Monsters, Inc.
North American PlayStation 2 cover art
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
SeriesMonsters, Inc.
Platform(s)Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2
Release
  • Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance
    • NA: October 26, 2001[1]
    • EU: February 1, 2002
  • PlayStation 2
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Monsters, Inc. is a 2001 platform game based on the 2001 film of the same name released for Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation 2. The Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance versions of the game were released in October 26, 2001, in North America and in February 1, 2002, in Europe. The PlayStation 2 version was only released in North America in March 20, 2002. The Game Boy Advance version was also released on a twin pack cartridge bundled with Finding Nemo in 2005.

Gameplay

PlayStation 2 version

Monsters, Inc. is a 3D platformer. Players control James P. "Sulley" Sullivan through 8 levels based on environments from the movie, including the scream factory Monsters Incorporated, the streets of Monstropolis, Sulley's apartment, the Himalayas, and more. In each level, the main goals might include picking up one or more special items, or finding the exit. Sulley has to make his way across platforms, ladders and conveyor belts by jumping, climbing, flipping switches and pushing crates around. To attack enemies, Sulley can use his tail to whip opponents. The game has no lives system, so levels can be attempted an unlimited number of times.[3]

Each level also includes a number of collectibles and special tasks. There are 100 discarded screams to pick up; finding a certain percentage of them unlocks mini-game bonus levels. There are also five scream canisters to find and a small challenge involving scaring five mice within a time limit. If both are completed, clips from the movie are unlocked.[3]

Reception

The Game Boy Advance and PlayStation 2 versions received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7][8] In Japan, where the former version was ported and published by Tomy on March 1, 2002, Famitsu gave it a score of 19 out of 40.[13]

Douglass C. Perry of IGN called the gameplay of the latter console version "formulaic, obvious, and occasionally cute."[22] Game Informer said of the same console version, "It's tough to be impressed by a game based on a Pixar movie, when it's a given Pixar's CG is 2,000 times better than anything a current game system could offer."[15]

Andrei Allupului of PlanetPS2 was scathing toward the same console version, saying, "It's also not an overly difficult game, nor an overly long game, nor an overly attractive game, nor an overly fun game."[18] Ryan Davis of GameSpot cited the issues of the same console version, saying that it "will likely bore the older players and frustrate the young."[17]

Even with the mixed reviews, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Monsters, Inc. for the "Console Family" award in 2002, which was ultimately given to Mario Party 3.[26]

References

  1. ^ Harris, Craig (October 26, 2001). "THQ Unleashes a Load of Monsters". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  2. ^ IGN Staff (March 15, 2002). "Monsters, Inc. (PS2; Preview)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Disney•Pixar Monsters, Inc. (2002)". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs Inc. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "Disney/Pixar Monsters, Inc. for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  5. ^ "Disney/Pixar Monsters, Inc. for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  6. ^ "Monsters, Inc. for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Monsters, Inc. for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Monsters, Inc. for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  9. ^ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Monsters, Inc. (PS2) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  10. ^ Johnston, Chris (May 2002). "Monsters, Inc. (PS2)" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 154. Ziff Davis. p. 108. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  11. ^ Bonnie (March 14, 2002). "Monsters Inc. (GBA)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on May 3, 2003. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Koval, Rob (April 4, 2002). "Monsters, Inc. (PS2)". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on January 9, 2003. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "モンスターズ・インク [GBA]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  14. ^ McNamara, Andy (February 2002). "Monsters, Inc. (GBA)". Game Informer. No. 106. FuncoLand. p. 100. Archived from the original on November 17, 2004. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Monsters, Inc. (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 108. FuncoLand. April 2002. p. 77.
  16. ^ Liu, Johnny (March 2002). "Monsters, Inc. Review (PS2)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on August 27, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Davis, Ryan (March 26, 2002). "Monsters, Inc. Review (PS2)". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Alupului, Andrei (April 16, 2002). "Monsters, Inc". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 5, 2002. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  19. ^ Bedigian, Louis (January 2, 2002). "Disney/Pixar's Monsters, Inc. (GBA)". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 12, 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  20. ^ Lafferty, Michael (December 18, 2001). "Disney/Pixar's Monsters, Inc. (GBC)". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 22, 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  21. ^ Wiley, Patricia (March 28, 2002). "Disney/Pixar's Monsters, Inc. Review - PlayStation 2". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Perry, Douglass C. (April 18, 2002). "Monsters, Inc. (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  23. ^ "Monsters, Inc. (GBA)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 153. Nintendo of America. February 2002. p. 141 – via Archive.org.
  24. ^ "Monsters, Inc. (GBC)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 153. Nintendo of America. February 2002. p. 155 – via Archive.org.
  25. ^ "Monsters, Inc. (PS2)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 55. Ziff Davis. April 2002. p. 104.
  26. ^ "2002 Awards Category Details Family Game". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.

External links

Monsters, Inc.
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