Putt-Putt (series)
Children's adventure series starring a purple convertible and his dog.
Putt-Putt is a series of children's adventure and puzzle computer games from Humongous Entertainment, and it was the first game series the company ever made. Players mostly click to move from place to place, but some side tasks and mini-games require the keyboard. The main character is Putt-Putt, a talking purple convertible car, who goes on trips with his dog, Pep.
The idea for Putt-Putt started as bedtime stories Shelley Day told her son, Travis. The first story was about Putt-Putt rescuing a cat stuck in a tree. For the first eight games, child actor Jason Ellefson provided Putt-Putt's voice. Nancy Cartwright voiced the character in the next three games, and Michelle Thorson voiced him in *Putt-Putt: Pep's Birthday Surprise*.
The games work with ScummVM, so they can be played on other devices like handhelds. Humongous also brought several Putt-Putt titles to iOS and Android. In 1997, Humongous agreed with Lancit Media Entertainment to make an animated TV series called *Putt-Putt 'n Pals*, along with movies and home videos, but the deal fell through. In April 2014, several original Putt-Putt games were re-released on Steam, along with titles from the *Pajama Sam*, *Freddi Fish*, and *Spy Fox* series. The first two games used pixel art graphics; from the third game onward, the series used hand-drawn animation.
Humongous called these adventure games "Junior Adventures" for kids ages 3 to 8. Players can change Putt-Putt's color to purple, red, orange, yellow, green, or blue, and can repaint any color. This also changes the dashboard color in *Putt-Putt Enters the Race* and *Putt-Putt Joins the Circus*. In *Putt-Putt Joins the Parade* and *Putt-Putt Enters the Race*, each color change costs three coins found in the game. In *Putt-Putt: Pep's Birthday Surprise*, the color change is temporary and returns to purple after some travel. In *Putt-Putt and Pep's Balloon-O-Rama*, Putt-Putt's color can be changed in certain levels by having Pep pop balloons tied to paint buckets and then catching the bucket with the desired color.
On Steam, the games were sold individually or in the "Putt-Putt Complete Pack," or as part of the "Humongous Entertainment Complete Pack." Humongous released two CD-packs called "Humongous Entertainment Triple Treat." The first included *Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo*, *Pajama Sam's Sock Works*, and *Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp
- creator
- Humongous Entertainment
- first_game_series
- Yes
- main_character
- Putt-Putt (anthropomorphic purple convertible)
- voice_actors
- Jason Ellefson (first eight games), Nancy Cartwright (next three), Michelle Thorson (Pep's Birthday Surprise)
- target_age
- 3-8 (classified as Junior Adventures)
- platforms
- Windows, Macintosh, iOS, Android, Steam, Nintendo Switch, ScummVM
Lore & Background
Putt-Putt was originally conceived by Shelley Day as a series of bedtime stories for her son, Travis; the first story involved Putt-Putt saving a cat caught in a tree. The games were developed by Humongous Entertainment and became the company's first game series. Child actor Jason Ellefson provided Putt-Putt's voice for the first eight games, followed by Nancy Cartwright for the next three, and Michelle Thorson for Pep's Birthday Surprise.
Reader's Guide
The Putt-Putt series holds significance as Humongous Entertainment's inaugural game series, establishing the company's approach to child-friendly adventure games. The games are supported by ScummVM, allowing play on various platforms, and Humongous later brought several titles to iOS and Android. In 1997, a deal with Lancit Media Entertainment for an animated TV series and films fell through. Several games were re-released on Steam in April 2014 alongside other Humongous series. The first two games used pixel art graphics; from the third game onward, hand-drawn animation was used. The series received awards including the All-Star Software Award from Children's Software Revue, the Reader's Choice Award from Mac Home Journal, and the 2000 Best Picks Award from Choosing Children's Software.
Did You Know?
- Putt-Putt was originally thought up by Shelley Day as bedtime stories for her son, Travis.
- Players can change Putt-Putt's color to purple, red, orange, yellow, green, or blue.
- A deal to create an animated TV series titled Putt-Putt 'n Pals ultimately fell through.
- Putt-Putt Travels Through Time was released on the Nintendo Switch eShop in January 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Putt-Putt (series)?
Putt-Putt is a talking purple convertible car who embarks on lighthearted adventures alongside his loyal dog, Pep. He serves as the recurring protagonist across a collection of children's adventure and puzzle games.
What are Putt-Putt (series)'s powers or role in gameplay?
Putt-Putt has no supernatural abilities; his role is simply to drive from location to location and help friends solve everyday problems. Players navigate by clicking, while certain side tasks and mini-games call for keyboard input.
How does Putt-Putt (series)'s story end?
There is no single series-wide conclusion because each title is a self-contained adventure with its own beginning, middle, and resolution. Typically Putt-Putt rescues a friend or fixes a small problem, and the game wraps up with a warm, kid-friendly ending.
Why is Putt-Putt (series) important to gaming history?
It was the very first game series Humongous Entertainment ever released, effectively defining the studio's early identity. The concept grew out of bedtime stories Shelley Day told her young son Travis, the first of which involved rescuing a cat stuck in a tree.
Who voiced Putt-Putt (series) over the years?
Child actor Jason Ellefson provided Putt-Putt's voice for the first eight titles, after which Nancy Cartwright took over for the next three games. Michelle Thorson is credited with voicing Pep in Pep's Birthday Surprise.
More in Humongous Entertainment games 1-24
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