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Playmobil Interactive

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Playmobil Interactive
Genre(s)Adventure
Publisher(s)Ubisoft (1999–2001)
Global Software Publishing (2004–2005)
DreamCatcher Interactive (2007–2010)
geobra Brandstätter (2010-2015)
Platform(s)
List
First releaseLaura's Happy Adventures
October 14, 1999; 25 years ago (1999-10-14)
Latest releasePLAYMOBIL Kaboom!
May 31, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-05-31)

Playmobil Interactive is a brand name used by German company geobra Brandstätter for releasing video games and, less frequently, DVDs or short movies based on its Playmobil toy line. Development and publishing of the games was usually delegated to various other companies.[1]

History

[edit]

Playmobil video games were first conceptualized by Ubisoft as early as 1995. Ubisoft's then-vice president Alain Tascan went on to present these concepts to Playmobil owner Hans Brandstätter at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 1998, leading the latter to cancel ongoing negotiations with another game development studio. While the identity of that other developer is unknown, it was rumored to be Psygnosis Limited.[2] The two companies hoped, among other things, for synergy effects in marketing.[3] Development of the Playmobil Interactive series was then closely monitored by geobra Brandstätter, with the company intending to ensure that the games stuck closely to their real-life template. For example, part of the license agreements stipulated that the shape and color of each individual digital Playmobil element had to be approved.[2]

After the release of Playmobil Pirates (2012), the label was largely abandoned for undisclosed reasons. Although other video games based on the toy line (mostly casual games such as endless runners for smartphones or browser games) were released after this point,[4] all with the exception of 2015's Kaboom! removed the “Interactive” brand name from their titles, logos and advertising material.

List of video games

[edit]

Ubisoft trilogy

[edit]

The first games using the "Playmobil Interactive" brand name, produced by Ubisoft with highter budgets than successive titles.

Title Details Short description
System(s): In this three-dimensional Adventure game, protagonist Laura is tasked with using a magical talking diamond to solve the problems of other residents of a "Playmobil Dollhouse" set by finding and transporting various objects.[6]

The Game Boy Color version shares this premise, albeit implemented in a top-down perspective. Furthermore, each issue can only be solved by completing one of 10 mini-games.[7][8]

Notes:
Alex Builds his Farm
 System(s): To realize his dream of running a successful farm like his father, Alex has to settle into rural life by visiting various countrx locations and beating minigames ranging across three levels of difficulty.[10]
Notes:
System(s): A three-dimensional action-adventure game, in which players have to assist Playmobil figure Hype in making his way back to his own time period after being sent to the past via black magic, facing several puzzles and enemies in the process.

The Game Boy Color version is, instead, a side-scrolling platforming game, in which players have to reach key items at the end of a level. Progress then requires using these items in one of the game's towns.[14]

Notes:

"Laura and Alex" adventure games

[edit]

A series of comparatively simple Point-and-click adventure games, in which the two Playmobil children Laura and Alex explore various scenarios based on different Playmobil sets together. The games share edutainment elements as well, often aiming to convey knowledge about the real-life inspirations behind the playsets.

The games were later rereleased in 2010 as 4-in-1 or 2-in-1 bundles by JoWooD.

Title Details Short description
Rescue from Rock Castle
 System(s): Subtitled "Join Laura and Alex in the Kingdom of the Knights", this game sees Alex trying to win the grand tournament of knights, defeat a dragon and rescue Laura from the clutches of evil wizard Grimbeard by solving point-and-click puzzles and completing various minigames.[15]
Notes:
The Big Treasure Hunt
 System(s): While greatly resembling its predecessor gameplay-wise, this game is based on one of Playmobil's "Pirates" sets. The player has to assist Laura and Alex in taking over Capt'n Blackbeard's ship to escape from the island they're stranded on and discover the eponymous big treasure.[16]
Notes:
Alarm!
 System(s): This series entry delves into the world of a Playmobil "City Life" set in order to showcase Laura and Alex taking on the job of a firefighter throughout eight different missions.[17]
Notes:
Construction
 System(s): The fourth and final game focused on Laura and Alex. Construction aims to familiarize young players with the job of a construction worker, having them assist the in-game characters by managing cranes, forklifts and the sorts.[18]
Notes:

DS platformer

[edit]

Three two-dimensional platform games exclusively published for Nintendo DS. Players have to traverse side-scrolling levels to collect resources and finish missions for NPCs in order to progress further through the games.

Title Details Short description
Pirates
 System(s): Through sailing, side-scrolling levels, and subsequent minigames, players guide a clueless pirate on his quest to accumulate enough gold and other resources to rescue a kidnapped mermaid.[20][21]
Notes:
Knights
 System(s): After a magical kingdom has been cursed with heavy rain, Brian the Beet Farmer is being granted knighthood to defeat the Evil Knights and dark wizard FlimFlam by completing over 90 quests and missions as well as upgrading his armor and weapons (once again in the form of a 2D platforming game).[23][24]
Notes:
Top Agents
 System(s): This game, thematically compared to the James Bond franchise by its publisher, has the player traverse platforming, city/driving, and puzzle stages as well as several minigames. Though reminiscent of its predecessors in gameplay, the story this time is centered around the ficitonal Spy Team stopping mad scientist Dr. Evil and his robot army.[26]
Notes:

Free advergames

[edit]

Around the late 2000s, the official Playmobil catalog included several discs containing additional advertising material for new sets in digital form. These were usually short films, coloring pages or a product overview. Although all of these discs were labelled as part of “Playmobil Interactive”, only the following were considered video games, as evidenced by them receiving an ESRB,[27] PEGI[28] or USK[29] rating:

Title Details Short description
Egypt
 System(s): In addition to various bonus material such as short movies and printable images, this CD (themed around Playmobil's "History" sets) includes a digital version of the game Senet, a quiz on the subject of Ancient Egypt and a hieroglyph translator.
Notes:
Dragon Adventures
 System(s): In this game, the interactive elements are limited to the main menu (a moving digital replica of the "Dragon Land" sets) and a shooting gallery game, in which opposing knights and dragons have to be fended off using spells.
Notes:
Top Agents
 System(s): Along with a short movie showing the conflict between the Spy Team and Dr. Evil, players can select five different minigames to play, which were also available as browser games on the official Playmobil website.
Notes:

Miscellaneous

[edit]
Titel Details Kurzbeschreibung
The Secret of Pirate Island / The Secret of Skull Island
 System(s): This interactive film tells the story of siblings Amelia and Jack, who, after suddenly being transported into a pirate world, end up hunting for the treasure of the mysterious Pirate Island. Inbetween story sequences, players can select from various options, thus influencing the course of the plot.[31]
Notes:
World
 System(s): Playmobil World was an MMORPG[33] developed for a target audience starting at eight years old.[34] Due to this particularly young audience, the game was heavily moderated and only accessible during afternoon hours. Players were able to select from a variety classes fitting into the medieval fantasy setting, including knights, wizards and elves.[35]
Notes:
Circus
 System(s): A minigame collection in the party genre, Playmobil Circus allows for up to eight players to compete in various circus-themed environments. In doing so, much emphasis is put on Wii Remote motion controls, though the Wii Balance Board is supported as well.[36]
Notes:
Piraten
 System(s): A construction and management simulation, in which players have to build up and manage their own pirate village, accumulating and distributing resources in the process. At the same time, the village has to be defended against enemies like undead skeletons.[37][38]
Notes:
Kaboom!
 System(s): This shooting gallery game with augmented reality elements uses the cannon of a special Playmobil "Pirates" set. This cannon using infrared sensors can be pointed towards the smartphone's screen to aim at and shoot digital enemy pirate ships.[39][40]
Notes:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "GMC 37". Giochi per il mio computer (in Italian). 4 (4). Milan: Sprea Media Italy: 88. 2000-04-30. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  2. ^ a b c "Heiße Tests im Herbst". Video Games (in German). 1998 (10). Munich: Future-Verlag: 41. 1998-10-30. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  3. ^ "Aldi bringt Spiele zu Billigpreisen". MVC. 1998 (KW 50). Nuremberg: Computec Media AG: 24. 1998-12-11. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  4. ^ "PLAYMOBIL Polizei: Gratis Spiele-App beim TOMMI Award 2016 prämiert". computerwissen.de (in German). 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  5. ^ ""Laura und das Geheimnis des Diamanten" official leaflet". kultcds.com (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  6. ^ "Il Personal del 2000". PC Open (in Italian) (46). Milan: 172. 1999-12-30. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  7. ^ "Playmobil: Laura". IGN. 2000-12-12. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  8. ^ "Der große Vergleichstest: FIFA 2001 vs. Soccer Live 2". Fun Generation (in German). 12/2000. Höchburg: CyPress: 67. 2000-12-30. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  9. ^ ""Alex auf dem Bauernhof" official leaflet". kultcds.com (in German). Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  10. ^ Snel, John (2000-09-14). "Spelletjes op het boerenerf". Ouders Online (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  11. ^ "News Briefs". IGN. 1999-11-25. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  12. ^ "Hype: The Time Quest (GBC, 2000)". NintendoLife. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  13. ^ Gäbel, Colin (2020-10-20). "Hype: The Time Quest – im Klassik-Test (PS2)". Maniac.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  14. ^ "Hype: The Time Quest REVIEW". gamecontrast.de (in German). 2022-12-30. Archived from the original on 2022-12-30. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  15. ^ "Rescue from Rock Castle Review". PC Format (185): 105. 2006-03-30 – via archive.org.
  16. ^ "80072 Die große Schatzsuche". playmobil.de (in German). geobra Brandstätter. Archived from the original on 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  17. ^ "PLAYMOBIL – Alarm! Großeinsatz für Laura und Alex". HMH (in German). Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  18. ^ "80099 Vorsicht Baustelle! – Laura und Alex bauen ein Haus". playmobil.de (in German). geobra Brandstätter. Archived from the original on 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  19. ^ "PLAYMOBIL Piraten – Volle Breitseite! NDS". HMH (in German). Archived from the original on 2011-02-15. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  20. ^ Schneider, Sven (2008-10-04). "PLAYMOBIL: Piraten – volle Breitseite". Games Power World (in German). Archived from the original on 2023-12-28. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  21. ^ "Playmobil Pirates Review". familyfriendlygaming.com. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  22. ^ "Playmobil Ritter: Helden in Rüstung im Test". nexgam.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  23. ^ Reith, George (2010-08-31). "Playmobil: Knight Review". gamingbolt.com. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  24. ^ Jordan, Jens (2010-11-06). "Review - PLAYMOBIL Ritter: Helden in Rüstung". Nintendo-Online (in German). Archived from the original on 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  25. ^ Trust, Alexander (2010-12-03). "Playmobil Top Agents für Nintendo DS angekündigt". IchSpiele.cc (in German). Archived from the original on 2024-05-05. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  26. ^ Taylor, Ben (2011-11-25). "'Playmobil: Top Agents' hopes to knock your blocks off (DS)". yetanotherreviewsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  27. ^ "PLAYMOBIL PC game ratings". esrb.org. Archived from the original on 2024-09-15. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  28. ^ "PLAYMOBIL PC ratings". pegi.info. Archived from the original on 2024-09-15. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  29. ^ "Geprüfte PLAYMOBIL Spiele". usk.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2024-09-15. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  30. ^ "Playmobil: The Secret of Pirate Island". imdb.com. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  31. ^ "80233 Interaktive DVD - Das Geheimnis der Pirateninsel". playmobil.de (in German). geobra Brandstätter. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  32. ^ Stephan, Carolin. "Playmobil World: Onlinespiel für Kinder kommt 2011". BrowserGames.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  33. ^ "Playmobil World für PC - Steckbrief". GamersGlobal.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  34. ^ "Playmobil World" (in German). 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  35. ^ "Playmobil World: Neues MMO vorgestellt" (in German). 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  36. ^ "Playmobil Circus Review for Nintendo Wii". cheatcc.com. 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
  37. ^ Willington, Peter (2012-12-31). "Game Reviews - Playmobil Pirates". pocketgamer.com. Steel Media Ltd. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  38. ^ "Playmobil Piraten iPhone- / iPad-App". chip.de (in German). BurdaForward GmbH. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  39. ^ "PLAYMOBIL Kaboom!". eyecue-tech.com. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  40. ^ "Pressemitteilung: Seeräuber-Spaß in einer neuen Dimension - PLAYMOBIL Pirates mit innovativer Handy-App". lifepr.de (in German). geobra Brandstätter Stiftung & Co. KG. 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
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