Cut the Rope | |
---|---|
Genre(s) | Puzzle logic |
Developer(s) |
|
Publisher(s) | ZeptoLab |
Platform(s) | |
First release | Cut the Rope February 28, 2010 |
Latest release | Cut the Rope 3 October 13, 2023 |
Cut the Rope is a media franchise of physics-based puzzle video games developed by entertainment company ZeptoLab for several platforms and devices. It consists of the original game of the same name (2010) published by Chillingo, Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift (2010), Cut the Rope: Experiments (2011), Cut the Rope: Time Travel (2013), Cut the Rope 2 (2013 iOS; 2014 Android), My Om Nom (2014 iOS; 2015 Android), Cut the Rope: Magic (2015), Cut the Rope Remastered (2021), Cut the Rope Daily (2023), and Cut the Rope 3 (2023).
The objective of the Cut the Rope games is to feed candy to a little green creature while collecting stars. As of May 2015, Cut the Rope games have been downloaded more than 600 million times [6] and had surpassed over a billion downloads by 2018. [7]
Cut the Rope, the first game in the series, was released initially on February 28, 2010. A native (HD) version for the iPad was released on October 6, 2010. This was followed by the release of a free version with fewer levels for each device, called Cut the Rope Free and Cut the Rope HD Free respectively. [8]
Cut the Rope: Experiments was released on August 4, 2011, as a sequel to Cut the Rope. [9] While its gameplay and presentation closely match that of Cut the Rope, the sequel introduces new gameplay elements as well as a new storyline and characters. The Professor, for example, “provides running commentary” [10] throughout the game as players unlock new levels and collect "hidden" photos that reveal more information about the little green creature's character.
The third sequel, Cut the Rope: Time Travel, was released on April 17, 2013. It sees Om Nom travel back to the time of his ancestors, which means in terms of gameplay that players now feed candy to two monsters rather than to only one.
Cut the Rope 2 was released on 19 December 2013 for iOS devices. It expands on the previous games with Om Nom no longer being a static stage object, additional creature characters and a more dynamic environment. [11] The Android version was released on March 28, 2014, on Google Play [12] and on April 3 on Amazon AppStore. [13] Unlike the iOS version, Cut the Rope 2 for Android adds free-to-play elements such as an energy system, and features a map like structure instead of level packs; these features would eventually be added to the iOS version of the game.
Cut the Rope: Triple Treat was released on March 25, 2014, for Nintendo 3DS, including levels from the three previous Cut the Rope games, Cut the Rope, Cut the Rope: Experiments and Cut the Rope: Time Travel. [14] The 3DS version is published by Activision. [15]
My Om Nom was released on December 18, 2014, for iOS devices and 2015 for Android devices. In this game, the player has their own Om Nom to feed, dress up, and play with. It includes some simple games to play with Om Nom, and it is reminiscent of the Tamagotchi franchise and similar to Pou. [16]
Cut the Rope: Magic was released on December 17, 2015, for both iOS and Android devices. [17] This game sees Om Nom being transported to a storybook world where the levels involve magical elements as well as battling an equally candy-loving spider wizard. Magic added a new transformation element to Om Nom, allowing him to shrink or turn into a completely different animal. [17] [18] The game also uses a map element seen in the Android version and later versions of the iOS version of Cut the Rope 2. While the iOS version was exclusively paid, the Android version is free-to-play, and thus, added an energy system that could be removed with a one-time micropayment, which was later replaced with a paid subscription. A free version was eventually added to iOS, but did not carry the energy system from the Android release.
Om Nom: Merge was released on November 28, 2019, and is the first video game entry in the franchise in four years, due to the success of Om Nom Stories .
Om Nom: Run is a free-to-play endless runner mobile game, released on February 27, 2020. It is available on Android, iOS platforms and the Nintendo Switch. The game follows Om Nom running through the dangerous streets of Nomville. [19] The game starts by tapping the touchscreen, while Om Nom (the game's starter character) or any other character exits the base, and then starts running through the streets of Nomville.
The game has multiple gameplay modes. The main mode, called Free Run, is a traditional endless runner game. The mission mode gives players tasks to complete as they run. This mode ends when the player crashes or completes the mission objectives. [20]
The initial release has been a success. [21] In a span of one month, it has been downloaded for over 5 million times. [22]
A remastered version of Cut the Rope was released on April 2, 2021, on Apple Arcade. In the game, Om Nom and his family celebrate his birthday; on this special occasion, Nibble Nom takes out a few books as birthday presents, which are based on the events on the previous games in the series. In the game, there are five level packs, this time presented as books, with levels either taken from or are based on five of the previous entries: Evan's House, based on the original, Experiments and Time Travel, both based on the games of the same name, Road Trip, based on Cut the Rope 2 and Magic (based on the game of the same name). New to the series are levels containing Nibble Nom instead of Om Nom; the player has to guide three candies to the creature instead of one, and Nibble Nom himself can be pushed about and interact with other objects, while Om Nom remains stationary in levels until Road Trip. Another new feature is bonus levels containing Om Nelle (released in a post-launch update); the player has to give her the candy with the box filled with water. Remastered also features new 3D graphics, an interactive map where power-ups (magnets, candy rain and teleporter) and "worldstars", which are added to certain levels for replay value, can be found, and an account system, where up to six saves can be used.
Cut the Rope Daily was released on Netflix Games app, iOS, and Android on August 1, 2023. [23] Available exclusively with the Netflix membership, the game offers a single unique level every day, the same for the whole world. The challenge is to deliver the candy to Om Nom while collecting as many stars as possible (there are 10 in each level). The scoring is based on the number of collected stars and the number of tries. Results are shareable on social media. The progress and winstreak can be tracked in the in-game calendar, and each month has a separate theme with a themed costume for Om Nom to be won with winstreak.
Cut the Rope 3 was released on October 13, 2023, on Apple Arcade. [24] It focuses on Om Nom and his son, Nibble Nom setting out on a journey to discover new Nommies. The gameplay replaces pieces of candy with Nibble Nom, who must reach Om Nom's location in each level. The game features several different locations, with the location that the player explores being selected by Om Nom's compass. In each search for a Nommie, the player will go through three random levels in order to discover and take a picture of every new creature. It also features 3D graphics, similar to Cut the Rope Remastered. On February 2, 2024, augmented reality features became accessible to support the release of the Apple Vision Pro. [25]
All games in Cut the Rope series (except for Cut the Rope 2 for Android and Cut the Rope 3) group content into "boxes" or "level packs". Boxes in the original Cut the Rope and Cut the Rope: Experiments contain 25 levels each, boxes in Cut the Rope 2 and Cut the Rope Remastered contain 24 levels each, and boxes in Cut the Rope: Time Travel contains only 15 levels each (except for the last box, Parallel Universe, which has 20). Most boxes introduce a new element in the game, challenging the player with a new set of game mechanics. New boxes continue to be added from time to time through updates. Three stars can be collected in every level, while an extra star, known as the power star, as of Remastered, can be found in each level when using superpowers. In Remastered, a special magenta worldstar can be found for some levels by interacting with items on the world map.
The following table summarizes the number of packs and levels in each traditional Cut the Rope game, as of October 2023.
Game | Number of level packs | Levels per pack | Achievements | Total levels | Total regular stars | Total worldstars | Total stars, power stars and worldstars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cut the Rope | 17 | 25 | 76 (with Candy Feast & Candy Flick) (iOS) 51 (Android) | 425 | 1275 | N/A | 1700 |
Cut the Rope: Experiments | 8 | 25 | 28 | 200 | 600 | 800 | |
Cut the Rope: Time Travel | 12 | 15 (20 for Parallel Universe) | 42 | 185 | 555 | 740 | |
Cut the Rope 2 | 7 | 24 | 25 | 168 | 504 | - | |
Cut the Rope: Magic | 8 | Between 15 and 40 | 8 | 200 | 600 | - | |
Cut the Rope Remastered | 5 | 24 | 22 | 120 | 288 | 30 | 555 |
Cut the Rope 3 | 5 | Varies | 25 | 234 | 702 | N/A | - |
In addition to its commercial success, Cut the Rope was very well received by critics. It has a score of 93 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim". [26]
Cut the Rope: Experiments reached an aggregate Metacritic score of 85 out of 100, [27] Cut the Rope: Time Travel — a score of 84, [28] and Cut the Rope 2 a score of 81. [29]
Om Nom Stories , an animated web series on ZeptoLab's YouTube channel and sold to several kid-oriented streaming sites, is based on the game series and revolves around Om Nom's life out of the game.
In July 2011, ZeptoLab and comics publisher Ape Entertainment published a comic book series to be published as a stand-alone app. The comics tell the backstory of the candy-eating monster Om Nom and introduce new characters. [30]
The character Om Nom has become the subject of a viral video, [31] plush toys, [32] and a Mattel Apptivity game. [33]
In August 2014, ZeptoLab and McDonald's Europe announced [34] a multi-market Happy Meal promotional campaign, which featured various Cut the Rope-themed kitchen accessories, such as banana splitter and juicer. "Hungry for fruit and fun?" was the key message of the campaign. As part of the promotion, ZeptoLab also released the game called Cut the Rope: Hungry for Fruit.
In June 2015, ZeptoLab partnered with Blockade Entertainment for a feature film based on the games, titled Om Nom: The Movie, that was set for release in 2016, but it never came to fruition. [35]
In March 2021, Zeptolab created a personalized book [36] for children in collaboration with LionStory. The book features Om Nom, Om Nelle, Toss, Snail Brow, Roto, Lick, Ginger, Blue and a personalized character of a child (appearance, name, dedication and a back cover photo).
Revolution Software Limited is a British video game developer based in York, founded in 1989 by Charles Cecil, Tony Warriner, David Sykes, and Noirin Carmody.
The Incredible Machine (TIM) is a series of video games in which players create a series of Rube Goldberg devices. They were originally designed and coded by Kevin Ryan and produced by Jeff Tunnell, the now-defunct Jeff Tunnell Productions, and published by Dynamix; the 1993 through 1995 versions had the same development team, but the later 2000–2001 games have different designers. All versions were published by Sierra Entertainment. The entire series and intellectual property were acquired by Jeff Tunnell-founded PushButton Labs in October 2009. PushButton Labs was later acquired by Playdom, itself a division of Disney Interactive, so as of now the rights are held by The Walt Disney Company.
Wings is a World War I video game developed and published by Cinemaware. It was released for the Amiga in 1990. The action sequences are similar in style to those of the 1927 silent film Wings.
The House of the Dead: Overkill is an on-rails light gun shooter game developed by Headstrong Games and published by Sega for the Wii in 2009. It is a spin-off of The House of the Dead series, a non-canonical prequel to the original game chronologically, and the first in the series to be released solely on a home console. An Extended Cut edition for PlayStation 3, compatible with the PlayStation Move accessory, was released in 2011. A mobile version, The Lost Reels, was released on iOS and Android devices in 2013.
Boomzap Entertainment is a casual games developer registered in Singapore with a virtual office environment. It was formed in 2005 and has released 50 games to date that are ported on various platforms. Boomzap has developed for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Nintendo DS, Wii, iOS, and Android. Its games are available on games portals such as Big Fish Games, Yahoo!, WildTangent, GameHouse, Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, Steam and others.
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7 is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Released on 11 November 2011 in North America and November 18 in Europe, the game is based on the Lego Harry Potter toy line and is based on the final three books and four films in the Harry Potter film series: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. The game was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Windows, iOS and Android. The first of three trailers was released 6 October 2011, and the demo was released on 1 November.
ZeptoLab is a Spanish video game developer best known for developing the Cut the Rope series, which has been downloaded more than 2 billion times since its release, and can be played on major platforms including Android, iOS, Windows Phone, HTML5 Internet browsers, macOS, Nintendo DSi and Nintendo 3DS.
Alien Shooter is an isometric, top-down shooter video game developed and released by Sigma Team, a Russian games development studio. Released on May 18, 2003, it was initially available on Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Android. The game's conclusion was realized in two expansion packs, both consisting of five-levels and released in 2014: Fight for Life, released on June 14, and The Experiment, released on September 22.
Candy Crush Saga is a free-to-play tile-matching video game released by King on April 12, 2012, originally for Facebook; other versions for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Windows 10 followed. It is a variation of their browser game Candy Crush.
DuckTales: Remastered is a Metroidvania-style platform video game developed by WayForward Technologies and published by Capcom. The game is a high-definition remake of DuckTales, a game released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. It was released for multiple gaming platforms, including the PlayStation 3, Wii U, Windows, and Xbox 360, over a three-month period between August and November 2013, and later expanded to Android, iOS, and Windows Phone in April 2015. The game was temporarily delisted from digital storefronts in August 2019, but was relisted in March 2020.
Cut the Rope: Time Travel is a physics-based puzzle video game developed by ZeptoLab for the iOS, Android and web browsers. A third entry in the Cut the Rope series, it follows Om Nom going through time.
Criminal Case is a detective-themed hidden object game released on November 15, 2012 for Facebook. An iOS version was released worldwide on August 28, 2014, followed by an Android version on April 15, 2015. In 2018, the Facebook version was converted from Adobe Flash to HTML5. Developed and published by Paris indie studio Pretty Simple, Criminal Case has over ten million average monthly users. On December 9, 2013, Criminal Case was crowned the Facebook Game of the Year 2013. The game released its final case on January 21, 2021.
Jelly Splash is a match-three puzzle video game released by the developer Wooga on 15 August 2013 on iPad and iPhone. It was later released on Facebook and Android, as well as the Korean social network platform KakaoTalk in November 2013.
Badland is a mobile video game developed by Frogmind Games and first released on the iOS and Android platforms in 2013. It was released on Windows Phone 8 in June 2014. There is also a Game of the Year Edition that was released in May 2015 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Wii U and Steam for Linux, Microsoft Windows and OS X, and in August 2021 for Nintendo Switch.
Jolly Jam was a mobile tile-matching puzzle video game, developed by Magic Tavern and published by Rovio Stars. It was released on February 18, 2015, for Android and iOS devices worldwide. The game features different gameplay mechanics, drawing a box around similar objects, compared to most other tile-matching games.
SkyBox Labs Inc. is a Canadian video game developer located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Founded in 2011 by Derek MacNeil, Shyang Kong and Steven Silvester formerly from EA Vancouver, they are mostly known for their work with Xbox Game Studios on the Halo, Age of Empires and Minecraft franchises.
Om Nom Stories is a British-Russian web series produced by Zeptolab and Rocket Fox, featuring the character Om Nom from the video game series Cut the Rope. The series revolves around Om Nom's life out of the game, and is based on 4 games in the series: the original, Cut the Rope: Time Travel, Cut the Rope 2, and Cut the Rope: Magic. The first season, as well as the first and last episodes of the second, combine live action and animation, while the rest are entirely animated. As of October 14, 2022, 221 episodes have been released over 22 seasons.
Cut the Rope is a physics-based puzzle video game developed by ZeptoLab and published by Chillingo for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, web browsers, Nintendo DSi, and Nintendo 3DS.
The popularisation of mobile games began as early as 1997 with the introduction of Snake preloaded on Nokia feature phones, demonstrating the practicality of games on these devices. Several mobile device manufacturers included preloaded games in the wake of Snake's success. In 1999, the introduction of the i-mode service in Japan allowed a wide variety of more advanced mobile games to be downloaded onto smartphones, though the service was largely limited to Japan. By the early 2000s, the technical specifications of Western handsets had also matured to the point where downloadable applications could be supported, but mainstream adoption continued to be hampered by market fragmentation between different devices, operating environments, and distributors.
King of Thieves is a multiplayer PvP platform video game developed by ZeptoLab for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. The players must steal gems from user-generated dungeons and fortify their dungeon to protect against attacks.