The Addams Family (video game series)

Detail of the 8bit "The Addams Family" videogame, on the left Mr. Addams (controlled by the player) and on the right one of the recurrent characters in the mansion and its surrounds.

There have been five video games based on The Addams Family television series and films, released between 1989 and 2002 on various home video game consoles.

Fester's Quest

Fester's Quest is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System based on the 1960s television series The Addams Family. It was released in 1989 in North America and 1990 in Europe.^[1]

Story

While enjoying a night of moonbathing, Fester bears witness to an alien invasion and decides to take his blunderbuss and save the city.

Along the way, Fester gains new tools and weapons as well as clues to how to attack the alien mothership by fighting alien bosses. He can also get help from the various members of The Addams Family.

Gameplay

Along the way, Fester encounters other members of the Addams Family: Thing, Wednesday, Gomez, Morticia, Grandmama, and Pugsley, all of whom help him by giving him different weapons and items. Use of one particular item, the Noose, will summon Lurch to destroy all enemies on the screen. The game uses Blaster Master's overhead shooter engine.

Fester must travel through the city sewers to reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible due to aboveground obstacles. He may enter certain buildings, which transform the game from its standard overhead view into a 3D mode of play akin to a dungeon crawl. Five of these buildings each house an enormous Alien Boss character, which upon defeat will supply Fester with a puzzle piece, a picture of the alien's UFO, and refill all of his items. After defeating a boss, Fester will leave the building and be unable to backtrack through it to previously visited areas. Once all five bosses are defeated, Fester must board the UFO and defeat one last boss in order to stave off the invasion.

Reception

Fester's Quest received mixed reviews, receiving a 56% from Computer and Video Games magazine issue 108.^[2] GamesRadar ranked it as the 73rd worst game ever made. The staff criticized its excessive difficulty and lack of comicality.^[3] IGN ranked Fester's Quest 45th on its Top 100 NES Games list.^[4] Fester's Quest has sold one million copies.^[5]

The Addams Family

The Addams Family is a platform game released by Ocean in 1992.^[6] The game was released for Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, Super NES, Amiga and Atari ST. It is based on the 1991 movie of the same name. Other titles based on the film were released for other platforms.

The characters bear resemblances to their movie counterparts.

The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt

The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt is a video game released by Ocean in 1993. It was based on the second animated series.

It was released on all three of Nintendo's systems at the time:

• Super NES in February, 1993^[7]
• Game Boy in July, 1993^[7]
• NES in August, 1993^[7]

The Game Boy version was ported for the system by Enigma Variations Ltd.

Story

The plot of Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt centered on Pugsley's attempts to win a scavenger hunt challenge proposed by his sister, Wednesday. His hunt takes him to the bedrooms of each member of the Addams family in order to find one item from each.

Gameplay

The game is a side scrolling platformer adventure game that plays in a very similar way to the previous Addams Family title. The game plays in a non-linear way in so much that the player can choose which level to attempt by entering whichever door they choose in the Addams house.

Versions

The NES version was not a direct port of the SNES version. The NES version was actually based on the previous Addams Family game released for Super NES, Mega Drive and Amiga,^[8] showing the same levels, enemies, items and gameplay but with Pugsley as main character instead of Gomez. However, the NES version lacked the freezer and crypt levels (they were reduced to the boss fights only) and the rest of the levels were shortened. It also lacked any music, aside from the Addams theme on the title screen and ending. The NES version also lacked the two weapons from the SNES (swords and golf balls). However, it did allow the player to obtain a password whenever they paused the game, whereas the SNES Addams Family would only display passwords after each boss was defeated. The Game Boy version was a port of the NES version. However, it had cut even more of the game. The stove level was completely removed (defeating the snowman boss would award Pugsley a heart like the other versions, but would also free Granny) as well as the big bird boss (Pugsley would start the game with the extra heart already in his possession). The final level was also removed, as entering the final door would send Pugsley directly to the final boss fight. Thing's hint boxes were also removed from this version.

Reception

A major source of criticism for the SNES version was the lack of a password feature, despite the game being very difficult. A password feature is present on both the NES and Game Boy versions. Super Play Magazine UK praised the graphics as they were more colourful than in the previous title, saying that "This is one of those games that it's fun just to sit and watch, not only to play."^[9] Review scores for the SNES version are generally higher than for either the NES or Game Boy versions.^[10]

Addams Family Values

Addams Family Values is an Action RPG based on the film of the same name produced by Ocean Software and released in 1995 for the Sega Mega Drive and Super NES.

Story

Loosely based on the plot of the film, the player takes the role of Uncle Fester as he searches for the recently kidnapped baby Pubert. On the way he receives help from The Addams Family and a host of original characters from the game.

Gameplay

An action adventure game with slight RPG elements (you gain more hit points while proceeding in the game, can upgrade your equipment and special attacks). You control Fester, by moving him around, fighting regular enemies and bosses, talking to members of Addams household, and occasionally solving puzzles. The combat is pure action, Zelda-style.

Reception

The graphics and sound have been described as "average".^[12] It has also been called "very fun and addictive".^[12] and a "forgotten gem"^[12] A criticism is that instead of a save system the game relies on passwords, and that these passwords are given to the player in unusual locations and too infrequently.^[12]

The New Addams Family

The New Addams Family (The New Addams Family Series in Europe) is an adventure video game released for Nintendo's Game Boy Color in 2001. It was developed by 7th Sense and published by MC2-Microïds. It is based on The New Addams Family television series that ran from 1998 to 1999.

Story

The family mansion is going to be demolished and replaced by an amusement park, and therefore the family will be evicted. While the adults are trying to find a solution, the children roam the house helping out in their own peculiar way. Only if they find the estate ownership documents the contractors can be stopped.

Gameplay

The player controls both Pugsley and Wednesday Addams, and must navigate the house, collecting items, solving puzzles and conversing with other members of the family.

References

External links

• Fester's Quest at MobyGames
• Fester's Quest at GameFAQs
• The Addams Family at MobyGames
• The Addams Family: Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt at MobyGames
• Addams Family Values at MobyGames
• The New Addams Family Series at MobyGames