Software:Muppet Monster Adventure

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Short description: 2000 video game
Muppet Monster Adventure
European cover art
Developer(s)Magenta Software
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Michael Giacchino
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • EU: 20 October 2000
  • NA: 7 November 2000[1]
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Muppet Monster Adventure is a 2000 platform video game developed by Magenta Software and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It was developed under Psygnosis' licence of The Muppets franchise. The player controls Robin The Frog as he attempts to save The Muppets from becoming permanently monsters.

The gameplay is reminiscent of popular 3D collectathon platformers of the time.

The game has received mixed to average review scores, with praise for the game's polish and fun factor and mixed reactions towards the games soundtrack and gameplay.

Plot

Robin the Frog is delighted that he and the Muppets are finally going on a vacation. His hopes are dashed, however, when he learns that rather than Krakatoa 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 Dr. Bunsen Honeydew on this journey to hear the reading of his uncle's will, emphasizing the value of friendship. After becoming frightened of his surroundings and the door of the castle being opened by a mysterious figure, Robin faints.

Robin is awoken by Pepe the King Prawn, Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew in some sort of underground laboratory. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew explains that the laboratory belonged to his late 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 initially fights his way through the innards and grounds of the Castle von Honeydew itself, facing its corrupt knights and guards, before defeating (and thereby rescuing) Gonzo, who has turned into the vampire "Noseferatu."

Robin then ventures into the outskirts of the village nicknamed "The Deadlands" where he encounters villainous pirates and reanimated skeletons. Robin defeats the "Wocka Wocka Wearbear" and transforming him back into Fozzie Bear.

Robin is able to advance to the forests around the village called "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's monster).

Having done this, Robin moves into the river-dwelling and Arab quarters of the village referred to as the "Village of the Darned" 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, as well as ravenous piranha, puffer fish, and hungry crocodiles. Robin dispatches them in short order and comes to face the fearsome "Ghoul-friend of Ker-Monster" (a spoof 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 center of the castle only to find one final enemy awaiting him; Baron Petri von Honeydew himself (who has the appearance of Erik from The Phantom of the Opera). Robin manages to turn 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 Dr. Bunsen 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 Chives (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 as the Power Glove suddenly appears on Robin's hand again, indicating his adventure may well have been something more than a dream after all.[2]

Gameplay

The game draws heavy inspiration from 3D platformers like Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and Super Mario 64.[3] The gameplay consists of Robin using several context-specific transformations inspired by the monster transformations the Muppets themselves undergo.[4] Robin can use the transformations 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.

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." Once a set number of these have been collected from levels and minigames, the boss is accessible and can be defeated, opening up the next stage of the game.

Cast

  • Jerry Nelson – Robin the Frog
  • Steve Whitmire – Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat
  • Frank Oz – Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear
  • Dave Goelz – Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Baron Petri von Honeydew, Chives the Butler
  • Kevin Clash – Clifford
  • Bill Barretta – Pepe the King Prawn, The Swedish Chef

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings71%[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarHalf star[6]
Edge6/10[7]
EGM7/10[8]
GameSpot7.3/10[9]
IGN6.5/10[4]
OPM (UK)5/10[10]
OPM (US)StarStarStarStar[11]

The game received average reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[5] GameSpot's Scott Steinberg called it 'surprisingly polished and enjoyable', but was unimpressed by the game's sound effects and 'forgettable' soundtrack.[9] Jeremy Conrad of 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'.[4]

References

  1. ↑ IGN staff (7 November 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure Ships Today". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/08/muppet-monster-adventure-ships-today. 
  2. ↑ Muppet Monster Adventure, released 2000
  3. ↑ "Super Mario Sunshine". NGC Magazine (Future Publishing) (71). October 2002.  In a review of Super Mario Sunshine the reviewer reflected on that game's poor swimming mechanic, remarking on how MMA and SM64 had done better.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Conrad, Jeremy (19 December 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/12/20/muppet-monster-adventure. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Muppet Monster Adventure for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/354060-muppet-monster-adventure/index.html. 
  6. ↑ Woods, Nick. "Muppet Monster Adventure - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=25334&tab=review. 
  7. ↑ Edge staff (November 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure". Edge (Future Publishing) (90): 101. https://archive.org/details/edgeuk090/page/n91/mode/2up. Retrieved 31 August 2020. 
  8. ↑ EGM staff (December 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (137). 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Steinberg, Scott (29 November 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/muppet-monster-adventure-review/1900-2659263/. 
  10. ↑ Wilton, Pete (November 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure". Official UK PlayStation Magazine (Future Publishing) (64): 112. https://archive.org/details/opm064/page/n111/mode/2up. Retrieved 31 August 2020. 
  11. ↑ Steinman, Gary (December 2000). "Muppet Monster Adventure". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (39). http://www.zdnet.com/opm/stories/main/0,11891,2646711,00.html. Retrieved 31 August 2020. 
  • Muppet Monster Adventure on IMDb
  • 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 lengthy 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]

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. 
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