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|composer(s)=John Guscott
 
|composer(s)=John Guscott
 
|series=[[De Blob (series)|De Blob]]
 
|series=[[De Blob (series)|De Blob]]
|engine=[[Wikipeia:Blue Tongue Entertainment|TOSHI Engine]]<br>[[Wikipedia:Havok (game engine)|Havok]]
+
|engine=[[Wikipedia:Blue Tongue Entertainment|TOSHI Engine]]<br>[[Wikipedia:Havok (game engine)|Havok]]
 
|platform(s)=Nintendo Wii, Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
 
|platform(s)=Nintendo Wii, Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
 
|release=September 22, 2008 (US)<br /> September 26, 2008 (EU)<br /> November 13, 2008 (JP)<br /> April 27, 2017 (Steam)<br /> November 14, 2017 (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)<br> June 26, 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
 
|release=September 22, 2008 (US)<br /> September 26, 2008 (EU)<br /> November 13, 2008 (JP)<br /> April 27, 2017 (Steam)<br /> November 14, 2017 (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)<br> June 26, 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
 
|genre(s)=Platformer/Puzzle
 
|genre(s)=Platformer/Puzzle
 
|mode(s)=Single-player
 
|mode(s)=Single-player
 
}}'''''De Blob''''' (known as ''Blob: Colorful na Kibou'' in Japan) is a platform-puzzle video game. It was developed by Blue Tongue and published by [[THQ]] and originally released on the Nintendo Wii. The game that allows players to explore and liberate an alien city from the evil, monochromatic [[INKT Corporation]] that has taken over the city and outlawed all colour and fun from daily life. Playing as [[Blob]], gamers will embark on a quest to re-animate the fictional place of [[Chroma City]], and bring character back to the oppressed, by splattering buildings, landmarks, and citizens with colour. The game was originally scheduled for a February 2008 release, but it was delayed and then released in September 2008 for the Wii.
}}
 
'''''De Blob''''' (known as ''Blob: Colorful na Kibou'' in Japan) is a platform-puzzle video game. It was developed by Blue Tongue and published by [[THQ]] and originally released on the Nintendo Wii. The game that allows players to explore and liberate an alien city from the evil, monochromatic [[INKT Corporation]] that has taken over the city and outlawed all colour and fun from daily life. Playing as [[Blob]], gamers will embark on a quest to re-animate the fictional place of [[Chroma City]], and bring character back to the oppressed, by splattering buildings, landmarks, and citizens with colour. The game was originally scheduled for a February 2008 release, but it was delayed and then released in September 2008 for the Wii.
 
   
 
==Plot==
 
==Plot==
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==Development==
 
==Development==
 
{{expand section|date=November 2010}}
 
{{expand section|date=November 2010}}
''de Blob'' was originally developed as a downloadable game for [[Microsoft Windows]] by eight students of [[Game design|Game Design & Development]] at the [[Utrecht School of the Arts]] and one student studying Game and Media Technology at [[Utrecht University]], in the [[Netherlands]]. At the time of conception, sections of [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]] were being rebuilt and the principal task in creating the game was to convey how the railroad station area of Utrecht would look in 10 years. It was primarily intended for short-duration play, keeping people entertained for at least a few minutes at a booth while learning about the city's future plans for the station.<ref name=hku>{{cite web |publisher=Banana Games |title=The Blob |url=http://binnenstad.hku.nl |accessdate=19 January 2008 |language=Dutch |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423121713/http://binnenstad.hku.nl/ |archivedate=23 April 2013 |df= }}</ref> The city of Utrecht adopted Blob, ''de Blob''{{'}}s protagonist, as its [[mascot]].<ref name="gonintendo" />
+
''de Blob'' was originally developed as a downloadable game for [[Microsoft Windows]] by eight students of [[Game design|Game Design &amp; Development]] at the [[Utrecht School of the Arts]] and one student studying Game and Media Technology at [[Utrecht University]], in the [[Netherlands]]. At the time of conception, sections of [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]] were being rebuilt and the principal task in creating the game was to convey how the railroad station area of Utrecht would look in 10 years. It was primarily intended for short-duration play, keeping people entertained for at least a few minutes at a booth while learning about the city's future plans for the station.<ref name=hku>{{cite web |publisher=Banana Games |title=The Blob |url=http://binnenstad.hku.nl |accessdate=19 January 2008 |language=Dutch |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423121713/http://binnenstad.hku.nl/ |archivedate=23 April 2013 |df= }}</ref> The city of Utrecht adopted Blob, ''de Blob''{{'}}s protagonist, as its [[mascot]].<ref name="gonintendo" />
   
 
Two versions of the game were released as [[freeware]] in late June 2006 through the Utrecht School of the Arts website. There was a [[Dutch language|Dutch]] version, called "De Blob", and an [[English language|English]] version, called "The Blob" ("de" is the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] [[cognate]] of "the"). It was created using the [[OGRE]] graphics engine, the [[FMOD]] audio engine and the [[Open Dynamics Engine]] for physics and [[collision detection]]. The developers also stated that they had used [[3D Studio MAX]] for modelling en level design, [[Adobe Photoshop]] for textures, and [[Reason (software)|Reason]] and [[Sound Forge]] for audio.<ref name=hku/>
 
Two versions of the game were released as [[freeware]] in late June 2006 through the Utrecht School of the Arts website. There was a [[Dutch language|Dutch]] version, called "De Blob", and an [[English language|English]] version, called "The Blob" ("de" is the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] [[cognate]] of "the"). It was created using the [[OGRE]] graphics engine, the [[FMOD]] audio engine and the [[Open Dynamics Engine]] for physics and [[collision detection]]. The developers also stated that they had used [[3D Studio MAX]] for modelling en level design, [[Adobe Photoshop]] for textures, and [[Reason (software)|Reason]] and [[Sound Forge]] for audio.<ref name=hku/>
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}}
 
}}
   
''de Blob'' received positive reviews overall. [[IGN]] called it "one of the best third-party efforts to come over to Wii in a long time."<ref name="ignrev">{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/911/911521p1.html |publisher=IGN |title=''de Blob'' Review |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Nintendo Power]] said "Admittedly, there's not a ton of variety...but it remains fun throughout".<ref name="nprev">{{cite journal|journal=Nintendo Power |date = November 2008|page=98}}</ref> [[Nintendo World Report]] claimed "''de Blob'' is defined by its pure unadulterated fun", rating it a 9/10.<ref name="nwrrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/16705 |publisher=Nintendo World Report |title=Wii Review: de Blob |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Game Informer]], rating ''de Blob'' a 7.75/10, said "The game is missing the most important element to a game: the gameplay."<ref name="gireview">{{cite journal|title=Relax, It's Just A Game |journal=Game Informer |date = October 2008|page=105 |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/142F0C88-5955-4A93-9E8D-94653CD53B32.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926051527/http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/142F0C88-5955-4A93-9E8D-94653CD53B32.htm |archivedate=26 September 2008}}</ref> [[Eurogamer]] described ''de Blob'' as "excellent and thoroughly original", while noting that "the best and worst thing about ''de Blob'' is that it's got 'Destined For Cult Status' written all over it."<ref name="eurogrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/de-blob-review |title=de Blob review |publisher=Eurogamer |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] rated ''de Blob'' an 8/10, calling it "a game for meandering in, for absorbing and messing around with."<ref name="edgerev">{{cite journal|journal=Edge |date = November 2008|page=98}}</ref> [[GameSpot]] rated the [[Wii]] version an 8/10.<ref name="gspotrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/deblob/review.html |title=de Blob review for Wii |publisher=GameSpot |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Official Nintendo Magazine]] awarded the game both a rating of 92% and its Gold Award, stating that "''de Blob'' is an absolutely flippin' awesome videogame."<ref name="onmrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/5936/reviews/de-blob-review/ |publisher=Official Nintendo Magazine |title=Review |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[N-Europe]] said that De Blob was "the most colourful and ambitiously fresh" title on the Wii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://n-europe.com/review.php?rid=423 |publisher=N-Europe |title=Wii Review: De Blob |accessdate=17 June 2009 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It won or was nominated for several Wii-specific awards from IGN in its 2008 video game awards, including Best Platform Game,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Platform Game 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/4.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040934/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/4.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> Best Graphics Technology,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Graphics Technology 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/11.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040817/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/11.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> and Best Use of Sound.<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Use of Sound 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/14.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040834/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/14.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> It was nominated for several other Wii-specific awards by IGN, including Best New IP,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best New IP 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/21.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040909/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/21.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> Best Original Score,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Original Score 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/13.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040829/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/13.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> Most Innovative Design,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Most Innovative Design 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/24.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040924/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/24.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> and Game of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=IGN Wii: Game of the Year 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/25.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221161935/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/25.html |archivedate=21 December 2008 |df= }}</ref>
+
''de Blob'' received positive reviews overall. [[IGN]] called it "one of the best third-party efforts to come over to Wii in a long time."<ref name="ignrev">{{cite web|url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/911/911521p1.html |publisher=IGN |title=''de Blob'' Review |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Nintendo Power]] said "Admittedly, there's not a ton of variety...but it remains fun throughout".<ref name="nprev">{{cite journal|journal=Nintendo Power |date = November 2008|page=98}}</ref> [[Nintendo World Report]] claimed "''de Blob'' is defined by its pure unadulterated fun", rating it a 9/10.<ref name="nwrrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/16705 |publisher=Nintendo World Report |title=Wii Review: de Blob |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Game Informer]], rating ''de Blob'' a 7.75/10, said "The game is missing the most important element to a game: the gameplay."<ref name="gireview">{{cite journal|title=Relax, It's Just A Game |journal=Game Informer |date = October 2008|page=105 |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/142F0C88-5955-4A93-9E8D-94653CD53B32.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926051527/http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/142F0C88-5955-4A93-9E8D-94653CD53B32.htm |archivedate=26 September 2008}}</ref> [[Eurogamer]] described ''de Blob'' as "excellent and thoroughly original", while noting that "the best and worst thing about ''de Blob'' is that it's got 'Destined For Cult Status' written all over it."<ref name="eurogrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/de-blob-review |title=de Blob review |publisher=Eurogamer |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] rated ''de Blob'' an 8/10, calling it "a game for meandering in, for absorbing and messing around with."<ref name="edgerev">{{cite journal|journal=Edge |date = November 2008|page=98}}</ref> [[GameSpot]] rated the [[Wii]] version an 8/10.<ref name="gspotrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/deblob/review.html |title=de Blob review for Wii |publisher=GameSpot |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[Official Nintendo Magazine]] awarded the game both a rating of 92% and its Gold Award, stating that "''de Blob'' is an absolutely flippin' awesome videogame."<ref name="onmrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/5936/reviews/de-blob-review/ |publisher=Official Nintendo Magazine |title=Review |accessdate=17 June 2009}}</ref> [[N-Europe]] said that De Blob was "the most colourful and ambitiously fresh" title on the Wii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://n-europe.com/review.php?rid=423 |publisher=N-Europe |title=Wii Review: De Blob |accessdate=17 June 2009 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It won or was nominated for several Wii-specific awards from IGN in its 2008 video game awards, including Best Platform Game,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Platform Game 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/4.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040934/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/4.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> Best Graphics Technology,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Graphics Technology 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/11.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040817/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/11.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> and Best Use of Sound.<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Use of Sound 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/14.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040834/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/14.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> It was nominated for several other Wii-specific awards by IGN, including Best New IP,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best New IP 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/21.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040909/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/21.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> Best Original Score,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Original Score 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/13.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040829/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/13.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> Most Innovative Design,<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Most Innovative Design 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/24.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040924/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/24.html |archivedate=22 December 2008 |df= }}</ref> and Game of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=IGN Wii: Game of the Year 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/25.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=19 December 2008 |date=18 December 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221161935/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/25.html |archivedate=21 December 2008 |df= }}</ref>
   
 
''de Blob'' sold more than 230,000 copies by December 2008 in the United States.<ref name="sales">{{cite web|title=THQ: Expect more de Blob |url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/947/947929p1.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=23 January 2009 |date=23 January 2009}}</ref> THQ stated they have shipped more than 700,000 copies of the game,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/57093/thq-announces-financial-results-cuts |title=THQ Announces Financial Results, Cuts More Staff |first=Marteen |last=Goldstein |publisher=[[Shacknews]] |date=4 February 2009 |accessdate=4 February 2009}}</ref> and have sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.<ref name="edge 700k">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/thq-de-blob-sells-over-700k |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120903230020/http://www.next-gen.biz/news/thq-de-blob-sells-over-700k |dead-url=yes |archive-date=3 September 2012 |title=THQ: de Blob Sells Over 700K |publisher=''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' |first=Kris |last=Graff |date=26 February 2009 |accessdate=26 February 2009 }}</ref> THQ CEO Brian Farrell believed the success of the game was related to its "Nintendo-esque" style.<ref name="edge 700k" /> THQ responded to these sales by telling IGN to tell their readers to expect more ''de Blob'' in the future.<ref name="sales" />
 
''de Blob'' sold more than 230,000 copies by December 2008 in the United States.<ref name="sales">{{cite web|title=THQ: Expect more de Blob |url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/947/947929p1.html |publisher=IGN |accessdate=23 January 2009 |date=23 January 2009}}</ref> THQ stated they have shipped more than 700,000 copies of the game,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/57093/thq-announces-financial-results-cuts |title=THQ Announces Financial Results, Cuts More Staff |first=Marteen |last=Goldstein |publisher=[[Shacknews]] |date=4 February 2009 |accessdate=4 February 2009}}</ref> and have sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.<ref name="edge 700k">{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/thq-de-blob-sells-over-700k |archive-url=https://archive.is/20120903230020/http://www.next-gen.biz/news/thq-de-blob-sells-over-700k |dead-url=yes |archive-date=3 September 2012 |title=THQ: de Blob Sells Over 700K |publisher=''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' |first=Kris |last=Graff |date=26 February 2009 |accessdate=26 February 2009 }}</ref> THQ CEO Brian Farrell believed the success of the game was related to its "Nintendo-esque" style.<ref name="edge 700k" /> THQ responded to these sales by telling IGN to tell their readers to expect more ''de Blob'' in the future.<ref name="sales" />
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{{De Blob}}
 
{{De Blob}}
 
 
[[Category:2008 video games]]
 
[[Category:2008 video games]]
 
[[Category:3D platform games]]
 
[[Category:3D platform games]]

Latest revision as of 15:52, 13 September 2018

De Blob (known as Blob: Colorful na Kibou in Japan) is a platform-puzzle video game. It was developed by Blue Tongue and published by THQ and originally released on the Nintendo Wii. The game that allows players to explore and liberate an alien city from the evil, monochromatic INKT Corporation that has taken over the city and outlawed all colour and fun from daily life. Playing as Blob, gamers will embark on a quest to re-animate the fictional place of Chroma City, and bring character back to the oppressed, by splattering buildings, landmarks, and citizens with colour. The game was originally scheduled for a February 2008 release, but it was delayed and then released in September 2008 for the Wii.

Plot[]

Told through a combination of pre-rendered cinematic sequences and in-game dialog, de Blob tells the story of Chroma City, its invasion by the INKT Corporation and its subsequent liberation by the titular Blob and the Colour Underground.

Initially a lively and colourful city populated by its equally colourful and diverse citizens, the Raydians, Chroma City is suddenly invaded by the INKT Corporation. A corporate military dictatorship, INKT is led by the villainous Comrade Black and dedicated to the eradication of colour through its "War on Colour". Chroma City quickly falls to the invading army of Inkies and colour-draining Leechbots, leaving its landscape barren, its flora withered and its fauna in hiding. The citizens are rounded up and turned into Graydians, encased in homogeneous gray prison suits distinguished only by a bar code on the back of each shell. The Graydians are forced to serve as both menial labor and as a living resource of ink, mined literally from their sadness.

Hero Blob witnesses the takeover of Chroma City from his jungle retreat and goes into action, first rescuing the only remaining pocket of resistance, the "Colour Underground". Blob joins the group, and under their orders, begins to win back sections of the city and arouse the vicious ire of Comrade Black. Comrade Black orders everything from propaganda campaigns to the creation of supersoldiers in an attempt to stop Blob, to no avail.

With nearly all of Chroma City in control of the Colour Underground, Comrade Black desperately orders all his troops to retreat to his spaceship in Lake Raydia, and attempts to launch all the stolen colour into a black hole where it will be lost forever. Blob manages to stowaway onto the spaceship and defeat Comrade Black, then detonates a device that devours the spacecraft in a burst of color and whimsy. With the Raydians finally safe, Blob returns to the jungle, napping on a tree as he was at the story's beginning. A post-credits scene reveals that Comrade Black survived the destruction of his spaceship, and is now trapped on a tiny island populated by cute, colorful creatures, much to his hatred.

Gameplay[]

The player—Blob—starts each level as a ball of clear "water". Blob is free to roll around and collect paint from Paintbots in the three colours of red, yellow and blue, which can be combined into orange, green, purple and brown. Blob then merely has to touch a building, lamppost, billboard, or other object for the entire surface of said object to be smeared in his current colour. As he colours the city, the game's soundtrack, featuring live bands which recorded slow and fast versions of each "lick" (each hit), gradually adds more instrumentation as well as an additional "layer" of sound corresponding to de Blob's current colour—being red usually adds a saxophone solo to the music. As Blob collects paint, his size increases to a maximum of 100; each object he paints costs a paint point, as does attacking enemies. Blob can get rid of his current colour by touching water.

While Blob is free to paint, there are various missions which can or must be completed. These missions are given by various members of the Colour Underground and include painting certain buildings certain colours and transforming a landmark with enough of a certain colour of paint (for example, 30 yellow paint points). Each of the 10 huge levels have a main landmark to paint, which may require more than one colour and more paint points than usual.

There are various hazards to avoid, however. Pools of ink turn de Blob black and cause him to lose paint points constantly; when he reaches 0, he loses a life. Ink must be washed out with water. The INKT forces, Inkies, will send out footsoldiers to stop Blob, as well as other forces—handheld ink guns, turrets, tanks, jet bikes, and even Inkies that are immune to all but one colour. There are other hazards such as hot plates, spikes, and electric plates.

As Blob paints the city and completes missions, points are accumulated. Each gate separating the player from the next part of a stage can be opened by reaching a certain number of points. Once the final gate is open, the stage can be completed.

Development[]

Template:Expand section de Blob was originally developed as a downloadable game for Microsoft Windows by eight students of Game Design & Development at the Utrecht School of the Arts and one student studying Game and Media Technology at Utrecht University, in the Netherlands. At the time of conception, sections of Utrecht were being rebuilt and the principal task in creating the game was to convey how the railroad station area of Utrecht would look in 10 years. It was primarily intended for short-duration play, keeping people entertained for at least a few minutes at a booth while learning about the city's future plans for the station.[1] The city of Utrecht adopted Blob, de BlobTemplate:'s protagonist, as its mascot.[2]

Two versions of the game were released as freeware in late June 2006 through the Utrecht School of the Arts website. There was a Dutch version, called "De Blob", and an English version, called "The Blob" ("de" is the Dutch cognate of "the"). It was created using the OGRE graphics engine, the FMOD audio engine and the Open Dynamics Engine for physics and collision detection. The developers also stated that they had used 3D Studio MAX for modelling en level design, Adobe Photoshop for textures, and Reason and Sound Forge for audio.[1] While the freeware version was referred to by its English name internationally, the Dutch name was adopted by THQ as its official title. It was further stylized without a capital letter to become "de Blob".[3]

THQ noticed the game and was very impressed with the team's work, and acquired the rights to the game. THQ handed over the game to Blue Tongue Entertainment and Helixe, with both companies developing their own versions for different consoles.[3]

Five members of the original team later formed Ronimo Games.


Reception[]

Template:Video game reviews

de Blob received positive reviews overall. IGN called it "one of the best third-party efforts to come over to Wii in a long time."[4] Nintendo Power said "Admittedly, there's not a ton of variety...but it remains fun throughout".[5] Nintendo World Report claimed "de Blob is defined by its pure unadulterated fun", rating it a 9/10.[6] Game Informer, rating de Blob a 7.75/10, said "The game is missing the most important element to a game: the gameplay."[7] Eurogamer described de Blob as "excellent and thoroughly original", while noting that "the best and worst thing about de Blob is that it's got 'Destined For Cult Status' written all over it."[8] Edge rated de Blob an 8/10, calling it "a game for meandering in, for absorbing and messing around with."[9] GameSpot rated the Wii version an 8/10.[10] Official Nintendo Magazine awarded the game both a rating of 92% and its Gold Award, stating that "de Blob is an absolutely flippin' awesome videogame."[11] N-Europe said that De Blob was "the most colourful and ambitiously fresh" title on the Wii.[12] It won or was nominated for several Wii-specific awards from IGN in its 2008 video game awards, including Best Platform Game,[13] Best Graphics Technology,[14] and Best Use of Sound.[15] It was nominated for several other Wii-specific awards by IGN, including Best New IP,[16] Best Original Score,[17] Most Innovative Design,[18] and Game of the Year.[19]

de Blob sold more than 230,000 copies by December 2008 in the United States.[20] THQ stated they have shipped more than 700,000 copies of the game,[21] and have sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.[22] THQ CEO Brian Farrell believed the success of the game was related to its "Nintendo-esque" style.[22] THQ responded to these sales by telling IGN to tell their readers to expect more de Blob in the future.[20]

Trivia[]

  • At one point a Nintendo DS verion of de Blob was being made by now-shuttered developer Helixe, whose former employees have since formed DoubleTap Games.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Template:Cite web
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External links[]

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