Tonic Trouble
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| Tonic Trouble | |
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| Developer(s) | Ubisoft ; RFX Interactive (GBC version) |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Distributor(s) | Ubisoft |
| Release date(s) | August 31, 1999 |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, PC |
Tonic Trouble was a videogame by Ubi Soft, based on the Rayman series. It is a traditional 3D platformer, in which a magic potion spills on the Earth and causes vegetables to become living killers. Due to poor controls, sloppy graphics (on the N64 version), and not being quite as eventful or environmentally interesting, the game did very poorly. The N64 version of the game was a port of the PC version. The N64 one had many noticeable differences, like a substantially different opening due to the lack of processing power needed to render cutscenes and different music in certain places. The game was going to be released before Rayman 2: The Great Escape but eventually was released months after. The GameBoy Color version was only released in Europe.
It was released on the Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64 and PC.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
(PC and N64 both have different openings)
[edit] Nintendo 64 version:
Ed is a clumsy alien janitor who one day was cleaning on his spaceship. Ed finds one bug that avoids his duster, so he goes after it, trying to squash the bug constantly. He finally kills it but is exhausted. He then sees some tables with various objects on them. Ed picks one up that looks like a can and drinks some liquid from it, only to find that it tastes horrid. He spits it back out and the weird substance lands on some screws, which come to life and unbolt themselves. The strange tonic rolls through the new hole before Ed can grab it. On Earth, the Viking Grögh is napping near some sheep, the tonic falls and wakes him up. A small drip of the tonic falls out of the can, to fall in some water. The result is that fish that have become sharks, sheep float off, and the water turns to a weird color. Seeing this in action, Grögh takes a sip for himself and loves the results. Agent XYZ tells Ed off and at Ed's trial, is told to repair the damage (this part is only mentioned in words). Agent XYZ informs Ed of the Doc, the pharmacist, and Suzy. When Ed arrives on Earth, he lands on a snowy mountain. He finds one part of the ship that has detached and decides to use it to ride down the mountain.
[edit] PC version:
An alien janitor is shown disregarding his work, practicing to confess his love for another with a flower and box of possible chocolates. He hears a noise and thinks that it is his love, trying to find the right words for if she says yes. The door opens revealing another alien of the same species named, Burk, is there and has heard Ed's previous comment about him being a shmole. Burk chases Ed with a pipe and, Ed after heading through a door, pauses and throws his heart shaped box and hits the button to close the door. Burk runs into the door and Ed escapes through some unknown door.
After the scary situation, he starts breathing hard and looks at his flower to see all the pedals fell off. Ed cries with his head down. When he looks up he sees some weird objects including a can. Ed decides to drink the can for the sake of it. But when a terrible sensation happens in his mouth, Ed spits out the liquid onto the ground. Bolts that came in contact with the substance come alive all of a sudden and unbolt themselves. Incredibly shocked by this, and when looking back, seeing that the can is leaking some odd flash from itself, Ed screams and runs around. Then he stops and looks straight at some depositor. Without a second thought, he runs to the depositor and slams it in, grateful to be rid of the stuff.
A short while before, on earth, a bar lady seems to be fed up with a customer and kicks him out for drinking for free. This chum turns out to be Grögh (the main villain in Tonic Trouble) and doesn't even seem to understand quite what's going on. When the tonic falls from the sky, Grögh notices as it lands right in front of him. Seeing a glimmer of the ship Ed works on, Grögh thanks it, thinking the tonic is really beer. He drinks it but finds it strange tasting, commenting, "This ain't no ordinary beer." Suddenly, he starts floating and changing. The can is seen dropped, causing it to leak a little into a stream nearby. As a result, the water changes, a small piece of land in the middle changes to polka dot red, some hills turn into buildings that fly seconds later, and right after is the bar Grögh was kicked out of with the exception of it having legs and acting like a chicken. The tonic floats and Grögh grabs it in his new uniform, saying that this time drinks were on him and everyone's going to get a taste.
The camera scopes out of the scene to find that Ed and a court are watching. The judge states the rules Ed has broken and goes on to lash out at him. Ed is sentenced to repair the damage done. The camera changes to a general who explains a plan to retrieve the can from Grögh. The plan consists of Ed in a miniature spaceship launched through a tunnel towards Gröghs tower and activate an automatic claw to grab the can from Grögh, then return back to base. When the plan is in action though, Ed tries to activate the claw by pushing a button, but the mechanism to release the claw is jammed, and the door will not open. Ed tries to the point of breaking it, and a women performing opera is heard from the tower.
Before Ed enters, the woman runs and Ed crashes through the room. Fortunately, the claw comes out, but seconds late. Grögh notices Ed and gets hit in the side of the head by the claw, then choked briefly. By this point, Ed is almost out and the claw grabs onto a bolted piece of the tower next to the window, so Ed is flung away from the tower and the spaceship crashes on a snowy mountain. The general is through a rough transmission, telling Ed he is on his own but unsure of whether Ed is even there. Ed is bewildered and one last piece of the ship lands abruptly, and very painfully, in his mouth. Ed uses this piece to slide down the mountain. A person named the pharmacist joins the Viking Grögh and makes a powerful substance out of the tonic named groga (although not mentioned until much later).
Once at the end, Ed meets Suzy, who is the daughter of the doc. The doc can help Ed on his quest but he has been captured by his robosuitcase. His toasters have gone bonkers as well. Agent xyz informs Ed that the docs popcorn machine is broken and if he fixes it, Ed will beable to taste the wonderful side effects. When Ed eats the popcorn/crunch, he can become Super ed who is incredibily strong. The machine being fixed causes a reveloution by the corncobs. After being freed from his own prison, the doc tells Ed he can create a machine that can launch him into Grögh's palace. However, Gröghs henchman have already raided the docs machine, so Ed must find and collect parts of the machine that were stolen. Ed finds the parts and is launched into Grögh's castle. All of the guards in the area go after Ed, but he pulls through to find that one guard disassembled a bridge. Ed overcomes this by using all of the powers he had gotten and finds Grögh the hellish in a giant robot resembling the can that started the whole nasty event. Ed defeats Grögh nevertheless after a chase, knocking him into a pit, where they fought to the end. Grögh explains that when he found that can, it was going to be so much fun but then the pharmacist came in and ruined it with his groga plans and marketing plans. Nothing was satisfying anymore. Ed promptly takes the can and celebrates by dancing. Suzy finds Ed and the two become lovers.
[edit] Enemies
Tomatoes: Tomatoes either skip or roll around. Tomatoes can't die unless they hit a wall or fall off where they're rolling.
Torches: Found in almost every level. They're round, red, mechanical, and a short white tube that resembles a flame thrower sticks out of it. About half of the base is attached to the wall. Fire comes out of the tube. Torches spread fire for only 3 seconds and then stop for 6. It's assumed that they are some type of security.
Cobs: Met after fixing a popcorn machine, Cob confronts Ed as an act of rebellion along with others. Cob can be easily defeated by moving in front of targets when he spits a seed at Ed, which bounces off and hits him. Then he falls apart and pops in the lava below him. If Ed revisits this place, another cob will take the previous place.
Robosuitcase: Robosuitcase is a not so intelligent robot that has gone haywire. Even though the only weapon it has is a duster, that is more than Ed can say for himself at the moment. Robosuitcase is defeated by Ed because he is lured onto a switch which requires someone heavy to activate. The switch raises a grate covering a popcorn/crunch depositer turning Ed into Super ed, who then pummels robosuitcase.
Carrots: Carrots spin around at a high speed in spots and if hit, will move around. The more common and slightly stronger ones are purple.
Beanstalks: Beanstalks throw their beans which explode when they hit ground. Sometimes, beanstalks can leave their beans and let them only explode when something comes near it.
Boxing Mushrooms: Boxing mushrooms wear shorts and fight hand to hand. If Ed brings out his peashooter, the mushrooms will spin on their heads quickly towards Ed.
Turnips: Turnips use pitchforks to attack. Turnips are only fought at the entrance of vegetable HQ. One hits tomatoes at Ed near the entrance to the glacier cocktail but can not be fought.
Jalapeno Pepper: Only found once in the vegetable HQ. Jalapeno pepper can only be hurt if Ed eats the popcorn/crunch turning into super Ed.
Electric Spike Balls: Electric spike balls appear more commonly in each level later on. They float above the ground and sometimes move in patterns. If Ed touches one, they explode. They're most likely meant for security.
Electricity: Electricity is either a small ball that hovers in a pattern or two balls across from each other that create a line of it in between. It is found in almost every level, maybe as some type of security.
Grögh's Henchmen: Interestingly, henchmen are very strong, shirtless men who have long, wavy mustaches. Henchman are filled with hot air. A lot of them are armed with shooters resembling toilet plungers. There's an exception of their weapons being replaced with pistons shooting sharp ice at the glacier cocktail. When Ed defeats one, they inflat and pop. All types of henchmen have goggles that cover up their four eyes.
Flying hechmen: Flying henchmen mostly fly in one spot shooting at whomever is against them. They fly using propeller caps just like the ones Ed collects at the north plain.
Cyborg henchmen: Cyborg henchmen attack with electricity that they control. Electrical conducts are used to charge them up. Cyborgs cannot be hurt except on their back because of their open flaps.
Old teeth: Found only in the reverse pyramid, these teeth will attack Ed by chomping him and move doing so. They take three hits before falling apart. If Ed brings out the pea shooter, they will turn invisible and stand still.
Mummies: One of the few enemies that talk, the mummies are fought all at once in their wheelchairs. With the exception of the first one which is seen at the end of a long gap filled with poison water shooting bugs through a blowpipe. If a mummy is hit once, they'll roll away for a while.
[edit] Levels
In the PC version, whenever a loading spot came up (because N64 cartridges can play games without that need) at the beginning of each level, there is a map shown of that location as a loading screen. If Ed is going to talk to someone, then the loading screen is of that person shown in drawings too.
Doc's Cave You must free the doc because his creations have become crazy. At the end, Ed confronts the monster holding the doc, robosuitcase, who talks a lot like a caveman. Once defeated, Ed finds his first tool/weapon. A stick he can whack with and pull levers by sticking them in where the handle should be.
Vegetable HQ You must collect 6 springs on this level. Upon entering, a beanstalk confronts Ed, telling him that he stands no chance. A short while later, though, Ed proves him wrong after knocking him into a lava pit along with a non talkative tomato named ketchup. After this defeat, Ed must work a platform crossing many electrical devices and then fight a jalapeno pepper. After bringing back the spring, the doc gives Ed the peashooter.
North Plain You must collect 6 propellers on this level. A lot like the south plain, except with many gaps. Grögh has taken over the north plain and reformated it like a castle, complete with guards. This level introduces proppeler guards who use proppelers on their head to fly. After giving the doc the proppelers, Ed receives the ability to fly with his bowtie.
Canyon You must collect 6 jumping stones on this level. Ed meets a flying elephant that can talk at the very beginning of this level. The majority of this level having lava below, Ed has to fly most of the way across. Two most common obstacles are giant pieces of wood and Gröghs henchmen, who wait on small pieces of land. When Ed gives the doc the stones, he is rewarded with a fishbowl that can be used to swim underwater.
Glacier Cocktail You must collect 6 feathers on this level. Ed talks with a bartender at the very beginning of this level. The newly found groga substance is tested here on henchmen. Because of that, some of the ones Ed encounters think they're ballet dancers. It is said that some think they are ostriches too but this is never seen and probably was only put in because of the feather searching. This level introduces the electrical robots guards too. Ed sees that one of the gears to open the door leading to the end is missing. He must raise the water then freeze it and then melt it to raise it twice. After Ed delivers the feathers, the doc gives him the chameleon power, which allows Ed to transform into anything on the picture of an octanagle platform.
Reversed Pyramid You must collect 6 dominos on this level. Ed talks to a seems to be an insane patient at the very beginning of this level as well as throughout the whole level. Ed must get past a giant cat, dozens of spikes, old teeth that attack anything moving, boulders, and old wheelchair mummies (meant literally due to their mom like appearance). After Ed gives the doc the dominoes, he gets the new improved pogo-stick. It allows Ed ability to wrap around it while hopping across hot coals and stomp the ground very hard.
Pressure Cooker You must collect 6 piggy banks on this level. Ed meets the pharmacist at the very beginning of this level. Being the most technical level, Ed must work with the machinery in order to get where he is going. Some talkative guard sees Ed and locks a door blocking his path. Ed uses his chameleon power to disguise himself as a piston, then squishes the guard. Half way through, Ed has to discuise himself as Grögh to trick someone but turns back to himself after passing though a door. When the guard finds out that it was Ed, the guard makes Ed cross through a lava deathtrap. After pulling through, Another guard tries to flood him out. Lastly Ed transforms into a box, seeing that a guard is kicking them through a hole leading to the exit. But one of the alive vegetables suddenly appears and takes the last pig. After leaving, the doc informs Ed that he has struck a deal with agent xyz to get Ed gets unlimited ammo for the peashooter.
Magic Mushrooms Hideout Although, only technically a level, the hideout is quite difficult. The majority of the level is spent riding down huge metal pipes with electricity and gaps. At the end, Ed fights the magic mushroom himself, who also had a plan for ruling the world, much so the same as all the other alive vegetables.
Grögh's Castle It always raining at the castle. When Ed enters, he is confronted by all the guards in the general area. Ed makes it through to find that when he almost got to Grögh, one guard moved all the platforms to get there with. Afterwards he finds Grögh in a giant robot version of the can that started the whole mess. He gives chase to find that all he can do is run. Ed outruns the robot but it turns out he's at the end of a lava pit with Grögh coming slowly closer to squish him. Then the fight finally comes to the end match. When finally defeated by Ed and a combination of his bow tie, peashooter and stick, Grögh loses all means of defence against Ed.
[edit] Trivia
- Apparently, Rayman was going to make a secret apparence in the game at some point, while this idea was taken out, the general from the pc version's cutscene does make a apparence in Rayman 2 in which he sold the Grolgoth to Razorbeard.
