Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context VideoGame / Outernauts

Go To

1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/outernauts.png]]
2''Outernauts'' was a ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''-[[FollowTheLeader esque]] WebGame from Creator/InsomniacGames.
3
4It was launched on 2012 at Website/{{Kongregate}} and Website/{{Facebook}}, as well as for [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]] and {{UsefulNotes/Android|Games}}. However, it was ultimately [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames shut down]] in 2016, as by that point the player count could not "keep up with the ongoing server costs".
5
6!!Tropes appearing in Outernauts:
7* ActionInitiative: The Speed stat determines who goes first, though certain moves may preempt the order, and items are used before any attacks are made.
8* AlienSky: There are many planets and moons visible in the background.
9* AlwaysCheckBehindTheChair: Most of the plants are simply for environmental flavor, but tufts of thick grass should be dug up in search of items and money.
10* AmazingTechnicolorWildlife: They can come in shades of brilliant yellow, neon blue, or hot pink.
11* AnimalEaredHeadband: You can get a Pumaflar-themed helmet that includes long, flaming yellow-orange ears.
12* AttackAttackAttack: The description of Major Stache's hunting gloves:
13---> Screw defense! In Major Stache's book, the best offense is a high Attack and not looking back!
14* AxCrazy: Lex and Gorm, the bosses of sector 2.
15* BadassAdorable: Many of the creatures. There's even an item that allows them to keep their baby or teenage appearances while retaining the stats of their full evolutions, so you don't have to choose between "Cute as a Button" and "Hits Like a Truck."
16* BagOfHolding: You may carry around as many items as you wish, no matter their size. Possibly justified with you teleporting the items to a storage location, rather than actually keeping them on your person.
17* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: You and all your minions and pretty much every other character are all perfectly capable of trotting around helmetless on chunks of rock ''far'' too small to sustain a breathable atmosphere.
18* BattleThemeMusic: The game is normally pretty quiet, with just a few whistles of wind and other background sounds, with the occasional tune lilting about. The usual up-tempo music kicks in when a battle starts, however, and a short burst of music may play on the quest screen as well.
19* BigBad: Axel Sludge, the head of Sludge Co.
20%%* ColorCodedElements
21* ColorCodedStones: Each {{Mon|s}} has a "Stone Type" that determines which of its stats are higher or lower than its base type. You can change a creature's stone type if you have the funds.
22* ComMons: Many of the early beasts, such as Hortabud, are incredibly common. There's also the Common type, but that element does contain some rarer beasties as well.
23* CoolHelmet: You can buy helmets for your VirtualPaperDoll. Most of them will help at least one type of your {{Mons}}.
24* CuttingTheKnot: Phantasm Bombs let you dispense with the finesse of shovels, axes, and hammers (for dirt, trees, and rocks, naturally) and just [[StuffBlowingUp blow it all up]]!
25* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Losing a battle sends you back to your Homeworld to heal up, either with items or by waiting several minutes. Losing to another player will take some of your rank points and a few coins, but still imposes a very, ''very'' light penalty.
26* {{Egopolis}}: Electra asks if you're going to name your Homeworld [[Your Name]]-topia or [[Your Name]]-opolis, then suggests [[PunnyName Electra City]].
27* ElementalRockPaperScissors: There are thirteen types of creatures:
28** [[NonElemental Common]]
29** [[PlayingWithFire Fire]]
30** [[MakingASplash Aquatic]]
31** [[AnIcePerson Snow]]
32** [[DishingOutDirt Terra]]
33** [[GreenThumb Flora]]
34** [[PoisonousPerson Venom]]
35** Primal
36** [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Phantom]]
37** [[ShockAndAwe Lightning]]
38** Flying
39** Tech
40** [[InfinityPlusOneElement Flux]]
41* EverythingsCuterWithKittens: One of your starter choices is a small yellow cat called Pumaflar. It may remind you of Franchise/{{Ratchet| And Clank}} [[PlayingWithFire on fire]].
42* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin:
43** Many of the {{Mons}} have {{Punny Name}}s that sound exactly like what they are.
44** Major Stache has a '''large''' mustache.
45** Guess the climate of Burning Tundra. Go on, [[HailfirePeaks guess]].
46%%* FacelessGoons: Sludge Co's many minions.
47* FantasticFruitsAndVegetables: The {{Healing Herb}}s range from fairly mundane to downright wacky.
48* FinalBossPreview: Used at times as you will often fight the boss of a sector once while they are using weaker beasts and then again at the end when they have stronger ones.
49* FlavorText: A Pokédex-type journal allows you to track the various {{Mons}} you've encountered, as well as giving you a few lines of description once you catch them.
50* FluffyTamer: Major Stache has several large, grumpy-looking {{Mons}} on his homeworld with names like Puddin', Scrumples, and Cutie-Pie.
51* FollowTheLeader: Yet another online ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' spoof. It's getting hard to tell if they're following [[TropeMaker Pokémon itself]] or following the followers.
52%%* FragileSpeedster: Some of the {{Mons}} are built around the type.
53* GentlemanAdventurer: Major Stache has the makings of one, if you transported him out of DarkestAfrica and [[RecycledInSpace into deep space]].
54* GlassCannon: Some of the {{Mons}} are built around the type. Pumaflar's FlavorText even notes that it has strong offensive capabilities and high speed, but lacks durability.
55* GottaCatchEmAll:
56** The {{Mons}}, naturally.
57** The 25 members of the Moonhead Cult, hidden around the galaxy.
58* GreenAesop: The BigBad MegaCorp is called Sludge Co, and Lily the Lunakin asks you to catch specimens of several beasts so you can save the species from extinction at their hands.
59* HailfirePeaks: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Burning Tundra]]
60* HealingHerb: Various plants and juices derived from them are used to restore your {{Mons}}. The most basic Sol Berries bear a ''strong'' resemblance to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goji goji berries]], notable for actually being ''really good'' for you but also simultaneously overhyped by the natural health products industry.
61* HelloInsertNameHere: Averted; you'll be addressed by whatever name you're known as on the site (likely your first name on Facebook, but a screen name on Kongregate).
62* IncompetenceInc: Most of Sludge Co.'s employees don't seem particularly loyal once you beat their team of {{Mons}} and spend more time complaining about their jobs than actually doing them.
63* InjuredVulnerability: You'll have to weaken {{Mons}} to catch them in a Gravity Orb.
64* AnInteriorDesignerIsYou: You have the option to purchase and place various items on your Homeworld. Some are useful (Beast Feeders allow you to catch more {{Mons}}, for example), but others are purely decorative.
65* KillerRabbit: A properly-leveled RidiculouslyCuteCritter naturally becomes one of these. Pumaflar's journal entry even notes that it's fierce but deceptively sweet-looking.
66* LeakedExperience: Your entire party gains experience, though those who actually participate in battle gain more. {{Mons}} not in the active party do not gain experience.
67* LimitedMoveArsenal: {{Mons}} start out with only four move slots open, though you can open four more for a total of eight. Moves can be switched in and out of slots between battles for a small fee, though, so forgetting one move to learn another isn't so bad.
68* MajorlyAwesome: Major Stache.
69* MegaCorp: Sludge Co.
70* MissionControl: Electra is MC for several Outernauts, including the player. She first sends you to investigate why her others went missing.
71* {{Mons}}: They don't appear to have a set term for them, though "beasts" seems to be the most common; various characters refer to them as pets or other names, and even a single character may not have a favorite word for your exotic battling companions.
72* NamedByDemocracy: Major Stache, whose real name is Griffith P. Moriarty. He doesn't know ''why'' everyone keeps calling him that, but it doesn't really seem to bother him too much.
73%%* NinjaPirateZombieRobot
74* NotActuallyCosmeticAward: Skill Points. Though largely cosmetic, you can earn Star Gems (premium currency) by completing them, which you can then use to purchase useful items (or entirely {{Cosmetic Award}}s, like [[AndYourRewardIsClothes funky suits]]).
75* {{Planimal}}: Some of the {{Mons}}, such as Hortabug (a caterpillar with a leaf on its head that is actually just a Common-type) or Cactinee (a cactus/bird hybrid, but it's only Flora-type, not Flying-type).
76* PartyInMyPocket: Apparently, {{Mons}} stay in their Gravity Orbs when not in battle or hanging out on your Homeworld.
77%%* PlayerHeadquarters: Your Homeworld.
78%%* PowerUpFood
79* {{Pun}}: In typical Insomniac fashion, the humor is quite witty.
80** HurricaneOfPuns
81** PungeonMaster: Electra.
82** PunnyName
83* PrecisionFStrike: Most of the language is quite tame, but occasionally characters drop a word you wouldn't normally hear in a kid-friendly series.
84* PronounTrouble: Major Stache says "There they is!" instead of "There he/she is!" in reference to the player character, avoiding having two lines of dialogue for each gender (though the grammatically correct thing to say in that situation would have been the gender-neutral "There you are!", as he was speaking ''to'' the player, not ''about'' them).
85%%* RealityWarper: The Stone of the Ancients, Inlarga.
86* RecycledInSpace: ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' IN SPACE!
87* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Many of the {{Mons}}, particularly their first forms.
88* RuleOfCool: Probably the only reason you and your {{Mons}} can waltz around on small chunks of rock in space without a helmet (or with a helmet that doesn't cover your nose and mouth).
89* ScissorsCutsRock: Any sufficiently-leveled {{Mon|s}} is more than a match for any {{Mons}} which may have a type advantage against it (unless of course it only knows attacks of one element and the opponent is completely immune to it).
90* SelfDeprecation: The Moonhead Cult, a group of ex-game developers who escape from the mental institution on Burbankalos-9.[[labelnote:Explain the joke]]Insomniac's logo is a blue moon and their main headquarters is in Burbank, California.[[/labelnote]]
91* ShoutOut: Many to ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}, of course, such as the achievement "To Train Them Is Your Cause".
92** One of the quests is called [[VideoGame/HarvestMoon Harvest Moon]] and tasks you to harvest grass like a farmer.
93** Lava Plants are said to grow in the fires of [[{{Mordor}} Hordor]].
94** The move [[WritingAroundTrademarks Volkun]] [[Franchise/StarTrek Pinch]] [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin pinches]] the target "in a [[TheSpock highly logical]] and perhaps even [[FascinatingEyebrow fascinating]] manner" with a chance to [[PressurePoint put them to sleep]].
95* SocializationBonus: Build a dojo and other players can help train your {{Mons}} for you.
96%%* SpacePirates
97%%* SlidingScaleOfTurnRealism: Turn-by-turn.
98* StatusQuoIsGod:
99--->'''Jon the Giant:''' "...you can't go around destroying the status quo just because [[ShapedLikeItself the status is]] [[BuffySpeak not...quo.]]"
100* StuffBlowingUp: You can either bother with finding the correct tool (shovel, pickaxe, hammer) to deal with a certain obstacle, or just blow it up.
101* SymbolSwearing: Major Stache's description of a statue of himself: "An intergalactic symbol of peace, love, and Sludge Co should stay the #@$% away!"
102* TeleportersAndTransporters: A quick way to zip back and forth between various areas of the planet that you've already visited. They look a bit like helicopter landing pads.
103* ThereAreTwoKindsOfPeopleInTheWorld: Dice believes there are only two types of trainers: those who win, and those who are losers.
104* TookALevelInBadass: Evolving {{Mons}} tend to take a level or two.
105* VirtualPaperDoll: Choose for your avatar to be male or female, select skin and hair colors, and equip various suits.
106%%* WhaleEgg: And you have to warm it with a blanket!
107* WorldInTheSky: Apparently the norm in this part of the universe. You get coordinates for "planets" which look like planets on the star map, but constantly end up walking around on {{Floating Continent}}s with an AlienSky visible both above ''and below'' where you actually are.

Top