Puss in Boots (video game)

Puss in Boots is an action game based on the DreamWorks Animation SKG movie of the same name. It was developed by Blitz Games, and released by THQ on October 25, 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Nintendo DS.^[2] It features support for Kinect and PlayStation Move on the respective platforms.^[3] It was released on October 25, 2011 in North America and December 2 for Europe. This is the last DreamWorks Animation game to be published by THQ and the last DreamWorks Animation game to use the Kinect and PlayStation Move.

Platforms

Puss in Boots is available on many different platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, it is also available in a handheld format for the Nintendo DS. Another Puss in boots themed video game is Fruit Ninja: Puss in Boots, which was released on October 20, 2011, on the iOS App Store,^[4] and was released for Android devices on November 28, 2011, on the Amazon Appstore.^[5]

Developers

The developer of Puss in Boots is Blitz Games^[6] which is a division of Blitz Game Studios which was founded in 1990. This division mostly focuses on producing family friendly game titles, which are often licensed games based on well known franchises. Some of which include titles such as SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab (2006), Barbie Horse Adventures: Wild Horse Rescue (2003) and The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da Rules (2003). Puss in Boots (2011) is Blitz Games’ most recent family oriented title release.

Synopsis

In the years before meeting Shrek and Donkey in Shrek 2, Puss in Boots must clear his name from all charges against him that has made him a wanted fugitive. While Puss is trying to steal magic beans from the infamous criminals Jack and Jill, the hero crosses paths with his female counterpart, Kitty Softpaws, who leads him to his old friend turned enemy, Humpty Dumpty. Memories of friendship and betrayal enlarges Puss' doubt, but he eventually agrees to help the egg get the magic beans. Together, the three of them plan to steal the magic beans, travel to the Giant's castle, steal the golden goose, and clear Puss' name.^[7]

Plot

The game plot follows the story line of the 2011 film of Puss in Boots:

Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is a talking cat named for his wearing boots and is a fugitive on the run from the law, looking to restore his lost honor. He learns that the outlaw couple Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris) have the magic beans he's been looking for most of his life, beans that can lead him to a giant's castle holding valuable golden goose eggs. When Puss tries to steal them from the outlaws' room, female cat Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) interrupts, and both fail. Kitty is allied with Humpty Alexander Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis), a talking egg and Puss' long-estranged childhood friend from the orphanage where he was raised. Puss tells Kitty his origin story and of his feelings of betrayal for a youthful misadventure when Humpty tricked Puss into helping commit a bank robbery; Puss has been on the run since. Humpty convinces Puss to join them in finding the beans and retrieving the golden eggs.

The trio steal the beans from Jack and Jill and plant them in the desert. Puss and Kitty's relationship becomes romantic. The trio ride the beanstalk into the clouds to find the castle of the late giant, while avoiding the Great Terror who guards the Golden Goose. When they realize the golden eggs are too heavy to carry, they steal the Goose, which is just a gosling, and escape the castle. While celebrating their victory, the group is ambushed by Jack and Jill, who knock Puss unconscious.

When Puss wakes up, he tracks Jack and Jill to his old hometown where he learns the entire heist was a plot by Humpty to lure him home to be captured, as revenge for abandoning him on the bridge to the authorities when Humpty's youthful heist went bad. Jack, Jill, and Kitty were involved in the con. After pleas from his adoptive mother, Puss turns himself in to the guards while Humpty donates many golden eggs to the town and becomes a hero.

While in prison, Puss meets Andy Beanstalk, the original Jack, from "Jack and the Beanstalk" (Mike Mitchell), who warns him that the Great Terror is in fact the Goose's mother, and it will stop at nothing to get its child back. A repentant Kitty helps Puss break out of prison and tells him she loves him. Puss tracks down Humpty, who wants the Great Terror to demolish the town. Puss convinces Humpty to help him fight off the Great Terror, saying he knows Humpty is a good person at heart. The Great Terror, a giant goose, arrives. Using the Goose as bait, Puss and Humpty lure the Great Terror out of the town, but Humpty and the Goose are knocked off the same bridge, where Puss left Humpty, with him holding onto them. Humpty knows Puss cannot hold both of them, so he lets go, sacrificing himself to save the Goose and the town. Humpty's shell cracks open to reveal he was a golden egg on the inside. The Great Terror then takes the baby Goose and Humpty back to the giant's castle.

Puss' efforts to save the town make him a hero among the townspeople. In the epilogue, Jack and Jill are recovering from their injuries after being crushed by the Great Terror, Humpty is shown once again in his regular egg form, wearing a golden egg suit, as he rides the Great Terror into the clouds, and Puss and Kitty finally kiss.

Game play

Screenshot of the game

The game supports both single player and multi-player game play modes within PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. The game utilizes motion sensor technology to imitate the swashbuckling swordsmanship of Puss in Boots within the Xbox 360 Kinect version and also within the PlayStation 3 version which includes PlayStation Move.

Achievements and trophies

• Xbox 360 – there are 40 achievements (13 secret) with a total of 1000 points to earn in the Xbox 360 version of the game.
• PS3 – There are 41 trophies (13 hidden) that can be earned in the PS3 version of the game. Earn Bronze (22), Silver (18), Gold (2) and Platinum (1) to increase your Gamer level.

Main Menu options

The main menu within the game presents a gamer with several options.

Adventure

This redirects the user to the map screen where they can select a level to play (this is only an option for levels which have been previously unlocked).

Challenges

• 1. Number of players – multi-player can be selected as an option to allow more than one person to take part in the game.
• 2. Number of Rounds – This option is selected to choose the number of rounds that are to be played within the game. When playing a Team Challenge, the team that wins the most rounds wins that challenge.

Play Game

Within this section gamers are presented with the Game select screen, allowing them to choose a game from the available menu options. There is a random option available, which if chosen the game will select instead of the user. Four challenges are available

• Market Mayhem – Puss must fight an onslaught of enemies against a timer.
• Bandit Boot – Puss must boot enemies into traps to score points.
• Shape it Up! – Puss must hide behind a series of objects.
• Barrel Barrage – Puss must dodge the waves of barrels that are thrown at him.

Options

This section facilitates changes within the game including the option to switch between right-handed and left-handed controls.

Extras

Access to unlocked videos and game collectibles.

Reception

In general the game was received well. With a rating of 7 out of 10 on trustedreviews.com.^[8] Official Xbox Magazine gave the game a rating of 8 out of 10, saying that the game "constantly surprises with a steady amount of variety and silly fun" and had "responsive controls and some inventive gameplay for Kinect users".^[9]

External links

• Puss in Boots Video Game Official Website
• Playstation Page for Puss in Boots
• Xbox 360 Page for Puss in Boots

References