Toy Story: Activity Center CD-ROM Game

Image from gokpt.com

 In April 1996, Disney Interactive released three Toy Story computer games on CD-ROM, one of them being this Toy Story Activity Center. I was the perfect age for this game, just about six years old, when it was released and I remember being so excited getting it (along with the Animated Storybook: Toy Story game) in my Easter basket that year.

It has been years now since I've played the game, but I still do have my original CD-ROM disc back at home. For this post, I watched the "game play" on YouTube (thanks to YouTuber Brett Darien) and took screen shots of all the areas/activities in the game. Man did it bring back memories...I remembered almost every detail like no time had passed at all. If you grew up playing the game as well, be prepared for some major nostalgia below...

 
After the opening titles, you're taken to the sign in screen with Woody giving you some simple instructions on how to get started.

After you've signed your name and clicked on the Luxo ball, you head to the main area in Andy's bedroom. Woody gives a brief overview on how things work in the game and then it's all up to you to decide where you want to go. You have three locations to choose from; you can stay in Andy's room, visit Pizza Planet or head over to Sid's room. Each area has three activities to play (for a total of nine activities throughout, even though the cover of the game says eight).

Let's first take a look at the three activities included in Andy's room, starting with "Sums Up" with Hamm. In this card game, the objective is to strategically play your cards to stay under the limit number (seen on Etch), while still trying to get the opponent to go over. In other words, whoever places down the card sending the sum total of the cards over the limit number is the loser. In level one the limit is 39, in level two the limit is 69 and in level three the limit is 99.

This next game is a "Marble Art" activity with Rex. In this one, reminiscent of "Lite-Brite", there really isn't any objective except to make cool art by placing the colored marbles anywhere in the board. You're totally free here to just create whatever you want and even add "special effects" to your image by clicking the Little-Tikes seen at the bottom of the board.

This is a fun activity that I remember spending lots of time playing. Young kids will absolutely love it!

Last here in Andy's room, but not least, is the "Five in a Row" game with Slinky and Mr. Spell. The object here is exactly what the name says...to be able to place five characters on the board in a row, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, while also preventing your opponent from doing the same (almost exactly like the game Connect Four). You choose whichever side you'd like to play, the Little Tikes or the Green Army Men, and have the option of playing against the computer or with a friend.

Now let's take a trip over to Pizza Planet to see what intergalactic fun we can have over there...

The first here of the three activities is "Slimon"-a classic"Simon Says" type game with a slimy space alien twist. The object is simple yet can be challenging: remember the order in which the aliens spray there slime and then repeat it back to them by clicking on the aliens in the same order. The aliens spray five times in level one, ten times in level two and 20 times in level three. Also, like with "Five in a Row", you have the option to play either against the computer or a friend.

Tired from all that memorization? Not a problem...just put your feet up and take a few minutes to relax at the "Mystic Portal Theater" located in the mission control tower. There you can watch six of the most iconic and memorable scenes from the film!

Lastly, head into the inner workings of the "crane game" for this 3D puzzle activity called "Fusion Flow." While avoiding the red stars, help Buzz fix the rocket's "launch mechanism" by placing pipes within the 3D maze to connect point A with point B. The game does get more challenging as you move up through the second and third difficulty levels.

Once you're done playing the activities at Pizza Planet, it's time to head over to Sid Phillips' deranged bedroom to finish things up.  

I remember this activity, the "Mutant Toy Creator", was one of my favorites. Here you can assemble your own disturbing "mutant toy" by choosing from a variety of different bodies, heads, arms and legs...then watch it as it comes to life as it dances around! The possibilities are endless.  

Next we have the "Sid's Sonic Boombox" activity where you can create your own soundtrack. Choose instruments and sound effects from his sound library and drop them into the 12 empty windows. From there, you can add all sorts of effects such as adjusting the pitch and tempo or adding reverb. Press play to hear your masterpiece. 

In this puzzle game, "Code Breaker", the objective is to save Buzz- who managed to get himself trapped in Sid's "electronic locking device." You can help Buzz out by solving the puzzles seen below him. There are four categories of puzzles with four puzzles within each category. Solve all 16 puzzles to release Buzz from the grip of Sid's wacky mechanism and save the day!

Well there we have it! The Toy Story Activity Center...a classic game that, like the film, still holds up today. If you have a computer this might still be compatible with, I can't recommend it enough! If you're interested, you can pick up this game on Amazon HERE.

One final note: Want to really trigger some memories? Check out the commercial for this game (that originally played in front of the Toy Story on VHS) below:

Monsters University: Imaginext Scare Games Play Set

From Fisher-Price's Imaginext line of toys, here we have the Monsters University Scare Games play set!

This set represents two of the five Scare Games seen in the film. The bottom level of the play set is based on the "Toxicity Challenge" (that takes place in the university's sewers) and the upper level represents the final "Simulated Scare Challenge" (that takes place at the scaring stadium).

There are two standard plastic Imaginext figures included, Sulley and Omar. Unlike the two Sulleys that were released in the standard figure packs, this one doesn't include an Oozma Kappa sweater or a MU jacket...so I'm especially glad I grabbed this set so I can have all three versions as part of my collection. The only other ways to get this basic Sulley is by getting the Monsters Inc. Factory play set or Sulley's truck vehicle. The Omar figure is exactly the same as the standard 3-pack release (as seen in this post).

This is a well made, colorful, durable play set with some fun sounds (requires/includes two AA batteries) and play features:

• Includes a removable canon that can be placed in a variety of different spots on the set. Insert one of the two included glow in the dark "stinging glow urchins" to fire them at the scare games competitors. 

• Includes removable EEK and JOX banners that can be hung anywhere on the set where hooks are located.  

•  Includes a removable score board that also can be placed in multiple areas on the set.

• Place a character on the base on the bottom level (as seen above with Sulley) and twist the red knob. The character will move side to side, the obstacles will spin and you'll hear a variety of different movie phrases and screams. 

• Turn the red knob on the top level to make the scare simulator "test kid" pop up with scream sounds from Mike Wazowski (as seen below).

 
Additionally, there is an opening hatch on the top of the play set, which I assume represents going down into the sewer.

If you have a young Monsters University fan, I can't recommend this play set enough. They don't get much more fun than this, especially if you have other figures and sets to go with it. The age range is approximately 3-8 years old and sells for about $29.99 (although it did come out over a year ago and can now usually be found on sale). If you interested in picking this up online, you can find it on Amazon or eBay using the link below:
Monsters University: Imaginext Scare Games Play Set

Be sure to check out the other toys from my Monsters Inc./University Imaginext collection: University Row Play Set and Figure Packs, CDA Copter and the CDA Van.

Toy Story: Animated Storybook CD-ROM Game

Image from Amazon.com

I was five years old in November 1995 when Toy Story was released in theaters. While I can't say I remember actually sitting in the theater watching it, I remember how much I absolutely loved it. I also very vividly remember what seemed to be forever waiting for it to be released on VHS.

Back then, movies didn't come out on home video just three months after their release in theaters like they do now. Nope, I had to wait until October 29th, 1996 to be able to watch my favorite movie again-almost a whole year since its release in theaters. That doesn't seem too long now of course, but to a five year old, it was a fifth of my lifetime!

During the wait, there really weren't a ton of options to get Toy Story into my life. There was collecting the toys (which you know I did), listening to the soundtrack on cassette (which I loved to play through my Toy Story Mr. Mike tape player) and reading some of the early books (like this Toy Story Pop-Up Book).

In April 1996, Disney Interactive finally released a couple of computer games, including this Disney's Animated Storybook: Toy Story (which ended up being being the best software title of the year, with over 500,000 copies sold). This was a game changer for me (yes, pun intended). While it would still be another good six months before I could own the movie, I could now play the film's most memorable scenes right at my computer.

 A vivid memory I still think about to this day is when I sneaked downstairs in the middle of the night (past my parents bedroom to our family computer) to play this game. I remember being just so excited for the movie to come out and thinking that playing the game would be as close as I could get to watching it. My mom (having heard me sneak downstairs) then came into the room where I was and, of course, wondered what I was doing up so late playing on the computer. She lovingly appreciated my excitement for Toy Story and let me play out a couple of the scenes before sending me back off to my room for bed.

It has been years now since I've played the game, but I still do have my original CD-ROM disc back at home. For this post, I watched the "game play" on YouTube (thanks to YouTuber TheBlueJay) and took a screen shot of all the scenes in the game. Man did it bring back memories...I remembered almost every detail like no time had passed at all. If you grew up playing the game as well, be prepared for some major nostalgia below...

 After the opening titles, you are taken to the game's home screen (featuring Hamm as the host). From there you have some options. You can have Hamm read you the story and be able to play the included games (by clicking the little Hamm cartoon with the book and the ball on the bottom left of the screen) or you can have Hamm read you the story straight through, without the ability to play around on each page (by clicking on the little Hamm cartoon holding only the book). The Hamm cartoon of him walking away with the book is the exit button. The Star Command logo on the top is how you navigate through the story with the center "rocket ship" being your "home screen" button.

The story starts with the toys during their "staff meeting" about Andy's birthday party. As with every page in this "animated storybook", you can click on almost anything to give life to the scene (such as characters moving, talking, etc). There are actually some pretty funny moments!

On the next "page", you'll find one of three games during the story. In this one below, the object is to put the toys back where they belong. There are three difficulty levels (difficult is relative here though of course, since this is a game meant for kids 3-8 years old): level one has shadows helping you know where to put the toys, level two removes the shadows and has Woody telling you "hot or cold" and level three has Woody describing the toy and where to put it.

 During this "Buzz Lightyear Arrives" page, you can spin Buzz's spaceship packaging around for a 360 degree view and even take him out to test out all of his action features.

Click on all the characters in this scene below to see what they have to say about Buzz's arrival (and even look though Lenny's binoculars).

This page is pretty neat. Click on the lamp, poster, drawing, watch, bed, hat and trash can to see Andy's western themed room be transformed into a Buzz Lightyear themed room.

On the next page, you play a part in Woody's plan by helping make sure all the toys are in the correct position to form a chain reaction-ultimately knocking Buzz out the window.

On this Dinoco gas station page, watch Buzz and Woody battle it out in hilarious ways by clicking on them and virtually anything else you see here in the scene.

Yes, the story wouldn't be complete without a visit to Pizza Planet! Click around on anything and everything you see here for some funny moments. My favorite line comes about from Buzz by clicking on the arcade game. He stands up on the console and says "great Scott! He's tearing that man's heart out! This is a strange, violent civilization you have here sheriff."

Ah, the iconic Pizza Planet crane game. The object of this one is, once again, simple: Pick whichever colored aliens (that show up on the Pizza Planet board) out of the rocket and place them in the corresponding backpack. There three levels of difficulty for this problem solving activity.

Explore Sid Phillips' creepy room with a flashlight on this page and be sure to click on any item you see to bring the scene to life.

During this page, you can click on the mutant toys (and other objects in this scene) to see each character's critical part in Woody's elaborate escape plan.

Click around on this page to see the toys get their revenge on Sid and give him "the shock of his life."

In this third and last game included in the storybook, the object is to navigate Buzz, Woody and RC to the back of the moving van before being caught by Scud, Sid's dog. As you move up in difficulty levels, more roadblocks (including literal "caution" roadblocks and red lights) make it harder to get to the truck.

Help the toys get Buzz, Woody and RC into the moving van by clicking on the different characters in this scene below.

This last Christmas scene is pretty cool as it shows the toys downstairs by the Christmas tree, rather than being in Andy's bedroom. It's almost as like this scene takes place right before the final scene we see in the film. Anyway, again, there are some pretty hilarious moments as you click around on different characters and objects including: Buzz ballet dancing to the Nutcracker theme song (reminiscent of his Spanish dancing in Toy Story 3) and a Lost in Space reference when you click on Robot (he says "ok, ok, ok. Who am I? Danger, danger Will Robinson."). My favorite line in the whole storybook though happens here when you click on the firemen Little Tikes. One goes off screen, grabs a little present, brings it to the other one and says "this, this is for you.". The other one says "thank you. Mittens. Just what I needed" (both in a deep monotone voices). I just get a kick out of it every time!

In the credits for the game, you'll see some familiar Pixar names (such as Jeff Pidgeon, Joe Ranft, John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton) and may notice that Buzz and Woody are not voiced by the original actors, but rather by Pat Fraley and Jim Hanks (Tom's Hanks' brother).

Also, I find the note at the end of the "special thanks" section kind of funny... to "all the kids that tested earlier versions."
 

This is a fun, funny, classic and simple game that I couldn't recommend enough for young Toy Story fans. Although it may not work on most modern computers, you can pick it up on Amazon if you're interested HERE.

UPDATE: Who remembers this commercial for the Toy Story computer games that played in front of the original video? Hope this brings back memories...