Gusworld's Muppets
Party Cruise Guide
Release date: November 14, 2003 (US PS2; GameCube November 21, 2003)
Platforms: PS2, GameCube
Players: Up to 4
Produce: TDK Mediactive
Developer: Mass Media
Official site: MuppetGame.com (site no longer active)
Nintendo
Music composer: Chris Tilton (site includes MP3 downloads)
Official description: "The Muppets are starring in their first party game ever! Imagine you and three friends plowing through thirty mini-games with Kermit the Frog(TM), Miss Piggy(TM) and all your favorite Muppet characters. It's madcap, side-splitting fun, with awesome in-game music to keep you rockin'! Developed by Mass Media, Muppets Party Cruise is scheduled to ship in Q4, 2003 for PlayStation 2 and GameCube."
Release announcement
Genre: Party game (30 levels)
Playable Muppets:
Game previews:
There's also a preview on the DVD of It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas.
When the game was first announced, I got extremely excited and anticipated playing it for hours and possibly producing a comprehensive guide, rather like the one I did for Muppet Race Mania.
In reality, that never happened. Party games just aren't my genre, and a quick play with my brother's copy made it clear that this was no MRM, at least for me.
From a Muppet fanatic view, there are some other issues as well .While MRM allowed you to play as 25 different Muppets, including some relatively obscure choices, MPC sticks with six fairly predictable Muppets (though others make cameos in the game, including some, such as Andy and Randy Pig, who weren't in MRM). The cruise-ship setting for the game (you conquer individual games in order to reach higher decks) also doesn't offer the same wealth of Muppet references as the earlier game, which derived its settings from the Muppet movies.
Random facts
- Composer Chris Tilton made the following notes about the game's music in a posting on his Web site:
Instead of going the usual synth route, I decided to use some of the budget to hire live musicians. I can't tell you how much personality live musicians brings to music. The result wouldn't have been nearly as good without them.
- Prior to the launch, we were promised "authentic voice talent", but Muppet freaks were more concerned with who would play largely dormant characters. A few interesting casting changes were made, according to the ever-helpful Tough Pigs Recast FAQ. John Kennedy (rather than Eric Jacobson) voiced Animal. Brian Henson made his second (and so far final) appearances as Janice and Scooter, and also took on the role of the Muppet Newsman.
- As well as being included on the DVD of It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas, the trailer for Muppets Party Cruise was made available for online viewing. Here's a transcript of the Muppet comments featured:
MISS PIGGY: Party time!
GONZO: This is so cool!
ANIMAL: Yay! Yeah!
GONZO: This is better than asparagus pudding!
KERMIT: This is better than grasshopper ice cream!
MISS PIGGY?: Work it!
UNSURE: Go Kermit! Go Kermit!
GONZO: Game overboard!
Important note: Muppets Party Cruise, Muppets, and characters were once trademarks of the Jim Henson Company, and are now trademarks of Disney. This is NOT an authorised site, merely a truncated fan tribute.
Last updated: 24/09/2005 (abandon ship!)
