Nightmare Ned

Last updated
Nightmare Ned
Nightmare Ned Video Game Box.jpg
Cover art
Developer(s)
Publisher(s) Disney Interactive
Director(s) Walt Dohrn
Programmer(s) Michael Sean Clement
Artist(s) Christina Vann
Composer(s) Patrick J. Collins
Jim Owen
Platform(s)
ReleaseOctober 7, 1997
Genre(s) Action-adventure, Sidescroller
Mode(s) Single-player

Nightmare Ned is a 1997 computer game for Microsoft Windows that was developed alongside the animated series of the same name. [1] [2] The game was based on a concept by Sue and Terry Shakespeare. [3] It was released on October 7, 1997.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Developed by Creative Capers Entertainment and Window Painters Ltd. and published by Disney Interactive Studios, Nightmare Ned was Disney Interactive's first video game release that was developed by a subcontracted developer. [4] The game was critically acclaimed and received various accolades.

Plot

10-year-old Ned Needlemeyer (Courtland Mead) arrives home after school and discovers that he has his home to himself, with his parents and sister away for the evening. After eating a large amount of junk food and playing video games, he hears a thunderstorm begin to brew. The power goes out, and he decides to go to bed. While sleeping, Ned envisions five terrifying nightmares and must gather his courage to successfully trek through all of them. Each nightmare features its own theme and cast of characters based on one of Ned's fears.

Gameplay

The game's main hub is on a quilt which resembles Ned's bed. From here, Ned can travel through adventure portals into five different nightmare worlds: Ned's Graveyard Nightmare; Ned's School Nightmare; Ned's Medical Nightmare; Ned's Nightmare in the Attic, Basement and Beyond; and Ned's Bathroom Nightmare. Each nightmare world has a corresponding representative "shadow creature" that, through exploration of the world, eventually reveals itself to be someone or something harmless. A player can travel back to the quilt an unlimited amount of times, but whether or not the player receives the "good" ending is dependent upon traveling back eight or fewer times. Each world features hidden passages between them.

The game generally features a sidescrolling interface, but utilizes multiple layers to create depth. A gamepad, joystick, or keyboard can be used as input options. Ned's yo-yo serves as the main weapon against enemies.

Production

The idea for the game was pitched before the television show started production and the two were later developed alongside each other. Donovan Cook, producer of the TV series, described the collaboration: "We actually shared a lot of ideas as we went along. [...] There's some crossover. We sent them our graphics. [...] We had to have our art done right away and they ended up influenced by it along the way". [3] Unlike the TV series, the animation in the game used digital ink and paint. The game was intended specifically for Windows 95 was designed to take advantage of Intel MMX technology. [5] Nightmare Ned was the first CD-ROM to use full-motion video streaming technology. [6] At the time of release, the game was considered a "power- and space-hungry program" for requiring 75 megabytes of hard drive space. [7] To remedy this, two versions of the game were included on the disc—the original and one with fewer cutscenes that uses significantly less hard drive space. [5]

The game's art style uses an "eclectic" visual mix of underground comics, 19th-century woodcuts, and anatomical diagrams. [8] Kendall Lockhart, who was then the Vice President of creative development for Disney Interactive, described the game as being Disney's version of "'Charlie Brown' in a children's Twilight Zone meets Beetlejuice ". [9] Much of the same voice cast from the show was also utilized for the video game. [5]

Release

Though the idea for the game was developed before the television show, the Nightmare Ned video game ended up being released months after the show had finished its run, which aired from April through July 1997. It was initially planned for a September 2, 1997 release, [9] [10] but this release date was evidently pushed back based on the most recent files on the CD-ROM being dated September 16; [5] it was eventually released on October 7.[ citation needed ] The game was promoted through print ads, advertisements on Disney VHS releases, and an online campaign on Yahooligans!. [11] [12] A preview of the game was included on a promotional disc as a cross-promotion with the online subscription service Disney's Daily Blast and the Microsoft Network ISP. An Adobe Shockwave program that presented sound files from the game was featured on the Disney Interactive website. [13] Sequels for the game were planned but were never released. [9]

An unlicensed localization by Fargus Multimedia was released in Russia in late 1999 under the name Один дома: Ночные кошмарики (Odin doma: Nochnye koshmariki; Russian for "Alone at Home: Nightly Nightmares"). [14] In 1999, the full game was included as a free bonus with copies of Disney's Villains' Revenge . [15]

Reception

The Nightmare Ned video game was critically acclaimed and was nominated for two CODiE awards. [18] In 1998, it received a Parents' Choice Award. [19] In June 1998, it received a silver award from I.D. Magazine . [8] In October 1998, it received an award from Communication Arts magazine for "best in entertainment interactive design". [20]

The game received praise from Time , who noted the game as a departure from Disney's typical releases. [17] PC Mag described the game as "so packed with great graphics and original songs that it makes other kids titles look anemic by comparison". [16] SuperKids also praised the graphics, describing them as "slick" and using "state-of-the-art technology", but they also noted that the game had little educational value. [7] Popular Science wrote that the "detailed background imagery" made the game feel "especially chilling". [6] I.D. Magazine compared the game to works of Tim Burton and described it as "really sophisticated", writing that the game was "pushing not only gaming and illustration for kids, but also advancing ideas about game-space". They also praised the game's keystroke gameplay, writing: "There are no instructions required. It allows the user to step right into the interface." [8] Superkids described the game's navigation as "initially a bit of a coordination challenge", but went on to note that "the keyboard is a perfectly satisfactory option". They also wrote that the game was well-received by both children and teenagers. [7] Despite the acclaim, it was reported that some parents thought the game's subject matter was too frightening for its intended audience. [21]

Voice cast

Related Research Articles

<i>Pandemonium!</i> (video game) 1996 video game

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. Pandemonium! features Fargus, a joker, and Nikki, a sorceress, who unwittingly casts a spell that destroys the town. The goal of the game is to reach the Wishing Engine, where they can wish the town back to normal. For each level, the player can choose which character to be. Each has a special move – Fargus can deliver a special spinning attack, and Nikki can double jump. The game consists of a great variety of unique gameplay objects, such as watermelons, clouds, spider webs and logs. A sequel, Pandemonium 2, was released in 1997 for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows.

Courtland Robert Mead is an American former actor, noted for his performances as a child actor during the 1990s.

Engineering Animation, Inc., or EAI, was a services and software company based in Ames, Iowa, United States. It remained headquartered there from its incorporation in 1990 until it was acquired in 2000 by Unigraphics Solutions, Inc., now a subsidiary of the German technology multinational Siemens AG. During its existence, EAI produced animations to support litigants in court, wrote and sold animation and visualization software, and developed a number of multimedia medical and computer game titles. Part of EAI's business now exists in a spin-off company, Demonstratives.

<i>Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow</i> 1995 video game

Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow – originally released as Donald in Maui Mallard – is a platforming video game developed and published by Disney Interactive Studios. The game was released in Europe on December 8, 1995, and in Brazil in spring 1997 for the Sega Mega Drive. It was also ported by Eurocom Entertainment Software to the SNES and released in North America in January 1997, in Europe mostly in autumn 1996, and in Japan on December 20, 1996. A Microsoft Windows port was released in North America in November 1996. It was ported one last time to the Game Boy by Bonsai Entertainment Corp., released in North America in August 1998.

<i>Living Books</i> Interactive storybook series

Living Books is a series of interactive read-along adventures aimed at children aged 3–9. Created by Mark Schlichting, the series was mostly developed by Living Books for CD-ROM and published by Broderbund for Mac OS and Microsoft Windows. Two decades after the original release, the series was re-released by Wanderful Interactive Storybook for iOS and Android.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MovieCD</span>

MovieCD is a format for digital video storage and consumer home video playback released in 1996 by Sirius Publishing, and was rendered obsolete by the wider distribution of DVD. It used a video codec called MotionPixels, marketed by MotionPixels, Inc., a subsidiary of Sirius Publishing. It was used in many third-party video games from the mid to late-1990s, and during the same time on Sirius's MovieCDs that it had been originally developed for, enjoying an international distribution in both forms.

There have been a variety of Sesame Street video games released for video game platforms. Most of the Sesame Street video games were published and developed by NewKidCo.

Creative Capers Entertainment is an American animation studio founded by Terry and Sue Shakespeare with David Molina in 1989. Based in Altadena, California, it specializes in Flash and hand-drawn animation in various feature films, television series, commercials, CD-ROMs and video games.

<i>The American Girls Premiere</i> 1997 video game

The American Girls Premiere is an educational computer game developed and published by The Learning Company for American Girl. The game allows players to create theatrical productions featuring characters from American Girl's Historical collection, along with scenes and other elements unique to each of the girls' respective time periods.

William "Bill" Appleton is an American entrepreneur and technologist best known as the programmer of the first rich media authoring tool World Builder, the multimedia programming language SuperCard, a best-selling CD-ROM Titanic: Adventure Out of Time, the DreamFactory REST API platform, and Snapshot Org Management for Salesforce.

<i>Carmen Sandiegos Great Chase Through Time</i> 1997 edutainment video game

Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time is a 1997 edutainment point-and-click adventure game developed by Broderbund for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh devices. The game is a remake of the 1989 time-travel title Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?, making it the second Time video game in the Carmen Sandiego franchise. The game was strongly influenced by the short-lived PBS game show, Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?. The game was previewed at the 1997 Toy Fair in New York City. A demo version was included on the CD for Carmen Sandiego Word Detective and was available on the Carmen Sandiego website. After Broderbund was sold to The Learning Company, the game was re-released with the new title - Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time - but with minimal redesign.

<i>Disneys Animated Storybook</i> Interactive storybook video game series

Disney's Animated Storybook is a point-and-click adventure interactive storybook video game series based on Walt Disney feature animations and Pixar films that were released throughout the 1990s. They were published by Disney Interactive for personal computers for children ages four to eight years old. Starting from 1994, most of the entries in the series were developed by Media Station. They have the same plots as their respective films, though abridged due to the limited medium.

<i>Disneys Activity Center</i> Video game series

Disney's Activity Center is a series of PC and PlayStation games released by Disney Interactive with each title consisting of various activities and minigames to be completed, using aspects of their licensed property.

Madeline is a series of educational point-and-click adventure video games which were developed during the mid-1990s for Windows and Mac systems. The games are an extension of the Madeline series of children's books by Ludwig Bemelmans, which describe the adventures of a young French girl. The video-game series was produced concurrently with a TV series of the same name, with characters and voice actors from the show.

<i>Disney Learning: Winnie the Pooh</i> Video game series

Disney Learning: Winnie the Pooh comprises three titles: Winnie The Pooh Toddler, Winnie the Pooh Preschool and Winnie The Pooh Kindergarten. They are point-and-click educational video games developed and published by Disney Interactive and based on the Winnie the Pooh franchise. The titles were shipped by BAM! Entertainment.

<i>Monopoly Star Wars</i> 1997 video game

Monopoly Star Wars is the 1997 Monopoly Star Wars video game based on the board game and set in the Star Wars fictional universe. It is one of many Monopoly video game adaptions. The game was developed by Artech Studios and published by Hasbro Interactive. It was released exclusively for Microsoft Windows computers. The game employs the same basic ruleset of traditional Monopoly gameplay, but the Star Wars theme includes famous characters and locales in place of the original game pieces and properties.

<i>Reader Rabbits Interactive Reading Journey</i> 1994 educational video game

Reader Rabbit's Interactive Reading Journey is a 1994 video game released on the Windows and Macintosh systems. It is the sixth game in the Reader Rabbit franchise. Designed for ages 4 till 7, the game introduces the new main characters Mat the Mouse and Sam the Lion who accompany Reader. It was then re-released in 1997 under the title "Reader Rabbit's Interactive Reading Journey For Grades K-1", followed by another in 1998 titled "Reader Rabbit's Reading Ages 4–6" and a personalized version in 1999.

<i>Rugrats Adventure Game</i> 1998 educational adventure video game

Rugrats Adventure Game is an educational adventure point and click video game based on the Rugrats television series released for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh on September 30, 1998. It was developed and published by Broderbund. The game follows Tommy Pickles and friends Chuckie, Phil, and Lil as they try to rescue Tommy's beloved toy Reptar from being thrown out as garbage. The game incorporates point and click gameplay, with characters and objects appearing in different locations even after the player has visited them once. Angelica, the series' main antagonist, appears in the game to help further the story and ultimately become the game's main villain.


KinderVentures is a series of classroom software and multisensory programs developed in the 1990's by Optical Data Interactive.

<i>Nightmare Ned</i> (TV series) 1997 American animated TV series

Nightmare Ned is an American animated television series which ran from April 19 to July 5, 1997, on ABC. The show was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and Creative Capers Entertainment, and created by Terry Shakespeare, G. Sue Shakespeare, and David Molina of Creative Capers Entertainment. The show was based on and developed alongside the computer game of the same name, but the show ended up being completed before the video game was released.

References

  1. ↑ Jackson, Wendy (December 1997). "1997 Gaming Report: The Best of the Bunch". Animation World Magazine. Vol. 2, no. 9. Retrieved 3 February 2018. Nightmare Ned was simultaneously developed as a game and an animated series with Disney.
  2. ↑ "Monster Buyer's Guide - The 1997 Holiday Hot 100". Computer Gaming World. No. 161. December 1997. Retrieved 17 December 2017. Saturday-morning cartoon star Nightmare Ned makes his CD-ROM debut in an action/adventure game (with a Nightmare Before Christmas feel) from Disney Interactive.
  3. 1 2 Fritz, Steve (2 May 1997). "Animated Shorts". Mania Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 January 1998.
  4. ↑ Clark, Willie (18 August 2016). "Disney's Many, Many Attempts at Figuring Out The Video Game Industry". Polygon. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Nightmare Ned (CD-ROM). Disney. 1997.
  6. 1 2 "Video CD-ROM". Popular Science . October 1997. p. 22.
  7. 1 2 3 "SuperKids Software Review of Nightmare Ned". SuperKids Educational Software Review. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 "Nightmare Ned". I.D. Magazine . June 1998. p. 65.
  9. 1 2 3 Hettrick, Scott (16 June 1997). "Disney Interactive taking covers off "Nightmare"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 23 February 2001.
  10. ↑ "Nightmare Ned Game In The Works". Animation World Network. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "Yahoo! presents: Ghoulish Games with Nightmare Ned". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 6 October 1999.
  12. ↑ "Disney Scares Up Halloween Videos". Animation World News Issue 2.7, October 1997. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "Nightmare Ned". Disney Interactive. Archived from the original on 7 October 1999.
  14. ↑ "Nightmare Ned". Fargus Multimedia (in Russian). Archived from the original on 7 October 1999.
  15. ↑ So Much Fun It's Scary! - Disney's Villains' Revenge (Magazine advert). 1999.
  16. 1 2 "Nightmare Ned". PC Mag . 6 October 1998. p. 365.
  17. 1 2 "Scorecard". Time . 20 October 1998. p. 28.
  18. ↑ "What's New". The 1998 SPA Codie Awards for Excellence in Software. 23 March 1998. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  19. ↑ "The Parents' Choice Awards - Software". Parents' Choice Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.
  20. ↑ "Disney's Nightmare Ned". Communication Arts . October 1998.
  21. ↑ "10 Classic Disney Interactive Games That Deserve A Modern Remake". CBR. 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.