Fuzion Frenzy

Fuzion Frenzy is a launch title for the Microsoft Xbox. At its core, Fuzion Frenzy is a four-player party game featuring 45 different mini-games (not including the titular Fuzion Frenzy). A demo of the game was included with some other launch titles in the U.S., including Halo, Munch's Oddysee, the first Project Gotham Racing game and Amped.

Fuzion Frenzy
North American Xbox cover art
Developer(s)Blitz Games
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
Director(s)Darren Wood
Programmer(s)Steve Bond
Neil Campbell
Tom Drummond
Artist(s)Rehaan Akhtar
Mark Capewell
Jonathan Evans
Composer(s)Rob Lord
EngineBlitzTech
Platform(s)Xbox
Release
  • NA: November 15, 2001
  • EU: March 14, 2002
Genre(s)Party
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

A sequel was later released for the Xbox 360, entitled Fuzion Frenzy 2.

Gameplay

Up to four players can compete in two different game modes: "Tournament" or "Mini-Game Frenzy". Mini-Game Frenzy is the simpler of the two, involving players selecting individual mini-games while an ongoing tabulation of wins per player is maintained. In contrast, the Tournament mode is the core game mode, where players attempt to earn the highest number of points after playing through two or more play zones.

22 different game modes.

  • Coliseum - Rolling Ball and Ice Car mini-games.
  • Downtown - Fireworks and Music mini-games.
  • Outlands - Demolition and Tail-bone mini-games.
  • Military Base - Pod and Tank mini-games.
  • Power Station - Hopper and Splat mini-games.
  • Waterfront - Jetboat and Orb mini-games.

During game setup, players choose from one of six characters (the differences are cosmetic only), with extra player slots being filled by computer AI. The number of zones to play through is also selected (2, 4, or 6). The exact zones which are used during play (if fewer than 6) are determined randomly, in addition to the order in which the zones are played. Unlike other party games such as the Mario Party series or Sonic Shuffle, Fuzion Frenzy has no overarching game board, rather, players proceed from one random mini-game to another, and from zone to zone, in an order determined without player input. The traversal between zones is depicted as a route on a map which never crosses itself, limiting the possible transitions between zones.

In each zone, three random mini-games are played. For mini-games which are team games, players are paired randomly. Some mini-games are timed, and some are not. Mini-games that are timed usually have a time limit of 60 seconds (1:00) or 90 seconds (1:30) to play, though some even have a time limit of 2 minutes (2:00). Most un-timed mini-games have a "last player standing wins" rule. At the conclusion of each mini-game, players (or teams) are awarded a number of orbs (6, 4, 2, or 0) proportional to their final standing (1st through 4th) in the event. If there is a tie for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place; the orbs are split proportionally. Regardless, the orbs accumulate throughout the zone. Once a new zone begins, the players start from scratch.

Once the third mini-game is finished, the zone ends with the special "Fuzion Frenzy" mini-game. Each player must decide whether to bank their orbs (converting each orb directly into 10 points), or put them into play for this Fuzion Frenzy. Each player may risk any or all of their orbs, but must risk at least 3 orbs.

The players are then put in an arena, where glowing orbs appear at random. Some of these orbs are colorless, while others are the colored orbs wagered by the players. Within 80 seconds (1:20), each player attempts to grab orbs and deliver them to the goal zones in order to score points. A player can only pick up colorless orbs or orbs that match his color. However, once a player picks up an orb, it becomes colorless, and others players can steal it by attacking the carrier. Players can carry more than one orb at once, and delivering more than one orb at a time provides a score bonus.

When the 80-second (1:20) timer ends, the points earned in the Fuzion Frenzy are added to a player's total, and it is this total which actually determines the winner of the zone. Thus, a player who didn't finish first after the three mini-games may still win the overall zone if he performs well in the Fuzion Frenzy. If there is a tie between two or more of the players at the end of the final Fuzion Frenzy, a tie-breaker mini-game is played to determine the winner.

Characters
  • Dub (green) Male
  • Samson (red) Male
  • Zak (yellow) Male
  • Geena (blue) Female
  • Naomi (orange) Female
  • Jet (pink) Female

Reception

The game received mixed reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[1]

By July 2006, Fuzion Frenzy had sold 680,000 copies and earned $16 million in the United States. Next Generation ranked it as the 93rd highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country.[13]

References
  1. "Fuzion Frenzy for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  2. Marriott, Scott Alan. "Fuzion Frenzy - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  3. Edge staff (December 25, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy". Edge (105).
  4. EGM staff (January 2002). "Fuzion Frenzy". Electronic Gaming Monthly (150): 228.
  5. "Fuzion Frenzy". Game Informer (104): 108. December 2001.
  6. The D-Pad Destroyer (November 20, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  7. Gee, Brian (November 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review". Game Revolution. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  8. Davis, Ryan (November 9, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  9. Chick, Tom (January 16, 2002). "Fuzion Frenzy". GameSpy. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  10. Bedigian, Louis (November 19, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy Review - Xbox". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  11. Lopez, Vincent (November 8, 2001). "Fuzion Frenzy". IGN. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  12. "Fuzion Frenzy". Official Xbox Magazine. December 2001.
  13. Campbell, Colin; Keiser, Joe (July 29, 2006). "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century". Next Generation. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007.
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