Software:Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
North American box art
Developer(s)EA Tiburon
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Director(s)Kyle Gray
Designer(s)Peter Ong
Programmer(s)Ryan Pijai
Artist(s)Jay Epperson
Composer(s)Gene Rozenberg
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • NA: March 17, 2009
  • EU: March 20, 2009
Genre(s)Action-adventure, platform, puzzle
Mode(s)Single-player

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure is a Nintendo DS action-adventure puzzle video game developed by EA Tiburon. It involves a British adventurer, the eponymous Henry Hatsworth, who is on a mission to find the "Golden Suit", a garb that allows the wearer to control the "Puzzle Realm". The player must solve puzzles on the touch screen to destroy fallen enemies from the top screen.

Gameplay

As the player defeats enemies on the top screen, they are sent to the bottom screen in the form of blocks.

While the game is an action-platformer on the top screen, once enemies are defeated by Hatsworth, they are sent to the bottom screen as puzzle blocks.[1] The puzzle game on the bottom screen plays much like Nintendo's Puzzle League, as blocks need to be linked in a chain of three or more of the same color to be cleared, and any blocks resting on top of the cleared ones will fall into their place, potentially leading to a chain reaction of blocks being cleared if they fall into place and end up touching more of the same colors.

As the blocks on the puzzle screen rise, the enemy blocks that touch the upper edge of the screen are revived and can attack Hatsworth again on the top screen.[1] The player can prevent this by swapping blocks to form groups of three or more, causing them to be destroyed, and their energy to add to the "Super Meter".[1] Certain blocks may also power up Hatsworth's attacks,[1] or restore his health, while others may hinder the player. If the Super Meter is filled, Hatsworth becomes younger, and his health increases.[2] If it is then filled to double its capacity, the player can activate a mode called "Tea Time", causing Hatsworth to pilot a mecha (called his Robot Suit) and become invincible until the Super Meter depletes.[2] Using the money earned by defeating enemies or collecting treasure, the player can return to Hatsworth's assistant's shop periodically to buy various upgrades.

Plot

Story

Henry Hatsworth, the game's protagonist, is on a mission to find the lost pieces of the Gentleman's Suit, a suit of armour that allows the wearer to control a parallel world known as the Puzzle Realm, in order to obtain the valuable treasures inside this world.[1] Hatsworth first finds a golden bowler hat that opens a rift between the worlds and allows him to manipulate this realm, and he resolves to find the rest of the Suit pieces to both stop Puzzle Realm monsters from entering his world and to claim their world's riches for himself. Each piece of the Suit gives him different special techniques, but Hatsworth and his assistant Cole find out that only the "master piece" of the golden suit is strong enough to seal the Puzzle Realm. Hatsworth's rival Weasleby gets it first and claims it has made him a god, but Henry defeats him although Weasleby manages to escape and kidnap Cole. Hatsworth chases after them and eventually defeats Weasleby again, only to discover that Weasleby was a robot. Upset that he never got credit and was always treated like a child and was not allowed to adventure with Hatsworth, Cole built Weasleby and tried to thwart Hatsworth. He sends The Machine, his greatest creation, to fight Hatsworth, but is ultimately defeated and Hatsworth is able to claim the Master Piece and seal the Puzzle Realm. A credits sequence reveals the fates of most of the game's major characters.

Worlds

Mysteria - a swampy jungle that gives way to a graveyard.

Skysland - a combination of floating islands, temple ruins and airships.

Atlantia - an ocean with volcanoes and an underwater city.

Puzzle Realm - the land unsealed by the Golden Suit; filled with treasures and monsters.

Tealand - an old-London style city.

Development

The concept for Henry Hatsworth started as a prototype in Adobe Flash and was initially called Monkey Business. In a 2009 interview at Nintendo Life with Kyle Gray, where Kyle was asked if it was difficult to get Henry Hatsworth made at EA, Kyle had this to say. "Surprisingly, it wasn't too bad! I initially pitched the swell gents at Tiburon with a project idea which basically involved me doing some crazy stuff in Flash on my own. Luckily, they totally approved it, so I started making little DS game prototypes– which gradually led to the Monkey Business prototype, which ultimately became Hatsworth."[3]

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure was created by Kyle Gray, who founded the Experimental Gameplay Project with Kyle Gabler, the creator of World of Goo, in 2005.[2] Gray led a seven-man team at EA Tiburon to develop the game.[2] The seven man team included; Kyle Gray as Director, Peter Ong as Lead Designer, Ryan Pijai as Lead Programmer, Bob Nystrom as Tools Programmer, Andrew Malesky as Animator, Jay Epperson as Art Director and Loel Phelps as Level Designer and Tileset Artist.

The art of the game was envisioned by art director Jay Epperson, using a mix of wood grain and paper-cut themes.[4]

Soundtrack

The original soundtrack of the game, composed by Gene Rozenberg, was released by EA Games for free download on its website. It has since been removed after EA's redesign of the game's website.[5]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic82 out of 100[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid9 out of 10[7]
Edge8 out of 10[8]
Eurogamer7 out of 10[9]
Game Informer7 out of 10[10]
GameProStarStarStarStarHalf star[11]
GameRevolutionB+[12]
GameSpot8.5 out of 10[13]
GameTrailers9.1 out of 10[14]
IGN9 out of 10[15]
Nintendo Power8 out of 10[16]
The A.V. ClubB+[17]
WiredStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[18]

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6]

IGN's Mark Bozon commented that the game was "completely old school in design and execution", featuring "pop-up brawling, a wall jump that feels like Mega Man X, Mario-like platforming, and a great blend with the puzzle aspects". He commended the game's "beautiful" art style, but criticized the game for technical issues, and called the gameplay "unforgiving at times".[15] GameSpot's Tom McShea also called both platforming and puzzle aspects "first-class" and "an absolute blast", with "tight controls and varied environments" as well as "fast and frantic" puzzle gameplay, but was frustrated by "the high difficulty in the later stages".[13]

During the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Henry Hatsworth for "Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design".[19] It was also nominated for both Genre Award and Platform Award in GameSpot's Best of 2009.[20][21]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 VanOrd, Kevin (August 14, 2008). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Hands-On". http://www.gamespot.com/articles/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure-hands-on/1100-6195999/. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Casamassina, Matt (January 29, 2009). "Tea Time with Henry Hatsworth". http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/29/tea-time-with-henry-hatsworth. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  3. ↑ Calvert, Darren (May 11, 2009). "Interviews: Kyle Gray talks Henry Hatsworth & indie plans". http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2009/05/interviews_kyle_gray_talks_henry_hatsworth_and_indie_plans. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  4. ↑ Boyer, Brandon (April 21, 2009). "Concept Album: Evil Ben Franklin and the art of Henry Hatsworth". Offworld. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090424065034/http://www.offworld.com/2009/04/concept-album-evil-ben-frankli.html. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  5. ↑ Fletcher, JC (December 18, 2008). "Henry Hatsworth in the Listening Adventure". Engadget (Joystiq). https://www.engadget.com/2008/12/18/henry-hatsworth-in-the-listening-adventure/. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure for DS Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure/critic-reviews/?platform=ds. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  7. ↑ Chester, Nick (March 18, 2009). "Destructoid review: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure". https://www.destructoid.com/destructoid-review-henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure-123925.phtml. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  8. ↑ Edge staff (April 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure". Edge (200): 125. 
  9. ↑ Gibson, Ellie (March 13, 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure-review. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  10. ↑ Vore, Bryan (April 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure: A Trying Test of Skills". Game Informer (192). http://www.gameinformer.com/games/henry_hatsworth_in_the_puzzling_adventure/b/nintendo_ds/archive/2009/09/23/review.aspx. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  11. ↑ Balistrieri, Emily (March 17, 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure". GamePro. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090321075439/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/209280/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  12. ↑ Kevin S. (April 22, 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 McShea, Tom (March 26, 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure-review/1900-6206865/. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  14. ↑ "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Review". GameTrailers. March 21, 2009. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090322214450/http://www.gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=10233. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Bozon, Mark (March 13, 2009). "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/03/13/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure-review. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  16. ↑ "Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure". Nintendo Power 240: 83. April 2009. 
  17. ↑ Teti, John (March 30, 2009). "Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090401022415/http://www.avclub.com/articles/henry-hatsworth-in-the-puzzling-adventure%2C25825/. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  18. ↑ Ralph, Nate (March 13, 2009). "Review: Henry Hatsworth a Mashup of Puzzle, Platforming". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2009/03/review-henry-ha. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  19. ↑ "2010 Awards Category Details Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2010&idGameAwardType=140. 
  20. ↑ Mihoerck, Dan (December 23, 2009). "GameSpot's Best of 2009 Genre Awards Winners". http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gamespots-best-of-2009-genre-awards-winners/2300-6244198/. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  21. ↑ Mihoerck, Dan (December 24, 2009). "GameSpot's Best of 2009 Platform Award Winners". http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gamespots-best-of-2009-platform-award-winners/2300-6244195/. Retrieved May 27, 2016. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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