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 Below is an interview I did that covers some of the common questions behind ZooCube, while the picture above is what my photographer called the “Bollywood” one - took ages in make-up while the glasses obscure my eye-bags.
Where did you get the inspiration for this surreal concept?
My goal was always to create original game ideas, so I was doing a lot of research about 8 years ago into innovation and creativity, particularly studying some of Edward de Bono’s books. About 6 years ago I had the idea of how an object in 3D space could cope if it was bombarded by objects coming in from all sides. After doodling around on my drawing pad, the central object became a cube that could rotate, and then the mechanism of matching shapes became the first Eureka! moment. The second Eureka moment came over two years later when I came up with the juggling control which was fundamental in allowing the basic game to scale.
What is the science behind Zoocube’s addictive gameplay, and why is it that people really enjoy playing it, much as they do Tetris, and the like?
The science is quite simple really – if you just watch the screen and try not to play ZooCube then that is quite difficult to do. This is because while you are watching it looks easy so you think you can solve the puzzle on screen if you were to play the game. This produces some kind of compulsion in people to “have one more go” because ZooCube offers an opportunity for self-improvement while playing.
Also, I used to love the old arcade games like Pacman, Defender and Galaga because they were instantly exciting. So I tried to introduce many arcade game elements into ZooCube to do two things: firstly that people could pick it up and play it immediately and secondly to introduce some element of panic within players to raise their adrenalin levels! I think these design elements make ZooCube exciting and very addictive.
Why do a lot of women like playing ZooCube?
I think that one attribute it has in common with Tetris and Pacman, is that the game is about clearing things, or “tidyness” if you like, and for whatever reason women seem to like this style of game.
Who is ZooCube aimed at?
I think the best kind of entertainment can always be enjoyed by anybody irrespective of age or gender, whether it be the Simpsons or Star Wars – this is what we tried to do with ZooCube.
Why did you come up with the ZooCube theme for this game?
We invented the theme in a workshop I ran with Acclaim, the games publisher to help give it a marketing edge and broaden its appeal, otherwise it would be perceived as just another puzzle game. Furthermore it gave us a basis for fully exploiting the game on next-generation platforms such as the Nintendo GameCube, where it looks fantastic.
Can you explain the ZooCube theme?
The ZooCube plot involves the devious Dr. Buc Ooze who has been travelling across the globe trapping the animals into geometric shapes. You, as Aon, are travelling in a flying Ark that contains a device called the ZooCube which can neutralise the shaping effects and restore animals to their normal state. Subsequently they are teleported back into the flying Ark for rehabilitation. The feedback so far has been very positive that it adds significantly to the gameplay experience.
How do the lovely and bizarre visuals assist the gameplay experience?
On the Nintendo GameCube the key element is that by matching the animal shapes the animal inside is freed accompanied by a wonderful animation and sound which acts as a great in-game reward. This also fits perfectly with the Ark theme: the animals go in two by two… We also have some FMV sequences which explain the storyline and show level transition, beautiful 3D backgrounds, some great chillout music, and positional surround sound effects. There are also many many subtle effects such as the animals “punching-out” when there is a match, that people will only notice after a while, but these add hugely to the gaming experience.
Why will gamers still be playing ZooCube months and years after release?
The additional depth of ZooCube gradually reveals itself as players improve and get better throughout the game, by way of forward/reverse bombs, power ups and in learning how to use them all. So at E3 many US reviewers commented how the game was far more complex than they realised when they had first picked up the game. I expect this to be replicated with games players so they gradually learn more and more new things about the game which incentivises them to do better and continue playing. This was a key part of the design in terms of enriching the core “arcade game” experience and of scaling the learning curve so it would draw in players of all ages and abilities.
How has the game as it stands upon release evolved from the original award-winning design?
The “classic” version of the game has stayed true to the original because the addictive gameplay quality was always there. We then added many new gameplay modes such as knockout, knockout blind and classic blind variations plus some secret bonuses and extra levels. A major addition was the multiplayer competitive and collaborative versions of the game. Many people have commented that they have never seen a collaborative puzzle game that works well, so I see this as a triumph. On the GBA there are 7 gameplay modes whilst there are 12 on the GameCube. Finally we took the opportunity to really add the Zoo theme to the GameCube version by way of the polished graphics, sound and music.
How does ZooCube on the GameCube inject a sense of humour?
On the GameCube there are always moments that you get a chance to admire the rippling water or the shadows on the backgrounds, which I think fit in very well. However the main element of humour comes from the animal animations and sounds, as when I was demonstrating the game at E3, two female buyers from Target burst into laughter because they found the whole idea so hysterical! I think the great thing about ZooCube is that each person has an emotional reaction differently depending on their age and gender, so for example my kids shout and scream at the TV wanting to see more animals being released.
How is ZooCube on the GBA different?
The GBA version focuses purely on providing an intense gaming experience while on the move. In fact several reviewers have ended up missing their train stops because they have become so engrossed with the game!
Unfortunately due to hardware constraints such as memory and processor speed it was impossible to maintain the animal textures and sprites within a 16 colour palette. So we resorted to the original shapes and concentrated on building an incredibly addictive game which I still play today!
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