The Adventure Pals
A crowdfunded platformer with kawaii art and co-op play.
The Adventure Pals is a platformer video game and the first title from developer Massive Monster. It launched on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on April 3, 2018. The game features a kawaii-inspired art style similar to that of Pendleton Ward, and was funded through a Kickstarter campaign that began in July 2016.
In the game, players control Wilton, a young adventurer who can jump, wall-jump, and attack enemies with a sword. He is joined by Sparkles, a pet giraffe who can slow his descent by spinning her tongue like a propeller and latch onto red spheres to fling him, and Mr. Rock, an anthropomorphic rock who acts as his tactician. Defeating enemies earns experience points, and leveling up lets players choose one of three upgrades for Wilton and his friends. The game supports drop-in/drop-out co-op, with a second player controlling a palette-swapped version of Wilton.
There are 26 levels total: six in each of the first four worlds, and two in the fifth and final world. Each world’s required levels contain a Ruby collectible; players must gather enough Rubies to unlock that world’s boss level. The first four worlds allow players to complete their five initial levels in any order, while the final world is strictly linear. Each world has a town where players can talk to NPCs and complete side missions to unlock levels. Levels also contain five Cupcakes, which can be traded to the Cupcake King for new hats for Wilton and outfits for Mr. Rock, plus one sticker for a sticker album.
The story begins on Wilton’s birthday, when his father gives him a giraffe named Sparkles. Mr. B, an old friend of Wilton’s father, crashes the party, kidnaps Wilton’s father, and knocks Wilton out. Wilton’s mother suggests he find Rubies by exploring bandit camps and helping people. Mr. B later kidnaps her too. After a third encounter, Mr. B reveals he seeks the Oopie-Doopie, a creature of “enormous power” that can destroy friendship, and tricks Wilton into finding it. Wilton rescues his mother, who turns the lighthouse into a rocket to reach Mr. B’s moon base. Mr. B tries to create a monster from the Oopie-Doopie, but Wilton defeats it and rescues his father; together they defeat Mr. B. The goldfish on Mr. B’s head is then revealed as the true villain, having used Mr. B as a pawn. The goldfish uses a bomb, but Mr. B sacrifices himself to take the blast.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Adventure Pals
- Developer
- Massive Monster
- Publisher
- Armor Games
- Platforms
- Xbox One, Steam, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
- Released
- April 3, 2018
- Genre
- Platform
- Modes
- Single-player / Multiplayer
- Producer
- Harry Armstrong / Derek A. Huffman
- Designer
- Jay Armstrong / Jake Walder / Bretton Hamilton / Shane McCartney / Joshua Bentley-Allen / Lee Davies
- Programmer
- Jay Armstrong
- Artist
- Julian Wilton
- Writer
- Dora Breckenridge / Jay Armstrong
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Adventure Pals follows Wilton, a young adventurer who can jump, wall-jump, and attack enemies with his sword. He is assisted by a pet giraffe named Sparkles, who can slow Wilton's descent by spinning her tongue like a propeller and latch onto red spheres to fling him, and an anthropomorphic rock named Mr. Rock, who functions as Wilton's tactician. Defeating enemies grants experience points for leveling up, where the player chooses one of up to three upgrades. The game supports drop-in/drop-out co-op with a second player as a palette swap of Wilton.
The game contains twenty-six levels across five worlds: six levels in each of the first four worlds, and two levels in the fifth and final world. Each world has a town-like setting with NPCs and side missions. Levels contain Rubies needed to unlock boss levels, and the player can collect Cupcakes for new hats and outfits, as well as stickers for an album. The plot involves Wilton's father being kidnapped by Mr. B, who seeks the Oopie-Doopie to destroy friendship. After rescuing his mother, Wilton pursues Mr. B to a moon base, defeats a monster, and learns the goldfish on Mr. B's head was the true antagonist. The goldfish later kidnaps Mr. Rock, prompting further conflict.
Reader's Guide
The Adventure Pals received generally positive reviews upon its release. Critics praised the platforming, accessibility for younger players, art style, and humor. It holds a score of 77 on Metacritic based on eleven reviews and 76.12% on GameRankings based on eight reviews. OpenCritic assessed strong approval, recommended by 68% of critics. Ryan Craddock of Nintendo Life gave an 8/10, praising the platforming as 'tight and precise, yet relatively relaxed and easy-going on the whole' and enjoying the humor, while criticizing low framerate in arena battles. Neal Ronaghan of Nintendo World Report gave an 8.5/10, praising the platforming and charm but noting simplistic level design, concluding it is 'a really charming platformer that is a joy to play whether by yourself or with a friend in co-op.' The game is notable as Massive Monster's first title and for its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign starting in July 2016.
Did You Know?
- The Adventure Pals was the first game developed by Massive Monster.
- The game was crowdfunded via Kickstarter starting in July 2016.
- It features a total of twenty-six levels across five worlds.
- The goldfish on Mr. B's head is revealed as the true antagonist.
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