Glover (video game)

Last updated

Glover
Glover Nintendo 64 cover art.jpg
North American box art for the Nintendo 64 version
Developer(s) Interactive Studios [a]
Publisher(s) Hasbro Interactive [b]
Director(s) Darren Wood
Producer(s) Chris Down
Designer(s) Richard Albon
Programmer(s)
  • Darren Wood
  • Steve Bond
  • Matt Cloy
Artist(s)
  • Joff Scarcliffe
  • Richard Albon
Composer(s)
Platform(s)
ReleaseNintendo 64, Windows
  • NA: November 16, 1998 [1]
  • EU: November 24, 1998
PlayStation
  • NA: November 30, 1999
  • EU: October 4, 1999
NS, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSXS
  • WW: 2025
Evercade
Genre(s) Puzzle-platformer
Mode(s) Single-player

Glover is a 1998 puzzle-platformer developed by Interactive Studios and published by Hasbro Interactive for the Nintendo 64 and Windows in 1998, and for the PlayStation in 1999 (branded under Hasbro Interactive's Atari Interactive label). The game follows a magical, four-fingered glove named Glover in his quest to restore the Crystal Kingdom by retrieving crystals that were lost. The Nintendo 64 and Windows versions received generally positive reviews while the PlayStation version garnered negative reviews. A sequel titled Glover 2 was planned, but eventually cancelled. A second updated Windows port was released in 2022 and a port for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S is in development.

Contents

Gameplay

The player uses Glover's "slap" maneuver on the rubber ball in the Nintendo 64 version. GloverBallSlap.jpg
The player uses Glover's "slap" maneuver on the rubber ball in the Nintendo 64 version.

Players control a glove named Glover. The main objective is to maneuver the ball toward the goal in each stage. Once all three stages and the boss stage are cleared, a crystal ball can be restored back to the castle. There are six worlds, each containing three stages, a boss stage, and a bonus stage accessed by collecting all the Garib cards in a given world. [3] When Glover is in contact with the ball, he can roll, bounce, throw, slap, dribble, walk on top of the ball, and use it as a trampoline. [4] Without the ball, Glover can do both regular and double jumps, cartwheel, fist slam, locate the ball and garibs, and grab the ball. [5] While walking on the ball, the controls are reversed. On easy difficulty, walking on the ball is automatic while moving the ball across water. However, bonus stages are unavailable.

The ball can also be magically transformed into one of four forms: rubber ball, ballbearing, bowling ball, and the ball's original crystal form. With a cheat code, the ball can be transformed into a power (high-bounce or super) ball. The rubber form gives the greatest amount of abilities for the ball. It can easily be bounced, slapped, thrown, and even float on water. The bowling ball form allows the ball to not break easily, sink in deep water, and kill enemies by slapping it. The ballbearing form gives precise control over the ball, can be used to throw and slap the ball more carefully and is also magnetic. The crystal form floats on water and is fragile, but gives double points for each obtained Garib. [6] The power ball can bounce higher and be slapped and thrown farther than other forms. Throughout the stages, there are magic potions that help Glover by giving him power-ups for a certain amount of time.

If the ball gets destroyed or Glover loses all three hearts, Glover loses one life and must start from the beginning of the stage or from the last checkpoint. [7]

Plot

The story takes place in a fictional land known as the Crystal Kingdom, where a wizard rules from his Crystal Castle, which is surrounded by six portals leading into other worlds, including the lost city of Atlantis, a circus park, a pirate's domain, a horror-themed fortress, a prehistoric era, and outer space. The life force of the kingdom is maintained by seven magical crystals that rest atop the spires of Crystal Castle. The wizard is accompanied by the magical, sentient gloves Glover and Glovel, who assist him in creating strange potions and spells.

One day, the wizard accidentally mixes the wrong batch of potions in his cauldron, causing a large explosion that turns the wizard into a statue, sends him falling down the tower, and sends his gloves flying. The left glove, Glovel, lands in the cauldron while the right glove, Glover, flies out the window and lands onto the ground outside the castle. The explosion also shakes the crystals from the spires, causing the land to become dark and foreboding. Before they could shatter upon impact, Glover quickly casts magic to turn the crystals into rubber balls. One of the balls remains in the kingdom while the other six bounce into each of the portals. Glover realizes that to bring the wizard back to life and restore the kingdom's beauty, he must enter these worlds, find the crystals within them and bring them back to the castle. However, Glovel was corrupted by the cauldron's chemicals and becomes "Cross-Stitch", a malevolent trickster who is determined to destroy Glover and rule the Crystal Kingdom for himself. [8] [9]

Glover traverses from realm to realm and must protect the rubber balls at all costs while bring them back home. [9] As he does, Cross-Stitch attempts to thwart him by setting traps and creating monsters, but Glover is able to overcome these obstacles with his magical skills and retrieve the crystals. He is also aided by a living hat named Mr. Tip, who offers hints during Glover's quest. The Crystal Kingdom is gradually restored to its former state with each crystal returned to the castle. In the final realm, Glover fights Cross-Stitch in a giant robot fight and emerges victorious, sending Cross-Stitch flying.

After the last crystal is brought back, they all return to the castle spires where they belong. Thus, the wizard is finally returned to flesh and the kingdom is restored. As he and Glover take in the sights, Cross-Stitch lands right in front of them. Glover then jumps back onto his master's hand and beckons Cross-Stitch to do so as well. Cross-Stitch attempts to run away, but the wizard casts a spell that turns him back into Glovel. He then puts Glovel back on and all three of them celebrate with a double thumbs up. [10]

PlayStation

The PlayStation version of the game tells the events of the game through an animated FMV instead of a real-time cutscene. This version slightly alters how the game's events began likely to tie it into the planned sequel. In this opening, both Glover and Glovel are already revealed to be alive and have their sentience, and the Wizard can use magic without them. [11]

The opening begins with Glovel deliberately giving out the wrong potion to the Wizard, to which the Wizard pours it into his cauldron after he puts the gloves on. However, the potion turns green and suddenly spews out its contents – surprising the wizard as he is sent spinning and causes Glover to fly out the window and Glovel to jump into the cauldron. The wizard soon turns into a gold statue and explodes, falling down the Crystal Castle's main tower. When Glover notices the crystals have come loose from their spires, he turns them into bouncy balls which fly into the different worlds. Back inside the Crystal Castle, the Wizard's cauldron explodes – revealing Cross-Stitch inside.

In the ending, after Glover saves the Wizard, they use their magic to return the crystals back to the Castle spires and bring peace back to the Crystal Kingdom. Glover then soon notices Cross-Stitch crash-landing on a meteor. The Wizard soon uses a spell to return Cross-Stitch back to Glovel. He then lands on the Wizard's hat with Glover next to him, and the three all return to the castle.

Development

Glover was developed by Interactive Studios and published by Hasbro Interactive. The game was originally announced at E3 1998, [12] later it was reported that the game was 60% completed in August 1998. [13] Two months later in October, the game was reported to be 70% completed. During late in development, it was reported that Glover would have required the character to cross water. [14]

According to designer Rich Albon, the collectible Garib cards in the game got their name from an in-office joke: "The studio was doing a port for a Japanese company at around the time of Glover and they got a faxed bug report (yes, a faxed bug report!) which had one item that read, 'There is a problem with the Garib.' No one knew what a Garib was – there was no reference to it in the in game or in the code. So it kind of became an office meme: anything without a name became a Garib." [15]

On September 15, 1998, it was announced that Nintendo would handle distribution of the Nintendo 64 version in Europe. [16]

Reception

For the Nintendo 64 version, Glover received generally positive reviews by critics. Matt Casamassina of IGN praised the Nintendo 64 version, specifically on its gameplay and sound. They wrote that the music matched the levels "perfectly". [23] John Broady of GameSpot recommended the game for patient players in search of a challenge. [21] Paul Hales of PC Zone gave it a 67% stating, "It's all good, clean, harmless fun in reasonably 3D rendered landscapes." [27] Edge magazine gave the game a 7 out of 10 stating it was not all that original but also stated that the game provides regular surprises that make it an entertaining game.

Next Generation reviewed the Nintendo 64 version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "with interesting level designs, a challenging structure for item collection, and bright, competent visuals, Glover does manage to provide a refreshing angle on typical platformers." [26]

Despite positive reviews for the Nintendo 64 version, the PlayStation version was heavily panned by critics. Matt Whine of IGN gave the PlayStation version a "Terrible" 2.6. They wrote that the game "looks bad" in comparison with both the Nintendo 64 version and other PlayStation games. [24] Miguel Lopez of GameSpot also criticized this version, stating that "Glover, despite its interesting play mechanics, seems to have lost its soul in the port from the N64." [22] PC Zone gave the game 56%, stating, "There's no denying Glover is bizarre, but at the same its not particularly interesting. The standard trudge through obligatory ice world, water world and space world, flicking switches as you go, hardly constitutes as enthralling gameplay." [28]

Legacy

Cancelled sequel

An online advertisement for Glover 2, the canceled sequel from 1999. The poster is a reference to the Jaws film poster. Glover 2 (advertisement).jpg
An online advertisement for Glover 2, the canceled sequel from 1999. The poster is a reference to the Jaws film poster.

In July 1999, Interactive Studios announced a sequel titled Glover 2 was being developed after the first one was released. The game was set to continue where the story of the first game left off and would have a more complete story that would unravel as the game progressed. Gameplay features of Glover 2 would have been similar to the original game with enhancements for hand/ball physics, enhanced graphics, and a new multiplayer mode. The game was expected to release in mid-1999 for the Nintendo 64, then PlayStation and Dreamcast the following year, [29] but was cancelled along with Frogger 2 's Nintendo 64 port. [30] In October 2011, it was reported that Nesworld.com acquired a prototype cartridge of the game and had released a ROM hack of it. [31] On February 25, 2015, James Steele, a former Interactive Studios programmer, released a blog entry detailing the reasoning of the cancellation of the game. An employee at Hasbro doubled the amount of produced cartridges, leaving the company with roughly half-a-million dollars' worth of stock that could not be sold and forcing Glover 2 to be cancelled. The game was around 80–85% completed before development ceased. [29]

In 2018, indie studio Golden Mushroom claimed that it would be working on a sequel to Glover for Nintendo Switch. The studio had applied for the trademark for Glover, but had not obtained the copyright, leading the studio to mistakenly believe that they also had ownership rights to the character and content of the original Glover game. Those rights were owned by Piko Interactive, who had purchased the copyright to Glover from Atari SA, which had purchased Hasbro Interactive in 2001. [32]

Re-releases

In 2017, Piko Interactive, a game company focused on re-releasing old video games, physically acquired several properties from Atari SA including Glover. [32] The company stated their intent to produce a re-release of Glover for newer platforms such as Steam, as well as finish and release the Nintendo 64 version of Glover 2. [33] [34] On March 7, 2022, Piko announced a remaster of Glover for modern computers built using the game's original source code. It was released via GOG.com and Steam on April 20, 2022, and will eventually be released on the upcoming Bleem! Store. [35] On October 26, 2022, during the QUByte Connect 2022 presentation, a port of Glover for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, was announced to be in development by QUByte Interactive, [36] in collaboration with Limited Run Games.

Notes

  1. ↑ Piko Interactive developed both the 2022 Windows re-release and the upcoming console re-releases.
  2. ↑ Piko Interactive published the 2022 Windows re-release, and QUByte Interactive will publish the upcoming console re-releases.

Related Research Articles

<i>Gauntlet Legends</i> 1998 video game

Gauntlet Legends is an arcade game released in 1998 by Atari Games and Midway Games. It is a fantasy themed hack and slash styled dungeon crawl game, a sequel to 1985's popular Gauntlet and 1986's Gauntlet II and marks the final game in the series to be produced by Atari Games. Its unusual features for an arcade game included passwords and characters that could be saved, enabling players to play over the course of a long period.

<i>FIFA: Road to World Cup 98</i> 1997 association football video game

FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 is a football video game developed by EA Canada and released by Electronic Arts in 1997. It is the fifth game in the FIFA series and the second to be in 3D on the fifth generation of video game consoles. A number of different players were featured on the cover, including David Beckham in the UK, Roy Lassiter in the United States, Mexico and Brazil, David Ginola in France, Raúl in Spain and Portugal, Paolo Maldini in Italy, and Andreas Möller in Germany. FIFA 98 was the last FIFA game released for the Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

<i>Madden NFL 99</i> 1998 American football video game

Madden NFL 99 is a football video game released for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Windows. It is the first multiplatform Madden game to be fully 3D and polygonally based and is also the first game to feature Franchise mode. The game's commentary is by John Madden and Pat Summerall. The American version of the game features John Madden himself on the cover, while the European version uses Garrison Hearst instead. The game was the top-selling PlayStation sports video game in 1998 in North America, having sold 1.1 million copies on the PlayStation.

<i>Wheel of Fortune</i> video games Video game series

Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, premiering in 1975 with a syndicated version airing in 1983. Since 1986, the syndicated version has been adapted into various video games spanning numerous hardware generations. Most versions released in the 20th century were published by GameTek, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1998.

<i>Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness</i> 2000 video game

Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness is a 2000 maze video game developed and published by Namco Hometek for the PlayStation. It was later released for the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance. A remake of General Computer Corporation's Ms. Pac-Man (1982), players control the titular character in her quest to stop a witch named Mesmerelda from stealing the Gems of Virtue. The game was well-received upon release, with critics applauding its simplicity and faithfulness to the arcade original. A sequel was in development around 2006, but was cancelled for unknown reasons.

<i>A Bugs Life</i> (video game) 1998 video game

A Bug's Life is a platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. Ports to Windows and Nintendo 64 and an abridged version for the Game Boy Color were released after. It is based on the Disney/Pixar 1998 film of the same name, with changes made to the storyline. After completing levels the player can unlock clips from the film. The PlayStation version was released on the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable on July 27, 2010.

<i>WWF War Zone</i> 1998 professional wrestling video game

WWF War Zone is a professional wrestling video game developed by Iguana West and released by Acclaim Entertainment in 1998 for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy. The game features wrestlers from the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

<i>South Park</i> (video game) 1998/1999 first-person shooter video game

South Park is a first-person shooter video game based on the American animated sitcom of the same name. The game was developed by Iguana Entertainment, using a modified version of the engine used in the Acclaim Entertainment-published Turok 2: Seeds of Evil; both games shared the same publisher and were released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998 in North America, and for Microsoft Windows in 1999. South Park was released in Europe and ported to the PlayStation in the latter year to coincide with the film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.

<i>NASCAR 99</i> 1998 video game by EA Sports

NASCAR '99 is a racing simulator video game developed by Stormfront Studios and published by EA Sports. It was released for Nintendo 64 on September 10, 1998, and for the PlayStation on September 22. NASCAR '99 was the second game in the EA Sports NASCAR series of video games.

<i>All Star Tennis 99</i> 1998 video game

All Star Tennis '99 is a simulation tennis game for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Game Boy Color released in 1999, that was developed by Smart Dog and published by Ubi Soft. The featured player on the US and Europe versions is Michael Chang while in the French version the featured player is Yannick Noah who has his name above the title as Yannick Noah All Star Tennis '99. It was one of the first tennis games for the N64 and the only one for that system in the USA until Mario Tennis. It was preceded by Let's Smash/Centre Court Tennis in Japan and Europe, for the Nintendo 64, while being one of many tennis games on PlayStation and Game Boy Color.

<i>F-1 World Grand Prix</i> 1998 video game

F-1 World Grand Prix, developed by Paradigm Entertainment, is a Formula One racing game/sim first released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 game console and to later platforms including the Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Sony PlayStation, and Game Boy Color. The Nintendo 64 version is based on the 1997 Formula One season, featuring each of the 17 circuits from the season and all 22 drivers, with the exceptions of Jacques Villeneuve and the MasterCard Lola team.

<i>NBA In The Zone 98</i> 1998 basketball video game

NBA In The Zone '98 is a basketball game for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. It was released in 1998 and developed and published by Konami. It is the third installment of the NBA In The Zone series. The cover features Glen Rice of the Charlotte Hornets.

<i>NBA In The Zone 99</i> 1999 basketball video game

NBA In The Zone '99, known in Europe as NBA Pro 99, is a basketball game for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation, released in 1999. It is the fourth installment of the NBA In The Zone series. The game has two covers of NBA All-Star Glen Rice,.

<i>Polaris SnoCross</i> 2000 video game

Polaris SnoCross is a snocross snowmobile racing game for Game Boy Color, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and later Microsoft Windows. It was released in 2000. French publisher Wanadoo Edition released a budget version of the game for the PC in 2001, called SnowCross.

<i>Triple Play 2000</i> 1999 video game

Triple Play 2000 is a baseball sports game released for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Windows in 1999. It is the only game of the Triple Play series released for the Nintendo 64 where it was released in North America. It features the 1999 rosters and 1998 stats which included Sammy Sosa's 66 HR and Mark McGwire's 70 home runs.

<i>Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko</i> 1999 platform video game

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko is a 1999 platform game and the third and final installment of the Gex video game series, released for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Color. Its protagonist, Gex, is a wisecracking, pop culture enthusiast voiced by Danny John-Jules in the UK and European releases and comedian Dana Gould, reprising his role from former Gex games, for the American release. The gameplay is set in Gex's secret hideout, Mission Control a overworld, which is overseen by Gex's butler, Alfred the Turtle. Playboy model Marliece Andrada plays Gex's kidnapped companion, Agent Xtra, the only live-action character, who is featured in brief full-motion video sequences on the PlayStation version. The plot follows Gex's return to the Media Dimension to rescue Agent Xtra from Rez, Gex's arch-nemesis from the previous games.

<i>40 Winks</i> (video game) 1999 video game

40 Winks is a platform video game developed by Eurocom Entertainment Software and published by GT Interactive for the PlayStation. A version was developed for the Nintendo 64, and reviewed in both Nintendo Official Magazine UK and Nintendo Power, but was cancelled before release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piko Interactive</span> American video game company

Piko Interactive LLC is an American video game publisher based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in early 2013 by Eli Galindo, the company focuses on physical re-releases of games from older video game consoles and digitally released ports to newer systems.

<i>Dragon Sword</i> Cancelled video game

Dragon Sword is an unreleased action role-playing game that was in development by Interactive Studios and planned to be published by MGM Interactive for the Nintendo 64, Windows and PlayStation. In the game, players would have assume the role from one of the four crusaders battling with monsters on a quest against an evil god to save the land of Avantaria and free its people from enslavement. Its gameplay consists of melee focused fights against multiple enemies in dungeon crawler styled levels.

References

  1. ↑ "Glover Released". GameSpot . November 13, 1998. Archived from the original on June 12, 2000. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  2. ↑ https://evercade.co.uk/cartridges/piko-interactive-collection-4/ [ bare URL ]
  3. ↑ Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 16.
  4. ↑ Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 7.
  5. ↑ Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 10.
  6. ↑ Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 12.
  7. ↑ Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 13.
  8. ↑ Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 14.
  9. 1 2 Glover Instruction Booklet. Hasbro Interactive. p. 6.
  10. ↑ Blitz Games (October 31, 1998). Glover (Nintendo 64). Hasbro Interactive.
  11. ↑ "Glover PlayStation Review". January 4, 2000.
  12. ↑ Nintendo64Ever (April 7, 2018). "Nintendo64EVER - Glover, jeu Nintendo 64 abandonné". Nintendo64Ever. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "Nintendo 64 Previews: Glover". EGM . No. 109. August 1998. p. 58.
  14. ↑ "Nintendo 64 Previews: Glover". EGM . No. 113. December 1998. p. 88.
  15. ↑ "THE MAKING OF Glover". Retro Gamer . No. 234. June 2022.
  16. ↑ "Nintendo Gives Glover a Hand". September 15, 1998.
  17. ↑ "Glover for Nintendo 64 Aggregated Score". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Glover for PlayStation Aggregated Score". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Glover PlayStation Allgame Review". Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Glover review". Edge . No. 65. p. 89.
  21. 1 2 John Broady (November 25, 1998). "Gamespot: Glover for Nintendo 64". GameSpot . Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  22. 1 2 Miguel Lopez (December 9, 1999). "Glover for PlayStation Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on December 6, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  23. 1 2 Matt Casammassina (November 10, 1998). "Glover for Nintendo 64 Review". IGN . Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  24. 1 2 Matt White (January 4, 2000). "Glover for PlayStation Review". IGN . Archived from the original on April 8, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  25. ↑ Kitts, Martin (November 1998). "Glover". N64 Magazine. No. 21. Future Publishing. pp. 66–71.
  26. 1 2 "Finals". Next Generation . No. 48. Imagine Media. December 1998. p. 126.
  27. 1 2 Paul Hales (January 1999). "Short Reviews - Glover". PC Zone (72): 111.
  28. 1 2 "Budget Zone Reviews - Glover". PC Zone (80): 91. September 1999.
  29. 1 2 Liam Robertson (November 30, 2008). "Glover 2 N64/PSX/DC – Cancelled". Unseen64. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Glover Handed a Sequel". IGN . July 8, 1997. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  31. ↑ Jordan Devore (October 7, 2011). "Double take: Canceled Glover 2 becomes playable". Destructoid. Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  32. 1 2 Jackson, Gita (April 19, 2018). "The Studio That Announced Glover 2 Didn't Actually Have The Rights". Kotaku . Archived from the original on January 31, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  33. ↑ @Pikointeractive (August 2, 2019). "Glover 1 revival is under works. Prepare your wallets" (Tweet). Retrieved August 7, 2019– via Twitter.
  34. ↑ Workman, Robert (April 17, 2018). "Piko Interactive Planning Revival of N64 Platformer Glover, Sequel". ComicBook. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  35. ↑ Zwiezen, Zack (March 7, 2022). "Glover Is Coming Back On The Weed Day Because LOL". Kotaku . G/O Media. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  36. ↑ Brandon Ingram, Michael (October 28, 2022). "Classic Platformer Glover is Coming to Modern Platforms". Game Rant . Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
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.