Other Muppet cameos include the Swedish Chef
Swedish Chef
The Swedish Chef is a Muppet that appeared on The Muppet Show. He was operated by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously and is now puppeteered by Bill Barretta.-Character:...
, who requires ingredients to be collected, Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat
Rizzo the Rat is a Muppet, performed by Steve Whitmire. Rizzo first appeared in episode 418 of The Muppet Show, as one of a group of rats following Christopher Reeve around backstage. He can be seen mugging and reacting to practically every line of dialogue. He remained a scene-stealing background...
, who has a Muppet Token and teases Robin to come and get it in numerous levels, and Beaker himself who appears with a jetpack on his back that can be used to destroy obstacles in Robin’s way. Able to travel wherever he pleases using the ‘Hub’ (a portal to all the areas of the village) as long as he has collected enough evil energy, Robin initially fights his way through the innards and grounds of the Castle von Honeydew itself, before defeating (and thereby rescuing) Gonzo
Gonzo the Great
Gonzo the Great is a puppet character, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. He was developed and performed by Dave Goelz. The character made his first appearance in a 1970 Christmas special entitled "The Great Santa Claus Switch". Known as a "Whatever" , he is considered one of The Frackles...
, who has turned into ‘Noseferatu’, a vampire. Next, Robin ventures into the outskirts of the village, nicknamed ‘The Deadlands’, where he encounters villainous pirates and reanimated skeletons. After defeating the ‘Wocka Wocka Wearbear’ and transforming him back into Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
, Robin is able to advance to the forests around the village known as ‘Neverleave Forest’. After avoiding falling prey to transmogrified hunters and evil pumpkin farmers, Robin must fight his own uncle Kermit to save him from an eternity as ‘Ker-monster’ (a spoof of Frankenstein). Having done this, Robin moves into the river-dwelling and Arab quarters of the village before doing away with the fearsome Muck Monster, who transforms back into Clifford
Clifford (Muppet)
Clifford is a Muppet character, performed by Kevin Clash. He is a violet-colored creature with multi-colored dreadlocks and big lips. Like many other Muppets, it is never specified what kind of creature he is, but it is speculated that he is in fact a catfish.He was created to be the bass guitar...
.
With over half the village now saved and purified, Robin moves into Madness Marsh, a treacherous region of the village which is home to its heavily armed hiking community. Robin dispatches them in short order and comes to face the fearsome ‘Ghoul-friend of Ker-monster’ (a thinly-veiled parody of Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein
Bride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American horror film, the first sequel to Frankenstein...
) and initiates her transformation back into Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....
. Having now gained access to the village’s more mountainous regions, Robin battles through what is locally called ‘The Whatsamatterhorn’, defeating all manner of foes including a group of violent monks. Having saved his friends and believing his journey to be complete, Robin returns to the centre of the castle only to find one final enemy awaiting him – Baron Petri von Honeydew himself. In a scene reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
, Robin turns the Baron’s projectiles against him and finally lays his mad soul to rest. Having achieved all this in such a short space of time, Robin succumbs to another faint.
He is awoken, once again, by Professor Honeydew. This time, however, all the other Muppets are with him and seemingly unchanged. He is also lying in the hallway of the Castle itself, where the butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
(the figure who opened the door) has led the group of Muppets. Robin exclaims that he has had the most amazing dream and describes his adventure to all those present, who assure him it was indeed a dream. However, as he and the group ascend the stairs and pass a painting of the late Baron von Honeydew, the painting appears to move and say ‘shush’ to Robin, indicating his adventure may well have been something more than a dream after all.
Gameplay
The game draws heavily on PlayStation standard platformers of its day, most prominently Spyro (with which it shared a sound designer, Michael Gollom). Other notable inspirations are Crash BandicootCrash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot may refer to:* Crash Bandicoot , a video game protagonist* Crash Bandicoot , a video game series* Crash Bandicoot , a 1996 PlayStation video game and first Crash Bandicoot...
(Robin’s spin attack is identical in execution to Crash’s), Croc
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...
, and Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
(the game's swimming system was described as 'intuitive' and compared favourably with Mario’s ‘flying underwater’ style controls).
Despite some fundamental similarities in controls and platforming setpieces used, the game was praised for the array of context-specific transformations that Robin can perform. Inspired by the transformations the Muppets themselves undergo, Robin is able to use their abilities (by taking on their appearance) once he has collected all four pieces of an amulet bearing the relevant Muppet’s face. Noseferatu’s amulet grants Robin the power to glide, the Wocka Wocka Werebear’s enables him to climb, the Muck Monster’s allows him to dive underwater, Ker-monster’s permits him to push and pull large blocks, and the amulet bearing the Ghoul-friend of Ker-monster gives him the ability to perform door-smashing karate chops.
The mechanisms by which the game progresses are relatively simplistic. Each level requires a certain amount of ‘evil energy’ (dropped by enemies and scattered freely around all levels) to open it, and only three may be unlocked before a boss has to be fought. Bosses, however, do not require the collection of evil energy but instead need ‘Muppet Tokens’, a gaming MacGuffin
MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is "a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot of a work of fiction". The defining aspect of a MacGuffin is that the major players in the story are willing to do and sacrifice almost anything to obtain it, regardless of what the MacGuffin actually is...
similar to Super Mario 64’s Power Stars that resemble a golden block shaped like Kermit’s head. Once a set number of these have been collected (some are found scattered around levels while others require the completion of certain minigames), the boss is accessible and can be defeated, opening up the next stage of the game.
Reception
The game was mostly well received by critics and gamers, and holds a 6.5/10 rating on IMDb. CNETCNET
CNET is a tech media website that publishes news articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Originally founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition...
’s Scott Steinberg called it ‘surprisingly polished and enjoyable’, but was unimpressed by the game’s sound effects and ‘forgettable’ soundtrack. Jeremy Conrad at 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...
disagreed with Steinberg's verdict on the soundtrack, deeming it 'probably the best part of the entire game', but found the gameplay 'isn't really anything we haven't seen before'.
External links
- http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/home/354060.html
- Muppet Monster Adventure on IMDb