Playmobil Interactive
Playmobil Interactive is a brand name used by German company geobra Brandstätter for releasing video games and, less frequently, DVDs or short movies based on its Playmobil toy line. Development and publishing of the games was usually delegated to various other companies.
History
video games were first conceptualized by Ubisoft as early as 1995. Ubisoft's then-vice president Alain Tascan went on to present these concepts to Playmobil owner Hans Brandstätter at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 1998, leading the latter to cancel ongoing negotiations with another game development studio. While the identity of that other developer is unknown, it was rumored to be Psygnosis Limited. The two companies hoped, among other things, for synergy effects in marketing. Development of the Playmobil Interactive series was then closely monitored by geobra Brandstätter, with the company intending to ensure that the games stuck closely to their real-life template. For example, part of the license agreements stipulated that the shape and color of each individual digital Playmobil element had to be approved.By the 2000s, newer Playmobil Interactive products were produced by the publisher HMH Interactive, a subsidiary of German company HMH Hamburger Medien Haus Vertriebs. In May 2010, HMH entered into a worldwide deal with JoWooD Entertainment to distribute and publish newer titles in the lineup except in Germany, while JoWooD's US division DreamCatcher Interactive would release them in the United States and Canada.
After the release of Playmobil Pirates, the label was largely abandoned for undisclosed reasons. Although other Video games based on the toy line were released after this point, all with the exception of 2015's Kaboom! removed the "Interactive" brand name from their titles, logos and advertising material.
List of video games
Ubisoft trilogy
The first games using the "Playmobil Interactive" brand name, produced by Ubisoft with higher budgets than successive titles.| Title | Details | Short description |
Laura's Happy Adventures | System:
| In this three-dimensional Adventure game, protagonist Laura is tasked with using a magical talking diamond to solve the problems of other residents of a "Playmobil Dollhouse" set by finding and transporting various objects.The Game Boy Color version shares this premise, albeit implemented in a top-down perspective. Furthermore, each issue can only be solved by completing one of 10 mini-games. |
Laura's Happy Adventures | Notes:
| In this three-dimensional Adventure game, protagonist Laura is tasked with using a magical talking diamond to solve the problems of other residents of a "Playmobil Dollhouse" set by finding and transporting various objects.The Game Boy Color version shares this premise, albeit implemented in a top-down perspective. Furthermore, each issue can only be solved by completing one of 10 mini-games. |
Alex Builds his Farm | System:
| To realize his dream of running a successful farm like his father, Alex has to settle into rural life by visiting various country locations and beating minigames ranging across three levels of difficulty. |
Alex Builds his Farm | Notes: | To realize his dream of running a successful farm like his father, Alex has to settle into rural life by visiting various country locations and beating minigames ranging across three levels of difficulty. |
Hype: The Time Quest | System: | A three-dimensional action-adventure game, in which players have to assist Playmobil figure Hype in making his way back to his own time period after being sent to the past via black magic, facing several puzzles and enemies in the process.The Game Boy Color version is, instead, a side-scrolling platforming game, in which players have to reach key items at the end of a level. Progress then requires using these items in one of the game's towns. |
Hype: The Time Quest | Notes:
| A three-dimensional action-adventure game, in which players have to assist Playmobil figure Hype in making his way back to his own time period after being sent to the past via black magic, facing several puzzles and enemies in the process.The Game Boy Color version is, instead, a side-scrolling platforming game, in which players have to reach key items at the end of a level. Progress then requires using these items in one of the game's towns. |
"Laura and Alex" adventure games
A series of comparatively simple Point-and-click adventure games, in which the two Playmobil children Laura and Alex explore various scenarios based on different Playmobil sets together. The games share edutainment elements as well, often aiming to convey knowledge about the real-life inspirations behind the playsets.The games were later rereleased in 2010 as 4-in-1 or 2-in-1 bundles by JoWooD.
| Title | Details | Short description |
Rescue from Rock Castle | System:
| Subtitled "Join Laura and Alex in the Kingdom of the Knights", this game sees Alex trying to win the grand tournament of knights, defeat a dragon and rescue Laura from the clutches of evil wizard Grimbeard by solving point-and-click puzzles and completing various minigames. |
Rescue from Rock Castle | Notes: | Subtitled "Join Laura and Alex in the Kingdom of the Knights", this game sees Alex trying to win the grand tournament of knights, defeat a dragon and rescue Laura from the clutches of evil wizard Grimbeard by solving point-and-click puzzles and completing various minigames. |
The Big Treasure Hunt | System: | While greatly resembling its predecessor gameplay-wise, this game is based on one of Playmobil's "Pirates" sets. The player has to assist Laura and Alex in taking over Capt'n Blackbeard's ship to escape from the island they're stranded on and discover the eponymous big treasure. |
The Big Treasure Hunt | Notes: | While greatly resembling its predecessor gameplay-wise, this game is based on one of Playmobil's "Pirates" sets. The player has to assist Laura and Alex in taking over Capt'n Blackbeard's ship to escape from the island they're stranded on and discover the eponymous big treasure. |
Alarm! | System: | This series entry delves into the world of a Playmobil "City Life" set to showcase Laura and Alex taking on the job of a firefighter throughout eight different missions. |
Alarm! | Notes: | This series entry delves into the world of a Playmobil "City Life" set to showcase Laura and Alex taking on the job of a firefighter throughout eight different missions. |
Construction | System: | The fourth and final game focused on Laura and Alex. Construction aims to familiarize young players with the job of a construction worker, having them assist the in-game characters by managing cranes, forklifts and the sorts. |
Construction | Notes: | The fourth and final game focused on Laura and Alex. Construction aims to familiarize young players with the job of a construction worker, having them assist the in-game characters by managing cranes, forklifts and the sorts. |
DS platformer
Three two-dimensional platform games exclusively published for Nintendo DS. Players have to traverse side-scrolling levels to collect resources and finish missions for NPCs to progress further through the games.Free advergames
Around the late 2000s, the official Playmobil catalog included several discs containing additional advertising material for new sets in digital form. These were usually short films, coloring pages or a product overview. Although all of these discs were labelled as part of "Playmobil Interactive", only the following were considered video games, as evidenced by them receiving an ESRB, PEGI or USK rating:| Title | Details | Short description |
Egypt | System:
| In addition to various bonus material such as short movies and printable images, this CD includes a digital version of the game Senet, a quiz on the subject of Ancient Egypt and a hieroglyph translator. |
Egypt | Notes: | In addition to various bonus material such as short movies and printable images, this CD includes a digital version of the game Senet, a quiz on the subject of Ancient Egypt and a hieroglyph translator. |
Dragon Adventures | System: | In this game, the interactive elements are limited to the main menu and a shooting gallery game, in which opposing knights and dragons have to be fended off using spells. |
Dragon Adventures | Notes: | In this game, the interactive elements are limited to the main menu and a shooting gallery game, in which opposing knights and dragons have to be fended off using spells. |
Top Agents | System: | Along with a short movie showing the conflict between the Spy Team and Dr. Evil, players can select five different minigames to play, which were also available as browser games on the official Playmobil website. |
Top Agents | Notes: | Along with a short movie showing the conflict between the Spy Team and Dr. Evil, players can select five different minigames to play, which were also available as browser games on the official Playmobil website. |