''Disney's Pocahontas'' is a
platform game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action game, action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform game ...
based on the
1995 film of the same name. The
Genesis / Mega Drive version was developed by
Funcom
Funcom Oslo AS (, formerly Funcom Productions AS) is a Norwegian video game developer that specializes in online games. It is best known for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) titles '' Conan Exiles'', '' Age of Conan'', ...
on contract with Disney and was released on January 1, 1996. It was followed by a later version for the
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same te ...
developed by
Tiertex Design Studios
Tiertex Design Studios Limited was a British software development company and former video game developer based in Macclesfield, England; it was founded in 1986, focusing on porting games to home computers and handheld platforms.
As a video game ...
and released on June 10, 1996, nearly a year after the film's premiere. A
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South ...
version of the game was under development, but was canceled due to development being too far behind to coincide with the Genesis release.
Gameplay
In the game, the player plays as
Pocahontas
Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter o ...
and Meeko, switching between the two frequently to overcome obstacles, with the help of Flit as an
NPC. Along the way, the player gains various new abilities from various animal spirits by helping them. The game follows the plot of the film, but with many variations in situations and events.
Reception
The Genesis version was moderately well received by critics. The four reviewers of ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The ...
'' criticized the controls but praised the graphics and especially the innovative and challenging puzzle design.
''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'', in contrast, found the puzzles to be easy and uninteresting, but felt this was appropriate for the game's young target audience and also praised the graphics.
References
External links
*
1996 video games
Sega video games
Single-player video games
THQ games
Funcom games
Game Boy games
Sega Genesis games
Tiertex Design Studios games
Side-scrolling platformers
Cancelled Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Pocahontas (franchise)
Video games based on Native American mythology
Video games based on real people
Video games based on animated films
Video games featuring female protagonists
Video games about raccoons
Video games about birds
Video games set in the 17th century
Video games set in Virginia
Video games developed in Norway
Disney video games
Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Black Pearl Software games
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