| Feeding Frenzy | |
|---|---|
 Cover from the Xbox 360 version | |
| Developer | Sprout Games |
| Publishers | GameHouse PopCap Games Real Arcade (J2ME) |
| Designers | James Gwertzman Del Chafe Ed Allard |
| Series | Feeding Frenzy |
| Platforms | Windows,Macintosh,Xbox,Xbox 360,Arcade,J2ME |
| Release | March 17, 2004[1] |
| Mode | Single-player |
Feeding Frenzy is asingle-player mode and arcade-style aquaticvideo game written by Sprout Games, and published byPopCap Games andGameHouse. With an initial debut on February 11, 2004, it saw a re-release on theXbox Live Arcade service, with versions for both the originalXbox and theXbox 360. The Xbox 360 version, released on March 15, 2006, was the 17th most popular Xbox Live Arcade title for 2006.[2]
In March 2006, the sequel to this game,Feeding Frenzy 2 was released.[3]
In 2016,Feeding Frenzy was made available forXbox One backwards compatibility and is free to members onEA Access.
InFeeding Frenzy, players control a hungry marine predator intent on munching as many other fish as possible. During the course of the game's 40 levels, they switch off between 5 marine animals, with the last eight levels having them play as Orville theOrca, and the last level being a 'boss battle' against the "Shark King", agreat white shark. The player takes on the role of different aquatic species each trying to move up thefood chain. As smaller fish are eaten, the player's own fish grows in size and becomes capable of eating somewhat larger fish.[4] By the end of each level, the fish is sufficiently large enough that it can eat almost anything on-screen. Players must be vigilant for hazards which includedepth charges, larger predators,naval mines, irradiated fish, andjellyfish.
If the player eats a sufficiently large number of fish in a short period of time, a score-enhancingFeeding Frenzy is initiated. If the player continues to rapidly consume other fish, a furtherDouble Frenzy can be achieved. The Frenzy bonus depletes rapidly when there is no further rapid consumption.
The full game includes both a normal mode and a "time attack" mode.[5]
The freeActiveX version ofFeeding Frenzy can be played online at websites such as theMSN Gaming Zone, but has only a limited number of levels. The Windows version,Feeding Frenzy Deluxe, is available for download as a trial, with the full version available for a fee. Additionally,Xbox andXbox 360 versions exist. The original Xbox version was available via anXbox Live Arcade disc from Microsoft, or fromOfficial Xbox Magazine discs. The Xbox 360 version could be downloaded from theXbox Live Marketplace, either as a free demo, or as a full version. This version was also included on the disc that came with the Xbox Arcade bundle for the Xbox 360, alongsidePac-Man Championship Edition,Uno,Luxor 2, andBoom Boom Rocket. The Xbox 360 Pro and Elite versions included this version as one of the 16 game demos preloaded on the hard drive.
An arcade version was released byUltraCade Technologies which featured a ticket redemption system and an automated difficulty tuning system. Thearcade cabinet also features built-in bubbler tanks on both sides with flowing water and artificial fish.[6][7]
AJ2ME ported version of the game was released for somemobile phones byReal Arcade in 2006,[8] with fewer levels due to the limitations of the mobile phone's storage medium.
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| TeamXbox | 7/10 (Xbox 360)[9] |
| IGN | 6.6/10 (Xbox 360)[10] |
| Eurogamer | 3/10 (Xbox 360)[4] |
IGN criticizedFeeding Frenzy's simple mechanics, lack of difficulty, and overall lack of depth, resulting in a score of 6.6 out of 10 for the Xbox 360 version. The review suggested that additional online elements could have helped with the title's otherwise limited lasting appeal.[10]TeamXbox also criticized the game's difficulty and replayability, suggesting that it may be better suited towards children. Despite consideringFeeding Frenzy 'somewhat shallow',TeamXbox concluded that the game was still accessible and fun, awarding the Xbox 360 version a 7 out of 10.[9]Eurogamer gave the Xbox 360 version ofFeeding Frenzy an overall score of three out of ten, expressing that while initially "charming in its simplicity", the game quickly becomes 'boring' and 'repetitive', further stating that every level is "just more of the same".[4]
03/17/2004 Feeding Frenzy