Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds

Last updated

Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds coverart.png
1998 Cover art
Developer(s) Humongous Entertainment [lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s) Humongous Entertainment [lower-alpha 2]
Producer(s) Ron Gilbert
Designer(s)
  • Ron Gilbert
  • Larry Kay
  • Tami Caryl Borowick
Writer(s) Larry Kay
Composer(s) George Sanger
Engine SCUMM
Platform(s) Macintosh, Windows, digiBlast, LCD game, Wii, iOS, Android, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
ReleaseReleased:
  • November 7, 1994 (Mac, Win)
  • 2005 (digiBlast) [3]
  • August 29, 2008 (Wii) [2]
  • October 10, 2010 (iOS)
  • April 3, 2014 (Android) [4]
  • April 17, 2014 (Linux) [5]
  • February 29, 2024 (Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4) [6]
Genre(s) Adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds is a video game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment and the first game released for the Freddi Fish franchise. It was released on November 7, 1994. [7] In 2008, it was released on the Wii under the title Freddi Fish in Kelp Seed Mystery [8] as well as Windows and Macintosh, [9] and on Android with a shortened title Freddi Fish and the Missing Kelp Seeds. The Wii version's availability was limited by legal problems concerning its development. [10] A spin-off handheld LCD game titled Freddi Fish: Jellyfish Jamboree was also released in 1999 that was based on a minigame from Kelp Seeds. [11] Ports for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 were released on February 29, 2024. [12] [13]

Contents

Plot

Freddi Fish visits the house of Grandma Grouper, where she learns that someone stole Grandma's treasure chest of kelp seeds, which provides the food for the whole ocean. Freddi cheers Grandma Grouper up by promising to find the treasure for her. After leaving Grandma's house, Freddi and her friend, Luther, discover a bottle with a note lodged inside that gives a clue to the treasure's location and they set out to look for more clues.

Unbeknownst to the two, it was two sharks named Boss and Spongehead who stole the treasure as part of their plan to help their boss, the Squidfather, grow kelp; Spongehead had hidden four bottles in random locations to lead his way back to the treasure. Eventually, Freddi and Luther find the fourth and final bottle, revealing that the treasure is hidden in a sunken ship.

At the sunken ship, Freddi and Luther spot the treasure and attempt to grab it, but they are stopped by Boss and Spongehead, who order the two to hand it over. Freddi courageously refuses and states that everyone can grow kelp if they share it, which the sharks agree on. Freddi and Luther then take the treasure chest home and plant the kelp in Grandma Grouper's garden. Grandma then invites the two into her home so they can tell her about their adventure.

Gameplay

The game makes use of a simplified adventure system where a single click on a certain spot allows the player to pick up items, go to another location, talk to characters and find trivial but fun stuff in the screen. Clicking on an item in the right place allows Freddi to make use of it. A specific kind of item, purple sea urchins, can be found in various locations (with some being achievable after solving a puzzle) and used to gain access to a volcano (where a bottle is sometimes located); in total, seven urchins can be found in the game. Most puzzles require the player to make exchanges with characters and use items to get to inaccessible areas. The locations of the clues in bottles and the trails to follow for the treasure chest are randomized in every new game.

There are also a few minigames, such as "Jellyfish Jamboree", where Freddi must feed hungry sea creatures by throwing food at them before they get too close, with Luther keeping score. This minigame forms the basis of the LCD handheld game.

Development

Development of Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds started sometime in 1993; it was initially intended to feature pixelated graphics and be released on the MS-DOS, similar to the style of previous games developed by Humongous. [14] Halfway through production of the game, Humongous Entertainment co-founder Ron Gilbert went to a conference and saw examples of hand-drawn animation; this prompted Humongous Entertainment to scrap the pixelated animation and start over with hand-drawn graphics. [15]

Reception

Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds received generally positive reviews from critics. Allgame gave a 4-star rating, [20] GameZone rated 7 out of 10, [17] Adventure Gamers gave a 3-star rating, [16] and Unikgamer gave a 7 out 10 score. [18] It also received over 20 awards. [21]

The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds won Electronic Entertainment's 1994 "Best Edutainment Title" award. The editors wrote that the game features well-made original characters, a strong storyline, appropriately challenging puzzles, and beautiful animation. [22]

The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds was a commercial success, with sales of 250,000 units by 1999. [23] During the year 2001 alone, Freddi Fish sold 54,447 retail units in North America, according to PC Data. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ScummVM</span> Set of game engine recreations

Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion Virtual Machine (ScummVM) is a set of game engine recreations. Originally designed to play LucasArts adventure games that use the SCUMM system, it also supports a variety of non-SCUMM games by companies like Revolution Software and Adventure Soft. It was originally written by Ludvig Strigeus. ScummVM is free software that is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

<i>Putt-Putt</i> (series) Video game series

Putt-Putt is a series of children's adventure and puzzle computer games created by Humongous Entertainment. This franchise was Humongous Entertainment's first game series to be developed. They primarily involve clicking to get to a destination, although some sub-quests and mini-games involve the keyboard. The main character, Putt-Putt, an anthropomorphic purple convertible, and his dog, Pep, travel to various locations.

<i>Spy Fox</i> Video game series

Spy Fox is a software gaming series from Humongous Entertainment starring a fictional anthropomorphic fox of the same name, intended for children 8 and up. The series follows the eponymous character, an anthropomorphic fox and secret agent tasked with stopping global crises. Many of the game's names and plot elements are spoofs of the James Bond and Get Smart series.

<i>Pajama Sam</i> Video game series

The Pajama Sam series is a collection of point and click children's adventure and puzzle games originally created by Humongous Entertainment.

<i>Freddi Fish</i> Video game series

Freddi Fish is a series of point and click games from Humongous Entertainment. The series began in 1994. Freddi Fish is an anthropomorphic yellow fish who takes on detective investigations throughout the series. Her best friend, a green fish named Luther, goes with her on all her adventures. The voice of Freddi Fish was performed by Annette Toutonghi and the voice of Luther was performed by Mike McAuliffe at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle, Washington. The series sold more than 2.5 million copies and won over 75 awards of excellence. In each game there are multiple different possible sets of quests one has to complete in order to complete the game, depending on the playthrough.

<i>Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse</i> 1996 video game

Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse is a 1996 video game and the second of five adventure games in the Freddi Fish series of games developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. It was released on iOS under the title Freddi Fish Haunted Schoolhouse Mystery and on Android with a shortened title Freddi Fish: Haunted Schoolhouse.

<i>Freddi Fish 3: The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell</i> 1998 video game

Freddi Fish 3: The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell is a 1998 video game and the third of five adventure games in the Freddi Fish series of games developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. An iOS version was released with a shortened title Freddi Fish & the Stolen Shell, and also released with a "Lite" demo version that featured subtitles and text boxes in the gameplay. It was considered one of Atari's capital projects available on its website and on the App Store. A Nintendo Switch version along with Putt-Putt Travels Through Time was released on January 3, 2022, followed by the PlayStation 4 version on the PlayStation Store on November 2.

<i>Freddi Fish 4: The Case of the Hogfish Rustlers of Briny Gulch</i> 1999 video game

Freddi Fish 4: The Case of the Hogfish Rustlers of Briny Gulch is a 1999 video game and the fourth of five adventure games in the Freddi Fish series of games. It was developed and published by Humongous Entertainment.

<i>Freddi Fish 5: The Case of the Creature of Coral Cove</i> 2001 video game

Freddi Fish 5: The Case of the Creature of Coral Cove is a 2001 video game and the fifth and final game in the Freddi Fish series of adventure games. It was developed by Humongous Entertainment and published by Infogrames.

<i>Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal"</i> 1997 video game

Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal" is an adventure game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment, part of their "Junior Adventure" line and the first entry in the Spy Fox series of games. The game follows the heroic Spy Fox as he attempts to stop a supervillain from stealing the world's dairy milk supply. The game was released for computers in October 1997 to positive reception, and was ported to several other systems over the following decades.

<i>Spy Fox 2: "Some Assembly Required"</i> 1999 video game

Spy Fox 2: "Some Assembly Required" is an adventure game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment, part of their "Junior Adventure" line and the second entry in the Spy Fox series of games. The game follows the heroic Spy Fox as he races to stop a giant robot from destroying the World's Fair. The game was released for computers in September 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humongous Entertainment</span> American video game developer (1992-2006)

Humongous Entertainment, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Bothell, Washington. Founded in 1992, the company is best known for developing multiple edutainment franchises, most prominently Putt-Putt, Freddi Fish, Pajama Sam and Spy Fox, which, combined, sold over 15 million copies and earned more than 400 awards of excellence.

<i>Putt-Putt Joins the Circus</i> 2000 video game

Putt-Putt Joins the Circus is a video game and the sixth of adventure game of the Putt-Putt series of games. It was developed and published by Humongous Entertainment in 2000. This is the last of three games to feature Nancy Cartwright as the voice of Putt-Putt.

<i>Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat from Your Head to Your Feet</i> 2000 video game

Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat from Your Head to Your Feet is an adventure game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, PlayStation, and Linux operating systems. This was the last adventure game to feature Pamela Segall Adlon as the voice of Sam. In the final game of the series, Adlon is replaced by Elisha Ferguson.

<i>Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo</i> 1995 video game

Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo is a 1995 video game and the third of seven adventure games in the Putt-Putt series of games developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. The animation style also changed with this game to hand-drawn animation, in contrast to the pixel art graphics of the previous two games, following the studio's jump from DOS to Windows with Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds the previous year. The game was reissued on April 19, 1999. In November 2011, the game became the first Humongous Entertainment game to be rereleased for iOS and Google Play. Developed by Nimbus Games Inc., the iOS version of this game released by Atari was discontinued. A Nintendo Switch version was released on February 10, 2022, followed by the PlayStation 4 version on the PlayStation Store in November the same year.

<i>Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When Its Dark Outside</i> 1996 video game

Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside is a 1996 children's adventure game originally released for PC and Mac. The first game of the Pajama Sam franchise, it sold nearly 3 million units and won 50 awards.

<i>Putt-Putt and Peps Balloon-o-Rama</i> 1996 video game

Putt-Putt and Pep's Balloon-o-Rama is a 1996 action video game, developed by Humongous Entertainment. The game is part of the Putt-Putt series of educational video games. It was part of a series of Junior Arcade games, targeted at kids aged three to eight.

<i>Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning Arent so Frightening</i> 1998 video game

Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning Aren't so Frightening is a children's point-and-click adventure game originally released for Windows and Macintosh in 1998. This game was ported to Android under the title Pajama Sam: Thunder and Lightning in April 2014. A Nintendo Switch version was released on February 10, 2022, followed by the PlayStation 4 version on the PlayStation Store in November. The second game of the Pajama Sam franchise, it features the title character entering the World Wide Weather through his attic to stop the scary thunder and lightning.

<i>Fatty Bears Birthday Surprise</i> 1993 video game

Fatty Bear's Birthday Surprise is a 1993 adventure video game developed by Humongous Entertainment. It is the second game by Humongous Entertainment, the first being Putt-Putt Joins the Parade. It is also the first and only installment of the Fatty Bear point-and-click games, although the character was also used in the mini-game compilations Fatty Bear's Fun Pack and the crossover spin-off Putt-Putt & Fatty Bear's Activity Pack. In July 2013, Tommo bought the Fatty Bear license for the Atari bankruptcy proceedings.

<i>Putt-Putt Travels Through Time</i> 1997 video game

Putt-Putt Travels Through Time is a 1997 video game and the fourth of seven adventure games in the Putt-Putt series of games developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. In 2014 Night Dive Studios re-released the iOS, Linux and Steam versions. In 2022, a port was released on the Nintendo Switch in January, as one of the first Humongous Entertainment games to be released on the system alongside Freddi Fish 3: The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell, followed by a PlayStation 4 version in November. This is the last game to feature Jason Ellefson as the voice of Putt-Putt.

References

  1. ↑ "Mistic Software Inc". Mistic Software Inc. 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Freddi Fish:Kelp Seed Mystery on Wii". Nintendo of America Inc. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Freddi Fish". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Freddi Fish and the Missing Kelp Seeds - Android Apps on Google Play". Google Play . Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds on Steam". Steam . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds". HE. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Freddi Fish". Archived from the original on February 10, 1998. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Freddi Fish: Kelp Seed Mystery". GameFAQs . CBS Interactive . Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds – Box Scan". GameFAQs . CBS Interactive . Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  10. ↑ Moss, Richard (January 16, 2012). "Maniac Tentacle Mindbenders: How ScummVM's unpaid coders kept adventure gaming alive". Ars Technica . Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  11. ↑ "FREDDI FISH JELLYFISH JAMBOREE - 1999 HUMONGOUS - ELECTRONIC HAND HELD (12/14/2012)". Worthpoint. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds". HE. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds". HE. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  14. ↑ Fuwfuwa (May 6, 2021). "That's Edutainment: Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds". The Avocado. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  15. ↑ Storytime with Ron Gilbert - PAX Australia 2013 Keynote . Retrieved April 5, 2024– via www.youtube.com.
  16. 1 2 Joe Keeley (June 11, 2010). "Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds Information, Screenshots & Media". Adventure Gamers . Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  17. 1 2 jkdmedia (May 4, 2012). "Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds - Wii - Review". GameZone. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Freddi Fish series on Unikgamer". Unikgamer. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Humongous Entertainment Handcrafts Another Junior Adventure(tm)". Farlex, Inc. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  20. ↑ Brad Cook. "Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds - Review - allgame". Allgame. Archived from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Microsoft and Humongous Entertainment Pair EasyBall and Freddi Fish to Deliver Unbeatable Value for Families in Time for the Holidays". Microsoft. October 15, 1996. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  22. ↑ Staff (March 1995). "The Second Annual Electronic Entertainment Editors' Choice Awards". Electronic Entertainment (15): 45–51.
  23. ↑ Haring, Bruce (February 28, 1999). "The story of a Humongous project". USA Today . Archived from the original on November 6, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  24. ↑ Sluganski, Randy (March 2002). "State of Adventure Gaming - March 2002 - 2001 Sales Table". Just Adventure . Archived from the original on June 19, 2002. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  1. ↑ Ported to digiBlast by Transposia and the Wii by Mistic Software (Wii). [1]
  2. ↑ The digiBlast and 2010 IOS ports were published by Atari.
    The Wii version was published by Majesco Entertainment in the United States [2] and Atari Europe in Europe.
    The IOS re-release and Android version were published by Tommo.
    The Steam release was co-published by Tommo and Night Dive Studios.
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.