Rugrats Royal Ransom is an action-adventure

Action-adventure game

An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...

 released in 2002 by THQ

THQ

THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...

 for the PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 and the Nintendo GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...

. The game is based on the Rugrats

Rugrats

Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....

television series on Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon (TV channel)

Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...

. The game's plot is loosely based on Rugrats: Castle Capers

Rugrats: Castle Capers

Rugrats: Castle Capers is a single-player action game only for the Game Boy Advance, based on the Rugrats cartoon series. The story revolves around the Rugrats, who must retrieve their toys from Angelica after she steals them, imagining herself to be queen of a newly constructed playground set....

, except the castle is replaced with one of Stu's inventions.

Plot

Stu Pickles has created the PlayPalace 3000, which is a huge toy made out of zones, for example there is a jungle zone and a snow zone, that expands out of a small metal cylinder. However he has to leave to get elastic bands, and leaves Grandpa to watch the kids, and when he falls asleep, Angelica enters the Play Palace 3000 and takes their toys. She challenges the Rugrats to come and take them back. The Rugrats collect Batteries in games to move on to the next level, to get back to Angelica and stop her from keeping their prized possessions.

Gameplay

Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, and Kimi are playable characters. First, to get inside, they must purchase the cost of 100 coins to get in. Games can be found in each zone, such as the jungle hut and the snow zone, and many games can be played, such as "Punting Papayas", "River Fun Run", "Ready, Set, Snow", "Monkey Business", and "Snow Place to Hide", among more. If players unlock enough big batteries, a new zone will be made. Also, they can earn "Funny Money" in the games to purchase mini-games.

Special features

Special features were added to the Microsoft Xbox

Xbox

The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...

, GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...

 and PS2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 platforms of the game. The special features are sneak peeks of The Wild Thornberrys Movie Game, SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman

SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman

SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman is a SpongeBob SquarePants video game developed by Vicarious Visions, Human Soft and BigSky Interactive, Inc. and published by THQ. It is the last game to be developed by BigSky Interactive, Inc. to date.-Plot:One day, SpongeBob wakes up and...

and Rocket Power: Beach Bandits

Rocket Power: Beach Bandits

Rocket Power: Beach Bandits is a 2002 video game for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance derived from the Nickelodeon cartoon Rocket Power. The game homages the James Bond and Doctor Who traditions through its use of elaborate set pieces and gadgets.-Plot:A business tycoon named Eric...

.

Reception

The game currently holds mixed to positive reviews. On IGN

IGN

IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

, it was ranked between the 7 and 8 ratings. The PS2 version received 4 stars on Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...

, but the GameCube version has 5 and a half stars on the website.

External links

• Rugrats: Royal Ransom at IGN
  IGN
  IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
  
  
• Rugrats: Royal Ransom at GameSpot
  GameSpot
  GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...