Army Men: Operation Green

Last updated
Army Men: Operation Green
Army Men Operation Green cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Pocket Studios
Publisher(s) The 3DO Company
Series Army Men
Platform(s) Game Boy Advance
Release
Genre(s) Top-down shooter
Mode(s) Single-player

Army Men: Operation Green is a top-down shooter video game developed by Pocket Studios and published by The 3DO Company exclusively for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America on December 3, 2001 and in Europe on March 15, 2002. It is part of the Army Men series of video games created by The 3DO Company, which is based on army men toys. It is the second game in the series for the Game Boy Advance, after the 2001 release, Army Men Advance .

Contents

The player controls a lone green army men soldier in tan army men soldier territory. The green soldier must complete objectives across 15 levels in order for the player to complete the game. Reception was mixed, noting that the game was an improvement over others in the Army Men video game series, but still finding fault with the game's level design and missions.

Gameplay

The player fights the tan army men soldiers in the game. Army Men Operation Green screenshot.png
The player fights the tan army men soldiers in the game.

The player controls a green army men soldier fighting by themselves against the tan army men in their territory. [2] The game tasks the player with completing objectives. [2] [3] There are four different tasks the game assigns the player: search and rescue, search and destroy, delivery, and escort missions. [3] The search and rescue missions task players with finding an item or person on the map and then bringing them back to the player's base. [3] Search and destroy involves destroying a specified target to end the level. [3] Both delivery and escort require the player to protect an object, vehicle, or person and bring them safely to a specific area on the map. [3]

Army Men: Operation Green contains 15 levels that are set in 5 different climate environments. [3] Although the game has a top-down perspective, the player controls their green army men character like they would in a first-person shooter. [2] The player must fight through a mass of enemies using a variety of weapons to complete their objectives, and then move onto the next level. [3] The weapons include a standard handgun, bazooka, grenade, flamethrower, knife, and a minesweeper; the game allows players to cycle through weapons they have picked up with the "Select" button. [3] IGN's Craig Harris noted the gameplay's similarity to the Army Men's Game Boy Color games. [2] In order to save progress through the game's 15 levels, the game uses a password system instead of a normal save game system. [3]

Development

3DO began development on Operation Green in April 2001. [4] Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell wrote that early previews of Operation Green had more in common with Commandos 2 than other titles in the Army Men series. [4] 3DO showed the first screenshots of Army Men: Operation Green and originally planned to release the title on October 10, 2001. [5] [6] The game was slated to release "just before Christmas" in the United States according to IGN's Craig Harris. [5] Pocket Studios CEO Steve Illes predicted that the game would be a success. [4] The game was released in North America on December 3, 2001. [1]

Reception

Army Men: Operation Green received "mixed or average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [7] Although most critics felt that the game was an improvement over others in the Army Men series, criticism focused on its lackluster mission design, sluggish controls, and password save system. [2] [3] [8] IGN's Craig Harris called the game "relatively fun" despite the series's overall mediocre reputation, a sentiment shared by other reviewers. [2] [8] [9] CVG , however, felt that the game was let down by its sluggish controls and slow-moving pace. [8]

Reviewers were divided over the game's difficulty. GameZone's Patricia Wiley was unable to get past the second level of the game, feeling that Army Men: Operation Green was "too challenging", while IGN's Craig Harris called the game a "few hour romp" that could be completed too quickly and felt that the second half was too easy. [3] [2] Harris noted that the levels needed "better designs" and that they were uneven in pacing. [2]

The password save system was dismissed and criticized by reviewers. [2] [3] [9] GameZone's Patricia Wiley called the password save system "an unfortunate feature". [3] IGN's Craig Harris felt that the password system exacerbated some of the larger levels' issues; the system does not work in the middle of levels. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Mario Kart: Super Circuit</i> 2001 kart racing video game

Mario Kart: Super Circuit is a 2001 kart racing game for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). It is the third Mario Kart game and retains its predecessors' gameplay: as a Mario franchise character, the player races opponents around tracks based on locales from the Super Mario platform games. Tracks contain obstacles and power-ups that respectively hamper and aid the player's progress. Super Circuit includes various single-player and multiplayer game modes, including a Grand Prix racing mode and a last man standing battle mode.

<i>Golden Sun</i> (video game) 2001 video game

Golden Sun is a role-playing video game developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in August 2001 in Japan, November 2001 in North America and February 2002 in Europe.

<i>Sonic Advance</i> 2001 video game

Sonic Advance is a 2001 platform game developed by Dimps for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). It was the first Sonic the Hedgehog game released on a Nintendo console with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle on the GameCube, and was produced in commemoration of the series' tenth anniversary. The story follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they journey to stop Doctor Eggman from taking over the world. Controlling a character, players are tasked with completing each level, defeating Eggman and his robot army, and collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds.

<i>Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure</i> 2002 video game

Crash Bandicoot: The Huge Adventure is a 2002 platform game developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Universal Interactive for the Game Boy Advance. It is the seventh installment in the Crash Bandicoot video game series, the first Crash Bandicoot game not to be released on a PlayStation console, and the first Crash Bandicoot game to be released on a handheld console. The game's story centers on a plot to shrink the Earth by the main antagonist, Doctor Neo Cortex, through the use of a gigantic weapon named the "Planetary Minimizer". The protagonist of the story, Crash Bandicoot, must gather Crystals in order to power a device that will return the Earth to its proper size, defeating Doctor Cortex and his minions along the way.

<i>Midnight Club: Street Racing</i> 2000 video game

Midnight Club: Street Racing is a 2000 racing video game developed by Angel Studios and published by Rockstar Games. The game focuses on competitive street racing and the import scene. The game was released for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance platforms, the former being a launch title for the platform. It is the first game in Midnight Club franchise, followed by Midnight Club II.

<i>Army Men Advance</i> 2001 video game

Army Men Advance is a top-down shooter video game developed by DC Studios and published by the 3DO Company exclusively for Game Boy Advance. Much like Army Men: Sarge's Heroes, the story has General Plastro and his army of tan figurines have decided to take over the world and it is up to Sarge and reporter Vikki Grimm to thwart the conquest. Throughout the game, the player is required to rescue team members, infiltrate tan bases, escape from a jail, investigate an extra terrestrial presence, and retrieve communications equipment. The player can choose to play as either Sarge or Vikki, but the quests for each are identical and once a character has been chosen it is impossible to switch to the other unless the player wants to start again from the first mission.

<i>GT Advance Championship Racing</i> 2001 video game

GT Advance Championship Racing, known in Japan as Advance GTA, is a racing game developed by MTO and published by THQ. It was a launch title for the Game Boy Advance. The game's sequel, GT Advance 2: Rally Racing, was released on June 30, 2002 in North America.

<i>The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past</i> and <i>Four Swords</i> 2002 video game

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords is a compilation of two action-adventure games co-developed by Nintendo EAD and Capcom and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The game was released in December 2002 in North America and in March 2003 in Japan and Europe. The cartridge contains a modified port of A Link to the Past, originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, and an original multiplayer-only game titled Four Swords, which serves as the 9th installment in The Legend of Zelda series.

<i>Cruisn Velocity</i> 2001 video game

Cruis'n Velocity is a racing game and the fourth game in the Cruis'n series. The game was developed by Graphic State and released by Midway for the Game Boy Advance in 2001. It is the only game in the series not to be preceded by an arcade release and features slightly different gameplay from its predecessors. The game uses the same engine as Dark Arena, a first-person shooter game also developed by Graphic State, to achieve a pseudo-3D effect. This approach garnered the game mixed reviews.

<i>GT Advance 2: Rally Racing</i> 2001 video game

GT Advance 2: Rally Racing is a rally racing game developed by MTO and published by THQ for the Game Boy Advance, as a sequel to GT Advance Championship Racing. The game features cars from several real Japanese car manufacturers. The player can race on fourteen different courses located in various parts of the world or act as the co-driver. The game was released in Japan on the on December 7, 2001, and in North America and Europe in June 2002. It received generally favorable reviews from critics.

<i>CT Special Forces: Back to Hell</i> 2003 video game

CT Special Forces: Back to Hell is a run and gun video game developed and published by Light and Shadow Productions (LSP) for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). Wizarbox ported the release for the PlayStation, while Hip Interactive published a North American release under the title CT Special Forces 2: Back in the Trenches.

<i>Boxing Fever</i> 2001 video game

Boxing Fever is a boxing video game developed by Digital Fiction and published by Majesco Entertainment and THQ for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America on October 30, 2001, and in Europe on February 15, 2002.

<i>Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon</i> 2003 video game

Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon is a video game based on the events of the original Star Wars trilogy of films, developed by British company Pocket Studios. Published by THQ for the Game Boy Advance, the game lets the player pilot various space ships in the battles against the antagonistic Galactic Empire. The story follows the pilots of the space ship Millennium Falcon, Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca, as they help save the galaxy from the Empire's forces.

<i>Kid Klown in Crazy Chase</i> 1994 video game

Kid Klown in Crazy Chase is a platform video game developed and published by Kemco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in North America in September 1994, Japan on October 21, 1994 and in Europe in 1995. The game features the Kid Klown, the player character who is tasked with rescuing the Princess Honey from the villain Black Jack. Players view gameplay from an isometric perspective as Kid Klown pursues a lit fuse in order to stop it from reaching a spade bomb. The game was re-released for the Game Boy Advance as Crazy Chase and features 11 new levels, four mini-games, and a multi-player mode. The re-release was released in Europe and North America in October 2002, while a release in Japan was planned but ultimately canceled. It was met with mixed reception from critics, who found it to be inferior to other games of its type. The game has a Japan-exclusive sequel Kid Klown in Crazy Chase 2: Love Love Hani Soudatsusen released for the Sony PlayStation in 1996.

<i>High Heat Major League Baseball 2002</i> 2001 video game

High Heat Major League Baseball 2002, also known as High Heat Baseball 2002, is a video game released in 2001, and is the fourth game in the High Heat Major League Baseball video game series. Then-Montreal Expos right fielder Vladimir Guerrero is featured on the cover. The game was released in March 2001 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, and PlayStation 2, followed by a Game Boy Advance port in September 2001. A Game Boy Color version was also in development but was cancelled.

<i>Bionicle: Matoran Adventures</i> 2002 video game

Bionicle: Matoran Adventures is a 2002 platform game based on Lego's Bionicle line of constructible action figures. It was developed by Argonaut Games and co-published by Electronic Arts and Lego Interactive for the Game Boy Advance. The player controls Matoran and Turaga characters, who must work together to repel the invasion of Bohrok, insect-like robots that threaten the island of Mata Nui.

<i>Davis Cup Tennis</i> 2002 video game

Davis Cup Tennis is a 2002 tennis video game for the Game Boy Advance developed by Hokus Pokus Games and published by Ubisoft.

<i>Men in Black: The Series</i> (video game) 1999 video game

Men in Black: The Series is an action platform video game developed by Tiertex Design Studios and published by Crave Entertainment for the Game Boy Color (GBC) on March 1, 1999. The game is based on the animated television series of the same name, and was followed by a sequel titled Men in Black 2: The Series, released for the Game Boy Color in 2000.

<i>Command and Destroy</i> 2008 video game

Command and Destroy is a real-time strategy video game developed by Cypron Studios and published by Destination Software Inc. and Zoo Digital Publishing for the Nintendo DS.

<i>Disneys Lilo & Stitch</i> (Game Boy Advance video game) 2002 Game Boy Advance video game tie-in to Lilo & Stitch

Disney's Lilo & Stitch is a 2002 side-scrolling platform video game developed by Digital Eclipse for the Game Boy Advance that is based on the Disney animated film of the same name. It was first released in North America on June 7, 2002 by Disney Interactive. Ubisoft distributed the game in Europe on October 4, 2002, and in Australia on March 24, 2005.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "3DO | Investor Relations". August 4, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-08-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Harris, Craig (March 11, 2002). "Army Men: Operation Green". IGN . Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Wiley, Patricia (December 29, 2001). "Army Men: Operation Green Review - Game Boy Advance". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Bramwell, Tom (January 28, 2002). "Army Men March Back to GBA". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Harris, Craig (October 10, 2001). "Here Come the Green Guys...Again". IGN . Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  6. Ahmed, Shahed (May 17, 2006). "First look: Army Men: Operation Green". GameSpot . Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Army Men: Operation Green for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 CVG staff (March 7, 2002). "GBA Review: Army Men: Operation Green". Computer and Video Games . Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 "Army Men: Operation Green". Nintendo Power . Vol. 152. January 2002. p. 132.