Client: BBC
CBBC asked us to make a game for their medicine themed entertainment show, Operation Ouch, resulting in the most disgusting game we have ever made. Operation Ouch: The Snot Apocalypse follows Dr Chris and Dr. Xand as they learn facts about the body and do gross, disgusting and downright dangerous experiments to show just what our anatomy is capable of.
Our game mixes these elements of anatomy and danger in a infinite runner style game which teaches children facts about the body. Dr Chris and Xand have unwittingly released a tidal wave of snot into the English countryside, and are doing their best to run away from it. There are lots of obstacles in the way, from open manholes to great swarms of bees, which they must do their best to avoid, in order to escape!
If the player collides with an obstacle (which is inevitable), a forefeit mini game is triggered whereby the doctor is playing for his life and a chance to continue in the game. There are 10 mini games in all, one for each obstacle, incorporating 3 different types: reflex games, puzzle games and treatment games. In the Dumb Ways to Die style, each mini game is performed under the pressure of a strict time limit so players must quickly understand their objective and perform the required action. By clever use of narrative, the mini games are seamlessly incorporated within the core runner mechanic!
Operation Ouch: The Snotapocalypse is the first time we’ve used an 8-bit art style. Mixing this with blocky, Crossy Road inspired visuals for the runner segments and a chiptune remix of the show’s theme creates an instantly classic video game look and feel! Every segment of this game has been fine tuned for maximum fun and hilarity and we are really proud of it. Not only is the game a winner of the coveted Broadcast Digital Award, it also seems to be going down brilliantly with kids, judging by their comments on the CBBC website:
really fun and gross game
love the tasks some are a bit groose
i looovveee this like love it
I got 4052 woohoo!!!
If you’ve yet to play the game, you can find a link to it here on the CBBC website and in app form from iTunes
In 2017 we updated the game to include a brand new hospital level and eight new mini games, making the app almost twice the size and twice as gross as before!
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