Zapper: One Wicked Cricket
Zapper: One Wicked Cricket | |
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![]() PS2 cover art (PAL region) | |
Developer(s) | Blitz Games Atomic Planet (GBA) |
Publisher(s) | Infogrames Interactive |
Director(s) | Darren Wood |
Producer(s) | Team Antics |
Designer(s) | Paul Jennings Russ Earwaker Jon Eckersley |
Programmer(s) | Steve Bond Richard Hackett Matthew Hampton |
Artist(s) | Dean Atkin James Childs Sandro Da Cruz |
Composer(s) | John Guscott Matt Black Gerard Gourley Andrew Morris |
Engine | BlitzTech |
Platform(s) | Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, GameCube |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Platform |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Zapper: One Wicked Cricket! is a platform game for the Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, and Microsoft Windows. For most platforms, it was developed by Blitz Games and published by Infogrames Interactive; Atomic Planet Entertainment developed the Game Boy Advance version. Zapper was released in North America in 2002 and 2003 in Europe. On November 17, 2008, Zapper became available on Xbox Live as part of the Xbox Originals range.[2] On February 15, 2024, Zapper was rereleased for Microsoft Windows on GOG[3] and Steam[4] platforms.
Plot
During a squabble over television, Zapper tries to use his brother Zipper (a grub) as a substitute TV antenna. Zipper is snatched away by an infamous thieving magpie, Maggie, who leaves an egg at the scene of the crime. Unfortunately, much to his dismay, Zapper sets off and determines to rescue his brother and turn Maggie into a jailbird. At the end of the game, Zapper gets Zipper back after defeating Maggie, and finally sets him up as a substitute TV antenna, just in time to watch TV by himself.
Gameplay
The player's aim is to traverse over eighteen levels as Zapper the cricket. Along the way the player must collect six eggs in each level. The player can jump or zap through the levels. If Zapper touches an enemy or falls into an environmental hazard, Zapper will lose his life and will respawn at the last collected egg checkpoint. Zapper has turn-based enemy movements, but the gameplay is similar to Frogger, which instead has vehicles moving independently. It is described in the GameSpot review as "basically just Frogger without the license".[5]
Reception
Aggregator | Score | ||||
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GBA | GC | PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
Metacritic | 58/100[23] | 55/100[24] | 58/100[25] | 56/100[26] | 55/100[27] |
Publication | Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GBA | GC | PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
Computer Games Magazine | N/A | N/A | 3.5/5[6] | N/A | N/A |
Game Informer | N/A | 8.75/10[7] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
GameSpot | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6.6/10[5] | 6.6/10[5] |
GameZone | 7.3/10[8] | 7.1/10[9] | 6.5/10[10] | N/A | 5.4/10[11] |
IGN | 5.8/10[12] | 4.5/10[13] | 5.5/10[14] | 5.5/10[15] | 4.1/10[16] |
Nintendo Power | N/A | 2.9/5[17] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Nintendo World Report | 4/10[18] | 5/10[19] | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2.5/5[20] | N/A |
Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6/10[21] |
PC Gamer (US) | N/A | N/A | 60%[22] | N/A | N/A |
The game received "mixed" reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[23][24][25][26][27] IGN gave the Xbox version an unfavorable review over a month before its U.S. release.[16]
References
- ^ "Infogrames - Corporate Information". 2003-04-27. Archived from the original on 2003-04-27. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
- ^ Plunkett, Luke (November 14, 2008). "And Your Next Xbox Original Is..." Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ "Zapper: One Wicked Cricket! on GOG.com". GOG.com. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Zapper: One Wicked Cricket on Steam". Steam (service). Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ a b c Davis, Ryan (November 11, 2002). "Zapper Review (PS2, Xbox)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ "Zapper: One Wicked Cricket!". Computer Games Magazine. No. 147. theGlobe.com. February 2003. p. 73.
- ^ "Zapper: One Wicked Cricket! (GC)". Game Informer. No. 116. FuncoLand. December 2002. p. 130.
- ^ Hollingshead, Anise (December 4, 2002). "Zapper - GBA - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 30, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Tha Wiz (November 30, 2002). "Zapper - GC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Lafferty, Michael (December 26, 2002). "Zapper - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 21, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Raymond, Justin (December 12, 2002). "Zapper - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Harris, Craig (December 5, 2002). "Zapper (GBA)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, Cory D. (February 6, 2003). "Zapper (GCN)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, Cory D.; Sulic, Ivan (April 23, 2003). "Zapper Review (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, Cory D. (November 1, 2002). "Zapper (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ a b Lewis, Cory D. (October 3, 2002). "Zapper Review (Xbox)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Zapper (GC)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 165. Nintendo of America. February 2003. p. 157.
- ^ Arushan, Zosha (December 8, 2002). "Zapper (GBA)". Nintendo World Report. NINWR, LLC. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Cole, Michael (November 30, 2002). "Zapper (GC)". Nintendo World Report. NINWR, LLC. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Steinman, Gary (January 2003). "Zapper". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Ziff Davis. p. 136. Archived from the original on March 29, 2004. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Zapper: One Wicked Cricket!". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. January 2003. p. 92.
- ^ Salkmoor, Bert (March 2003). "Zapper". PC Gamer. Vol. 10, no. 3. Future US. p. 106. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ a b "Zapper: One Wicked Cricket! for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Zapper for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Zapper for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Zapper for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Zapper for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 14, 2019.