Spore Creatures
Encyclopedia
Spore Creatures is the Nintendo DS
and iPhone OS
spin-off
of Spore
, developed by Foundation 9, in which a player controls and evolves a creature of their creation.
On one planet, Oogie eventually comes across Gar' skuther, who is observing another creature. Seeing no threat in Oogie, he begins to explain his plan: he wishes to dominate the galaxy by experimenting on all primitive wildlife and building his genes into them - his genes cause large, dark tentacles to grow from whatever they are implanted into. In order to show Oogie his power, Gar' skuther infects a nearby creature, and pits it against Oogie to test its strength. Oogie defeats the creature, but Gar' skuther flees, now realising that Oogie may be more than just a normal creature.
Oogie eventually lands his ship on Gar' skuther's base planet, where he is hiding through a cave. After resolving a conflict between two native species and helping to cure a nest from the infection, Oogie reaches the cave entrance. Passing through it, Oogie comes to a small cove where Gar' skuther is waiting. The evil alien tells Oogie that he is more powerful than he originally thought, and that he will face him in battle if Oogie can defeat the Skuther - a bionic creature Gar' skuther has built using the best parts of many other species. Oogie defeats the Skuther, but Gar' skuther reveals that he has spread them all over the galaxy and that they will soon become the dominant species. Gar' skuther then proceeds to battle Oogie, but is defeated and dies, his arm is the only salvagable part left.
Upon Gar' skuther's defeat, the many Skuthers throughout the galaxy collapse. The infection ceases to exist as the tentacles all wither away. Oogie takes the spaceship back to Tapti, where he meets a cured Little Oogie. The two creatures than carry out their lives on Tapti as a dominant, yet peaceful, species. A cutscene then shows that a creature native to Tapti called a Meeper finds the spacecraft, enters it, and flies away to an unknown planet.
The game focuses on the Creature phase of the larger game, with elements of Nintendogs
and Drawn to Life
. Spore Creatures characters are ball and line generated 2.5D. Unlike the characters of Spore, creatures are completely 2D, but the environments remain 3D. The iPhone version will be different; the environment will be 2D, similar to Spore Origins for the iPhone OS.
Spore Creatures is a more story-based game as the game is played as an Oogie. Another Oogie creature (named Little Oogie) is kidnapped by a UFO inhabited by an evil scientist creature named Gar’skuther, and the player is forced to survive on strange islands over the course of 12 levels. The creature is created and modified in an editor, using points earned to give the creature different body parts and skills. The player is given 20 points at the start with which to build their initial creature. This is not true for the iPhone version; it will be completely different.
The game focuses on survival, which includes finding food, with mini-games such as cuddling and dancing for friend-making. A large part of the game involves collecting items, allowing players to earn 60 badges based on game moments and actions. The players can also perform side quests and play mini-games to unlock skills and 280 hidden creature parts, which are given to the player by other friendly creatures, akin to Animal Crossing
. Some parts grant "Bio-Powers", such as a quick healing ability or flame-breath.
Combat consists of the player initiating the fight with another creature by selecting it to go into a one-on-one combat screen in which the creatures face off against each other.
The Nintendo DS version of the Sporepedia resembles and functions more like Pokémon
's Pokédex than that used in the main version of Spore.
Some legs also grant terrain walking abilities. There are six types hazardous terrains: Poison, lava, thorny, icy, deep water and hot sand. There is no leg part that allows the creature to walk in poison, but there is a cheat available on the cheat menu that enables users this ability.
; Spore Creatures is one of the few Nintendo DS or Wii games to allow a player to opt out of needing to input Friend Codes.
awarded Spore Creatures a 7.8 of 10 review, commenting on its lasting appeal, "The adventure is lengthy with tons of achievements to shoot for. The creature creator might not be as elaborate as PC Spore, but there's still a ton you can do to make some bizarre organisms." Eurogamer
, however, panned the game in its 5 of 10 review, stating that the game ignored what made Spore special, and that the "imaginative and sociable sandbox game feels like an afterthought, stuck in an uninspiring cycle of fetch-quests and grinding." Official Nintendo Magazine gave it 66%, saying that progress in stages always requires specific body traits, forcing the player to constantly edit their creature, and removing the whole point in the game. It was a nominee for Best Simulation Game for the Nintendo DS from IGN in their 2008 video game awards.
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and iPhone OS
IPhone OS
iOS is Apple's mobile operating system. Originally developed for the iPhone, it has since been extended to support other Apple, Inc. devices such as the iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple TV. Apple, Inc. does not license iOS for installation on third-party hardware...
spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of Spore
Spore (2008 video game)
Spore is a multi-genre single-player god game developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems in September 2008 as Spore...
, developed by Foundation 9, in which a player controls and evolves a creature of their creation.
Plot
The game begins as a new species of creatures, the Oogies, are born on the planet Tapti. Two members of this species of particular importance are the protagonist, simply known as 'Oogie', and Little Oogie, a small and primitive creature. A mysterious spaceship is flying around the planet, abducting various creatures; it captures Little Oogie and flies away. Oogie pursues the ship all over Tapti, and when it begins to fall apart after bashing into a number of objects, Oogie collects its pieces. Oogie eventually catches up with the ship as it finally crashes, and its pilot, an alien called Gar' skuther, clambers out. Gar' skuther simply summons a new ship and flies away, still in possession of Little Oogie, who has now grown a strange tentacle from his back. Oogie uses the parts he has collected to rebuild the first ship and pursue Gar' skuther through the galaxy.On one planet, Oogie eventually comes across Gar' skuther, who is observing another creature. Seeing no threat in Oogie, he begins to explain his plan: he wishes to dominate the galaxy by experimenting on all primitive wildlife and building his genes into them - his genes cause large, dark tentacles to grow from whatever they are implanted into. In order to show Oogie his power, Gar' skuther infects a nearby creature, and pits it against Oogie to test its strength. Oogie defeats the creature, but Gar' skuther flees, now realising that Oogie may be more than just a normal creature.
Oogie eventually lands his ship on Gar' skuther's base planet, where he is hiding through a cave. After resolving a conflict between two native species and helping to cure a nest from the infection, Oogie reaches the cave entrance. Passing through it, Oogie comes to a small cove where Gar' skuther is waiting. The evil alien tells Oogie that he is more powerful than he originally thought, and that he will face him in battle if Oogie can defeat the Skuther - a bionic creature Gar' skuther has built using the best parts of many other species. Oogie defeats the Skuther, but Gar' skuther reveals that he has spread them all over the galaxy and that they will soon become the dominant species. Gar' skuther then proceeds to battle Oogie, but is defeated and dies, his arm is the only salvagable part left.
Upon Gar' skuther's defeat, the many Skuthers throughout the galaxy collapse. The infection ceases to exist as the tentacles all wither away. Oogie takes the spaceship back to Tapti, where he meets a cured Little Oogie. The two creatures than carry out their lives on Tapti as a dominant, yet peaceful, species. A cutscene then shows that a creature native to Tapti called a Meeper finds the spacecraft, enters it, and flies away to an unknown planet.
Gameplay
Nintendogs
is a real-time pet simulation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America, Australia, Europe, and other regions. It was originally released in three different versions:...
and Drawn to Life
Drawn to Life
Drawn to Life is an action-adventure/platform game for the Nintendo DS developed by 5th Cell and published by THQ. In the game, players create their own playable characters, level objects and accessories by drawing them using the DS's stylus and touch screen.Drawn to Life requires the player to...
. Spore Creatures characters are ball and line generated 2.5D. Unlike the characters of Spore, creatures are completely 2D, but the environments remain 3D. The iPhone version will be different; the environment will be 2D, similar to Spore Origins for the iPhone OS.
Spore Creatures is a more story-based game as the game is played as an Oogie. Another Oogie creature (named Little Oogie) is kidnapped by a UFO inhabited by an evil scientist creature named Gar’skuther, and the player is forced to survive on strange islands over the course of 12 levels. The creature is created and modified in an editor, using points earned to give the creature different body parts and skills. The player is given 20 points at the start with which to build their initial creature. This is not true for the iPhone version; it will be completely different.
The game focuses on survival, which includes finding food, with mini-games such as cuddling and dancing for friend-making. A large part of the game involves collecting items, allowing players to earn 60 badges based on game moments and actions. The players can also perform side quests and play mini-games to unlock skills and 280 hidden creature parts, which are given to the player by other friendly creatures, akin to Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing
The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
. Some parts grant "Bio-Powers", such as a quick healing ability or flame-breath.
Combat consists of the player initiating the fight with another creature by selecting it to go into a one-on-one combat screen in which the creatures face off against each other.
The Nintendo DS version of the Sporepedia resembles and functions more like Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
's Pokédex than that used in the main version of Spore.
Creature Abilities
In Spore Creatures there are a multitude of parts to collect. Certain parts grant the creature special abilities called "bio-powers". However, these bio-powers induce several catches (i.e stun causes poor eyesight). The bio-powers are: Flame Jet, Leaf Flurry, Quick Healing, Stun, and Force Field. Flame Jet and Leaf Flurry are both offensive bio-powers that damage enemies in combat; Stun momentarily paralyzes the enemy, disabling it from attacking; Quick Healing and Force Field are defensive bio-powers that heals the creature and its friends, and creates an invulnerable bubble around creature, respectively.Some legs also grant terrain walking abilities. There are six types hazardous terrains: Poison, lava, thorny, icy, deep water and hot sand. There is no leg part that allows the creature to walk in poison, but there is a cheat available on the cheat menu that enables users this ability.
Multiplayer
The game will allow the player to save thirty-one different creations, including those from friends over a local, peer-to-peer connection. Players can have their creatures interact via the Nintendo Wi-Fi ConnectionNintendo Wi-Fi Connection
The is an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii games. The service includes the company's Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop, and Nintendo eShop game download services...
; Spore Creatures is one of the few Nintendo DS or Wii games to allow a player to opt out of needing to input Friend Codes.
Reception
IGNIGN
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...
awarded Spore Creatures a 7.8 of 10 review, commenting on its lasting appeal, "The adventure is lengthy with tons of achievements to shoot for. The creature creator might not be as elaborate as PC Spore, but there's still a ton you can do to make some bizarre organisms." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
, however, panned the game in its 5 of 10 review, stating that the game ignored what made Spore special, and that the "imaginative and sociable sandbox game feels like an afterthought, stuck in an uninspiring cycle of fetch-quests and grinding." Official Nintendo Magazine gave it 66%, saying that progress in stages always requires specific body traits, forcing the player to constantly edit their creature, and removing the whole point in the game. It was a nominee for Best Simulation Game for the Nintendo DS from IGN in their 2008 video game awards.
Other games/Expansion packs
- Spore Creature CreatorSpore Creature CreatorThe Spore Creature Creator is software that allows players to create their own creatures with a standalone version of the Creature Editor from Spore; the software was one of the first aspects of the game to receive focused development, and underwent ten rewrites since the start of development...
(2008, PC) – The creature creator element of Spore, released prior to the full game. - SporeSpore (2008 video game)Spore is a multi-genre single-player god game developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems in September 2008 as Spore...
(2008, PC)- Spore: Galactic Edition - Special edition of Spore
- Spore Creepy and CuteSpore Creepy and Cute expansion packSpore: Creepy & Cute is an expansion pack for the 2008 video game Spore. It includes additional tools and features for creature creation that were not present in the original Spore. These include 60 new parts, 48 new paint options, 24 new test drive animations, and two new test drive backgrounds....
- Parts Pack - Spore: Galactic AdventuresSpore: Galactic AdventuresSpore: Galactic Adventures is the first expansion pack for the multi-genre game Spore, developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The US version of the game was released on June 23, 2009. The European version was released on June 26, 2009....
(2009, PC) - Expansion pack
- Spore Creatures (2008,iOS, DS)
- Spore OriginsSpore OriginsSpore Origins is the mobile device spin-off of Spore, and focuses on a single phase of the larger game's gameplay - the cell phase.-Gameplay:...
(2008, Mobile phone, iOS) - Spore HeroSpore HeroSpore Hero is the Wii spin-off of Spore, developed by Maxis, in which the players focus on creativity and evolution using the unique controls of the Wii...
(2009, Wii) - Spore Hero ArenaSpore Hero ArenaSpore Hero Arena is the Nintendo DS spin-off of Spore Hero which was released in North America on 6 October 2009, and worldwide on 8 October...
(2009, DS) - DarksporeDarksporeDarkspore is a video game in the original Darkspore universe that borrows the award-winning creature editor technology from the 2008 video game Spore...
(2011, PC)
Planned games/Expansion packs
- Spore Creature KeeperSpore Creature KeeperSpore Creature Keeper is a video game spin-off to the 2008 video game Spore. The game is developed by Maxis and will be published by Electronic Arts. Made for younger users, the gameplay is heavily based on The Sims and will use the Sims 3 Engine. It will be released sometime in 2012 for Microsoft...
(2012, PC) - Spore TBA (2011, PC)