Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo

Last updated
Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo
Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo Win-Mac Boxart.jpg
Windows / Macintosh Cover art
Developer(s) Humongous Entertainment [lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s) Humongous Entertainment [lower-alpha 2]
Producer(s) Ron Gilbert
Designer(s)
Artist(s) Todd Lubsen [1]
Writer(s)
  • Laurie Bauman Arnold
  • Annie Fox
Composer(s) George Alistair Sanger
Engine SCUMM
Platform(s) Android, Macintosh, Windows, DVD player, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
ReleaseReleased:
  • August 10, 1995 (Win) [2]
  • October 18, 1995 (Mac) [3]
  • 2005 (DVD player)
  • November 15, 2011, August 13, 2015 (iOS)
  • 2012 (Android)
  • July 3, 2014 (Linux) [4]
  • February 10, 2022 (Switch) [5]
  • November 3, 2022 (Playstation 4) [6]
Genre(s) Adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

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. [7] 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, [5] followed by the PlayStation 4 version on the PlayStation Store in November the same year. [8]

Contents

Plot

Putt-Putt is excited for the grand opening of the Cartown Zoo. He visits Mr. Baldini's grocery store, who tasks him with delivering zoo chow to zookeeper Outback Al. Upon arriving at the zoo, Putt-Putt learns that six baby animals have gone missing: Baby Jambo the elephant; Masai the giraffe; Kenya the lion cub; Zanzibar the hippopotamus; Sammy the seal; and Little Skeeter the boa constrictor. Putt-Putt volunteers to search for the animals, which Outback Al agrees to as he starts repairs on the zoo.

After finding and rescuing all six baby animals, Putt-Putt notifies Outback Al of his success, and Al excitedly thanks him. At the zoo's opening ceremony, Outback Al gives Putt-Putt a Junior Zookeeper award for his help and allows him the honor of cutting the ribbon. The zoo is then opened to everyone as they all enter to explore, ending the game.

Gameplay

The game mechanics are almost the same as its predecessors including the glove box inventory, horn, radio and accelerator, though one addition is an ignition key shown on the bottom left side of Putt-Putt's dashboard, which allows the player to quit the game. A few mini games are also playable. Unlike other games, Putt-Putt can acquire a camera so the player can take pictures of the animals and other characters and print them out. [9]

Reception

The combined sales of Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo, Putt-Putt Joins the Parade and Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon surpassed one million units by June 1997. [10] During the year 2001 alone, Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo sold 100,972 retail units in North America, according to PC Data. [11]

Related Research Articles

<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 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>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.

<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: 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.

Atari, Inc. is an American subsidiary and publishing arm of Atari SA. Formed in 1993 as GT Interactive Software Corp., the video game publishing arm of GoodTimes Home Video, the company was subsequently majority acquired by Infogrames in 1999, and later renamed to Infogrames, Inc. As part of Infogrames's company-wide re-branding following its 2001 acquisition of Hasbro Interactive, which owned the rights to the Atari brand, Infogrames, Inc. became known as Atari, Inc. in May 2003. On October 11, 2008, Infogrames completed its acquisition of Atari, Inc., making it a wholly owned subsidiary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommo</span> American video game publisher

Tommo Inc. is an American video game publisher based in City of Industry, California. Founded in 1990, Tommo started out as a small independent distributor of imported video games. Since 2006, Tommo also operates a publishing subsidiary, UFO Interactive Games, which is best known for publishing original games, such as several titles in the Raiden series.

<i>Putt-Putt Joins the Parade</i> 1992 childrens video game

Putt-Putt Joins the Parade is a 1992 video game and the first of seven adventure games in the Putt-Putt series of games developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. Upon release, the game sold over 300,000 copies. The combined sales of Putt-Putt Joins the Parade, Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon and Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo surpassed one million units by June 1997. This is also the first game produced by Humongous Entertainment.

<i>Putt-Putt Enters the Race</i> 1999 video game

Putt-Putt Enters the Race is an educational adventure game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment on January 1, 1999. The game is the fifth entry in the Putt-Putt series. This is the first of three games to feature Nancy Cartwright as the voice of Putt-Putt.

<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>Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon</i> 1993 childrens video game

Putt-Putt Goes To The Moon is a 1993 video game and the second of seven adventure games in the Putt-Putt series developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. It is also the last game in the series to use pixel art graphics.

<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>Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds</i> 1994 video game

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. In 2008, it was released on the Wii under the title Freddi Fish in Kelp Seed Mystery as well as Windows and Macintosh, 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. 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. Ports for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 were released on February 29, 2024.

<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. ↑ Lubsen, Todd. "Todd Lubsen" (PDF). p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Putt-Putt® Saves the Zoo Shatters Interactive Animation Standard for CD-ROM; Humongous Entertainment Redefines Interactive Story Telling" (Press release). Humongous Entertainment. August 9, 1995. Archived from the original on December 17, 1999.
  3. ↑ "Macintosh CD-ROMs". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  4. ↑ "Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo on Steam". Steam. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Humongous [@HumongousEnt] (February 3, 2022). "Get your adventure on with four of the best games you've ever played, arriving for #NintendoSwitch on February 10th" (Tweet). Retrieved March 16, 2022– via Twitter.
  6. ↑ "Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo". store.playstation.com.
  7. ↑ "Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo (Games)". App Shopper. 2012-01-28. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  8. ↑ "Playstation4". HE. Archived from the original on 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  9. ↑ "Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  10. ↑ People Staff (June 2, 1997). "The Little Car that Could". People . Archived from the original on May 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ Sluganski, Randy (March 2002). "State of Adventure Gaming - March 2002 - 2001 Sales Table". Just Adventure . Archived from the original on June 19, 2002. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  1. ↑ Ported to IOS and Android by Nimbus Games.
  2. ↑ The 2005 Europe-exclusive DVD player release was published by Take-Two Interactive.
    The 2011/2012 IOS/Android release was published by Atari, while the 2015 IOS release was published by Tommo.
    The Steam release was co-published by Tommo and Night Dive Studios.
    The Nintendo Switch version was published by UFO Interactive Games.
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.