Adventures of Tintin is based on the upcoming movie directed by Peter Jackson and produced by Steven Spielberg. It’s being designed as a cooperative, family-friendly experience that serves as an extension of the story being told in the movie. Each player, such as the main character Tintin, or his friend Captain Haddock, has different abilities that will be needed in order to progress through levels.
One of the things that we’re most excited about with Adventures of Tintin is the fact that film director Peter Jackson promises that they approached the making of the game from the perspective that games can be fun to play together. That’s music to our ears!
Families should definitely be looking forward to the cooperative storybook fun of Adventures of Tintin the videogame this holiday season.
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE GAME
Questions & Answers
Drew Quakenbush
June 2011
Can you introduce yourself and explain your role in the project?
My name is Drew Quakenbush and I am the Senior Producer on The Adventures of Tintin: The Game. As Senior Producer, I am in charge of managing our production team and delivering the best game possible.
How does it feel to work on such an iconic franchise?
It feels great! It’s very demanding and full of good surprises at the same time. The experience has been great because everyone on the team is a huge fan of Tintin; it was a real pleasure for us to dive into the universe of our childhood hero. The project was demanding because in order to develop the game properly, we had to do a great amount of research to fully understand the Hergé universe. As grown-ups we rediscovered his work, its depth, and what makes it so universally understandable and appealing to adults and kids alike.
Can you describe your collaboration with the filmmakers?
It was a real pleasure to work with Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in developing the game. We had various meetings at the Weta workshop in New Zealand and in Los Angeles with the filmmakers. We were given access to the movie script, 3D models, and environments. They gave us very constructive feedback regarding the game’s visuals, animations, and script throughout the entire development process. We often had conversations, like: “Should Haddock’s moustache cover all of his mouth?” It was so bizarre to discuss issues like these with Peter Jackson! Similar conversations occurred regarding the size of the noses of our characters! These may seem to be small details, but our objective was really to find a perfect balance between the author’s characters and the artistic direction of the movie itself. We feel that we’ve accomplished this and are happy with how well the video game adheres to the creative direction seen in the movie and in the original comics, as well.
How close to the movie is the game?
We based the video game off of the movie. The game itself is closely related to the story in the movie, and most of the characters and environments are the same. We want to provide players with an opportunity to relive the most iconic moments from the movie.
We’ve also planned a few surprises to enrich the gameplay experience. We’ve introduced new environments, new characters, and a fun cooperative mode based on Captain Haddock’s dreams.
What is the genre of the game?
A nonstop action-adventure game! Players will travel around the world, be confronted with many twists and turns, discover a variety of environments, and experience over 20 hours of gameplay.
On which platforms has it been developed?
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game will be available Holiday 2011 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®Move for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Windows PC, Nintendo 3DS™ and Wii™.
We’ve enabled stereoscopic 3D in order to enhance immersion so that the game is consistent with a unique 3D movie experience.
Who is in charge of the development?
All versions were developed in our Ubisoft Montpellier studio. Our development team has extensive experience working on quality movie tie-ins and is excited to be collaborating again with Peter Jackson, having worked with him on Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie.
In your opinion, what kind of audience will enjoy this game the most?
This game appeals to everyone. Those who saw the movie and enjoyed it will be pleased to dive more deeply into its universe, and will have the opportunity to play as Tintin, the intrepid reporter and hero, or as Snowy, his quick-witted Fox terrier.
If you’re looking for an adventure game that is both immersive and interactive to share with friends and family, The Adventures of Tintin: The Game is both enchanting and highly enjoyable. The amount of respect we share for Hergé’s work really shines through. We believe that fans of the original Tintin comic books will enjoy the game immensely.
What can we expect from the 3D version?
The 3D version enhances the immersion. You’ll actually enter Captain Haddock’s ship the Karaboudjan, travel into the moonlit deserts of the northern Sahara, discover the exotic city of Bagghar, and more!
Stereoscopic 3D is consistent with the movie experience as many of theatres are broadcasting The Adventures of Tintin in 3D.
What about accessories like Kinect or PlayStation®Move?
For the Xbox 360 version, there will be dedicated challenges using the Kinect sensor so users will be able to play with their entire body acting through very intuitive gestures.
Challenge mode will be playable with PlayStation®Move for PlayStation®3. However, the game will be playable without the PlayStation®Move motion controller or the Kinect sensor for Xbox 360.
When will the game be available?
The game will be in line with the release of the movie in different territories; October for EMEA and December in the US.
INFORMATION FROM COMPANY FACT SHEET
In The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn The Game, play as Tintin, the intrepid reporter and hero of the action-packed movie directed and produced by acclaimed director Steven Spielberg and executive producer Peter Jackson. Developed in close collaboration with them, the video game offers an authentic immersion into the movie’s enchanting environments and characters.
Players will experience non-stop action and adventure as they investigate the mystery of a lifetime, hunting for precious scrolls from the pirate golden age that may lead them to one of the greatest sunken treasures. But the quest won’t be easy. Join forces with the quick-witted dog Snowy and the grumpy Captain Haddock to beat greedy art collectors, kooky arms dealers, and other crooks to and reveal the truth behind the Secret of the Unicorn ship.
Key Features
EXPERIENCE THE ADVENTURE AND EXOTIC ENVIRONMENTS FROM THE ACTION-PACKED MOVIE:
• Play as Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock or three other unlockable characters, each with their own personality and skills.
• Travel the world and discover more than 20 environments from the movie and beyond, such as Captain Haddock’s ship the Karaboudjan, the moonlit deserts of the northern Sahara, the exotic city of Bagghar and more.
PLAY SOLO, WITH FRIENDS OR AGAINST FRIENDS FOR ENDLESS FUN:
• Play solo: relive major moments of the movie through a variety of gameplay, from platforming to sword fighting to plane piloting.
• Share the fun in 4-player co-op mode: play together with your friends to help solve the mysteries! Experiment with your characters’ new skills, collect treasures, earn disguises and unlock new maps.
• Compete with friends in Challenge Mode: For a little extra competition, play against a friend or against AI through more than 20 hours of gameplay.
HUGE GAMEPLAY VARIETY OFFERING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: Pilot a plane through a rumbling tempest, drive a side-car in desert canyons, swim in under-earth caves, sword-fight a 17th century knight, puzzle-solve on the trail of an incredible treasure and more! Plus, play in the present and past as you discover various clues from Captain Haddock’s ancestors.
ENJOY ENHANCED IMMERSION WITH PLAYSTATION®MOVE AND KINECT™ FOR Xbox 360®. Discover specific features and challenges dedicated to these accessories, playing with your whole body or experiencing intuitive gestures. The game can be played without the Playstation Move motion controller or the Kinect sensor, though.
HIGH-QUALITY GAMEPLAY & VISUALS: Developed in close collaboration with Spielberg and Jackson for more than one and a half years, the video game features high-quality graphics, environments, characters and gameplay in line with the blockbuster movie’s innovative graphics and production.
About the Franchise:
Paramount’s and Sony Pictures’ movie The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn is inspired by Hergé’s successful comic books: The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham’s Treasure. The film is directed by Steven Spielberg and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. It will be released in October 2011 in Europe and December 2011 in the US.