Stretch Panic

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Stretch Panic
North American box art for Stretch Panic.
Developer(s)	Treasure Co. Ltd
Publisher(s)	Conspiracy Entertainment
Release date(s)	^EU 27 July 2001 ^NA 28 August 2001 ^JP 6 December 2001
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen 13+
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Media	CD-ROM
Input	Dual Shock 2

Stretch Panic (Hippa Linda in Japan, Freak Out in Europe and Oceania) is a game designed by Treasure Co. Ltd. It was their second PlayStation 2 game, after Silpheed: The Lost Planet. The game starred a young girl named Linda whose sisters have been possessed by demons. It is up to her to release the evil demons inside them.

[edit] Gameplay

The core of the gameplay involved a stretchy scarf which can be controlled and used to snap objects at will. This let's you bend the geometry of the levels, a fairly impressive use of the PS2's hardware as of the game's release in 2001. There were two sets of levels: EX levels, which were platforming levels similar in concept to something like Super Mario 64 (though much simpler and cut down), and boss fights, which were the core of the game. The EX levels are notable for the lone enemy, a woman with enormous breasts, each twice as big as the rest of her body.

The game's emphasis on boss fights continues a particular Treasure fetish that was on full display in Alien Soldier and Radiant Silvergun. The bosses are named Cinder, Spinner, Siren, Miss Mecca, Anne Droid, Fay Soff, Samantha, Jelly-Chan, Demonica, Cyan, Mirage, and Spirit.

[edit] Criticism

Stretch Panic was not well-received. Reviewers praised the stretching technology but derided the simple gameplay, lack of challenge, weak 3D graphics, and bizarre enemies. It failed to become a hit and is now easily found in used game bins at videogame retailers. Generally it is considered to be one of Treasure's lower-tier games, along with the aforementioned Silpheed: The Lost Planet, Light Crusader and Advance Guardian Heroes. Treasure's next 3D platformer, Wario World for Nintendo, was more similar to a 2.5D game than the full 3D platforming on display here.