Niz Chicoloco (1997 video game)


 * This article is about the 1997 video game. For the 2017 re-imagining, see Niz Chicoloco (2017 video game).

Niz Chicoloco is a platform video game developed by DreamWorks Interactive and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It was originally released in North America on August 30, 1997, in Europe on September 5, 1997, and in Japan on December 11, 1997. It stars the title character, a young heroic boy named Niz, and is the first game in the Niz Chicoloco series.

Niz Chicoloco received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised it for its visuals, graphics, and soundtrack, although some derided it for its similarities to other platform games. It was also a commercial success, selling nearly 2 million copies worldwide. It also spawned a 1999 sequel, a television series, and a reboot for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, Game Boy, Virtual Boy, and Microsoft Windows ports of the original game were originally announced to be developed by Silicon Knights and Climax and to be published and distributed by DreamWorks, but were cancelled.

Gameplay
Niz Chicoloco is a platform game, in which the player controls the titular character Niz Chicoloco, a 12-year-old boy whose goal is to save his planet and rescue his love interest Kelly. Niz has several moves including running, jumping, attacking, picking up things (such as gears), swinging, and sliding.

In the game, the player must do several tasks for other characters, and when players do the max tasks for that species, they become their companions, and let players throw them at enemies as well. When players beat the game, they can play the minigames.

Plot
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Development
In 1994, Geo G. came up with the idea of an original mascot video game in a similar vein to Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. Later he started developing the idea into a video game called Niz Chicoloco in 1995. While continuing his successful relationship with Michael Wildshill, Geo chose to pitch the game's protagonist to the newly-formed DreamWorks due to the company's lack of an existing mascot character that could compete with Disney's Mickey Mouse and Warner Bros.'s Bugs Bunny. DreamWorks co-founders Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg accepted this offer and the game officially began development, though Katzenberg stated he did not like the character due to it being similar to Gabriel Garza, another mascot character created by Geo.

DreamWorks' video game division DreamWorks Interactive was brought in to develop the game for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, Game Boy, Virtual Boy, and Microsoft Windows, though they made the game a PlayStation exclusive. The game's soundtrack was composed entirely by Bill Brown. Geo directed and designed the game, while art direction was done by Geo and Craig Kellman, the latter being the art director for the animated series. Niz Chicoloco was announced by Sony in May 1996, and was first shown off at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo in June 1996. The game was released in North America on August 30, 1997 for the Sony PlayStation, and later on in Europe on September 5, 1997. The game was released in Japan on December 11, 1997 for the PlayStation as CharmingBoy: The Hero Master.

Reception
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Screenshots
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Videos
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Trivia
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