Tomato Adventure

Last updated
Tomato Adventure
Tomatoadventureboxart.jpg
Japanese box art
Developer(s) AlphaDream
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Yoshihiko Maekawa
Chihiro Fujioka [1]
Jin Ito
Producer(s) Shinji Hatano
Tetsuo Mizuno
Hirofumi Yokota
Yasushi Mizutani
Designer(s) Yuji Abe
Takahiko Kodaira
Takahiro Murakami
Programmer(s) Masami Sato
Atsushi Iwase
Artist(s) Shuji Kamohara
Yoshitaka Nishikawa
Aya Takano
Writer(s) Hiroyuki Kubota
Composer(s) Yoko Sakai
Platform(s) Game Boy Advance
Release
  • JP: January 25, 2002
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Tomato Adventure [lower-alpha 1] is a role-playing video game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance on January 25, 2002, exclusively in Japan.

Contents

Gameplay

Players control DeMille through the Ketchup Kingdom while talking to people, entering places and collecting items. The object of the game is to save DeMille's girlfriend, Patharan, and the Ketchup Kingdom from King Abira by going through every village to obtain the missing parts of a robot that can give anyone access into the Gimmick Palace, a tower-like structure with a tomato on it. Instead of wandering endlessly inside places or entering battles randomly, Tomato Adventure displays enemies moving around on the screen while entering battles by bumping DeMille into them.

Plot

The story takes place in a land ruled by young characters, the Ketchup Kingdom, which is also filled with devices like Jack-in-the-Boxes. The protagonist is a hare-like boy in blue clothing named DeMille, who lives in a school bus with no wheels in a village on the outskirts of the Ketchup Kingdom called Cobore Village. DeMille is an outcast because he dislikes tomatoes. As a result, he and other kids in Kobora who dislike tomatoes are looked down upon as "Droppers", banished for heresy, and locked up in Cobore Village until they change their attitudes towards tomatoes. While watching television, DeMille sees that the main antagonist, King Abīra, is celebrating a holiday called Tomato Day, while showing his project he created called the Super Cara-Cooker, a laser-like gun that transforms people, places, and things into dolls, toys, and playgrounds. After DeMille's television set gets severely damaged, he visits his neighbor and friend Seremo and asks him if he could fix his television set. Seremo says he will and gives DeMille his first Gimmick, called the Gear Yo-Yo.

After Seremo teaches DeMille how to use it, DeMille's girlfriend Patharan comes to tell him that she wanted him and her to venture into the dangerous Toy Ruins to look for her Fantastic Toy, the Gimmick Robo, but by the time they arrive, it is absent. Then, two purple creatures with zippers on them, Brikky and Grikky, capture Patharan with a hook. DeMille grabs on to her while being pulled up to the airship, the Carorna No.2, piloted by Brikky and Grikky. As soon as DeMille and Patharan come aboard the airship, Brikky and Grikky receive a call from King Abīra to bring Patharan to the palace and drop DeMille out of the airship. After DeMille fights Brikky and Grikky, they drop DeMille from the airship into the Tomato Pond, only for him to notice that he is standing near King Abīra's home, the Gimmick Palace, a tall, red, tower with a tomato-shaped top. When he decides to enter and save Patharan, he encounters a wall that he cannot pass through. Then, a mole named Rereku tells him that in order to pass through the wall, DeMille has to defeat the six Super Kids and obtain the six key items called Toy Parts. While DeMille goes on his adventure, he befriends some people for them to join forces with him to defeat King Abira and save Patharan and the entire Ketchup Kingdom. His partners in order of joining him are Arisa, Sofubi, and Rereku.

Development and release

After AlphaDream developed and released their first video game title, Koto Battle: Tengai no Moribito , Nintendo wanted AlphaDream's permission to develop an entirely new role-playing video game with them, titled Gimmick Land (ギミックランド, Gimikku Rando). [1] They got the name from an idea of a game structure that utilizes gimmicky, toy-like controls that make it an RPG with action elements. [1] It was finished and almost ready to be released for the Game Boy Color in Japan, until Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance to make the Game Boy Color obsolete. After noticing that, Nintendo requested AlphaDream to redevelop and rename Gimmick Land as "Tomato Adventure" for the Game Boy Advance. Nintendo also requested AlphaDream to add some easily recognizable characters in which reflects the new title, so that the game would have a more marketable image. [1] Those were Nintendo's largest requests. Other changes are the quality of the graphics and audio being enhanced. [1] Only two screenshots of Gimmick Land were released to the public by the developers. A mainly complete prototype of Gimmick Land had surfaced online from the 2020 Nintendo data leak. On the release date of Tomato Adventure, Nintendo and AlphaDream announced a contest where twenty winners won themselves 1 kg of sweet tomatoes from the Kochi Virtue Valley area. [2] The contest ended on February 28, 2002. [2]

Tomato Adventure was not officially released in English due to the targeted age group being considered too low; [3] problems with the battle system and the game not being received well at the time of release were other contributing factors. [3] An unofficial English fan translation was eventually released in July 2021. [4]

Although the game never made it outside of Japan, Tomato Adventure was planned to be released in China for the iQue Game Boy Advance under the title Fānqié Jiàng Wángguó dà Màoxiǎn (番茄酱王国大冒险), but was soon cancelled due to the huge piracy scene in China. [5]

Reception

On release, Weekly Famitsu scored the game a 29 out of 40. [6]

1UP.com scored the game "A". [7]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: トマトアドベンチャー, Hepburn: Tomato Adobenchā

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Boy Advance</span> Handheld game console by Nintendo

The Game Boy Advance (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2001, and in mainland China as iQue Game Boy Advance on June 8, 2004. The GBA is part of the sixth generation of video game consoles. The original model was followed in 2003 by the Game Boy Advance SP, a redesigned model with a frontlit screen and clamshell form factor. A newer revision of the SP with a backlit screen was released in 2005. A miniaturized redesign, the Game Boy Micro, was released in September 2005.

<i>Super Mario RPG</i> 1996 video game

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It was the final Mario game published for the SNES. The game was directed by Chihiro Fujioka and Yoshihiko Maekawa, produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, and scored by Yoko Shimomura.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Boy Advance SP</span> Handheld game console by Nintendo

The Game Boy Advance SP, released in Japan on February 14, 2003, is a sixth-generation handheld game console developed, released, and marketed by Nintendo that served as an upgraded version of the original Game Boy Advance. The "SP" in the name stands for "Special". It is the penultimate console in the Game Boy Advance product line before the Game Boy Micro, which was released in September 2005.

<i>The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures</i> 2004 video game

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the eleventh installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released in 2004 in Japan on March 18, and in North America on June 7. In 2005, the game was released in Europe on January 7, and in Australia on April 7. The Game Boy Advance handheld game console can be used as a controller when using the GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable bundled with the game in North America and Europe.

<i>Kirbys Adventure</i> 1993 video game

Kirby's Adventure is a 1993 platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It is the second game in the Kirby series after Kirby's Dream Land (1992) on the Game Boy and the first to include the Copy Ability, which allows the main character Kirby to gain new powers by eating certain enemies. The game centers around Kirby traveling across Dream Land to repair the Star Rod after King Dedede breaks it apart and gives the pieces to his minions.

Game Boy Advance Video was a format for putting full color, full-motion videos onto Game Boy Advance ROM cartridges. These videos were playable using the Game Boy Advance system's screen and sound hardware. They were all published by Majesco Entertainment, except for the Pokémon Game Boy Advance Video cartridges which were published by Nintendo. Most cartridges were developed by DC Studios, Inc., except for the few labelled "Movie Pak" which were developed by 4Kids Entertainment's subsidiary 4Kids Technology, Inc. The video cartridges are colored white for easy identification and are sold as Game Boy Advance Video Paks. The Game Boy Advance Video game paks offer the same 240×160 resolution as standard Game Boy Advance games, except for the Shrek and Shark Tale pack, which is at 112p.

<i>Mario Pinball Land</i> 2004 video game

Mario Pinball Land, known in Europe and Japan as Super Mario Ball, is a pinball video game developed by Fuse Games and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance, released in 2004. It is the ninth Mario game for the Game Boy Advance and is considered a spin-off into the Super Mario series of games. The game also got a re-release for the Wii U Virtual Console.

<i>Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time</i> 2005 video game

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is a role-playing video game developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in late 2005. It is the second game in the Mario & Luigi series, and is the prequel/sequel to the 2003 Game Boy Advance game Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. The game was later re-released for the Wii U as a Virtual Console title in 2015, available for purchase from the Nintendo eShop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AlphaDream</span> Defunct Japanese video game development company

AlphaDream Corporation, Ltd. was a Japanese video game development company founded in 2000 by Tetsuo Mizuno and Chihiro Fujioka in Tokyo, Japan. In partnership with Nintendo, it produced software for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch, including the Mario & Luigi series. The company's staff included former developers from Square, such as Yoshihiko Maekawa. On October 1, 2019, AlphaDream was shut down after filing for bankruptcy, and on February 28, 2020, AlphaDream ceased to exist as a company.

<i>Klonoa: Empire of Dreams</i> 2001 video game

Klonoa: Empire of Dreams is a 2001 platform video game published by Namco for the Game Boy Advance. Falling somewhere between Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, Empire of Dreams is a two-dimensional adventure game with puzzle elements that takes place in the new realm in the Klonoa series, the Empire of Jillius.

<i>The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past</i> and <i>Four Swords</i> 2002 video game

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords is a compilation of two action-adventure games co-developed by Nintendo EAD and Capcom and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The game was released in December 2002 in North America and in March 2003 in Japan and Europe. The cartridge contains a modified port of A Link to the Past, originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, and an original multiplayer-only game titled Four Swords, which serves as the 9th installment in The Legend of Zelda series.

<i>Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue</i> 2003 video game

Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue is an adventure video game developed by AlphaDream for Game Boy Advance. It was released by Nintendo in Japan and PAL regions, and was set to be released in North America, but was cancelled. It is based on the Hamtaro series by Ritsuko Kawai.

<i>Kirby</i> (series) Video game series

Kirby is an action-platform video game series developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. The series centers around the adventures of a pink round hero named Kirby as he fights to protect and save his home on the distant Planet Popstar from a variety of threats. The majority of the games in the series are side-scrolling platformers with puzzle-solving and beat 'em up elements. Kirby has the ability to inhale enemies and objects into his mouth, spitting them out as a projectile or eating them. If he inhales certain enemies, he can gain the powers or properties of that enemy manifesting as a new weapon or power-up called a Copy Ability. The series is intended to be easy to pick up and play even for people unfamiliar with action games, while at the same time offering additional challenge and depth for more experienced players to come back to.

<i>Madagascar</i> (franchise) Computer-animated media franchise produced by DreamWorks Animation

Madagascar is an American computer-animated media franchise owned and produced by DreamWorks Animation. The voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith are featured in the films. It began with the 2005 film Madagascar, the 2008 sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and the third film Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted in 2012. A spin off film featuring the penguins, titled Penguins of Madagascar, was released in 2014. A fourth film, Madagascar 4, was announced for 2018, but has since been removed from its schedule due to the studio's restructuring.

<i>Mario</i> (franchise) Video game franchise

Mario is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for video game company Nintendo which produces and publishes its installments. Starring the titular Italian plumber Mario, it is primarily a video game franchise, but has extended to other forms of media, including television series, comic books, a 1993 feature film, a 2023 animated film and theme park attractions. The series' first installment was 1983's Mario Bros., although Mario had made his first appearance in 1981's arcade game Donkey Kong, and had already been featured in several games of the Donkey Kong and Game & Watch series. The Mario games have been developed by a wide variety of developers including Nintendo, Hudson Soft, and AlphaDream. Mario games have been released almost exclusively for Nintendo's various video game consoles and handhelds, from the third generation onward.

<i>Lego Knights Kingdom</i> 2004 video game

Lego Knights' Kingdom is an action-adventure video game based on the Lego toy brand. It was developed by Razorback Developments and published in 2004 by THQ for the Game Boy Advance handheld system. It was the second game based on the Knights' Kingdom theme, after Lego Creator: Knights' Kingdom. However, that game was based on the first version of Knights' Kingdom, while the GBA game is based on the second version.

<i>Bionicle: Matoran Adventures</i> 2002 video game

Bionicle: Matoran Adventures is a 2002 platform game based on Lego's Bionicle line of constructible action figures. It was developed by Argonaut Games and co-published by Electronic Arts and Lego Interactive for the Game Boy Advance. The player controls Matoran and Turaga characters, who must work together to repel the invasion of Bohrok, insect-like robots that threaten the island of Mata Nui.

Mario & Luigi is a series of role-playing video games developed by AlphaDream and published by Nintendo for the latter's various video game handheld consoles. The series is a spin-off from Nintendo's trademark Super Mario series, and stars the titular characters Mario and Luigi. The games' stories follow the two on a quest to defeat an antagonist, primarily Bowser. It began in 2003 on the Game Boy Advance with Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, with the latest original installment being Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam in 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS. Two other titles in the series, including Superstar Saga, had an additional remake for the Nintendo 3DS. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey was the last game in the series before AlphaDream declared bankruptcy in 2019, and remains the latest installment in the series.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "『トマトアドベンチャー』開発者インタビュー". Nintendo Online Magazine (Nintendo). January 2002. Archived from the original on 2007-10-06. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
  2. 1 2 Harnest, Michael (2005-02-06). "Get Your Tomatoes!". RPGamer. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
  3. 1 2 Hilliard, Kyle (2019-01-14). "AlphaDream On Remaking Bowser's Inside Story And How Mario & Luigi Could Possibly Fit Inside Of Bowser". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  4. ↑ Walker, Ian (August 6, 2021). "Mario & Luigi Studio's First GBA RPG Now Playable In English". Kotaku . Archived from the original on 2021-08-07. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
  5. ↑ Wong, Alistair (March 25, 2019). "A Look Into What Could've Been: Prototype Unreleased Chinese GBA Games". Siliconera . Archived from the original on October 17, 2022.
  6. ↑ "トマトアドベンチャー まとめ [GBA] / ファミ通.com". Archived from the original on 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-05-23.
  7. ↑ "Tomato Adventure GBA Game, Tomato Adventure Game Boy Advance". 1UP.com. 2007-12-24. Retrieved 2008-08-05.[ dead link ]
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.