Spore Origins
Encyclopedia
Spore Origins is the mobile device spin-off
of Spore
, and focuses on a single phase of the larger game's gameplay - the cell phase.
The simplified game allows players to try to survive as a multicellular organism
in a tide pool
, with the ability to upgrade its creature as with the main game. The basic gameplay is similar to flOw. flOw designer Jenova Chen
attributed Will Wright's first demo of Spore
as inspiration.
Unlike the full version of Spore
, the main game is roughly an hour
long, and divided into 18 separate sections, with the player attacking and eating other organisms while avoiding being eaten by superior ones.
On some devices, movement is achieved by pressing the phone keys in ordinal directions. Other devices also support touching the screen to move the creature. Certain iPods use the click wheel as an input method, and users of the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPod Nano may use the accelerometer. Creatures are eaten by attacking with the mouth (if the creature has one); group-eating combos can be achieved with the OK button or center button on the wheel. A section is completed after the player eats a certain amount of DNA material from other life forms.
Every three levels is followed by the creature editor, in which the player may add an upgrade to his or her organism in four categories: perception, attack, defense, and movement. The 3rd upgrade in each category is a "superpart". The player also unlocks a mode called "Survival", in which the player is on a single screen collecting pellets while dodging creatures.
had lockup issues which took place on the game’s initial loading screen on 1.0.x and 1.1.x software. The bugs were fixed and the game was re-released on August 31, 2008.
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...
, and focuses on a single phase of the larger game's gameplay - the cell phase.
Gameplay
Multicellular organism
Multicellular organisms are organisms that consist of more than one cell, in contrast to single-celled organisms. Most life that can be seen with the the naked eye is multicellular, as are all animals and land plants.-Evolutionary history:Multicellularity has evolved independently dozens of times...
in a tide pool
Tide pool
Tide pools are rocky pools by oceans that are filled with seawater. Many of these pools exist as separate entities only at low tide.Tide pools are habitats of uniquely adaptable animals that have engaged the special attention of naturalists and marine biologists, as well as philosophical...
, with the ability to upgrade its creature as with the main game. The basic gameplay is similar to flOw. flOw designer Jenova Chen
Jenova Chen
Xinghan Chen , known as Jenova Chen, is the designer of the award-winning games Cloud, Flow, and Flower, and is co-founder of Thatgamecompany. Chen is from Shanghai, where he earned a bachelors degree in computer science and a minor in digital art and design...
attributed Will Wright's first demo of Spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
as inspiration.
Unlike the full version 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...
, the main game is roughly an hour
Hour
The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds...
long, and divided into 18 separate sections, with the player attacking and eating other organisms while avoiding being eaten by superior ones.
On some devices, movement is achieved by pressing the phone keys in ordinal directions. Other devices also support touching the screen to move the creature. Certain iPods use the click wheel as an input method, and users of the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPod Nano may use the accelerometer. Creatures are eaten by attacking with the mouth (if the creature has one); group-eating combos can be achieved with the OK button or center button on the wheel. A section is completed after the player eats a certain amount of DNA material from other life forms.
Every three levels is followed by the creature editor, in which the player may add an upgrade to his or her organism in four categories: perception, attack, defense, and movement. The 3rd upgrade in each category is a "superpart". The player also unlocks a mode called "Survival", in which the player is on a single screen collecting pellets while dodging creatures.
Issues
The iPod classicIPod classic
The iPod Classic is a portable media player marketed by Apple Inc...
had lockup issues which took place on the game’s initial loading screen on 1.0.x and 1.1.x software. The bugs were fixed and the game was re-released on August 31, 2008.
Reception
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 CreaturesSpore CreaturesSpore 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.-Plot:...
(2008, DS) - Spore Origins (2008, Mobile phone)
- 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)
See also
- 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...
- Spore CreaturesSpore CreaturesSpore 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.-Plot:...
- flOw