Software:Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone"
| Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone" | |
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 Cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Humongous Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Infogrames[lower-alpha 1] |
| Producer(s) | Rachel Frost |
| Designer(s) | Brad Carlton |
| Writer(s) | Brad Carlton |
| Composer(s) |
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| Engine | SCUMM |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Release | Windows, Macintosh
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| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone" is an adventure game developed by Humongous Entertainment and published by Infogrames, part of their "Junior Adventure" line and the final entry in the Spy Fox series of games. The game follows the heroic Spy Fox as he prevents a villainess from opening a massive hole in the ozone layer. The game was released for computers in May 2001.
Plot
While undercover in the Scottish Highlands, Spy Fox infiltrates a hideout belonging to a group of rabbits. Agent Roger Boar gives Fox a rocket-powered origami skateboard sent by Professor Quack and a message hidden inside a lipstick container. After folding the skateboard correctly, Spy Fox is able to use it to escape from the bunny guards. After a chase, the scene switches to a giant aerosol can spraying on the ozone layer. Once the Spy Chief is informed of this, Spy Fox arrives with the message, which reads, "Please help me. Signed, Plato Pushpin". The Chief gives Fox the number of a jukebox song to play (in the form of a tea bag) so the latter can get into the Mobile Command Center.
Spy Fox is sent to the Middle of Nowhere. After punching the number in the jukebox at a bowling alley, Fox hops into a bowling pin and is sent to MobCom (short for Mobile Command Center), which is above the bowling alley. Monkey Penny informs Spy Fox that Plato Pushpin, a cosmetics expert, has been captured by Poodles Galore, the self-appointed Queen of Cosmetics and Pushpin's ex-employer. After disguising as one of Poodles' bowlers, Spy Fox rescues Pushpin, who gives him a list of items needed to create the congeal pill (which includes an unchewed wad of chicle, the Aerosol Particle Diameter Number (or A.P.D. for short), and a couple other ingredients) to disarm Poodles' hairspray can, which Poodles plans to use to deplete the ozone layer so everyone will buy her SPF 2001 Sunscreen.
When Spy Fox gives Pushpin all the vital ingredients, the latter finishes the congeal pill and gives it to Fox. At the same time, Professor Quack gives Fox a "Swiss Spy Knife" gadget, which contains wire cutters that are able to cut through solid steel. Spy Fox enters the spray can, but Poodles stops Fox right before the pill can touch the aerosol and traps him in a steel net. After using the wire cutters that Quack gave him, Fox is able to free himself, take back the congeal pill (without Poodles noticing) and successfully throw the pill into the aerosol. The can becomes unstable but gives just enough time for Poodles and Fox to escape before it explodes. Poodles then retreats to her moonbase; if Spy Fox follows her, a bonus ending will be unlocked.
In the bonus ending, Poodles uses an impenetrable force field to protect her moonbase from intruders while she plots revenge, but not before Spy Fox sneaks in. Monkey Penny calls to inform Spy Fox that she is in Professor Quack's M.E.S.S. ship and is right outside the moonbase, but is unable to get past the force field. He infiltrates a room with a surveillance monitor (after deactivating a booby trap), which shows a close-up of Poodles Galore's fingernails, so he can paint his fingernails exactly like hers to complete the fingernail code and turn the force field off. Afterwards, the Spy Corps. agents are able to come right in and capture Poodles' goons. Having had enough of Spy Fox, Poodles decides to get rid of him herself and easily overtakes him, but Monkey Penny comes in and breaks Poodles' fingernail with a karate move, finally defeating the villain and arresting her. In the end, Spy Fox talks to the Chief about getting a vacation saying that he's "dog tired".
Gameplay
The game features most of the same mechanics from the first two games, but the several pockets in Spy Fox's tuxedo used to carry items are replaced by a single pocket called the "Super-Deep Spy Pocket", which is able to carry an unlimited amount of items in it. The gameplay is simplified compared to the previous Spy Fox games, in which the main objective merely involves collecting four ingredients for the congeal pill; unlike the previous games, all of those tasks are available to do simultaneously, meaning you don't have to complete one task to do another one.
Reception
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The game was the fifth Top Selling Home Education Software for the week of 5/06/2001-5/12/2001,[7] third for 5/13/2001-5/19/2001,[7] fourth for 5/27/2001-6/2/2001,[8] and third for 6/3/2001-6/9/2001,[8] according to PC Data. In North America alone, Spy Fox 3 sold 77,133 copies during the year 2001.[9]
Review Corner gave the game a score of 4.5 stars in addition an Award of Excellence.[5]
References
- ↑ "Infogrames Press Release". 2001-08-03. http://www.infogrames.net/corporate/press/050101_spyfox.asp.
- ↑ "Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone"". Steam. http://store.steampowered.com/search/?developer=Humongous%20Entertainment.
- ↑ "Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone" for PC - GameRankings". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/582591-spy-fox-3-operation-ozone/index.html.
- ↑ "Spy Fox 3". http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,32968,00.asp.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Spy Fox 3 - Review Corner". May 2001. http://www.reviewcorner.com/games/spyfoxoperationozone.html. ""As a nonviolent game the whole family will love, this program is hard to beat.""
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Infogrames Awards - Spy Fox 3". http://funkidsgames.com:80/games/?awards=208.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Hits List Results". 2001-06-01. http://reston.intelectmt.com/hitslists/pickhits_submit.asp?list=ws.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Hits List Results". 2001-06-26. http://reston.intelectmt.com/hitslists/pickhits_submit.asp?list=ws.
- ↑ Sluganski, Randy (March 2002). "State of Adventure Gaming - March 2002 - 2001 Sales Table". Just Adventure. http://www.justadventure.com:80/articles/State_of_Adventure_Gaming/Mar-02/sales2001.shtm.
- ↑ The Steam release was co-published by Tommo and Night Dive Studios.
The iOS version was published by Tommo.
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