Software:Souptoys
| Souptoys | |
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| Developer(s) | Souptoys Pty Ltd |
| Publisher(s) | Oberon Media |
| Platform(s) | Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 |
| Release |
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| Genre(s) | Sandbox game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Souptoys Toybox, also known simply as Souptoys, is a physics-based sandbox video game and "desktop toy" program for the Microsoft Windows systems. It was developed by a group of friends known as the Soupboys, based in Western Australia.[1] The game was initially made available for purchase sometime in early 2006, however was released as freeware on July 14 the same year.[2] A number of updates have been released that add new toys to the game, although the game's official website is no longer accessible.
Gameplay
Souptoys includes a variety of physics-based objects which can be dragged from the "toybox" window onto the desktop, with the ability to be thrown and moved around with a computer mouse. Some objects, such as balls, cannons, gears, titling platforms, and colored wooden blocks, allow for level-building and the construction of Rube Goldberg-like contraptions, which could then be saved as a "playset" file and uploaded to the Souptoys website for others to download.[3] Several pre-made playsets are also included with the base game. While Souptoys overlays itself directly on to the player's screen, there is also an option to turn on a background which hides the desktop and any open programs with a blue checkerboard pattern.
Toys are divided into themed categories; Sports, Make & Break, Ted's Castle, Souper Six, Bumble Party, Pirates, Astrobots, Soup Labs, and Christmas Toys.
Reception
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The game was received positively, with PC World describing the game as "amusing", although noting that the game can "eat up a lot of time if you're not careful."[3] Lifehacker praised the game as a "nice stress reliever for adults", but similarly mentioned "the potential to be the biggest productivity killer of all time."[5] Download.com editors' review compliments the number of pre-included playsets and verdicts that "the whole point of the game is experimentation".[4]
External links
References
- ↑ "Souptoys - New News and Featured Playsets". 2011-07-28. http://souptoys.com/index.php.
- ↑ "Fun-Motion » Souptoys Released for Free" (in en). https://www.fun-motion.com/news/souptoys-released-for-free/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Free SoupToys Toybox Turns A Desktop Into a Playground" (in en-US). 2010-06-05. https://www.pcworld.com/article/512917/souptoys.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Souptoys - Editors' Review" (in en-us). 2009-11-10. https://download.cnet.com/Souptoys/3000-2102_4-10551080.html.
- ↑ "SoupToys Is Endless Desktop Fun for Your Child, May Decrease Your Productivity" (in en-us). 11 April 2010. https://lifehacker.com/souptoys-is-endless-desktop-fun-for-your-child-may-dec-5514594.
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