Pen Pen TriIceLon

From Sega Retro

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Penpen title.png

Pen Pen TriIceLon
System(s): Sega Dreamcast
Publisher: Infogrames (US/EU), General Entertainment (JP)
Developer:
Genre: Racing

















Number of players: 1-4
Release Date RRP Code

PenPen TriIcelon (ペンペン トライアイスロン), known simply as PenPen in Europe, is a Sega Dreamcast racing game by General Entertainment. It was one of the first Dreamcast games to be announced, along with General Entertainment's other game Godzilla Generations and was a launch title for the system in Japan, North America and Europe.

As the name suggests, there are three types of gameplay involved during the races, running, sliding and swimming. The player controls one of eight characters through a series of races. There are also many unlockable costumes.

Gameplay

PenPen TriIceLon is a 1-4 Player triathlon game consisting of running, belly-sliding and swimming. Each player controls a penguin-hybrid (PenShark, PenOctopus, PenSeal) and races in one of 4 worlds: Sweets, Jungle, Toys and Horror. There are 5 races in each world: Easy, Medium, Hard, VS. Same and VS. Hanamizu, where you have to race against a cheater. In every race except Easy, there is also an obstacle somewhere in the walking area. A list of the characters and worlds (including where the obstacles are) is below.

Characters

Sparky is a happy-go-lucky, though childish, PenPen that absolutely loves speed. He loves giving his best shot at racing.

Jaw is a scary PenShark that is very wild. He is rough when he's angry.

Tina is a cutsy PenPen that is very selfish. She loves to make herself look as cute as possible.

Back is a very laid-back PenSeal, and loves to take things nice and easy. Though rare, when he gets angry he can frighten people.

Sneak is a very comedic PenOctopus. He's probably the Bill Cosby of the PenPen world. Sometimes his mischievous plots backfire on himself.

Mr. Bow is a reckless PenDog, often leaping without looking. He always jumps headfirst into things with no though of his safety.

Ballery is the only PenHippo on the planet that is able to speak. She loves to interrupt other people's conversations, acting on jealousy.

Hanamizu... Let's just leave it as the mysterious PenPen we don't know anything about, OK?

Worlds

Sweets

This world is owned by Mrs. Cream, and is mainly composed of snow, ice, and edible food. The obstacle in this course is when the PenPens walk into the room with the windmills, and they start spinning and blowing the racers all over the room, preventing them from reaching the other end.

Jungle

This world is owned by Unga Pogo, and he just loves outdoor stuff. The obstacle in the jungle is a spinning roulette found in the middle of the IceBat Cave. It spins for a long time, then pauses for a brief amount of time, then spins again.

Toys

This colorful animated world is a large toy box owned by Bambi Mask. The obstacle here is where the large open space in the second half of the walking segment becomes a lake, and you either trudge through the lake or bounce off the rubber duckies to get to the next part.

Horror

This spooky dark world is owned by Horror Man, at age 4771, and loves to scare people. The obstacle is found when you cross two small pools of green water (Yuk!), and spooky hands pop out and attack you. When hit, you stay down for a while before you get back up.

Reception

PenPen TriIceLon was given a C+ by Game Revolution. However, the game was criticized for it being short.

Physical Scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
60 №3, p134
85 №84, p98/99
75 №95, p156
70 №3, p80
86 №2
Sega Dreamcast
75
Based on
5 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Ação Games (BR)
95
[1]
Arcade (UK) NTSC-J
50
[2]
Arcade (UK) PAL
50
[3]
Consoles + (FR) NTSC-J
85
[4]
Consoles + (FR) PAL
75
[5]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
50
[6]
Dreamcast Monthly (UK) PAL
70
[7]
Digitiser (UK)
72
[8]
Dreamcast: Le Magazine Officiel (FR) PAL
50
[9]
Dreamcast: Das Offizielle Magazin (DE) PAL
50
[10]
Dreamcast Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
80
[11]
Dreamcast Magazine (UK) PAL
86
[12]
Dorimaga (JP) NTSC-J
80
[13]
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
50
[14]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
55
[15]
Entsiklopediya igr dlya Dreamcast (RU)
81
[16]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
63
[17]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
60
[18]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
33
[19]
Gamers' Republic (US) NTSC-J
67
[20]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J
55
[21]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
55
[22]
Man!ak (PL)
65
[23]
Next Generation (US) NTSC-U
25
[24]
neXt Level (DE) NTSC-J
75
[25]
Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK) PAL
60
[26]
Official Dreamcast Magazine (US)
50
[27]
Player One (FR)
67
[28]
Revista Oficial Dreamcast (ES) PAL
40
[29]
Sega Magazin (DE) NTSC-J
74
[30]
Strana Igr (RU)
80
[31]
Strana Igr (RU)
73
[32]
Total Control (UK) NTSC-J
82
[33]
Sega Dreamcast
64
Based on
33 reviews

Pen Pen TriIceLon

Dreamcast, US
PenPen DC US Box Back.jpgPenPen DC US Box Front.jpg
Cover
PenPen DC US Disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, EN/ES/IT
Penpen dc enesit backcover.jpgPenpen dc eu frontcover.jpg
Cover
Penpen dc eu disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, DE/FR/NL
Penpen dc defrnl backcover.jpgPenpen dc eu frontcover.jpg
Cover
Penpen dc eu disc.jpg
Disc
Dreamcast, JP
PenPen DC JP Box Back.jpgPenPen DC JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Penpen dc jp disc.png
Disc

External Links

  • Ação Games, "Janeiro 1999" (BR; 199x-xx-xx), page 20
  • Arcade, "February 1999" (UK; 1999-01-13), page 134
  • Arcade, "December 1999" (UK; 1999-11-01), page 99
  • Consoles +, "Janvier 1999" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 98
  • Consoles +, "Décembre 1999" (FR; 1999-1x-xx), page 156
  • Computer & Video Games, "January 2000" (UK; 1999-12-15), page 85
  • Dreamcast Monthly, "November 1999" (UK; 1999-11-18), page 80
  • Digitiser (UK) (1999-10-13)
  • Dreamcast: Le Magazine Officiel, "Décembre 1999/Janvier 2000" (FR; 1999-12-xx), page 96
  • Dreamcast: Das Offizielle Magazin, "Januar 2000" (DE; 2000-01-13), page 20
  • Dreamcast Magazine, "1998-03 (1998-12-04)" (JP; 1998-11-20), page 26
  • Dreamcast Magazine, "No. 2" (UK; 1999-10-21), page 66
  • Dorimaga, "2002-18 (2002-10-11)" (JP; 2002-09-27), page 34
  • Edge, "January 1999" (UK; 1998-12-23), page 87
  • Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1999" (US; 1999-09-07), page 220
  • Entsiklopediya igr dlya Dreamcast, "Izdaniye chetvertoye, dopolnennoye" (RU; 2002-xx-xx), page 155
  • Famitsu, "1998-12-04" (JP; 1998-11-20), page 35
  • GameFan, "Volume 7, Issue 11: November 1999" (US; 1999-xx-xx), page 20
  • Game Informer, "October 1999" (US; 1999-xx-xx), page 90
  • Gamers' Republic, "February 1999" (US; 1999-01-15), page 82
  • MAN!AC, "02/99" (DE; 1999-01-07), page 39
  • MAN!AC, "04/2000" (DE; 2000-03-04), page 65
  • Man!ak, "Listopad 1999" (PL; 1999-xx-xx), page 24
  • Next Generation, "December 1999" (US; 1999-11-23), page 104
  • neXt Level, "Januar 1999" (DE; 1998-12-18), page 11
  • Official Dreamcast Magazine, "December 1999" (UK; 1999-11-11), page 81
  • Official Dreamcast Magazine, "November 1999" (US; 1999-10-05), page 113
  • Player One, "Décembre 1999" (FR; 1999-xx-xx), page 136
  • Revista Oficial Dreamcast, "Enero 2000" (ES; 1999-12-20), page 39
  • Sega Magazin, "Februar 1999" (DE; 1998-12-28), page 14
  • Strana Igr, "Yanvar 1999 2/2" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 7
  • Strana Igr, "Sentyabr 2000 2/2" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 20
  • Total Control, "January 1999" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 154