Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon - Won!

By Ilmari

Last time, Putt-Putt had got stranded on the Moon and found out he could buy a rocket with ten moon crystals. Also, he had to find a nose cone, key, steering wheel and some rocket fuel to make it go. Let’s start searching them!

The only city on Moon

I started my search in the local Cosmic Dust Diner. In addition to buying milk shakes to Putt-Putt, all I could really do here was to play Bear Storming video game, where you have to guide a bear with a biplane, popping up balloons that increase your fuel, and avoiding various obstacles…

 ...like flying pigs.

I stopped after the first few levels, deeming the game to be a bit on the simple side. I later found a Youtube video of someone playing through the whole minigame. The difficulty does increase later on, and in levels beyond 35 the screen is just full of ever sillier obstacles (falling pianos, flying trees etc.). I would never have had the patience to sit through all the 47 levels the game has, so kudos to whoever did the video!

How does he keep his balance?

Moving on to the top of a large hill, I encountered the local mayor, who told me he rewarded every good deed with a key. I knew one place where people might need some help - and indeed, when I returned to the bridge, someone had fallen in the river again.

The mayor should forget the good deeds for a while and focus on proper safety rails

After rescuing the poor selenite, I returned to the mayor, who let me choose a key for myself from a number of options. Luckily, I knew what the key would look like.

So, how did the mayor come by with the very key I was looking for? Or is there an intergalactic standard for a rocket key shape?

Next I checked the local gas station. They did have rocket fuel, but the fuel machine wouldn’t work properly without the station owner, Robbie Radar. I did find a note telling that Robbie lived at Bubble Moon Apartments near the city. When I visited the address in the note, I met a small girl, telling me that Robbie had moved to a new apartment in the same complex.

Naturally I looked through all the apartments, just to see all the animations. Interestingly, you can’t find Robbie, unless you’ve first went to the gas station and read the note

When I finally found Robbie, he was ready to come and help me get some fuel. Two things down, three to go!

Near the Apartments, I found a basketball court, where I could jump on platforms, and a beauty salon, where I could design my own aliens. Nothing to make the plot go forward, but still a fun diversion.

Look at what I designed!

Next stop was a mountainous area, where I met again Rover. He had found the steering wheel, but it was so high on a rock ledge, he needed my help. Rover lifted me, but even then I couldn’t reach the steering wheel. Luckily, I could put my pet dog to the ledge and let him fetch the steering wheel for me.

This must be against some safety regulations

Following the trail, I ended up in an observatory. This was again a non-plot-related place, but more of an educational experience, where I could learn about planets and constellations.

They still count Pluto as a planet. Charon is also mentioned

Taking another turn at the mountain trail, I came to a place with several craters. A blue selenite challenged me to whack-a-mole-style contest, where I had to click an alien, when it lifted its head from a crater. A reward for each successful click was one moon crystal (now, children, if you need ten moon crystals, how many aliens you need to click?).

At the end of this road I found a mansion with a high wall and closed gate. Such a fortified place must have very high safety protocols, you would think. Well, all I had to do to get in was to play few successful rounds of Simon.

The mansion was owned by Man on the Moon, who looked like a crescent moon (except he had also a long white beard). Man on the Moon had the nose cone I had been looking for and wanted just a picture of himself. Weirdly enough, he accepted a picture of the whole Moon, which makes the whole thing just confusing - so he’s both the planet and one of its citizens?

I also got to see a re-enactment of a classic children’s poem

And that was it, for the most part! I still had to buy the rocket with the moon crystals, attach the nose cone and steering wheel, add some fuel and turn the key to return to Earth. Onward to final rating then!

Session time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min