The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun TV Commercial for PS2 & Nintendo Wii - 2009
The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun (2009) Release Dates and Regional Names: North America: October 20, 2009 – The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun (Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS) Europe: October 23, 2009 – The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun Australia: October 22, 2009 – The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun Japan: Not released Manufacturer: Nintendo (Wii, DS), Sony (PS2, PSP) Publisher: D3 Publisher Developer: High Voltage Software (Wii, PS2), 1st Playable Productions (DS), Blue Tongue Entertainment (PSP) Type: Action-Adventure/Platformer Media: Wii Optical Disc (4.7 GB, Wii), DS Cartridge (64 MB, DS), DVD (4 GB, PS2), UMD (1.8 GB, PSP) Controller: Wii Remote/Nunchuk (Wii), Stylus/D-Pad (DS), DualShock 2 (PS2), PSP Buttons Gameplay and Plot: The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun is an action-adventure platformer based on the Cartoon Network series The Secret Saturdays. The story begins with Zak Saturday and Fiskerton watching V.V. Argost’s Weird World, where he discusses the Aztec belief in four past suns, with the fifth (the "Sun of the Eight Beasts") being the current one, destined to end via eight cryptids’ powers. An intruder alert interrupts, and Zak’s family foils Argost’s attempt to steal cryptid data. The Saturdays then locate eight totems worldwide attracting cryptids. After Argost kidnaps an Orange-Eyes cryptid, Zak convinces his family to pursue him. They visit locations like an active volcano (where Piecemeal steals the Burning Man), Egypt (for the Azazel), and China, battling enemies and using cryptids’ abilities (e.g., Fiskerton’s navigation, Zon’s flight). The climax sees the family storming Weird World to rescue kidnapped cryptids and Zak’s claw. Argost consolidates seven cryptids’ powers into a sun-like sphere, but Zak defeats him, retrieves the claw before the sphere detonates, and escapes via a booby trap. Argost ends with, “Tomorrow is another apocalypse.” Gameplay includes 2.5D platforming with combat, puzzles, and a grappling hook, featuring seven playable characters (Zak, Doc, Drew, Doyle, Fiskerton, Komodo, Zon) and over 45 cryptids Zak can control. The DS version has seven levels, while others have ten, with co-op (two players, local) on consoles.Key Features: 10 levels (console/PSP), 7 levels (DS) 7 playable characters and 45+ cryptids Local co-op (2 players, consoles) Cryptipedia for scanned cryptids Puzzle and combat mechanics Collectibles: totems, cryptids Game Length: Main story: ~6–10 hours Completionist (all cryptids, levels): ~12–15 hours Sales Numbers: Exact figures unavailable; estimated modest sales, likely in the hundreds of thousands, based on platform trends.Technical Specifications: Media: Varies by platform (see above) Resolution: 480p (Wii), 480i (PS2), 480x272 (PSP), 256x192 (DS) Frame Rate: ~20–30 FPS Save System: Wii/DS internal memory (~25/1 blocks), console save files Audio: Stereo System Requirements: Wii, PS2, PSP, DS Additional Details: Mechanics: 2.5D platforming with grappling and combat Multiplayer: Local co-op (2 players), no online (services ended 2014) Difficulty: Easy to moderate, kid-friendly Development: ~6 months, tied to Season 1 airing Localization: English, multilingual options; North America first Regional Differences: DS has fewer levels, unique design ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+, for mild violence) Historical Context: Released October 20, 2009, in North America, the game launched with the Secret Saturdays TV series’ first season, targeting young fans during the Wii/DS peak (154 million DS units by 2016). Priced at ~$39.99 (console), ~$29.99 (DS/PSP), it competed with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Reviews were mixed (Metacritic ~60), praising controls and cryptid variety but noting glitches and repetition. Available on eBay or emulators.**Did You Know? DS version includes Zak Monday as a downloadable character Features over 35 new cryptids plus TV show favorites Voice actors from the series reprise roles Includes a glitch where players get stuck behind invisible walls Tied to the Aztec “Sun of the Eight Beasts” mythology
