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Tak and the Power of Juju (PS2)

The PAL PS2 version's cover-art.

Tak and the Power of Juju (sometimes refered to as Tak 1, and can be abbreviated as TatPoJ) is the first game in the Tak and the Power of Juju series. The game was developed by Avalanche Software, and released on the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America on October 15, 2003, and in the PAL Region on March 12, 2004.

Plot[]

The game opens with Jibolba, a Shaman, summoning the player. He then tells the Pupanunu People's Prophecy, as it has come true. After Jibolba was named the High Shaman of the Pupanunu Village, the other Shaman, Tlaloc an evil ,grew & angry shaman. In his rage, as long he and his minions, Pins and Needles 2 voodoo dolls, snuck into the Moon Temple and stole the sacred Moonstones to weaken the power of the Moon Juju who protected the village. Tlaloc then used the power of the moonstones to turn the defenseless villagers into Sheep. Jibolba could only save a few, including his apprentice Tak.

After telling the player about the prophecy, Jibolba asks Tak to fetch the great warrior Lok for him, only to discover that Lok was among those who were turned into sheep. In order to return Lok to his normal form, Jibolba sends Tak to collect nine Magical Nubu Plants.

Game Logo

The Game Logo

Guided by a Juju named Flora moon juju's daughter, Tak goes to the Burial Grounds, Lower Tree Village, and either Chicken Island or Dryrock Canyon in search of the plants. After returning to Jibolba with nine plants, Jibolba performs a spell on the sheep, and it is revealed that it is not Lok, but his squire, Tobar. While Jibolba sorts everything out, he sends Tak to the Upper Tree Village to get the Spirit Rattle. When Tak arrives in the Upper Tree Village, he must fight Pins and Needles to get the rattle. When he returns, Tak learns that Lok was flattened and killed by a sheep stampede. In a last ditch effort, Jibolba instructs Tak to collect 100 Yorbels and retrieve Lok's Spirit from the Spirit World in order to resurrect him.

Tak goes to a variety of locations and collects all the needed items. When he returns, Jibolba manages to resurrect Lok, but just as Lok is about to set off, he runs to the outhouse. Jibolba informs Tak that Lok is suffering from Resurrection's Revenge. While Lok muddles through his affliction, Jibolba gives Tak the Amulet of Champions so he can access to the areas with the Moonstones. Tak then goes to Chicken Temple, Sun Temple, and Mountain Top North. In each of these locations, he battles Pins and Needles for the moonstones.

Once Tak returns with all three of the moonstones, Jibolba restores the Moon Juju's power, and it is revealed that Tak has fulfilled the prophecy, not Lok. She sends Tak to the Dark Temple to fight Tlaloc. Here, Tak fights Tlaloc across different platforms, slowly destroying the giant plant that serves as the source of his power. In the end, Tlaloc turns Flora into an Orangutan. She then launches Tak into the plant and he turns Tlaloc into a sheep. Flora then launches Tlaloc into the exploding plant, which sends Tlaloc to Mountain Top where he is attacked by Rams. After this, Tak and Flora head back to the village.

Levels[]

Characters[]

Jujus[]

Cast[]

Reception[]

Although Tak and the Power of Juju met with great hype, the final product was abnormaly met average scores. Most of the complaints come from the main hunt of Yorbels in the levels of the game and the extreme levels of backtracking.

The Game Boy Advance version of Tak and the Power of Juju received generally favorable reviews with an aggregate score of 79% byMetacritic.[8] GameZone rated the game 7/10, stating it is "well done, but typical of the genre." The GameCube version of Tak and the Power of Juju received mixed or average reviews with an aggregate score of 71% by Metacritic.[9]GameZone rated the game 8.4/10, stating "Tak and the Power of Juju appears to be a kiddie game, but it's much more than that.

The PlayStation 2 version of Tak and the Power of Juju received mixed or average reviews with an aggregate score of 68% by Metacritic.[10] Play Magazine rated the game 83%, stating "Tak is one of the most detailed platformers I've ever seen, and possesses a measure of style that sets the universe apart".[7] IGN rated the game 7.9/10, stating "Perhaps it's because of the goofy main character, a humorous plot line, or some creative ways to present age old puzzles, but you're compelled to play through Tak."[5] GameZone rated the game 7.8/10, stating it "will give younger players a lot of replay time, but it is not a title for older gamers."[4] Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine rated the game 70%, stating "After a few hours, the boredom sets in, and the number of reasons you have for wanting to beat the damn thing is less than one. It's just not fun enough."

Sequels[]

The Original Series would be made into Tak and the Power of Juju (Television Series). It would release two games during its run:

Trivia[]

  • According to Avalanche Studio's John Blackburn, Tak was conceived in 1996 and then pitched to THQ and Nickelodeon.
  • This was the first game licensed by Nick Games not based on a Nickelodeon cartoon series. This was new for the time, as no game company that was based around a television channel had done this before.
  • It's possible that the Gameboy Advance version was completed before the console version, for Lok's and Tlaloc's sprites resemble their conceptual art more than their final designs and Dead Juju going by Death Juju.

See Also[]

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