Over the Hedge (Nintendo DS video game)

Last updated
Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge DS Cover Shot.jpg
PAL region cover art
Developer(s) Vicarious Visions
Publisher(s) Activision
Producer(s) DreamWorks Animation
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release
  • NA: May 9, 2006 [1]
  • EU: June 9, 2006
  • AU: June 14, 2006 [2]
Genre(s) Platform, stealth
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Over the Hedge is a platform video game with stealth elements developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Activision for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was first released in North America, and was later released in Europe. The game is set immediately after the events of the DreamWorks movie Over the Hedge , just like its adaptations on consoles. [3]

Contents

Gameplay involves guiding three playable woodland creatures through suburban houses to collect items and return them to their forest. House inhabitants and traps must be avoided or neutralized to succeed. [4] The game's plot concerns Gladys Sharp's attempt to turn what is left of the animals' forest into a swimming pool; the animals try to prevent this by luring endangered species to the forest, making the forest a protected habitat. [5] Over the Hedge received positive and average reviews from the gaming press, as well as gaming website IGN's 'Best Game No One Played' award for 2006. [6] The game was praised for the technical achievement of displaying full 3D on both of the Nintendo DS' screens, [7] but some reviewers found the gameplay repetitive. [5]

Gameplay

Verne encounters one of the inhabitants while exploring a house. The red cone on the lower screen shows the man's sight range. Over The Hedge DS Verne LOS.jpg
Verne encounters one of the inhabitants while exploring a house. The red cone on the lower screen shows the man's sight range.

In Over the Hedge, the player controls one of three animals, who attempt to steal items and destroy construction materials from suburban homes. [3] The player must explore three-dimensional households in order to complete these objectives, while avoiding the residents and their pets. [8] If the player is spotted, they must escape from the enemy's line of sight, otherwise the player will fail the level. [3] [8] Each level requires several trips to be completed. [4] Security systems must be avoided or deactivated in order to progress through each level. [8]

Each character has their own unique abilities. Verne has the strength to push and carry large items and can retract into his shell in order to avoid detection, but cannot jump as high or run as swift as the other characters. RJ has average strength and agility. He can climb, lift items and also throw Verne. Hammy is the most agile of the three, running swifter and jumping higher. This enables him to circumvent security more easily. [5] [9]

Over the Hedge is presented in full 3D on both of the Nintendo DS' screens, which is not often seen in a Nintendo DS game. [6] The upper screen displays the game in an over-the-shoulder third person perspective, whereas the touch screen shows an overhead perspective. The lower screen indicates the sight range of enemies and can be used as a touch screen to target enemies to attack. The console's microphone is used to attract the attention of dogs or to rouse the woodland creatures should they be knocked unconscious. [8]

Multiplayer

A multiplayer mini-game is included and allows two players to compete via the DS' wireless connection, only one player needs an Over the Hedge game cartridge for two separate DS consoles to play. Stella the skunk is available in this game mode, alongside the three playable characters from the main game. Players navigate a maze to collect food before the timer runs out. The player with the most food wins the game. At most five pieces of food can be carried at once, these must be carried to a collection area before more food can be picked up. [7]

Plot

Over the Hedge is set immediately after the events of the animated film. Gladys Sharp, president of the homeowners' association, returns and plans to bulldoze the forest in order to build a swimming pool. She has been joined by a new character, Henri Smith, a taxidermist and Dwayne's brother. Given an idea from Hammy, RJ decides to have endangered species move to the forest in order to have it declared a protected habitat, preventing its destruction. [3] The householders have been warned about RJ and company's intentions, and have created traps from everyday objects to repel the thieves. [7] The animals manage to gather supplies so that a black-footed ferret salesman named Jack, a gray bat scientist named Sylvia, and an ivory-billed woodpecker retiree named Samson can live in the forest. As a last resort, Gladys kidnaps the friends of RJ, Verne and Hammy for Henri. So the trio hack into the security cameras of the house and lure Gladys ranting into them. Once the news and police hear this, both humans get arrested for trying to capture endangered animals. Afterwards, the animals then continue to steal food.

Development

Unlike the home console versions, the Nintendo DS version of Over the Hedge was created as a separate game by Vicarious Visions. [10] Game writer Evan Skolnick noted the original goal was to make a simple tie-in game with the film, but the development team was soon instructed by Activision to "knock this one out of the park". [11] As a result, Vicarious Visions decided to write a new story, and create in-game cutscenes using full motion video (FMV). [11] The use of FMV was unusual for the Nintendo DS due to software limitations, such as only having one 3D engine and ROM space restrictions. [12] [11] In a 2007 Game Developers Conference lecture, programmers Chuck Hommick and Gregory Oberg explained how the company avoided many of these obstacles by not including fog or night levels, and by using texture matrices in animated cutscenes. [12] Due to budgetary constraints, only the first two cutscenes were fully animated. [11] The rest were static images with text captions, typically found in Nintendo DS games. [11] Craig Harris of IGN called Over the Hedge "one of the most impressive Nintendo DS products this year - at least on a technical level". [10]

Reception

The game received both positive and average reviews from the gaming press, with an average score of 73% from both GameRankings and a 71 from Metacritic. [13] [14] Over the Hedge was awarded IGN's "Best Game No One Played" in the Nintendo DS category during their 2006 Game Of The Year awards. [6]

Several reviewers were impressed by the game's 3D graphics, considering the graphical limitations of the Nintendo DS. GameZone's Louis Bedigian commented "Three-dimensional worlds are such a rarity on the DS that you'll definitely take notice". [8] In particular, the technical accomplishment of using the DS' two screens to show gameplay in two different angles and in full 3D was praised. [7] [15]

Critics are divided over the game's difficulty level and target audience. Some found the game too easy for adult players. Nintendo World Report's Lasse Pallesen stated Over the Hedge is not engaging to adults or children due to "the repetitive collect-a-thon nature of the game and the one-dimensional gameplay". [15] GameZone's Louis Bedigian had similar reservations, "Players young and old will be turned off by the lack of excitement". [8] Other reviewers felt the game was suitable for children and adults. Deeko's Pete Sellers found the game "a well designed adventure that requires patience and planning". [7]

Some reviewers found the gameplay, focused mainly on collecting and returning objects, as repetitive. [5] In his GameSpot review, Frank Provo stated "Games geared toward younger players are typically repetitive, but Over the Hedge for the Nintendo DS sets a new standard for repetition". He lists one of the negative aspects of the game as "Whole game feels like housecleaning or a real estate tour". [4] GameZone's Louis Bedigian also found the game repetitive, saying "..the game stays far away from anything deep, opting for a simplistic series of missions that redefine the meaning of the word rehash". [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Super Mario 64 DS</i> 2004 video game

Super Mario 64 DS is a 2004 platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch game for the Nintendo DS. Super Mario 64 DS is a remake of the 1996 Nintendo 64 game Super Mario 64, with new graphics, characters, collectibles, a multiplayer mode, and several extra minigames. As with the original, the plot centers on rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser. Unlike the original, Yoshi is the first playable character, with Mario, Luigi, and Wario being unlockable characters in early phases of the game.

<i>Mario Kart DS</i> 2005 video game

Mario Kart DS is a 2005 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was released in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on December 8, 2005, in Japan. The game was re-released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in North America and PAL regions in April 2015 and in Japan in May 2016. The game is the fifth main entry in the Mario Kart series, and the first to be playable via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection online service. Like other games in the series, Mario Kart DS features characters from the Mario series and pits them against each other as they race in karts on tracks based on locations in the Mario series.

<i>WarioWare: Touched!</i> 2004 video game

WarioWare: Touched! is a minigame compilation party video game released by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The fourth installment of the WarioWare series, and the first of three on the Nintendo DS, the game involves rapidly completing "microgames" — simple minigames lasting extremely short periods of time — as quickly as possible. The microgames are exclusively controlled with the Nintendo DS's touchscreen and microphone.

<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>Mario Clash</i> 1995 video game

Mario Clash is a 1995 action video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Virtual Boy. It is the first stereoscopic 3D Mario game, and a 3D reimagining of Mario Bros. Reception for the game was mixed.

<i>ATV: Quad Frenzy</i> 2005 video game

ATV: Quad Frenzy is a 2005 racing video game developed for the Nintendo DS by Skyworks Technologies and published by Majesco Entertainment. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld games console on November 14, 2005 in North America, on June 16, 2006 in Europe and on October 25, 2007 in Australia. ATV: Quad Frenzy features five different game modes, which all center around ATV racing which takes place in various environments. Reviews of the game were critical; the game garnered only a 35% aggregated score from Metacritic.

<i>Tony Hawks American Sk8land</i> 2005 video game

Tony Hawk's American Sk8land is a skateboarding video game in the Tony Hawk's series. The game, a companion title to Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, was published by Activision in 2005 as the first handheld release in the series for the Nintendo DS, and the fifth to appear on Game Boy Advance. It was the first third-party game released for the Nintendo DS supporting online play.

<i>SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Avenger</i> 2005 video game

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Avenger is a SpongeBob video game developed by Tantalus Media and published by THQ for Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. It is the first SpongeBob game to be released on both consoles.

<i>Curious George</i> (video game) 2006 platform video game

Curious George is a 2006 platform game published by Namco, and developed by Monkey Bar Games, a division of Vicious Cycle Software. It was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows, and is based on the 2006 film of the same name. A separate 2D version was developed for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) by Torus Games. Most of the animated film's original voices were not used in any of the in-game dialogue, except for the cutscenes, while Frank Welker and David Cross reprise their roles as Curious George and Junior respectively.

<i>The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass</i> 2007 video game

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is a 2007 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the fourteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series and the direct sequel to the 2002 GameCube title The Wind Waker. Phantom Hourglass was released worldwide in 2007, with the exception of South Korea in April 2008. The game was re-released for the Wii U via the Virtual Console service in the PAL region in November 2015, in North America in May 2016, and in Japan in August.

<i>Over the Hedge</i> (video game) 2006 video game

Over the Hedge is a platform video game published by Activision and based on the film of the same name. The game was released on May 9, 2006 on Microsoft Windows and the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance platforms, alongside a separate handheld version for the Nintendo DS. Sami Kirkpatrick, Madison Davenport, and Shane Baumel reprise their roles from the film as the baby porcupines Bucky, Quillo, and Spike.

<i>Bionicle Heroes</i> 2006 video game

Bionicle Heroes is a 2006 video game published by Eidos Interactive and TT Games Publishing and based on Lego's Bionicle line of constructible action figures. The game was released in November 2006 on PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS; a Nintendo Wii version was later released in April 2007. The home console and PC versions were developed by Traveller's Tales, while Amaze Entertainment developed the handheld versions. A version of the game for mobile phones, developed by Universomo, was also released. The home console and PC versions of the game are third-person shooters, while the Game Boy Advance version is a run 'n' gun shoot 'em up and the Nintendo DS version is a first-person shooter. The story of Bionicle Heroes, where the player seeks to liberate the island of Voya Nui and its inhabitants from the villainous Piraka, is not canon to the official Bionicle story.

<i>Finding Nemo</i> (video game) 2003 video game

Finding Nemo is a 2003 action-adventure video game based on the film of the same name by Disney and Pixar. The GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions were developed by Traveller's Tales, the Game Boy Advance version of the game was developed by Vicarious Visions, and its Microsoft Windows and Mac versions were developed by KnowWonder. All versions were published by THQ.

<i>Crash: Mind over Mutant</i> 2008 video game

Crash: Mind over Mutant is a 2008 platform game developed by Radical Entertainment for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii and Xbox 360. The Nintendo DS version of the game was developed by Tose. It was released in North America on October 7, 2008, and was later released in Europe and Australia on October 30 and October 31, respectively. It is the second game in the series not to have a Japanese release,, the first to be published by Activision following its merging with the series' previous publisher Vivendi Games, and the last major console entry as a whole until 2017's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy — a remaster of the first three Crash games.

<i>Guitar Hero: On Tour</i> 2008 video game series

Guitar Hero: On Tour is a series of music video games based on the Guitar Hero series for the Nintendo DS handheld game system. The series is developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Activision. Three games in the series have been released since June 2008: Guitar Hero: On Tour, Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades, and Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits.

<i>Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts!</i> 2006 video game

Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts! is a video game published by Activision based on characters from the film Over the Hedge. The Game Boy Advance (GBA) version, a miniature golf game, was developed by Vicarious Visions and released in October 2006 in North America. The Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable (PSP) versions, an action adventure game and a platform game respectively, were both developed by Amaze Entertainment and were released on October 24, 2006 and November 21, 2006. It is the second and last game to be based on the film.

<i>Over the Hedge</i> 2006 American animated film

Over the Hedge is a 2006 American animated heist comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation SKG and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Based on the comic strip of the same name created by Michael Fry and T. Lewis, the film was directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick from a screenplay by Len Blum, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton and Kirkpatrick, and features the voices of Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Wanda Sykes and Nick Nolte. Set in Indiana, the film centers on a raccoon named RJ, who is forced to deliver food to a bear named Vincent after accidentally destroying his stockpile of food, whereupon he manipulates a family of woodland animals who have recently awakened from hibernation into helping him steal food in order to speed up the process.

<i>Harlem Globetrotters: World Tour</i> 2006 basketball sports video game

Harlem Globetrotters: World Tour is a basketball sports video game developed by Full Fat and DSI Games, and published by DSI Games and Zoo Digital Publishing. It was released for the Game Boy Advance on October 2, 2006 and for the Nintendo DS on March 7, 2007.

<i>The Incredible Hulk</i> (Nintendo DS video game) 2008 video game

The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 video game published by Sega and developed by The Fizz Factor for the Nintendo DS. It is based on the film of the same name, following scientist Bruce Banner as he traverses across the Americas in search of a cure to a condition that transforms him into a monstrous being known as the Hulk. Unlike the console game that was concurrently developed and released by Edge of Reality, The Incredible Hulk is presented as a side-scrolling platformer rather than an open world action-adventure title.

<i>Crash of the Titans</i> (Nintendo DS video game) 2007 video game

Crash of the Titans is a 2007 platform video game developed by Amaze Entertainment and published by Vivendi Games for the Nintendo DS. It is an installment in the Crash Bandicoot series and an alternate version of the console-based title of the same name developed by Radical Entertainment.

References

  1. ↑ "Find Out What Awaits Over The Hedge". GameZone. May 9, 2006. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Updated Australian release list, 12/06/06". PALGN. 12 June 2006. Archived from the original on 13 June 2006. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Harris, Craig (2006-05-05). "Over the Hedge review". IGN . Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Provo, Frank (2006-06-06). "Over the Hedge Review". GameSpot . Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Cardoso, Didi. "Over the Hedge (DS)". Grrl Gamer. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  6. 1 2 3 "Best of 2006 – DS – Best Game No One Played". IGN. Archived from the original on January 9, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Sellers, Pete (2006-05-27). "Over the Hedge Review". Deeko. Archived from the original on August 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bedigian, Louis (2006-05-22). "Over the Hedge Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 2007-08-15. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  9. ↑ Smith, Stephen (2006-07-07). "Over the Hedge". DS Advanced. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  10. 1 2 Harris, Craig (2006-03-28). "Over the Hedge – The Dreamworks flick's hitting the Nintendo DS in a surprisingly impressive design from Vicarious Visions". IGN . Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Skolnick, Evan. "Over the Hedge". evanskolnick.com. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  12. 1 2 Duffy, Jill (2007-03-05). "GDC Preview: Managing Editor Jill Duffy's Picks". Gamasutra . Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  13. 1 2 "Over the Hedge". GameRankings . Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  14. 1 2 "Over the Hedge". Metacritic . Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  15. 1 2 3 Pallesen, Lasse (2006-06-12). "DS Review: Over the Hedge". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
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.