Feeding Frenzy

If you’re looking for a game that offers a convenient diversion in the form of simply fun entertainment, look no further than the 2004 Feeding Frenzy experience for PC. Though the gameplay is a bit basic, the gradually increasing intensity of each new level is sure to keep players on their toes. Players lead their fish across progressively difficult levels, swallowing smaller fish in order to reach a larger size that can consume any opposing marine life in their path.

Simple Gameplay

Feeding Frenzy is a single-player game with an arcade feel, written by Sprout Games and released in February 2004. After its PC debut, the game was re-released with a version compatible with both Xbox and the Xbox 360. If you’ve ever delved into Slither.io, Feeding Frenzy is a similar concept minus the snake-like protagonist. You control a different fish in each progressing level and attempt to consume smaller fish, stars dropped by mermaids, and pearls cultivated by clams at the bottom of the seabed. The point of the game is survival - as long as you eat enough smaller fish, you’ll reach the next level. The 2D nature of the game combined with basic controls makes it an easy game to pick up and play without much prior knowledge.

Arcade-esque Fun

Due to the game’s simple graphics and addictive gameplay, Feeding Frenzy poses a sense of arcade-like entertainment without the need for a deep understanding of gameplay controls. Even as a game from 2004, the vibrant colors and crisp sound effects add a unique charm to a seemingly-dated video game. Many players agree that the cartoon aesthetic, chomping sounds and upbeat soundtrack are fitting for loyal fans of the hit Pixar production Finding Nemo.

Bottom Line

Feeding Frenzy isn’t exactly a game that keeps most players engaged for hours on end, but it serves its purpose as a quick, addictive experience to distract you for a good while. The difficulty of later levels serves to challenge persistent gamers, and the addition of unlockable achievements as well as online leaderboards adds an extra layer of competition. For a $10 purchase to keep you occupied here and there, you can’t go wrong with the 2004 version of Feeding Frenzy for PC.

I had fun with Feeding Frenzy for a short while, though the basic 2D graphics and relatively bare gameplay lost its luster after a few hours. The game does offer a staggering 40 levels split between five different marine animals, providing players with a bit of depth for longer gameplay should they find sustained entertainment. Additionally, the hazardous inclusion of depth charges, larger predators, naval mines, and even threatening jellyfish add an exciting sense of danger to the gameplay experience.

Pros:

• Gameplay is simple & intuitive
• Crisp sound effects
• Enjoyable action & addictive for a short time

Cons:

• No long-term gameplay fulfillment
• Not much depth due to the limited setting
• A step backwards compared to modern PC games

PopCap Games are a studio I have a lot of time for and Feeding Frenzy was a pretty big hit for them when it was released. This was one of the earlier Xbox Live Arcade titles that I spent a great deal of time with back in the day. I will admit that I feel Feeding Frenzy 2 is a better game overall, but I still thought it would be fun to go back and see how this one holds up.

The Food Chain

The premise of the game is that you are helping a bunch of fish grow form being little, to being much higher up the food chain. There is not much of a story here in the first Feeding Frenzy. However, the game has that PopCap look and charm to it so there is more than enough personality here without there being any actual story. So, you do get a tad invested as the fish are quite nice to look at.

The Beauty Of The Ocean

This game looks great. I will admit that there could be a lot more variety to the various backgrounds as they all kind of blend into each other. Still, this is a nice-looking game. It has a very cartoon style to it which is what most of PopCap’s games look like and I am cool with that. The fish all have an interesting look as they walk a fine line of being realistic looking and also looking like something from a Saturday morning cartoon.

Munch, Munch, Munch!

One area that is a real mixed bag in Feeding Frenzy is the sound design. The music has a kind of under the sea, almost whimsical thing going on. However, you hear the same tune over and over again and after a while, it can get a bit much. There is this munch sound that the fish will make whenever you eat something and while it may sound like it would get annoying, it is a very satisfying sound.

The King Of The Ocean

There are 40 levels for you to play through and you will get to play as a variety of different fish. Working your way up to an orca for the final section of the game. You start off as a very small fish and you have to fill a meter up so that you can grow. When you are small, you can only eat small fish, but as you grow and the meter fills up, you will be able to eat larger fish. You are not just trying to get bigger; you are also trying to get a high score. You have a Frenzy meter and once you fill it, you can move faster and get more points.

Many things want to stop you. These range from depth charges to larger more dangerous fish that want to eat you! It is the kind of game that is easy to pick up and play, but to get to the later levels, you will have to have some quick reflexes.

I think that the first Feeding Frenzy game is pretty fun. I like having to eat the fish to grow and there is something rather addictive about the game. It has that PopCap charm running all the way through it as well. While I would always advise anyone, who is interested in this series to jump straight into the second game. I will admit that this game still has a lot of charm to it and is pretty fun in its own right.

Pros:

• The game has a lot of charm
• It is very addictive
• It is easy to figure out what you have to do
• Getting to play as an orca is pretty cool
• The game is fun

Cons:

• The second game surpasses this in every way
• It can get repetitive