Hugo | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Silverrock Productions (ITE) |
Publisher(s) | Silverrock Productions (ITE) |
Producer(s) | Ivan Sølvason |
Programmer(s) | Esben Hansen Henrik Christensen Martin Pedersen |
Artist(s) | Niels Mortensen Lars Mortensen Torben Larsen |
Composer(s) | Thomas Engell |
Series | Hugo |
Platform(s) | Amiga, Macintosh, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Windows |
Release | 1992–2000 |
Genre(s) | Action |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Hugo video game refers to more than a dozen video game adaptations of the early seasons of the originally Danish ITE's interactive entertainment show Hugo in the Hugo franchise. From 1992 to 2000, ITE would develop and publish various compilations of different scenarios of the essentially one game, as well as their later updated versions, for several computer and console platforms, in most cases targeted exclusively for the European markets.
The classic Hugo releases from the 1990s are action games that closely resemble the early editions of the children's television game show that they are based on, having the player guide the titular character or a small, friendly troll to navigate safely through dangerous environments in a collection of diverse but simple minigame scenarios. Completing a given set of the main scenarios followed by the final end-game scene results in Hugo either rescuing his wife and children from an evil witch or finding a hidden treasure.
Since 2011, Krea Media (Hugo Games / 5th Planet Games) has developed a series of mobile game remakes of some the classic minigames turned into endless runners. A series of inspired online slot machine have been also released since 2016.
See also: Hugo (game show) and List of Hugo video games |
Two Amiga games, Hugo (originally titled Hugo - På Nye Eventyr: Del 1[1]) and its sequel, Hugo 2 (originally Hugo - På Nye Eventyr: Del 2[2]) were released in 1991[3] and 1992, ported to the PC in 1992–1993. They were re-released as a 1994 compilation, Hugo (Hugo På Nye Eventyr),[4] and ported to the PC as Hugo (Hugo: Äventyret Går Vidare) in 1995–1996.[5] Both games were similar to the children's television show of the same title where the contestant would try to completes arcade sequences to collect points and avoid obstacles using a phone, and the ending minigames are identical to the ones seen on TV.[6]
Later PC releases included Hugo 3 to Hugo 6, Hugo: Wild River (1998),[7] and their updated compilations Hugo Gold (1998), Hugo Platin (1999) and Hugo XL (1999).[8] Furthermore, several of the releases were partially incorporated into 2000's Hugo - Die Geburtstagsparty and Hugo Safari (both of which were also based on newer Hugo works) and the Hugo Classic Collection (compiling the first titles).[9] The latter consisted of seven or eight releases (depending on country), including Hugo Classic 1-4 based on the original series (in addition to Hugo Classic 5-6 based on the Hugo: Jungle Island series).
Hugo 2 (PlayStation) | |
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Developer(s) | ITE Media |
Publisher(s) | ITE Media |
Producer(s) | Ivan Sølvason Lars Jensen Piet Kargaard |
Designer(s) | Mario Gomes Peter Paulsen Poul Madsen |
Artist(s) | Claus Friese Chadi Freigeh John Madsen |
Composer(s) | David Filskov Christian Jensen Klaus Nielsen |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release |
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The two PlayStation games, which reused the titles Hugo (1998)[10] and Hugo 2 (1999),[11] are partial remakes of the computer games. They feature the same scenarious but with improved graphics and sound (including musical tracks for each stage), plus a rendered opening animation in the second game. An early concept was more ambitious, promising "a new storyline for Hugo and special new scenarios using both 2D and 3D technology."[12]
Hugo was also ported by Laguna and Infogrames to the Game Boy as Hugo 2 in 1997.[13] This version features simplified graphics and gameplay and was later ported to the Game Boy Color by Bit Managers and Infogrames in 1999 under the title Hugo 2½.[14]
In the games' usual story, a wicked witch named Scylla (often named differently in various countries, including Afskylia in the original Danish version) arrives at the home of Hugo the troll and once again kidnaps his wife Hugoline and their three young children (Rit, Rat and Rut) because she needs them for a magical beauty treatment. Hugo must undergo a series of dangerous adventures reach and rescue Hugolina and the children and perhaps even eliminate the hateful and cruel Scylla to bring peace to the Troll Forest. However, the witch is well prepared for Hugo as she watches his progress through a crystal ball and casts spells to stop him, having previously placed all sorts of devious traps in the various paths leading to one of her several "skull cave" lairs. Typically, wf Hugo reaches Scylla's hideout, the witch will personally meet the troll in confidence that he cannot win and now she must be defeated in one way or another to truly finish the game. Some versions also feature alternative ending sequences that may not even feature Scylla.
The PlayStation Hugo 2 release is unique in that the game's story continues from where the first one left off, where Hugo's family has been rescued but the evil Scylla has fled and now is back for revenge. As Hugo is returning home in an old airplane with his loved ones the after celebrations, Scylla flies to her main castle, where she casts a spell to gain power over the clouds to take Hugolina again and destroy the plane. Hugo's children all parachute down before his plane crash lands in the snowy mountains. Once again, Hugo needs to again overcome many dangers that lie before him to save his wife from the witch who as always will use all her cunning and dark magic to stop him. This time, he will also need to first find each of his three missing children while on his way.
The mobile version Hugo 2 / Hugo 2½ is distinctive as well, as Scylla has captured Hugo himself. Now he must get away from her and reunite with Hugolina.
The player must complete a number of minigames composed of repeative quick time events, simple puzzles, and guessing games. Most of them use either 2D or 2.5D graphics and have the character of Hugo controlled with keyboard or joystick input as he uses a variety of means of transportation to traverse through levels. Hugo will typically start each scenario with three lives, triggering a relevant cutscene when any is lost. During the games Hugo (voiced in Danish by Michael Brockdorf and German by Michael Habeck, Oliver Grimm and Oliver Baier) and Scylla (voiced in Danish by Winnie Engell and in German by Karin Kernke) communicate with the player with digitized speech, and can also knock on (or scratch) the screen from the inside, breaking the fourth wall.
In order of release:
Hugo for the PlayStation also features the "Volcano" scenario from the Jungle Island show as a hidden bonus minigame.[37]
If the players manage to complete the journey and reach their destination, Hugo proceeds to one of the final minigames serving as a bonus stage:
Some games feature alternative final minigames that do not take place in Scylla's lair:
Publication | Score |
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PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | 2/10 (Hugo PS)[44] |
Amiga Games | 62% (Hugo Amiga '94)[45] |
Amiga Joker PC Joker | 62% (Hugo Amiga '94)[46] 33% (Hugo PC '95)[47] |
COMPuter | 56% (Hugo Amiga '92)[48] 30% (Hugo 2 Amiga)[49] |
Consoles + | 1/10 (Hugo PS)[50] 3/10 (Hugo 2 PS)[51] |
Datormagazin | 1/5 (Hugo Amiga '94)[52] |
Man!ac | 25% (Hugo 2 PS)[53] |
Mega Fun | 34% (Hugo 2 PS)[54] |
Micromanía | 38/60 (Hugo PC '92)[55] 75% (Hugo 2 PC '93)[56] |
NEO Plus | 5/10 (Hugo 2 PS)[57] |
PC Games | 107/400 (Hugo PC '95)[58] |
PC Player | 14% (Hugo 6)[59] 14% (Hugo XL)[60] |
PCManía | 280/400 (Hugo PC '92)[61] 345/400 (Hugo PC '93)[62] |
Play PlayStation | 3/10 (Hugo PS)[63] |
Play Time | 70% (Hugo PC '95)[64] |
Play Zone | 50% (Hugo PS)[65] 51% (Hugo 2 PS)[66] |
PlayStation das Fun-Magazin | 5.7/10 (Hugo 2 PS)[67] |
PlayStation Games | 28% (Hugo PS)[68] |
PlayStation Magazin | 4.7/10 (Hugo PS)[69] |
Power Play | 28% (Hugo PC '95)[70] |
SuperJuegos | 59% (Hugo PS)[71] |
Video Games (Germany) | 25% (Hugo PS)[65] 19% (Hugo 2 PS)[73] |
Świat Gier Komputerowych | 75% (Hugo Amiga '94)[72] |
The games received mixed and often negative reviews. According to Francisco Delgada from Spanish magazine pcmanía, while Hugo is "not a bad game", it is "a bit bland and repetitive, especially since the video game version only differs from television [game] in its difficulty".[74] Arkadiusz Matczyński from Polish magazine Świat Gier Komputerowych recommended it as a "fantastic" game for younger Amiga users, but noted the more mature audience might get bored quickly.[72]
PlayStation reviews were often much harsher. Mike Goldsmith from Arcade wrote about the PlayStation releases: "Advertised as being 'designed for children aged 6+', Hugo will come off as simplistic at best, patronising at worst - a real shame given the quality of edutainment titles that could be ported from PC and Mac".[75] German magazine Maniac called them some of the worst PlayStation games.[76] In 2003, PlanetStation, having previously given both Hugo and Hugo 2 the lowest possible score of 1 star,[77][78] included Hugo among the five worst games from the 50 issues of the magazines.[79] Retrospectively, PlayStation Official Magazine listed Hugo, described as "bloody rubbish", atop its list of worst PlayStation characters.[80] In 2012, Game Informer made a Replay-section retro video poking fun at the PlayStation Hugo and Bubsy 3D.[81]
Nevertheless, the series was a massive commercial success. The first PC game has remained Germany's #1 best-selling PC floppy disk game for a long time in 1995, including in March,[82] June,[83] July,[84] October,[85][86] and 1995,[87] as well as the #1 best-selling Amiga 500 game of September 1996,[88] while Hugo 3 landed #2 upon its premiere in 1996.[89] Previously, Hugo has been one of the best-selling computer games in Spain in 1992.[90] In August 1998, Hugo 2 for the Game Boy received a "Gold" sales award from the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD), indicating sales of at least 100,000 units across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.[91] It was the #2 best-selling GB game in Germany in September 1999.[92] As such, Hugo Gold has been featured as a Classic of the Month at the Computerspielemuseum Berlin.[93]
Main articles: Hugo Retro Mania and Hugo Troll Race |
A Hugo online slot game based on the game was developed by Play’n GO in 2016 (in Denmark it was released exclusively for RoyalCasino.dk). Its story involves finding treasures in a mine and rescuing Hugolina from Afskylia/Scylla.[94][95] It was followed by Hugo 2 partially based on "Ice Cavern" in 2018.[96] The 2019's Hugo's Adventure features elements from the airplane and ropes minigames.[97] Hugo Carts, inspired by the mine track scenario but having Hugo and Hugolina work together against Scylla, was released 2021.[98] Another slot game, Hugo Legacy featuring mine track inspired theme along with a symbolic version of the rope endgame, was released in 2023.[99]