It seems like
another lifetime when my then-seven-year-old daughter and I would sit down at
the PC and fire up one of the Humongous adventures featuring Freddi Fish, Pajama
Sam, Spy Fox or Putt-Putt. The puzzles were not overly complex, but there was
such joy in the way the adventure played out, combined with colorful and
entertaining graphics and a sense of joy that underscored the experience. And
though not complicated, there was a sense of accomplishment that pervaded the
solutions of even the most rudimentary puzzle.
These were
point-and-click adventures that featured more than their share of run-and-find
missions, backtracking, some static environments that were nothing more than
relocation hubs, but also had gentle humor and peripheral action. You might see
an object in the scene that seemingly had no purpose, but if you clicked on it,
it might jump up and dance or perform some other random action that had
absolutely nothing to do with the story or adventure at hand, but was cute and
fun nonetheless.
In 1996
Humongous was purchased by GT Interactive, who was purchased by Infogrames,
which through other purchases, eventually changed its name to Atari. The
original owners of the Humongous company tried to buy the company back in 2000,
but that fell through and in mid-2001, Atari laid off most of the Humongous
employees and eventually shut down the company completely.
It seemed like
the end of these childhood favorite video-game characters, but such was not the
case. Freddi Fish has finally resurfaced – in a manner of speaking – with
Majesco as the publisher and Mistic Studios as the developer. The game is Freddi
Fish in Kelp Seed Mystery and is a straightforward children’s game featuring Freddi and his sidekick, Luther. In this adventure, Grandma Grouper’s kelp seeds
are missing and without them, the sea creatures will go hungry. Of course,
Freddi vows to find and return the stolen seeds.
Initially you
will run into a pair of henchman sharks that hint at something more nefarious
going on in this undersea kingdom, but through exploration, cognitive
puzzle-solving skills, players will be able to work through the non-threatening
environment to thwart the evil-doer and return the seeds to where they
rightfully belong.
The game is
targeted for ages six and up and while there is a certain amount of repetitive
gameplay, that age group may well find this a delightful outing. My 12-year-old
tackled it, was sitting with an amused look on her face most of the time and she
used the Wii-mote to point out objects and directions she wished to go. Though
the game boasts 20-plus hours of gameplay on the box, she finished the game in
90 minutes. However, the game also has new clues and slightly different endings
that should prolong the life of the game.
The voices have
changed in the intervening years since Freddi last appeared, but there is still
that childlike sense that pervades the game. There are also a collection of
mini-games and side quests that should entreat young players, like helping Mrs. Halibut free her guppy child from under rocks, or locating a new shell for an
insomniac crustacean. Players will need to keep an eye on every setting for
would-be pick-ups that could prove useful in other areas of the game world.
The controls
are very simple – point with the Wii-mote and hit the A button; that’s about all
there is to it.
The game’s
sound is kept light with an almost-calypso flair to the music and young voice
actors acting out the parts of the game’s two protagonists.
Graphically
this game recaptures the lush and colorful world of Freddi in those great PC
titles, and the animation is kept lighthearted and fun.
Freddi Fish in
Kelp Seed Mystery should be a nice game for the target age group (6-plus). Some
of the puzzles might suit a bit younger player, but kids from the age of 5-7 and
up may enjoy this adventure. Parents will likely enjoy the $20 price tag.
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Gameplay: 7.0
The game has a lot
of backtracking but also has a lot of simple side quests en route to finding the
treasure chest with the kelp seeds. Easy to control, this adventure should prove
to be well within the grasp of the targeted age group.
Graphics: 7.3
Two-dimensional
gaming that is lush, colorful and a treat. This is reminiscent of an interactive
cartoon.
Sound: 7.0
The music and the
voice work keep the game feeling lighthearted and fun.
Difficulty: Easy
Concept: 6.5
Some repetition and
nothing that should prove too hard for the age group. This is a tried-and-true
formula
Overall: 7.0
A brief visit with
an old friend that rekindles fond memories, this iteration of Freddi Fish is
handled nicely. It seems to be on track for the targeted age group and is a
treat with the light graphics and sound.
