The Polar Express (video game)

The Polar Express

PAL region cover art for PS2
Developer(s) Blue Tongue Entertainment
Publisher(s) THQ
Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Director(s) Douglas Carrigan
Platform(s) Game Boy Advance, Windows, GameCube, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Release date(s)

GameCube

  • NA: November 2, 2004
  • PAL: November 22, 2004

Game Boy Advance & PlayStation 2[1]

  • NA: November 2, 2004
  • PAL: November 26, 2004

Windows

  • NA: November 3, 2004
  • PAL: November 3, 2004

PlayStation 4

  • PAL: December 6, 2013
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

The Polar Express is an action-adventure video game released in 2004 by Blue Tongue. Based on the film of the same name, the game follows the same plot as the film.

Gameplay and Premise

The Polar Express is a platform game which follows the main plot as the film, except that unlike the original film, it has the Ebeneezer Scrooge puppet as the main villain who plans to keep the children from believing in Santa Claus by stealing their tickets and having them thrown off the train so they would never reach the North Pole. The game is broken down into six different chapters, giving the player the opportunity to explore areas like the train itself, the North Pole, and more. The player controls a young boy in each of the 6 chapters.[2] The game also contains puzzle-solving as well as some minigame-styled elements.[3]

Development

THQ first unveiled the game to the public at the E3 convention in 2004.[3][4] The PS2 version contains EyeToy support, though specifics were unavailable at the time. A portable version of the game was also in development for the Game Boy Advance, with experienced portable developer Tantalus at the helm.[3]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GBAGCPCPS2
GameSpotN/A3.1/10[5]N/A3.1/10[5]
GameZone4.5/10[6]7.2/10[7]6.3/10[8]N/A
IGNN/A3.5/10[2]N/A3.5/10[2]
Nintendo Power3/5[9]2.9/5[10]N/AN/A
OPM (US)N/AN/AN/A[11]
Aggregate score
Metacritic48/100[12]40/100[13]63/100[14]39/100[15]

The PC version received "mixed" reviews, while the rest of the console versions received "unfavorable" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[14][12][13][15]

References

  1. ↑ "PlayStation Games & Media - Polar Express".
  2. 1 2 3 Casamassina, Matt (November 8, 2004). "The Polar Express (GCN, PS2)". IGN. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Gerstmann, Jeff (May 12, 2004). "The Polar Express E3 2004 Preshow First Look". GameSpot. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ Adams, David (May 4, 2004). "Pre-E3 2004: THQ Announces Lineup". IGN. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Score, Avery (December 6, 2004). "The Polar Express Review (GC, PS2)". GameSpot. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  6. ↑ Code Cowboy (December 23, 2004). "The Polar Express - GBA - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on August 29, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  7. ↑ The Bearer (December 20, 2004). "The Polar Express - GC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  8. ↑ Aceinet (December 19, 2004). "The Polar Express - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Polar Express (GBA)". Nintendo Power. 187: 140. January 2005.
  10. ↑ "The Polar Express (GC)". Nintendo Power. 187: 138. January 2005.
  11. ↑ "The Polar Express". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 106. January 2005.
  12. 1 2 "The Polar Express for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "The Polar Express for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  14. 1 2 "The Polar Express for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  15. 1 2 "The Polar Express for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 23, 2014.



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