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Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone" is an adventure game developed by Humongous Entertainment and published by Infogrames, part of their "Junior Adventure" line and the final entry in the Spy Fox series of games. The game follows the heroic Spy Fox as he prevents a villainess from opening a massive hole in the ozone layer. The game was released for computers in May 2001.
| Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone" | |
|---|---|
 Cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Humongous Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Infogrames[a] |
| Producer(s) | Rachel Frost |
| Designer(s) | Brad Carlton |
| Writer(s) | Brad Carlton |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Engine | SCUMM |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Release | Windows, Macintosh
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Plot
edit
Spy Fox goes undercover in the Scottish Highlands, where he receives a message hidden inside a lipstick container from Agent Roger Boar. Later, Spy Corps' Chief learns that a giant aerosol can is spraying on the ozone layer. Spy Fox then arrives with the message, which is revealed to be a distress message from rocket scientist Plato Pushpin. The Chief then sends Spy Fox to a tiny town called the "Middle of Nowhere", where Monkey Penny and Professor Quack have already set up the Mobile Command Center.
Upon Spy Fox's arrival at the Mobile Command Center, Monkey Penny informs him that Plato Pushpin has been captured by Poodles Galore, the self-appointed Queen of Cosmetics and Pushpin's ex-employer. By disguising as one of Poodles' bowlers, Spy Fox rescues Pushpin, who gives him a list of items needed to create a congeal pill to disarm Poodles' hairspray can, which Poodles plans to use to deplete the ozone layer so everyone will buy her SPF 2001 Sunscreen. Using Pushpin's key card to enter Poodles' cosmetics factory and Professor Quack's Spy Car as a means of transportation, Spy Fox sets out to find and collect these items.
With Spy Fox's help, Pushpin completes the congeal pill and gives it to Fox. Spy Fox then enters the spray can and prepares to toss the pill into the aerosol, only for Poodles to intercept it and trap Fox in a steel net. By using wire cutters that Quack gave him earlier, Fox is able to free himself, take back the congeal pill (without Poodles noticing) and successfully throw the pill into the aerosol. As the can becomes unstable, Spy Fox and Poodles flee, with the latter retreating to her moonbase; if Spy Fox follows her there, a bonus ending will be unlocked.
In the bonus ending, Poodles uses a force field to protect her moonbase from intruders while she plots revenge, but not before Spy Fox sneaks in. Using a fingernail code, Spy Fox deactivates the force field, allowing Monkey Penny and the other Spy Corps. agents to invade the base. Meanwhile, Spy Fox confronts Poodles, who easily overtakes him, but he is rescued by Monkey Penny, who incapacitates and arrests Poodles, ending the game.
Reception
edit| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Just Adventure | A[3] |
| PCMag |   [4] |
| Review Corner |  [5] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Review Corner | Award of Excellence[5] |
| Parents' Choice Award | Gold Honor[6] |
| Children's Software Revue | All Star Award[7] |
| Choosing Children's Software | "Best Pick" Award[7] |
The game was the fifth Top Selling Home Education Software for the week of 5/06/2001-5/12/2001,[8] third for 5/13/2001-5/19/2001,[8] fourth for 5/27/2001-6/2/2001,[9] and third for 6/3/2001-6/9/2001,[9] according to PC Data. In North America alone, Spy Fox 3 sold 77,133 copies during the year 2001.[10]
Review Corner gave the game a score of 4.5 stars in addition an Award of Excellence.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Infogrames Press Release". 2001-08-03. Archived from the original on 2001-08-03. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "Spy Fox 3: "Operation Ozone"". Steam. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ Sluganski, Randy. "Reviews: Freddi Fish 5: The Creature of Coral Cove and Spy Fox in Operation Ozone". Just Adventure. Archived from the original on 4 August 2001. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ^ "Spy Fox 3". Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Spy Fox 3 - Review Corner". May 2001. Archived from the original on October 28, 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
As a nonviolent game the whole family will love, this program is hard to beat.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Parents' Choice Awards - Spy Fox 3". Parents' Choice Award. 2001. Retrieved February 25, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Infogrames Awards - Spy Fox 3". Archived from the original on June 24, 2003. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
- ^ a b "Hits List Results". 2001-06-01. Archived from the original on 2001-06-01. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b "Hits List Results". 2001-06-26. Archived from the original on 2001-06-26. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Sluganski, Randy (March 2002). "State of Adventure Gaming - March 2002 - 2001 Sales Table". Just Adventure. Archived from the original on June 19, 2002.
- ^ The Steam release was co-published by Tommo and Night Dive Studios. The iOS version was published by Tommo.