MUPPET MONSTER ADVENTURE (PS)
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it often also precipitates unflattering comparison. In every art form, the most significant works inevitably see their best ideas cannibalised in the hope of recreating their magic. Games are as guilty a medium as any for this. That being said, there’s nothing unflattering about Muppet Monster Adventure. Magenta Software’s superb 3D platformer may borrow copiously from PlayStation mascot classics Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot, but excellent design sees it score highly across all criteria, forming a vibrant adventure that’s backed by oodles of charm and character.
Often mistaken for Kermit, the game stars the famous frog’s nephew Robin, who is disappointed to discover the Muppets’ holiday is to be spent in a remote castle in the middle of nowhere. After becoming overwhelmed by his spooky surroundings, Robin faints, only to awaken in a mysterious lab. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is on hand to explain that our plucky protagonist must enter nearby areas to collect the castle’s evil energy, whilst also earning Muppet Tokens and seeking to free monstrous versions of his Muppet friends.
As many 3D platformer tropes as we could fit into one screenshot
Magenta wasted no time plucking the most evocative elements from competing platformers. However, with a really strong game engine, it largely makes good on them. Robin is equipped with a power glove that can zap enemies into his backpack, and this executes very similarly to Spyro’s flame breath, whilst Robin’s sprint and glide moves are also remarkably similar to the dragon’s equivalents. When the power glove doesn’t do the trick, the player can utilise a spin attack that’s just a few frames short of a Crash Bandicoot lawsuit. Unsurprisingly then, some of the action will come accompanied by a healthy dose of deja vu, but fans of the genre won’t mind, because it’s loads of fun.
Every level offers a rich balance of platforming, combat and exploration. Each level houses between five and seven Muppet Tokens needed to unlock a boss fight. Some are to be found in out-the-way places, rewarding a keen eye and platforming nous. Others can be unlocked via finding all five letters in the word ‘BONUS’, and a fair few are attached to challenges. Most of these hit the mark: running races, gliding challenges, shooting galleries, as well as the odd block-pushing puzzle. Both active and passive camera options tremendously well and it’s refreshing to see a turn-of-the-millennium PlayStation platformer with a camera that rarely goes walkabout nor gets snagged on scenery.
Every level offers a rich balance of platforming, combat and exploration. Each level houses between five and seven Muppet Tokens needed to unlock a boss fight. Some are to be found in out-the-way places, rewarding a keen eye and platforming nous. Others can be unlocked via finding all five letters in the word ‘BONUS’, and a fair few are attached to challenges. Most of these hit the mark: running races, gliding challenges, shooting galleries, as well as the odd block-pushing puzzle. Both active and passive camera options tremendously well and it’s refreshing to see a turn-of-the-millennium PlayStation platformer with a camera that rarely goes walkabout nor gets snagged on scenery.
Whilst Robin isn’t the most elaborate-looking protagonist, there’s a raft of enemies that vary visually and in terms of the challenge they mete. Knights, charging lancers, poachers, abominable snowmen, swashbuckling swordfighters, dynamite berserkers: it’s a brilliant crew of misfits and evidence the developers have tried hard to define each of the six worlds with their own vibe.
The appearance of the levels adds further to the sense of variety. Using L2+R2, the player can enter a first-person perspective and admire some extremely pretty, colourful 3D environs. They’re perhaps not quite as serenely gorgeous as the efforts that populate Spyro, but that’s a mighty high bar by which to be judged, and there’s little to fault in terms of the presentation. Settings come straight from the 3D platformer playbook with things kicking off with your classic castle with lush green forecourt, whilst later on “Arabian Frights” proves an engaging level that’s thematically similar to Crash Bandicoot 3’s “Hang’em High”, with its rooftop dashes and pretty design. “Feeling Flushed” is one of MMA’s most elaborate levels, combining a toxic sewer with futuristic elements and challenging platforming. The bosses are smartly devised, typically slightly gentler variants on Spyro’s themes, where the player must dodge projectile attacks and wait for an opening. Without question the most unusual encounter is a skiing battle with Miss Piggy, which needs to be seen to be appreciated.
The appearance of the levels adds further to the sense of variety. Using L2+R2, the player can enter a first-person perspective and admire some extremely pretty, colourful 3D environs. They’re perhaps not quite as serenely gorgeous as the efforts that populate Spyro, but that’s a mighty high bar by which to be judged, and there’s little to fault in terms of the presentation. Settings come straight from the 3D platformer playbook with things kicking off with your classic castle with lush green forecourt, whilst later on “Arabian Frights” proves an engaging level that’s thematically similar to Crash Bandicoot 3’s “Hang’em High”, with its rooftop dashes and pretty design. “Feeling Flushed” is one of MMA’s most elaborate levels, combining a toxic sewer with futuristic elements and challenging platforming. The bosses are smartly devised, typically slightly gentler variants on Spyro’s themes, where the player must dodge projectile attacks and wait for an opening. Without question the most unusual encounter is a skiing battle with Miss Piggy, which needs to be seen to be appreciated.
Adding quality to the mix in the audio department is a fine and fitting soundtrack from Michael Giacchino, as well as top-notch voicing from several Muppets film and TV show alumni. The legendary Frank Oz is on hand to voice Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear, whilst Bill Baretta’s turn as Pepe the King Prawn is sure to raise a smile, as he guides the player through tutorial aspects and challenges. His impression of Indiana Jones is exactly the kind of surreal we all need in our gaming lives.
There are only a few small qualms. Though ordinarily the player will not lose a life through failing a mini-game, MMA appears to go through an odd sequence of subtracting and then reinstating a life. The trouble is, if Robin finds himself on no lives upon entering said mini-game, failure results in a Game Over, which can be a bit of an irritation. As sometimes happens with 3D platformers of the time, Robin can get stuck in the floor or the walls, though I found this occurred only very rarely.
There are only a few small qualms. Though ordinarily the player will not lose a life through failing a mini-game, MMA appears to go through an odd sequence of subtracting and then reinstating a life. The trouble is, if Robin finds himself on no lives upon entering said mini-game, failure results in a Game Over, which can be a bit of an irritation. As sometimes happens with 3D platformers of the time, Robin can get stuck in the floor or the walls, though I found this occurred only very rarely.
We do love a good cameo... especially if that cameo is Swedish Chef
18 sizeable levels, tonnes for completionists to return to and both extensive gallery rewards and secrets to unearth, Muppet Monster Adventure is a full-fledged platformer. What it lacks in originality it makes up for in character and engaging gameplay, that sees it playing at a level only a little short of the Spyro the Dragon trilogy. As such, Muppet Monster Adventure deserves to be recognised as one of the strongest, and perhaps most underappreciated, alternatives on the system.
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