Furryous (2013 video game)

*This is about the game released in 2013/2014. To see a Nintendo 64 game, click here*

***Furryous*** is a platform video game developed by Lionhead Studios for Xbox & Nintendo consoles and PC. The game's story focuses on Larry the Lion's efforts to stop Troy the Troll's plans to invade the El Furry planet.

Supporting characters are Miles the Monkey, Peter the Pig, Stanley the Snail, Bernadette the Bear Cub and Professor Ed.

## Story

We start with the narrator Mikko (from Mikko & Eetu comic series), talking about Larry the Lion's life. He later opens a "chronicle" book, and starting with "Once upon a time..." sentence.

 File:Larrythelion.png
"There was a lion named Larry who was just dreaming about happiness. He just woke up, and got out of the bed. He went to morning shower... erm.... nevermind. (After Larry took a shower) He ate breakfast... Bananas and Orange Juice... Mmmmmmmmmm. \*"healthy"\* Then proceeded to bathroom (again) to brush teeth, Larry likes taking care of his sharp teeth. When he was done.... he went to outside to talk with his friends"

He chatted with Miles the Monkey, Peter the Pig and Stanley the Snail, then he visited Professor Ed, who invented DiX 5000 (Dimension X 5000); which is called Di-X 2000 later in the game. Stanley came in after Larry suggested the name to the portal; and Stanley thought the name would have been sounded little naughty.

Ed wanted Larry to try out the portal but Larry wanted to save it to next time he visits Ed.

*To be continued.*

## Development

Lionhead Studios and Rare started the project in 2009 after they were bought by Microsoft. The meaning was to revive Project Dream, after Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts was released.

They hired designers Michael Wildshill (who was later the director and character designer in the project), Peter Molyneux, Gregg Mayles and Tim Stamper (co-founder of Rare). Michael then came up with the idea that Rare should do a cute platformer again, and Rare thinked about it for while.

Then Rare and Lionhead Studios hired staff from Double Fine Productions (makers of Psychonauts), ex-Imagineer developers and HAL Laboratory (makers of Kirby) after XCage console's development was started. Imagica DigitalSpace Bauhaus Entertainment, Microsoft Studios LEAP incubation team, Team Dakota and Nd Cube assisted in the project.

 File:Cubheadstudios.png
In 2010, Michael came up with XCage (then called Project Max) and suggested the idea for Microsoft. Microsoft liked the idea as it was going to be Microsoft's first handheld console "in the history", but Michael talked about giving Rare back to Nintendo while XCage is in middle of it's life cycle, if Microsoft starts to make the console. Nintendo and Microsoft's "friendship" then started.

## Marketing

  — Director Michael Wildshill

Between December 2010 and February 2011, Lionhead Studios' website changed to teaser poster of Furryous, saying that the staff of the game is hiring soon.

 File:Screencap of Lionhead website (Furryous).png
Later in 2011, Lionhead Studios revived few satellite studios called Big Blue Box Studios and Inteprid Games (formerly Intrepid Computer Entertainment) and launched an Australian-Luxembourgian satelitte studio called Cubhead Family Studios, a studio making family-friendly games, Australian studio being an Australian counterpart of another Microsoft studio Kids & Lifestyle Entertainment. Luxembourgian studio works together with French studio ON Entertainment.

Later on, teaser trailer was released.

## Sequel

Furryous was a success and after North American release, over trillion copies were sold across North America and then later in Europe too.

## Reception

*Furryous* was a critical and commercial success and was thought as "cutest platformer and best family-friendly game ever", although it's playable with either controller or Kinect.

## Soundtrack

```

*Main Theme from 0:00 to 1:43 and two parts of Overworld theme (Fluff Village (1:44-4:30) and El Diablo's Town (4:31-6:53))*

```

## References

1. ↑ http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/microsoft-hiring-for-leap-and-platform-next-game-studios/