History VideoGame / TheGreatGianaSisters

* TakeThat: The first game's infamous tagline "[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros The brothers]] are history!" With the benefit of hindsight, it probably ''wasn't'' the best idea to openly taunt a very large and legally savvy media company about ripping off their biggest IP. Naturally, the ''Giana'' series underwent a major case of DerivativeDifferentiation for its next bite at the apple.

* TakeThat: The first game's infamous tagline "[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros The brothers]] are history!" With the benefit of hindsight, it probably ''wasn't'' the best idea to openly taunt a very large and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers very legally savvy]] media company about ripping off their biggest IP. Naturally, the ''Giana'' series underwent a major case of DerivativeDifferentiation for its next bite at the apple.

* TakeThat: The first game's infamous tagline "[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros The brothers]] are history!" With the benefit of hindsight, it probably ''wasn't'' the best idea to openly taunt a very large and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers very legally savvy]] media company about ripping off their biggest IP. Naturally, the ''Giana'' series would quickly undergo DerivativeDifferentiation moving forward.

* WritingAroundTrademarks: Failed, obviously. This was the first widely-publicized case in which a FollowTheLeader ripoff of a video game was withdrawn from the market as a result of legal threats. They had been extremely common up to this point, with programmers and companies generally assuming near-impunity (the aforementioned TakeThat definitely hurt more than it helped).

* WritingAroundTrademarks: Failed, obviously. This was the first widely-publicized case in which a FollowTheLeader ripoff of a video game was withdrawn from the market as a result of legal threats. They had been extremely common up to this point, with programmers and companies generally assuming near-impunity.

** [[TransformationTrinket Firewheel]]: Transforms into Punk Giana who is bigger, has an extra hit, and can bash bricks

''The Great Giana Sisters'' is the story of Giana, an innocent little girl from Milan, Italy, who collected rubies and sapphires as a hobby. One night, an evil dragon of nightmares from DreamLand stole all of Giana's jewels and sucked her into his nightmare kingdom, where he set upon her with his army of evil owl minions. Giana (and her sister, Maria, possibly) sets on a quest to re-capture her family jewels.

** [[OneHundredCoins Diamonds]]: Collect [[LawOfOneHundred 100]] for an extra life.

''The Great Giana Sisters'' is a platform/action adventure game from Germany. It's the first in the ''VideoGame/GianaSisters'' series. It was published in the 1980s to [[FollowTheLeader basically cash in on]] ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' for the UsefulNotes/{{Commodore 64}} market, since Creator/{{Nintendo}} has never published games for non-Nintendo consoles.

->''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros The brothers]] [[TakeThat are history]].''
-->-- Advertisement {{tagline}} for the game[[note]]Creator/{{Nintendo}} was ''not'' amused by this display of boldness.[[/note]]

An official sequel, known as ''VideoGame/GianaSistersTwistedDreams'' was released at [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/giana_sisters_twisted_dreams/ GOG]] and [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/223220/ Steam]] on October 23rd, 2012, with an eShop release on September 5th, 2013, and a [[https://www.amazon.com/Giana-Sisters-Twisted-Dream-Directors-Cut/dp/B01586FH6W/ Director's Cut disk version]] released on October 29th, 2015, just under three years and one week later. This one changes things up a bit by allowing Giana to switch between her normal and punk form at will. Doing so not only alters Giana's abilities, but also [[DualWorldGameplay switches the world around her from dream to nightmare]] (though which is which seems to be a matter of perspective). Each world has its own hazards, and switching between the two at the right times appears to be the focus of the gameplay. This was followed by a mini-expansion pack / mini-standalone game, ''Rise of the Owlverlord'', which adds a fourth world and boss (the titular Owlverlord who can swap between Pirate and Ninja modes) to the game.

%%* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Compare the [[https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/c64/572482-the-great-giana-sisters/images/166559 original European box art of the first game]] to that of the [[https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/c64/572482-the-great-giana-sisters/images/133534 North American version]].

* DistaffCounterpart: Giana and Maria to Mario and Luigi, natch.
* DreamLand

* GoombaStomp

-->-- Advertisement {{tagline}} for the game[[note]]Needless to say, Creator/{{Nintendo}} was ''not'' amused by this display of boldness.[[/note]]

An official sequel, known as ''VideoGame/GianaSistersTwistedDreams'' was released at [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/giana_sisters_twisted_dreams/ GOG]] and [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/223220/ Steam]] on October 23rd, 2012, with an eShop release on September 5th, 2013, and a [[https://www.amazon.com/Giana-Sisters-Twisted-Dream-Directors-Cut/dp/B01586FH6W/ref=pd_sim_63_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G187ESSX49QYTHGZ39MP Director's Cut disk version]] released on October 29th, 2015, just under three years and one week later. This one changes things up a bit by allowing Giana to switch between her normal and punk form at will. Doing so not only alters Giana's abilities, but also [[DualWorldGameplay switches the world around her from dream to nightmare]] (though which is which seems to be a matter of perspective). Each world has its own hazards, and switching between the two at the right times appears to be the focus of the gameplay. This was followed by a mini-expansion pack / mini-standalone game, ''Rise of the Owlverlord'', which adds a fourth world and boss (the titular Owlverlord who can swap between Pirate and Ninja modes) to the game.

See also ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1lVpbnl6OU&fmt=18 Duludubi Star]]'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''[='=]s analogue to this game.

%%* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Compare the [[http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/4/8/2/572482_66559_front.jpg original European box art of the first game]] to that of the [[http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/4/8/2/572482_33534_front.jpg North American version]].

-->--Advertisement {{tagline}} for the game[[note]]Needless to say, Creator/{{Nintendo}} was ''not'' amused by this display of boldness.[[/note]]

[[quoteright:340:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gianasisters_7203.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:340: Our heroine, Cute Giana (left), and her [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece easily-dated]] {{Super Form}}, Punk Giana (right).]]
%%Old image: https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giana.jpg

!!'''The series provide examples of:'''

* ArtifactTitle: ''Giana Sisters DS'' does not contain Maria, so "Sisters" is no longer accurate. She makes a return in ''Twisted Dreams'', where Giana must save her from the dragon Fucha, who has abducted her to Dreamland.
* BigBad:
** A slightly disfigured-looking dragon (referred to as Fucha in the original game manual).
** In ''Twisted Dreams'', it seems that the Owlverlord takes over this role, providing that you got the ''Rise of the Owlverlord'' expansion.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Maria was absent in the DS sequel. She is back in ''Twisted Dreams'', however.
* DerivativeDifferentiation: If you were to judge from just ''Twisted Dreams'', you wouldn't really be able to discern that the series started off as a blatant ''Super Mario Bros.'' derivative.

* EverythingFades: Averted in most cases in the series. Enemies simply stay where they got stomped.

* FieryRedhead: Punk Giana in ''DS'' and ''Twisted Dreams''. In a literal case in ''DS'', as she can also shoot fire.

* GenreSavvy: According to the ''Giana'' Comic (the pages of which are posted on the official Website/{{Facebook}} page), the Hansel and Gretel boss came about because a mook observed Giana using powerups in the Commodore 64 game, and tried one for itself, becoming the NintendoHard boss it is now.

* HarmlessVillain: Fucha the dragon is actually Giana's beloved stuffed toy.
** NotSoHarmlessVillain: ...who ends up abducting and eating Maria in ''Twisted Dreams.''
* AHeadAtEachEnd: Hansel and Gretel, a giant two-headed worm who are the first boss in ''Twisted Dreams''.

* MultiArmedAndDangerous / CombatTentacles: Octor Freud, the second boss in ''Twisted Dreams''. He uses an increasing number of tentacles in his attack patterns as he takes on more damage.

* OneHitPointWonder: In the original, grabbing a Firewheel and turning Punk doesn't add an extra hit point to Giana/Maria. Averted in ''DS'', as Punk Giana actually gives Giana fire powers and acts as a SingleUseShield as well.

* PerkyGoth: The modern version of Giana's SuperForm. Or at least, it has Goth vibes.

** [[FloatingInABubble Bubble Gum]]: Introduced in the DS version. Allows Giana to float while activated, can be popped.

* PunnyName: Octor Freud. Also doubles as a NonIndicativeName, as he resembles a squid more than an octopus.

* {{Retraux}}: The DS Remake definitely tries to capture the look and feel of a late 80's-early 90's PC game. If anything, the music fits.

** GrimyWater / SuperNotDrowningSkills: In ''Twisted Dreams'', there are two types of water: violet/green water that kills Giana, and blue water that she can swim in indefinitely.

''The Great Giana Sisters'' is a platform/action adventure game from Germany. It was published in the 1980s to [[FollowTheLeader basically cash in on]] ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' for the UsefulNotes/{{Commodore 64}} market, since Creator/{{Nintendo}} has never published games for non-Nintendo consoles.

The original ''Great Giana Sisters'' was pulled off the shelves after threats from Nintendo. A sequel was made years later in Europe, ''Giana Sisters DS'', and later released in the US. An unofficial sequel, ''[[http://www.gianas-return.de/ Giana's Return]]'', has also been released.

* AgeLift: Inverted. For the DS retool, Giana and her sister Maria were aged down from teenagers (maybe early adults) to little girls.

* EmbeddedPrecursor: ''Giana Sisters DS'' has every level from the original ''Great Giana'' Sisters as an unlockable.

* NintendoHard: ''Giana Sisters DS'' has a number of incredibly tough segments. Imagine a ''Mario'' game with no running, fireballs that don't bounce, and loads of bottomless pits and instant-kill hazards and you're about halfway there. And if you lose all of your lives at ''any'' point before the ending, you [[PermanentlyMissableContent are screwed out of Stages 9-1 and 9-2 for the entirety of that save file]].

* PlanetHeck: About half of World 8 in ''Giana Sisters DS''. The time limit even increases from 300 to [[NumberOfTheBeast 666]].

* SuperPoweredEvilSide: The DS version's credits strongly imply this. Punk Giana can shoot fireballs, and survive a hit, compared to Normal Giana... who can do none of those things.

* PerkyGoth: The modern version of Giana's SuperForm. Or at least, has Goth vibes.

* FanSequel: ''[[http://www.gianas-return.de/ Giana's Return]]'. It even has its own [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYFrgPHgcw&index=10&list=PLSQLREUw9vwmE8HYXkE0uYgR6ur64hjIQ trailer.]]

* RatchetScrolling: Harmful in the penultimate stage, because there is no exit at the end of the level.

* DreamLand

''The Great Giana Sisters'' is a platform/action adventure game from Germany. It was published in the 1980s to [[FollowTheLeader basically cash in on]] ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'' for the UsefulNotes/{{Commodore 64}} market, since Creator/{{Nintendo}} has never published games for non-Nintendo consoles.

* DungeonBypass: Stage 2 and 6 allow the player to run across the top row of bricks, in a similar style as SuperMarioBros. All other stages that don't allow this either have no ceiling, or make the ceiling solid stone and provide no means to start a ceiling run.

** [[OneHundredCoins Diamonds]]: Collect 100 for an extra life.

* MinusWorld: Pressing ARMN on the final stage brings you to the bonus stage (which it calls "Stage 27"). This bonus screen is normally available by entering some areas, but the warp cheat causes the game to treat it as normal level and not generate the exit lift. Pressing ARMN again will crash the game when it tries loading "Stage 00".

* FanSequel: ''[[http://www.gianas-return.de/ Giana's Return]]'. It even has it's own [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYFrgPHgcw&index=10&list=PLSQLREUw9vwmE8HYXkE0uYgR6ur64hjIQ trailer.]]

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Compare the [[http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/4/8/2/572482_66559_front.jpg original European box art of the first game]] to that of the [[http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/box/4/8/2/572482_33534_front.jpg North American version]].

* BubbleGun: The sisters' main offensive ability in the original game can be acquired by touching lightning, giving them the ability to shoot "Dream Bubbles". This can be further upgraded with a Double Lighting power-up to shoot Dream Bubbles that will bounce off walls, and further upgrades with a Strawberry into homing Dream Bubbles.