History VideoGame / Zapper

Released in November 2002[[labelnote:*]]in the US and Canada; March 2003 elsewhere[[/labelnote]], ''Zapper'' was developed by Creator/BlitzGames and published by [[Creator/{{Atari}} Infogrames Interactive]] for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} and UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows; a UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance version developed by Atomic Planet Entertainment was also available.

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: In an amusing inversion, the [[https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/21019-zapper-one-wicked-cricket-windows-front-cover.jpg North American/Australian box art]] depicts Zapper with a DreamWorksFace, while on the [[https://r.mprd.se/GCN/Covers/Zapper%20One%20Wicked%20Cricket.jpg European box art]] (also pictured above), he sports a DeterminedExpression. A third variation, used as a preliminary cover for the European version before being swapped out for the final release[[labelnote:*]]presumably at the last minute, as it was [[https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/476262-zapper-one-wicked-cricket-playstation-2-media.jpg still used]] on some versions as the disc label artwork[[/labelnote]], has him sporting a more blank expression. Strangely enough, European releases of the game[[labelnote:*]]except for the [=PS2=] version, which opts for the standard generic black-on-white plain text[[/labelnote]] still use the American cover design on the spine.

* AllThereInTheScript: None of the multiplayer characters (also seen giving you hints throughout the game's story mode, [[YouAllLookFamiliar repeated multiple times]]) are given names in the game proper; however, internal text strings (viewable in the game's [[DebugRoom developer menu]]) reveal their names to be Keith[[labelnote:*]]the green one[[/labelnote]], Lugg[[labelnote:*]]the blue one[[/labelnote]], Ping[[labelnote:*]]the pink one[[/labelnote]], Lustre[[labelnote:*]]the red one[[/labelnote]] and Gadget[[labelnote:*]]the robotic one[[/labelnote]]. The presence of these names in the game code suggests that they were supposed to be visible on the multiplayer mode's character select screen, but were cut from the final product.

* AllThereInTheScript: None of the multiplayer characters (also seen giving you hints throughout the game's story mode, [[YouAllLookFamiliar repeated multiple times]]) are given names in the game proper; however, internal text strings (viewable in the game's [[DebugRoom developer menu]]) reveal their names to be Keith[[labelnote:*]]the green one[[/labelnote]], Lugg[[labelnote:*]]the blue one[[/labelnote]], Ping[[labelnote:*]]the pink one[[/labelnote]], Lustre[[labelnote:*]]the red one[[/labelnote]] and Gadget[[labelnote:*]]the robotic one[[/labelnote]]. The presence of these names in the game code suggests that they were supposed to be visible on the multiplayer mode's character select screen, [[DummiedOut but were cut from the final product]].

* IrisOut: Or a "reverse" iris-in, if you will, where a black rotating "Z" gradually fills the screen at the end of a level or whenever Zapper loses a life. A more traditional iris-out occurs in the ending cutscene.

Released in late 2002/early 2003, ''Zapper'' was developed by Creator/BlitzGames and published by [[Creator/{{Atari}} Infogrames Interactive]] for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows and UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance[[note]]the GBA version was developed by Atomic Planet Entertainment[[/note]].

* AllThereInTheScript: None of the multiplayer characters are given names in the game proper, however internal text strings reveal their names to be Keith[[labelnote:*]]the green one[[/labelnote]], Lugg[[labelnote:*]]the blue one[[/labelnote]], Ping[[labelnote:*]]the pink one[[/labelnote]], Lustre[[labelnote:*]]the red one[[/labelnote]] and Gadget[[labelnote:*]]the robotic one[[/labelnote]].
* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: In an amusing inversion, the [[https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/21019-zapper-one-wicked-cricket-windows-front-cover.jpg North American/Australian box art]] depicts Zapper with a DreamWorksFace, while on the [[https://r.mprd.se/GCN/Covers/Zapper%20One%20Wicked%20Cricket.jpg European box art]] (also pictured above), he sports a DeterminedExpression. A third variation, used as a preliminary cover for the European version before being swapped out for the final release[[labelnote:*]]presumably at the last minute, as it was [[https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/476262-zapper-one-wicked-cricket-playstation-2-media.jpg still used]] on some versions as the disc label artwork[[/labelnote]], has him sporting a more blank expression.

* BigBoosHaunt: Spook Ville starts is a graveyard full of {{Bedsheet Ghost}}s combined with a town from a Western. Voodoo Choo Choo contains the ghost enemies as well and is generally more Halloween-themed.

* BrutalBonusLevel: The last bonus level, ''Atomspheric''. You have to get Zapper through what basically amounts to a long tight corridor, with a mine constantly turning around him, and if said mine touches a wall, he dies, so the player has to constantly move by taking the mine into account, which is extremely tricky to do.

* GiantEyeOfDoom: The engine in Voodoo Choo Choo has an eye one the front. Zapping it will net you a few extra lives.

* HornetHole: The first unlockable level, Crazy Apiary, is a beehive with stationary bees as traffic hazards and flying bees that try to attack you. The level is timed, but taking the flying bees out with extends the timer.

* MinusWorld: Downplayed. Pausing the game while the game is transitioning out of the level can move the camera outside the playable area, giving you some pretty strange views while paused.

** Once their shells are removed, snails just look like yellow-green slugs. Also, slugs contain blue orbs while snails contain yellow orbs.

* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: You can zap your fellow bugs in the first few levels just to be a dick, however you cannot kill them (even by super-zapping them at close range) and they'll ''always'' [[VideoGameCrueltyPunishment zap you back]] no matter how far away from them you are.

* WorldOfFunnyAnimals: Zapper and his brother are part of a civilization of bugs with arms and expressive, humanlike features. Several of these with varying designs appear throughout the levels to give you tips about various aspects of the game.

%%* DungeonTown:

* FeatheredFiend: Maggie the Maggie steals anything shiny, including Zapper's brother Zipper.

* BloodlessCarnage: Zapper often gets torn apart when he does.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zapper_uk.png]]

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: In an amusing inversion, the [[https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/21019-zapper-one-wicked-cricket-windows-front-cover.jpg North American/Australian box art]] depicts Zapper with a DreamWorksFace, while on the [[https://r.mprd.se/GCN/Covers/Zapper%20One%20Wicked%20Cricket.jpg European box art]] (also pictured above), he sports a DeterminedExpression. A third variation, used as a preliminary cover for the European version before being swapped out for the final release[[labelnote:*]]presumably at the last minute, as it was still used on some versions as the disc label artwork[[/labelnote]], has him sporting a more blank expression.

* DungeonTown:

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: In an amusing inversion, the [[https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/21019-zapper-one-wicked-cricket-windows-front-cover.jpg North-American box art]] depicts Zapper with a DreamWorksFace, while on the [[https://r.mprd.se/GCN/Covers/Zapper%20One%20Wicked%20Cricket.jpg European box art]], he sports a DeterminedExpression.

* SpeakingSimlish: What little spoken dialogue there is constists of this.

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* LawOfOneHundred: Almost every level has exactly 100 orbs to collect.

* LocomotiveLevel: "Voodoo Choo Choo".