Difference between revisions of "Socks the Cat Rocks the House"
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==Story== | ==Story== | ||
[[File:SockstheCatRockstheHill SocksClinton.png|thumb|200px|Socks Clinton was known for his adventurous personality.]] | [[File:SockstheCatRockstheHill SocksClinton.png|thumb|200px|Socks Clinton was known for his adventurous personality.]] | ||
− | [[wikipedia:Socks Clinton|Socks]], the White House cat, discovers the missing portable [[wikipedia:nuclear missile|nuclear missile]] launch unit in his favorite napping spot, the basement of a foreign embassy. To avoid mass destruction he must return it to the [[wikipedia:White House|White House]] and alert the first family. But, a foreign [[wikipedia:Espionage|spy ring]] has their own political agenda. They want to see Socks run, and not for political office! | + | [[wikipedia:Socks Clinton|Socks]], the White House cat, discovers the missing portable [[wikipedia:nuclear missile|nuclear missile]] launch unit in his favorite napping spot, the basement of a foreign embassy. To avoid mass destruction he must return it to the [[wikipedia:White House|White House]] and alert the [[wikipedia:First family of the United States|first family]]. But, a foreign [[wikipedia:Espionage|spy ring]] has their own political agenda. They want to see Socks run, and not for political office! |
The chase begins. Socks must overcome the likes of foreign spies, Enemy Animal Agents, [[wikipedia:politician|politicians]], [[wikipedia:United States Secret Service|secret service]] agents and the ever-present [[wikipedia:White House press corps|media corp.]] To keep the party alive, Socks pounces, tumbles and negotiates his way out of the intricate secret passages and puzzles of [[wikipedia:Washington D.C.|Washington]]. This cat is in a ring of trouble, but not over the hill yet!{{fileref|GamePro US 051.pdf|page=7}} | The chase begins. Socks must overcome the likes of foreign spies, Enemy Animal Agents, [[wikipedia:politician|politicians]], [[wikipedia:United States Secret Service|secret service]] agents and the ever-present [[wikipedia:White House press corps|media corp.]] To keep the party alive, Socks pounces, tumbles and negotiates his way out of the intricate secret passages and puzzles of [[wikipedia:Washington D.C.|Washington]]. This cat is in a ring of trouble, but not over the hill yet!{{fileref|GamePro US 051.pdf|page=7}} | ||
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==History== | ==History== | ||
===Background=== | ===Background=== | ||
− | Partly due to the ongoing media coverage of 42nd President of the United States [[wikipedia:Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]] and his affable personality, the [[wikipedia: | + | Partly due to the ongoing media coverage of 42nd President of the United States [[wikipedia:Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]] and his affable personality, the [[wikipedia:First family of the United States|first family]]'s pet cat [[wikipedia:Socks Clinton|Socks Clinton]] also found himself thrust into the limelight. Socks' frequent appearances on the [[wikipedia:James S. Brady Press Briefing Room|Press Briefing Room]]'s lectern eventually bestowed him with enough household name recognition to be sought out by [[Kaneko USA]] for an officially-licensed video game tie-in. Seeking to capitalize on the cat's newfound popularity, and inspired by the success of previous mascot platform games like ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'', Kaneko USA began production of a similar title - one starring Socks himself. |
+ | |||
+ | ==Promotion== | ||
+ | ''{{PAGENAME}}'' was one of the Western game industry's more high-profile mascot platformers; one of few to star a real person, and one that already had a fair amount of household name recognition. Due to this, [[Kaneko USA]] was able to base the game's promotion directly on this recognition, banking on the assumption that many Americans were already familiar with Socks from his appearances in contemporary political coverage, and leaning heavily on the cat's association with photogenic owners, the [[wikipedia:First family of the United States|first family]]. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The game's prototype cover artworks, and the vast majority of its marketing, features a caricaturized Socks donning black sunglasses and flashing an attitude-laden grin at the viewer. The cat appears rising out of a saxophone played by [[wikipedia:Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]], an accomplished saxophonist also known for his well-televised saxophone performances. | ||
===Cancellation=== | ===Cancellation=== |
Revision as of 19:40, 2 November 2021
Socks the Cat Rocks the House |
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System(s): Sega Mega Drive |
Publisher: Kaneko USA[1] |
Licensor: Presidential Socks Partnership[1] |
Planned release date(s): 1993-11[2], 1994-03[3], 1994-04[4] |
Genre: Action |
Number of players: 1 |
This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.
Socks the Cat Rocks the House, also known as Socks Rocks the House[5] and Socks the Cat Rocks the House[2], is an unreleased Sega Mega Drive action platform game developed by an unknown studio[5] and scheduled to be published by Kaneko USA.[1] Starring the titular Socks Clinton[1] (pet cat of 42nd President of the United States Bill Clinton) in an attitude-colored mascot platformer role, it was first advertised for a November 1993 release date[2], only to be eventually pushed back to March 1994[3], with the final possibility of a launch the following month[4] being missed entirely.
Contents
Story
Socks, the White House cat, discovers the missing portable nuclear missile launch unit in his favorite napping spot, the basement of a foreign embassy. To avoid mass destruction he must return it to the White House and alert the first family. But, a foreign spy ring has their own political agenda. They want to see Socks run, and not for political office!
The chase begins. Socks must overcome the likes of foreign spies, Enemy Animal Agents, politicians, secret service agents and the ever-present media corp. To keep the party alive, Socks pounces, tumbles and negotiates his way out of the intricate secret passages and puzzles of Washington. This cat is in a ring of trouble, but not over the hill yet![1]
Gameplay
History
Background
Partly due to the ongoing media coverage of 42nd President of the United States Bill Clinton and his affable personality, the first family's pet cat Socks Clinton also found himself thrust into the limelight. Socks' frequent appearances on the Press Briefing Room's lectern eventually bestowed him with enough household name recognition to be sought out by Kaneko USA for an officially-licensed video game tie-in. Seeking to capitalize on the cat's newfound popularity, and inspired by the success of previous mascot platform games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Kaneko USA began production of a similar title - one starring Socks himself.
Promotion
Socks the Cat Rocks the House was one of the Western game industry's more high-profile mascot platformers; one of few to star a real person, and one that already had a fair amount of household name recognition. Due to this, Kaneko USA was able to base the game's promotion directly on this recognition, banking on the assumption that many Americans were already familiar with Socks from his appearances in contemporary political coverage, and leaning heavily on the cat's association with photogenic owners, the first family.
The game's prototype cover artworks, and the vast majority of its marketing, features a caricaturized Socks donning black sunglasses and flashing an attitude-laden grin at the viewer. The cat appears rising out of a saxophone played by Bill Clinton, an accomplished saxophonist also known for his well-televised saxophone performances.
Cancellation
Along with its Super Famicom counterpart, Socks the Cat Rocks the House is thought to have been cancelled following the closure of publisher Kaneko USA. It would remain unheard of for the next 25 years, until an aftermarket seller acquired a prototype copy of the Super Famicom version and released in on a run of physical cartridges. While that version's ROM was soon dumped, the Mega Drive version's whereabouts remain unknown.
Physical scans
Promotional material
Magazine articles
- Main article: Socks the Cat Rocks the House/Magazine articles.
External links
- Socks the Cat Rocks the Hill article by Evan G. at Snes Central
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 File:GamePro US 051.pdf, page 7
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 GamePro, "September 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 141
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mega, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-17), page 89
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mega, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 81
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://snescentral.com/article.php?id=0094
- ↑ GamePro, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 7