Pandemonium! (video game)
A 2.5D platformer with twisting surfaces and character choice.
Pandemonium! is a 1996 platform video game developed by Toys for Bob and published by Crystal Dynamics for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows, N-Gage, mobile and iOS. It features 2.5D gameplay, where polygons render in a 3D fashion but the gameplay surface is two-dimensional, twisting and bending in a three-dimensional world. The game is notable for its unique visual style and the choice between two characters, each with a distinct special move.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Pandemonium!
- Developer
- Toys for BobPorted to Saturn by Jumpin Jack Software; / Ported to N-Gage and Mobile by Ideaworks3D; / Ported to iOS by Eidos Interactive.
- Publisher
- Crystal Dynamics / Eidos Interactive (NGE) / Electronic Arts (iOS) JP · Bandai (PS/SS)
- Producer
- Mark Lawrence
- Designer
- Paul Reiche III
- Programmer
- Ken Ford / Fred Ford
- Artist
- Steve Kongsle
- Writer
- Paul Jenkins / Ken Daly / Ed Crasnick / Paul Reiche III
- Composer
- Burke Trieschmann
- Platforms
- PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows, N-Gage, Mobile, iOS
- Genre
- Platform
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game's plot follows Fargus, an unpopular carnival jester, and Nikki, a bored acrobat, who meet at a 'Wizards in Training' seminar. After stealing a spellbook, Nikki accidentally summons a green monster named Yungo that consumes their village. To undo the damage, they must reach the Wishing Engine and make a wish. The journey includes branching paths and a variety of unique gameplay objects such as watermelons, clouds, spider webs, and logs. Enemies are defeated by bouncing on their heads, and power-ups include a freeze ray and a shrink ray.
Reader's Guide
Development began in December 1994, with two months spent learning 3D game dynamics. A prototype level was built for E3 1995, after which the team expanded to 30 people. The team decided in June 1996 to release before Thanksgiving, shifting into 'high gear mode'. The final 2–3 months focused on fine-tuning and bug-fixing to maintain a 30 fps frame rate. Crystal Dynamics sold publication rights to Electronic Arts after completion, while European rights were handled by BMG Interactive (except the Saturn version, published by Sega of Europe). The Japanese version, Magical Hoppers, featured considerable story and character changes. The PlayStation version was released to the PlayStation Store on October 8, 2009. Reception was mixed to positive; critics praised the graphics and level design but noted a lack of innovation in gameplay. Some complained about the 'boing' sound on jumps. The Saturn version was deemed the first outstanding platform game for that system by Sega Saturn Magazine and Saturn Power, though some critics felt the PlayStation version had better controls or graphical quality.
Did You Know?
- The game uses a password system to save progress on PlayStation and Saturn.
- The Saturn version was originally slated for May 1997 in Europe but was pushed to June to fix a bug.
- Early development planned hundreds of one-liners for the characters, similar to the game Gex.
- The Japanese version is titled Magical Hoppers and was distributed by Bandai.
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