Smashboards Creates: A PBS Kids Crossover Video Game

[AlteredBeast]

Intro

After the major success of PBS Kids: Brawltime! and its DLC, PBS Kids is now willing to expand into the world of other genres of video games. Given that this multiverse of educational characters is quite popular for older adults and younger children, it's time we give the channel more representation in the gaming universe. The good people of Smashboards have been asked to help contribute ideas for the game. After all, PBS Kids is a channel funded by the public. So...why not have the public's help? Of course, we will do the important stuff like the playable characters and the worlds in the game but....there will be other fun surprises too to really make this game pop! So...use your imagination and let's gooooo!

Spoiler: Characters

TBD

 

[AlteredBeast]

Job 1:

Choose a genre of video game for the PBS Kids crossover game. You CANNOT say platform fighter given there is already PBS Kids: Brawltime! Please explain your rationale behind why your genre should be chosen. Also, explain how big the scope of the game will be from the character roster, modes, stages, etc. We really need a fun genre all ages can enjoy! Get submitting and use your imagination!

 

[Cyborg Sun]

This time, I'll be around from the very beginning of this, can't wait to help build a brand new concept up from the ground up...

Job 1 Choice: Action-RPG (Ultimate Alliance styled 4-player team game)

All the bias towards this one, as the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance is one of my favorite games of all time... but, having a simple action-packed team game is perfect for almost any family-friendly media crossover. A game like this would provide a fun whirlwind tour of various PBS Kids worlds through both its roster and its levels. Movesets under this format could be easier to create and manage under this genre, as it's quite a bit more casual-focused compared to a competitive fighter of any type.

As for the game's scope... I want to use the vanilla release of the first Ultimate Alliance as a baseline (before any DLC or console exclusives), so that's 23 characters and 12 whole levels to start with. But I wanna take it a bit further than that... so here's what I came up with. Maybe this can adjusted later down the line though if it seems a bit much, or even if you think there should be more...

-32 Characters (8 full possible unique teams!)
-15 Levels (split across 5 story acts)
-3 Full Modes (Main Story Mode included, other 2 are fun bonus modes, probably pseudo-multiplayer party focused)
-Unlockable Gallery Collectibles (number is unspecified here lol)

All of this is before any kind of DLC, by the way. If this is chosen, it'll be a packed launch!

 

[Northsouthmap]

Kart Racer
PBS Kids and its collection of cartoon characters would fit well with the racing game genre. PBS Kids has also made racing games before.

Character Roster: 25 Characters
Stage Roster: 30 Stages
Mode Roster: 2 Modes (Story Mode, Battle Mode)

 

[Mozart1756]

Job #1-3D Platformer

The 3D platformer I think will happen will play similarly to the 3D Mario games where you (as Dash) will travel to different worlds of various PBS KIDS shows past and present and are task to complete various challenges like defeating a boss or solving a puzzle from various characters. The rewards or in this case the power stars you obtain will be the PBS or P-head logos upon completion and will help you further progress in the game


Level Roster-About 25-30 Levels
Mode Roster-(Story Mode, Minigames, Co-op)


Also, I really liked the whole PBS Brawltime forum before I became a user and loved the idea and would like to be part to continue thinking of new PBS KIDS game ideas

 

[AlteredBeast]

Oh man....sorry I forgot this thread. Real-life stuff got in the way. But, time for my submission!

Job 1

Party Game (ala Mario Party)

Ok so many different franchises have tried to do a Mario Party-esque game including Nick Jr. themselves recently. Why not let PBS Kids have a go at the party game genre? Mario Party was one of my first video games that I played ever (that being Mario Party 7 for the GameCube) so the party game genre holds a special place in my heart. Imagine cool boards based on the PBS Kids worlds such as a Sesame Street board, Elwood City, Land of Make Believe. Heck, even an Island of Sodor board would be hella fun! Also, I feel the minigames could reference deep-cut stuff from various episodes from PBS Kids shows, the PBS Kids website games and video games based on their IPs, etc. similar to how PBS Kids: Brawltime! referenced a lot of deep cut PBS Kids stuff.

Also, because a variety of PBS Kids shows have had teamwork and co-operation as a theme, why not make that centric in this PBS Kids party game if this genre gets chosen? Various PBS Kids characters can act as items to assist you in various ways for those worlds not represented by playable character or board. How fun! Overall, this genre has lots of potential for a PBS Kids crossover game!

Content for Base Game (there will be DLC regardless of what genre gets chosen)

Character Roster: 15-16 Characters (3-4 may be unlockable)
Board Amount: 10-11 Boards (2-3 may be unlockable)
Team Players (the game's items represented by various PBS Kids characters): 30-35 ish
Modes:
-Party Mode
-Story Mode/a single player mode
-Minigame Mode
-Some other multiplayer mode we can come up with
-Online Mode (similar to Super Mario Party Jamboree, there will be a competitive format)
-Options

I will leave this job open till Wednesday hopefully so get your ideas in!

 

[Mozart1756]

It's been a while, whose game genre will we be making?