By Joel Smart (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: September 19, 2012
If you don’t know the television series Adventure Time, it could probably be excused. After all, it is a children’s cartoon that premiered in 2010. However, the show has begun to attract a cult following of older viewers – due in no small part to the fact that it’s hilarious, creative and well-made. The show follows the life of 14-year-old Finn the Human and his Jake the Dog, his magically-stretchy best friend, as they go on adventures in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo. And, just because I feel like you probably still need some convincing that the show is awesome, note that Jake the Dog is voiced by John DiMaggio – the voice of Bender on Futurama. So it’s settled. The show is awesome, and thus it is fantastic news that the show is getting an official Adventure Time game, called Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d you steal our garbage?! The game is set to release on November 20 for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS.
What makes news of the official game so exciting is the fact that the show’s creator, Pendleton Ward, is a huge video game fan. He has included video game references in many parts of the show, and in fact, a video game system is a major character that lives in Finn and Jake’s tree house with them – Beemo! In one episode Beemo actually transports Finn and Jake into a video game world. Other episodes, such as “The Enchiridion” don’t specifically mention video games, but follow the logical progression of a video game. (And in fact, the special edition version of the game will come with a steelbook case made to look like the Enchiridion from that episode.) It’s a show that is made for a video game adaptation, and the fact that Ward is involved in the creation of the game is very promising.
Also boding well for the game is the recently released trailer for the game, which shows gameplay clearly inspired by classics like Commander Keen and Zelda. Gameplay allows single player or cooperative play, with both Finn and Jake as playable characters. Jake will have the ability to change shape, while Finn will be able to use his sword. Both will have an ability called the “Twirling Death Blossom” among others. The storyline seems just like an episode of Adventure Time: the Ice King steals their garbage and uses it to create a decoy princess that he wants Finn and Jake to try saving; instead they set out to teach him a lesson and learn something themselves in the process.
For those without a DS, or want to play an Adventure Time game in the meantime, there are several officially licensed free-to-play games available online. The one that has taken up most of my time has been Jake’s Tough Break, a game where you play as Jake the Dog. A magician’s curse has made Jake fall apart. In order to break the spell, players have to navigate levels by breaking apart and reattaching Jake’s legs, arms, body and head, in order to pull hit buttons, offset weights, and navigate small passageways. It’s silly fun at first, but the puzzles quickly ramp up in complexity and timing for a game that is definitely aimed at an older audience.
If that’s not enough, keep an eye out for some of the Adventure Time creations from the Adventure Time Game Jam, where indie game designers got together and designed their own Adventure Time video games in a 48-hour period from September 14 to 16. Ward hosted the game jam, which saw almost 100 submissions. The games can be seen and played online. That should keep you busy until November!
