Pen Pen Tri-Icelon (Game)

Pen Pen Tri-Icelon

GAME » on November 27, 1998

Penguin-like animals waddle, swim, and glide through the ice as they race the "Tri-Icelon" in this goofy racing game for the Dreamcast.

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Overview

Pen Pen TriIcelon, known in Europe as Pen Pen and sometimes stylized as PENPEN TRiICELON, is a cartoon-comedy third-person foot-racing game developed by Team Land Ho! and published by General Entertainment (Company) (in Japan) and Infogrames (outside of Japan) and for the Dreamcast (Platform) (as a launch title) in Japan on November 27, 1998, in North America on September 9, 1999, and in Europe on October 14, 1999.

Set on the snow-covered Iced Planet, players control one of seven cartoony penguin-like creatures (known as PENPENs) as they participate in a goofy version of a triathlon (known as the TRiICELON), which involves a combination of ice-walking, swimming, and belly-surfing. Designed for all ages, the game features simplistic controls (with forward movement usually involving either holding the joystick forward or tapping the A button in a rhythmic fashion), four-player split-screen multiplayer, and a system for unlocking clothing and accessories for the PenPens.

Gameplay

In Pen Pen TriIcelon, up to eight PenPens race in four different courses, with each race split into three different sections:

Ice-walking sections, which involve having the PenPen waddle through the course by tilting the analog stick (with tank controls). Pressing the A button performs a jump, while pressing the B button performs a dashing attack (which can stun opponents, but leave the PenPen stunned if they miss). Bumping into certain hazards also stuns them, while water slows them down.
Swimming sections, similar to flight games, which involve tapping the A button in a rhythmic fashion to keep a good pace and using the analog stick to tilt the PenPen in right direction. PenPens gain a quick speed boost when passing through rings, but slow down by bumping into hazards.
Belly-surfing sections, similar to driving games, which involve tapping the A button in a rhythmic fashion to keep a good pace and using the analog stick to turn. PenPens have to contend with friction as they glide, either very slippery through the ice (on-road) or very rough through the snow (off-road), gain a quick speed boost when passing through rings, and slow down when bumping into hazards. Extended courses have a bonus belly-surfing section.

Characters

There are eight PenPens to choose from, each of them split into two body types: small and large.

Small

These PenPens are easier to manuever, but have a tougher time dealing with larger PenPens.

Sparky the PENPEN
Tina the PENPEN
Mr. Bow the PENDOG
Snork the PENOCTOPUS
Hanamizu (boss character, unlockable for play)

Large

These PenPens can withstand attacks and bumps easier from smaller PenPens, but have a tougher time turning.

Back the PENSEAL
Jaw the PENSHARK
Ballery the PENHIPPO

Courses & Events

There are four themed courses, each with their own unique special hazard section:

Sweets, owned by Sweet Town mayor Mrs. Cream. Its special hazard section involves windmills which blow PenPens away from the main gate.
Jungle, owned by tribal leader Unga Pogo. Its special hazard section involves a room which floor rotates in a circle, with bats that blow PenPens away from the room's exit.
Toys, owned by dapper toyowner Bambi Mask. It special hazard section involves a long water section with bounce pads.
Horror, owned by the devilish count Horror Man. Its special hazard section involves a water section with zombie arms reaching out to further stun them, followed by a section with ghosts that slow them down.

Each course has three different events of increasing difficulty, and winning at all of them unlocks two additional events. Winning each difficulty allows players to race them again with additional opponents.

Easy Icelon - 4-5 opponents. Hazards are removed.
Middle Icelon - 5-6 opponents.
Long Icelon - 6-7 opponents. Course is extended with an additional belly-surfing section.
Vs Same Type - Unlockable. A special version of Long Icelon with all PenPens as the same character.
Vs Hanamizu - Unlockable. A special version of Middle Icelon with only one opponent: the speedier Hanamizu.