Critter Round-Up

Last updated
Critter Round-Up
Critter Roundup.jpg
Developer(s) Epicenter Studios
Konami
Platform(s) Wii
Release
  • JP: March 25, 2008
  • NA: May 19, 2008
  • EU: August 29, 2008
Genre(s) Puzzle
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Critter Round-Up (Saku Saku Animal Panic in Japan) is a puzzle video game developed by Epicenter Studios and Konami for the Wii. It was released as a WiiWare launch title in Japan on March 25, 2008, North America on May 19, 2008 [1] and in Europe on August 29, 2008. It costs 1,000 Wii Points.

Contents

Gameplay

The player controls a farmer who must build fences to contain several animals. Players must separate species from each other while avoiding running into them and keeping them away from predators. Occasionally, a present will drop from the sky which, if collected, gives the player a power-up such as food to attract the animals or a spray to repel them. [2] Elements of the gameplay resemble that of the arcade game Qix . [3]

The main Adventure Mode features 50 levels across five different environments, each with their own species. In addition, Critter Round-Up also features a Marathon mode with infinite levels and support for up to four players, as well as minigames such as Snowball Soccer and Predator Rampage. [4]

Reception

Critter Round-Up received generally average to above average reviews.

Wii Fanboy gave it 7.5/10, believing that the gameplay was "fun and addicting" and "loaded with a surprising amount of depth." [5] CheatCodeCentral also gave the game a respectable 3.9/5 (78%), seeing "high replay value" and noting it to be "highly enjoyable in brief sessions in solo or multiplayer modes". [6] GameSpot gave it a 7/10, praising the co-op mode and calling it "a good choice for light puzzle action and wacky multiplayer fun", but noting that, with the game aimed towards a younger audience, "folks looking for a mature puzzler are advised to look elsewhere". [7]

However, IGN gave it 6.1 out of 10, believing that while the game has its charms and might be "fascinating" for younger players, the gameplay becomes much less engaging after extended play and that the minigames were "forgettable". [3] 1UP.com, which gave it a C grade, also claimed the minigames were "uniformly uninteresting" and the single player was a "one note" experience, but thought the co-op mode livened up the game. They also had trouble deciding if the cel-shaded graphics were a distinct style or just "sloppy and unrefined". [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Dr. Mario</i> 1990 video game

Dr. Mario is a 1990 puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Famicom, and Game Boy. It was produced by Gunpei Yokoi and designed by Takahiro Harada. The soundtrack was composed by Hirokazu Tanaka.

<i>Tetris Attack</i> 1995 video game

Tetris Attack, also known as Panel de Ponin Japan, is a puzzle video game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. A Game Boy version was released a year later. In the game, the player must arrange matching colored blocks in vertical or horizontal rows to clear them. The blocks steadily rise towards the top of the playfield, with new blocks being added at the bottom. Several gameplay modes are present, including a time attack and multiplayer mode.

<i>WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games!</i> 2003 video game

WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! is a party video game for the GameCube. A remake of WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!, and the second installment in the WarioWare series. The game translates the "microgame" gameplay of Mega Microgames! to be playable in a multiplayer environment. It comes with eight special multiplayer modes for up to four players that all involve the known microgames in some way.

<i>Pac-Attack</i> 1993 puzzle video game

Pac-Attack, also known as Pac-Panic, is a 1993 falling-tile puzzle video game developed and published by Namco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. Versions for the Game Boy, Game Gear and Philips CD-i were also released. The player is tasked with clearing out blocks and ghosts without them stacking to the top of the playfield — blocks can be cleared by matching them in horizontal rows, while ghosts can be cleared by placing down a Pac-Man piece that can eat them. It is the first game in the Pac-Man series to be released exclusively for home platforms.

<i>WarioWare: Smooth Moves</i> 2006 video game

WarioWare: Smooth Moves is a party video game developed by Nintendo SPD and Intelligent Systems. The game was published by Nintendo for its Wii video game system in Japan in December 2006, and in Europe, North America, and Australia in January 2007. It is the fifth game in the WarioWare series of games, and the only game in the series to be physically released for the Wii. Like its predecessors, WarioWare: Smooth Moves is built around a collection of microgames that last about five seconds each, and which require that the player hold the Wii Remote in specific positions. The game offers the microgames to the player in rapid succession, by first instructing the player to hold the Wii Remote in a specific manner, and then showing them the microgame. The microgames are divided into several stages, each of which loosely connects the microgames with the help of a story. Additionally, this was the first spinoff Mario game to be released for the console.

<i>Boom Blox</i> 2008 video game

Boom Blox is a puzzle video game for the Wii console, mobile devices and N-Gage 2.0 developed by EA Los Angeles in conjunction with film director Steven Spielberg. It was released on May 6, 2008 in North America and on May 9, 2008 in Europe. The N-Gage version of the game was released on December 3, 2008.

<i>Dr. Mario Online Rx</i> 2008 video game

Dr. Mario Online Rx, stylized as Dr. Mario Online ℞ and released in PAL regions as Dr. Mario & Germ Buster, is a puzzle video game starring Dr. Mario. It was one of the WiiWare launch games in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and was released on March 25, 2008 (Japan) and May 20, 2008 (Europe/Australia). It was released in North America on May 26, 2008.

<i>Brain Challenge</i> 2007 video game

Brain Challenge is a mental exercise video game, featuring "brain exercise puzzles". The game was developed by Gameloft Beijing for mobile phones and iPods and released on September 5, 2007. In 2008 was followed by a Nintendo DS version on January 8, an Xbox Live Arcade release on March 12, and a PlayStation 3 launch on November 27. The N-Gage 2.0 version was released on the day of the service's launch, April 3, 2008. A version for WiiWare was released in autumn 2008 on all three regions. The Wii version also uses Miis for the players profile. OnLive also had launched their new streaming game platform with Brain Challenge on July 27, 2010. The game was released for Mac OS X in January 2011.

<i>Pop</i> (video game) 2008 video game

Pop is a WiiWare and iOS video game by Australian developer Nnooo. The game was released in North America on May 12, 2008 as a WiiWare launch title, and in Europe on July 4, 2008. It was released by Electronic Arts in Japan on July 29, 2008. The iOS version was released on the App Store on March 5, 2009. The game was also released for the DSiWare service under the title Pop+ Solo.

<i>TV Show King</i> 2008 video game

TV Show King is a quiz video game by Gameloft Montreal. It was released as one of the WiiWare launch titles in North and Latin America on May 12, 2008. It was also released later for iPhone OS in November 2008. The game was also released for PlayStation 3 on August 6, 2009 as a download from the PlayStation Store, and includes trophy support.

<i>Pirates: The Key of Dreams</i> 2008 video game

Pirates: The Key of Dreams is a shoot 'em up video game by developers Oxygen Games for WiiWare. A prequel to Oxygen's Nintendo DS game Pirates: Duels on the High Seas, it was released in Europe on July 18, 2008 and in North America on July 21, 2008. It costs 1000 Wii Points and takes up 125 Blocks.

<i>Tetris Party</i> 2008 video game

Tetris Party is a puzzle video game by Hudson Soft for WiiWare. An installment of the Tetris series, the game supports the use of Miis and the Wii Balance Board, and features both local and online multiplayer in addition to several single-player modes unique to the game.

<i>Alien Crush Returns</i> 2008 video game

Alien Crush Returns is a WiiWare pinball video game developed by Tamsoft and published by Hudson Soft. It is a sequel/remake to 1988's Alien Crush, and is the fourth installment in the Crush Pinball series. It was released in Japan on August 26, 2008, in North America on November 3 and in Europe on November 7.

MaBoShi: The Three Shape Arcade is a WiiWare puzzle video game developed by Mindware Corp. Its Japanese title, Katachi no Game: Maru Bou Shikaku. It was released in Europe on August 29, 2008, in Japan on October 7, 2008, and in North America on December 29, 2008.

<i>Rotohex</i> 2006 video game

Rotohex is a Nintendo video game for the Wii's WiiWare service. It is a remake of the Japan-only bit Generations title Dialhex. It was released as WiiWare in North America on October 27, 2008.

<i>Pit Crew Panic!</i> 2008 video game

Pit Crew Panic! is a WiiWare game by Hudson Soft. It was released in North America on December 1, 2008, in Europe on December 5, 2008 and in Japan on December 2, 2008.

<i>Mr. Driller W</i> 2009 video game

Mr. Driller W is a 2009 puzzle video game developed and published for the WiiWare service by Namco Bandai Games. The eighth entry in the Mr. Driller series, gameplay revolves around clearing each level by destroying, or "drilling", large formations of colorful blocks. Players have an oxygen meter that acts as a time limit, and constantly depletes; air is replenished by collecting air capsules, and is depleted further by destroying brown "X" blocks.

<i>Excitebots: Trick Racing</i> 2009 video game

Excitebots: Trick Racing, known in Japan as Excite Mou Machine, is a racing video game published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. Developed by Monster Games, it is the fourth game in the Excite series and the sequel to Excite Truck (2006). Excitebots was released on April 20, 2009 in North America. Excitebots features animal-themed robot vehicles and short minigames during racing, such as pie throwing, bowling and soccer. The game could be bought packaged with or without the Wii Wheel, similar to Mario Kart Wii.

<i>Wii Party</i> 2010 party video game published by Nintendo

Wii Party is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game heavily borrows game play elements from the Mario Party series, another Nintendo franchise. It is also the first game in the Wii series that Shigeru Miyamoto did not produce. The game was released in Japan on July 8, 2010, in North America on October 3, 2010, in Australia on October 7, 2010, and in Europe on October 8, 2010. Wii Party was revealed by Satoru Iwata in a Financial Results Briefing on May 7, 2010. It received mixed to positive reviews from critics and sold 9.35 million copies worldwide as of September 2021. A sequel, Wii Party U, was released for the Wii U on October 25, 2013.

<i>Wii Party U</i> 2013 party video game published by Nintendo

Wii Party U is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U in 2013. It was announced in a January 2013 Nintendo Direct, and later detailed at E3 2013 and the October 2013 Nintendo Direct. It is the sequel to the 2010 Wii game Wii Party.

References

  1. "Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel". Nintendo of America. 2008-05-19. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  2. "WiiWare Impressions: Saku Saku Animal Panic". Archived from the original on 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  3. 1 2 "IGN: Critter Round-Up Review". Archived from the original on 2008-05-26. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  4. Saku Saku Animal Panic coming to North America as Critter Round-Up
  5. Wii Fanboy: Critter Round-Up Review
  6. CheatCodeCentral: Critter Round-Up Review
  7. GameSpot: Critter Round-Up Review
  8. 1UP.com Critter-Round Up Review