Tonic Trouble
| Tonic Trouble | |
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 North American Nintendo 64 cover for Tonic Trouble | |
| Developer(s) |
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| Publisher(s) | Ubi Soft |
| Director(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Designer(s) |
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| Programmer(s) | François Mahieu |
| Artist(s) |
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| Writer(s) |
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| Composer(s) | Eric Chevalier |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color |
| Release date(s) |
Special Edition
Nintendo 64 Windows Game Boy Color
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| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Tonic Trouble is a platform video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Montpellier, and published by Ubi Soft Entertainment. The story follows the main character, Agent Ed, after a magic potion spills on the Earth and causes cartoonish mutations such as vegetables becoming living killers. The game was first released on the Nintendo 64 in North America on August 25, 1999, and in Europe on October 24, 1999. It was released for Microsoft Windows on December 6, 1999, in North America and on January 21, 2000, in Europe. A version of the game for the Game Boy Color was developed by RFX Interactive and released on April 23, 2000, for the European market only.
Additionally, Ubisoft Montpellier released a beta version of the game for Microsoft Windows to the European market on April 6, 1999. Labeled as "Tonic Trouble - Special Edition", it was given away by Compaq with new computers running Windows 98. The version featured very different level designs and control schemes, additional guards excluded in the final version, larger and more open level designs, red spades instead of thermometers for health power-ups, and the lack of a final boss.
A sequel titled Tonic Adventure was originally planned, but was later abandoned, because Tonic Trouble "would have not been a popular IP".[1]
Plot
Story
The story varies depending on the version. In the N64 version, Agent Ed, the main protagonist, cleans up the spaceship he is on, finds a bug similar to a woodlouse, and tries to swat it. In the PC version, he is contemplating giving a present to a girl he loves, but fails when she is already in relation with one of the ship's guards named Burk, and manages to flee him. Ed later finds a can full of a strange substance sitting on a table. He drinks it, but finds that it tastes terrible, so when a horrible sensation happens in his mouth, Ed spits the fluid out onto the floor, and some screws come to life. In the N64 version, Ed accidentally drops it into an open hole caused by the screws opening up; in the PC version, Ed panics and disposes of the can out a garbage chute.
The can falls to Earth and lands near Grögh, a drunkard who was just thrown out of a bar for not paying his tab. He notices the drink's mutagenic abilities, as it transforms the surrounding environment, and upon drinking, he is pleased with the results. When Agent Ed's superiors find out what happened, he is ordered to clean up the mess he made and retrieve the can from Grögh.
Characters
Agent Ed: Agent Ed is the main protagonist of the game. He is set to clean up the disaster he made on Earth, and retrieve the mysterious can to his mothership.
Suzy: Suzy is the daughter of the Doc, who Agent Ed encounters upon reaching Earth. They fall in love, and she supports him with useful information regarding his adventures.
The Doc: Once free, the Doc helps Agent Ed to get to Grögh's Kingdom and retrieve the can.
Grögh: Grögh is the main antagonist of the game. A former drunkard, who, after getting himself evicted from a bar for not paying his tab, managed to drink the Tonic and thus as a result, he gained supernatural powers and crowned himself to the ruler of Earth.
Reception
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The game was met with very mixed reviews, as GameRankings gave it a score of 53.32% for the Nintendo 64 version,[2] and 70.00% for the PC version.[3] Critics cite poor controls, a wordy exposition, and sloppy graphics. The N64 version of the game is a port of the PC version with noticeable differences, such as a substantially different opening due to the lack of processing power needed to render cutscenes, and different music in certain places. The game is often compared to another game published by Ubisoft, Rayman 2: The Great Escape, because both are 3D platformers, both have main characters of a similar design (hands and feet without arms or legs), and both were released around the same time, although Rayman 2 received much better reviews. The Game Boy Color version was only released in Europe, and was met with equally mixed reviews.
References
- ↑ Koma, Mono (September 21, 2015). "Tonic Adventure (Tonic Trouble 2) [Cancelled Concept]". Unseen64. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- 1 2 "Tonic Trouble for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- 1 2 "Tonic Trouble for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ Liu, Johnny (January 1, 2000). "Tonic Trouble Review - A Disgrace to Janitors All Around the World.". Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ Stahl, Ben (June 24, 1999). "Tonic Trouble Review - If this game is remembered at all, it will be as the game that's not Rayman 2.". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ Casamassina, Matt (October 13, 1999). "Tonic Trouble - Ironically, Tonic Trouble cannot compare to the platform franchise it was inspired by. Full review.". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ Lopez, Vincent (December 17, 1999). "Tonic Trouble - Ed follows in the footsteps of Rayman, and breaks an invisible ankle.". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ Jones, Tim (May 30, 2000). "Tonic Trouble - Rayman's younger brother turns up on the Game Boy Color scene, desperate for similar praise.". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
External links
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