List of American Girl video games
As a franchise, various characters from the American Girl series of books and toys have appeared in their respective video games. American Girl is an American line of 18-inch dolls released in 1986 by Pleasant Company, which portray ten-year-old and nine-year-old girls of a variety of ethnicities living in various times throughout American history. They are sold with accompanying books told from the viewpoint of the girls.
Provided here is a list of all American Girl video games.
The American Girls Premiere
| The American Girls Premiere | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | The Learning Company |
| Publisher(s) | The Learning Company |
| Distributor(s) | American Girl |
| Engine | Opening Night engine |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows Mac OS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Educational |
| Distribution | CD-ROM |
The American Girls Premiere is an educational application/game developed and published by The Learning Company for American Girl.
The game allows the creation and direction of unique stage plays starring the Historical Characters, from Felicity Merriman to Molly McIntire.[3] The Second Edition release, which was released in 1998, adds Josefina Montoya to the roster, and fixed some bugs that was present in the first edition.
The game makes use of digitised sprites taken from live actors, similar to the ones found in Mortal Kombat. It was also known to be fully functional when run on certain Linux distributions via Wine[4] (the game can be a bit unstable if installed on a recent Windows release such as Vista, though, unless if it is launched under compatibility mode).
The American Girls: Dress Designer
| The American Girls: Dress Designer | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Mattel Interactive |
| Distributor(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Educational |
| Distribution | CD-ROM |
Like in most dress designer games, the American Girls Dress Designer allows players to create and edit period clothes for the historical characters. Users can choose between different patterns, styles, designs and trim for each character, and they can also build and print out a fashion portfolio.
Julie Saves The Eagles
| Julie Saves The Eagles | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | ImaginEngine Bon Art Studio[5] |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Distributor(s) | American Girl |
| Engine | Custom |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Distribution | CD-ROM |
Julie Saves The Eagles is a computer game mostly based on Julie Albright's book Julie and the Eagles. The main goal in the game is to help Julie find ways to finance an eagle release.
The game, along with Mia Goes for Great and A Treehouse of My Own, uses the open-source FreeType font rendering engine, as well as the Lua programming language for most of the game's logic.[7]
The game also won a Parents' Choice Award from the non-profit Parents' Choice Foundation in 2008.[8]
Julie Finds a Way
| Julie Finds a Way | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Webfoot Technologies |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Distribution | Nintendo DS Game Card |
Julie Finds a Way is a video game based on Julie's series, which was developed by Webfoot Technologies and released by THQ in 2007 for the Nintendo DS.[9] The game loosely follows the plot of the series; throughout the game various mini games are interspersed into the plot. The game also offers two-player multiplayer with three of the mini games.
The game's world is divided into different zones, similar to Postal 2, rather than in a single continuous map like in the Grand Theft Auto series of games. Entrances to other areas are usually denoted by a lower-quality backdrop of the zone to be visited, or an interior model with a lower level of detail.
Mia Goes for Great
| Mia Goes for Great | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Backbone Entertainment Bon Art Studio[10] |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Distributor(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Distribution | CD-ROM |
Mia Goes for Great is a computer game based on the 2008 Girl of the Year Mia St. Clair. The game lets players participate in a number of figure skating competitions. It also features a program builder allowing players to design and customise practice routines for Mia.
Kit's Mystery Challenge
| Kit's Mystery Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Webfoot Technologies |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure, Mystery |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Nintendo DS Game Card |
Kit's Mystery Challenge is a video game based on Kit's series, developed by Webfoot Technologies and released by THQ in 2008 for the Nintendo DS.[11] Like the previous game, the game loosely follows the events of the series, although unlike in Julie Finds a Way, the game is presented as a mystery-solving game in the vein of the Nancy Drew series, and does not offer a multiplayer component.
Core gameplay consists of mystery-solving elements, with players being presented in a third-person viewpoint. The player is tasked to look for clues to be used as evidence, interrogate suspects or ask for leads, and analyse all the evidence and facts gathered in order to solve the case. Players can also engage in a number of side-missions, such as selling eggs to neighbours and other people around the city, or running errands for cash, which can be spent on various perks, upgrades and other items, like buying food supplies or paying part of the house's mortgage.
The game also makes use of different areas broken up into zones, similar to Julie Finds a Way.
Kit - A Treehouse of My Own
| Kit - A Treehouse of My Own | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | ImaginEngine Bon Art Studio[12] |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Distributor(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Distribution | CD-ROM |
A Treehouse of My Own is a computer game based on Kit's series. The game is composed of several minigames, such as a Puzzle Bobble clone, an anagrams game, and a few others. Players are also rewarded with tools and other prizes that Kit needs to start her own treehouse.
Secret Wardrobe
| Secret Wardrobe | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | iOS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Secret Wardrobe is a puzzle game for the iOS based on historical characters Cécile Rey and Marie-Grace Gardner. Gameplay consists of a simple puzzle game where in players have to put clothes in their corresponding places.
Shave Ice
| Shave Ice | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | iOS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Shave Ice is a puzzle game for the iOS based on 2011 Girl of the Year Kanani Akina. Players take the role of Kanani as she serves shaved ice to customers.
Cheer On!
| Cheer On! | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | iOS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Cheer On! is a puzzle game for the iOS, serving as a companion game for the Innerstar University online community.
Gymtastic
| Gymtastic | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | iOS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle, Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Gymtastic is a platform game for the iOS, revolving around 2012 Girl of the Year McKenna Brooks. Players guide McKenna through a series of gymnastic platforms, collecting stars, bonus items and avoiding obstacles that get in her way.
Port to Port
| Port to Port | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | iOS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Platform, Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Port to Port is an adventure game for the iOS, centering on Caroline Abbott as she picks up and delivers cargo on the ports of Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. Core gameplay consists of guiding Caroline's ship to a certain port and picking up supplies to be delivered back to Sackets Harbor, while trying to avoid British warships along the way.
Paint Ponies
| Paint Ponies | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Platform(s) | iOS |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Paint Ponies is an app based on Saige Copeland's stories. It was released to coincide with Saige's release and can be downloaded for free on the App Store.[13] Players round up ponies by drawing shapes around them. Bonus points are awarded for chaining combos and drawing over power-ups. A coloring book mode with scenes from Saige's world is also included.
Isabelle Dance Studio
| Isabelle Dance Studio | |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | American Girl |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | iOS Android |
| Release date(s) | January 2014
|
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Distribution | Digital distribution |
Isabelle Dance Studio is an app based on Isabelle Palmer's stories, released in January 2014 for iOS in line with her debut.[14] A port of the game to Android was also released in July 2014.
Players take on the role of Isabelle as she performs her ballet routines. Points are scored by tapping on the stars for Isabelle to reach and to keep them up in the air. Colliding on gems fills up the starburst meter, which the player can use to clear the screen and rack up more points. Bigger stars reward the player with multipliers and other bonuses. If at least one star hits the floor, or if the player accidentally taps on the black pearl, the game ends and players have to start from the beginning.
References
- ↑ Kliman, Marlene. "American Girls Premiere: Review". Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ Savignano, Lisa Karen. "The American Girls Premiere - Review - allgame". All Game Guide. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ "SuperKids Software Review of American Girls Premiere.". SuperKids. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ "WineHQ - American Girls Premiere". CodeWeavers. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- ↑ "Bon Art Studio: High Quality Art Solutions and Services for Game Developers, Publishers and Producers". Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ↑ "American Girl: Julie Saves the Eagles". GameSpot. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ ImaginEngine (2007-10-15). "Julie Saves The Eagles". Microsoft Windows (v1.0). THQ. Level/area: Readme.txt.
Uses Lua 5.1 Copyright (C) 2003-2006 Tecgraf, PUC-Rio.
- ↑ "American Girl: Julie Saves the Eagles". Parents' Choice Foundation. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 DeVries, Jack (16 January 2008). "American Girl: Julie Finds a Way Review". IGN. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ "Bon Art Studio: High Quality Art Solutions and Services for Game Developers, Publishers and Producers". Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 DeVries, Jack (1 August 2008). "American Girl: Kit Mystery Challenge Review". IGN. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ "Bon Art Studio: High Quality Art Solutions and Services for Game Developers, Publishers and Producers". Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ↑ "Paint Ponies on the App Store on iTunes". Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ "Isabelle Dance Studio (iOS)". VGChartz. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
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