Muppet RaceMania
| Muppet Race Mania | |
|---|---|
 European cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Traveller's Tales |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Designer(s) |
James Cunliffe John Hodskinson |
| Composer(s) | Andy Blythe & Marten Joustra |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Muppet Race Mania is a PlayStation racing game that was developed by Traveller's Tales Ltd., and published by Midway in North America and Sony Computer Entertainment in Europe, and released in 2000. The game includes the choice of 25 muppet characters driving 25 vehicles. They race on 34 tracks based on sites in Muppet films (The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets from Space), and Muppet TV programs (The Muppet theatre from The Muppet Show, and the caves from Fraggle Rock).
This game marked the first vocal appearance by Scooter and Janice since the death of Richard Hunt. Both were performed by Matt Vogel, the only time he voiced these characters.
Gameplay
Extra characters were unlocked by beating them in races or battles, or by finding them hidden in different tracks. Also hidden are clips from the Muppet movies.
Modes
Playable characters
Unlockable characters
The following can be unlocked by racing against them [or finding them in stunt courses] in Adventure Mode:
- Bean Bunny
- Bobo the Bear
- Clifford
- A Doozer from Fraggle Rock
- Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
- Dr. Teeth
- Floyd Pepper
- Janice
- Johnny Fiama
- Link Hogthrob
- Pepe the King Prawn
- Robin the Frog
- Sal Minella
- Sam Eagle
- Scooter
- The Swedish Chef
- Zoot
Battle race bosses
- Beauregard
- Bill the Frog
- Dr. Phil van Neuter
- Gil the Frog
- Jill the Frog
- Spa'am (credited as "Pig Chief")
- Statler and Waldorf
- Sweetums
Weapons
There are a few weapons that can be used against other players during gameplay (except in stunt mode when there are no other players).
- Penguins - used like landmines, the penguin is dropped behind the player for other players behind them to bump into. As they hop, they sound like sea lions.
- Camilla - used to shoot out in front of the player, the chicken runs faster and chases players ahead for a distance.
- Fish - used to throw directly at other players in front of the player.
- Bomb - used in an aerial attack against an opponent or when in a small room it will bounce against the walls in order to hit the opponent.
- Special move - each Muppet character has their own special move that can be activated after filling up on boost. This move is applied to all other players in play. The move generally stuns other players (in some theatrical manner) and prevents them from moving forward. In race mode, this allows a player to get ahead, and in battle mode it allows a player to stop being attacked and stop other players so the player can attack them while stunned. For instance, Kermit's special move puts the other players on a bouncing lily pad for a few seconds, Animal's makes them turn green and spin rapidly, Janice's "Flower Power" move puts them in a 1960s flower daze, and Pepe's move shrinks all others to the size of a shrimp. How much of a detriment they are to the opponent varies with each Muppet.
Characters' karts
- Kermit's Racer
- Miss Piggy's Monster Truck
- Gonzo's Flying Saucer
- Fozzie's Bubbler
- Rizzo's Chesse
- Beaker's Moon Buggy
- Rowlf's Bulldozer
- Animal's Dragster
- Janice's Lovebug
- Dr. Teeth's Hotrod
- Floyd's Sportster
- Zoot's Supercharger
- Bunsen Honeydew's Hovercraft
- Swedish Chef's Hotdog
- Sam's Plane
- Scooter's Dune Buggy
- Pepe's Kart
- Bobo's Water Buggy
- Link's Spaceship
- Robin's Steamroller
- Johnny's Speedster
- Sal's Flamer
- Bean Bunny's Snow Bike
- Clifford's Trike
- Doozer's Dumper
Courses
The Muppet Movie
- Swamp (Race #1)
- Ghost Town (Race #2)
- Canyon (Battle)
- FunFair (Stunt)
The Great Muppet Caper
- Happiness Hotel (Race #1)
- Mallory Gallery (Race #2)
- Trafalgar Square (Battle)
- Restaurant (Stunt)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
- Central Park (Race #1)
- New York City (Race #2)
- Theatre (Battle)
- Diner (Stunt)
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Muppet Treasure Island
Muppets From Space
- Secret Base (Race #1)
- Cape Doom (Race #2)
- Laboratory (Battle)
- Muppet Labs (Stunt)
Secrets
- Studio (Race)
- Arches (Battle)
- Fraggle Rock (Race)
- Disco (Battle Race)
The End (end credit courses with over-head perspective)
- Speedway (Race)
- Rally (Race)
- Glacier (Race)
- Volcano (Battle)
- Haunted House (Battle)
- Whatever (Battle)
Cast
- Steve Whitmire - Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Bean Bunny, Link Hogthrob, Doozer, Gil the Frog (voice and archived footage)
- Frank Oz - Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam Eagle (voice and archived footage)
- Dave Goelz - The Great Gonzo, Zoot, Bunsen, Waldorf, Beauregard, Bill the Frog (voice and archived footage)
- Jerry Nelson - Robin the Frog, Floyd Pepper, Statler (voice and archived footage)
- Bill Barretta - Rowlf the Dog, Bobo the Bear, Pepe the King Prawn, Swedish Chef, Johnny Fiama (voice and archived footage)
- Kevin Clash - Clifford, Spa'am (voice)
- Brian Henson - Sal Minella, Dr. Phil van Neuter (voice)
- John Kennedy - Dr. Teeth (voice)
- Matt Vogel - Scooter, Janice (voice)
- Jim Henson - Kermit the Frog, Waldorf, Dr. Teeth (voice) (uncredited - archived footage)
- Richard Hunt - Statler, Janice (voice) (uncredited - archived footage)
References
- Muppet RaceMania on Muppet Wiki, an external wiki
- Gusworld's Muppet Race Mania Guide
- Muppet RaceMania at Internet Movie Database
- Announcement of Release on Muppet Central
- Race Mania on GameFAQs
Further reading
- Review on Game-Ireland.com