Putt-Putt Joins the Parade
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| Products | Putt-Putt Joins the Parade (first game) |
Putt-Putt Joins the Parade is a 1992 video game and marks the first installment in the seven-part Putt-Putt adventure game franchise, created and released by Humongous Entertainment. Upon its debut, the game achieved sales exceeding 300,000 copies. By June 1997, combined sales of this title alongside Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon and Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo surpassed one million units. This release also represents Humongous Entertainment's initial foray into game development.
Plot
On a bright morning in Cartown, Putt-Putt learns about an upcoming pet parade but discovers he must have a pet to participate. He encounters Smokey, the parade organizer, who informs him that to enter, he needs to acquire a pet, a balloon, and have his car washed.
Putt-Putt gains a new companion, a stray dog named "Pep," by offering him a bone. After fulfilling all requirements, Smokey officially signs him up for the parade and grants Putt-Putt the honor of leading it. The event concludes at sunset as the credits begin.
Gameplay
In Putt-Putt Joins the Parade, players engage with a point-and-click adventure format, guiding Putt-Putt through various environments while collecting and utilizing items through mouse interactions. These items are stored within his glove box, which functions as a straightforward heads-up display. On the 3DO platform, navigation is handled via the D-pad, with selections made through button presses.
Release
After completing development, Humongous Entertainment pursued distribution agreements with Electronic Arts, which led to legal action from LucasArts concerning rights over the SCUMM engine and caused interruptions in media coverage.
A demo version was initially uploaded to CompuServe, attracting limited downloads at first but gradually building interest through comprehensive reviews.
Reception
A 1997 evaluation conducted by the University of Texas at Austin identified Putt-Putt Joins the Parade as the most frequently played among thirteen educational games assessed for their suitability for child development.