Disney's The Emperor's New Groove (2000). Play online

Summary

*The Emperor's New Groove* lands you in a bright, third‑person romp where you guide Kuzco through a string of linear levels that echo the film’s backdrops. Each stage hides a trail of coins, and snagging every coin unlocks a hefty gold reward—essential for a true 100 % run. Power‑ups spill magical elixirs that temporarily turn the emperor into a frog, turtle or rabbit, granting quirky abilities needed to advance.

Argonaut Games built the title on the same engine that powered *Croc 2*, meaning it shares a visual and control feel with their contemporary Disney platformer *Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge*. The development team deliberately stretched select movie set‑pieces—most notably the roller‑coaster to Yzma’s lab—into more elaborate game stages. Voice work was localized into nine PAL languages, and the demo made a splash at the 2000 European Computer Trade Show and even appeared as a DVD‑ROM extra on the movie’s own disc.

While reviewers praised its colorful graphics, catchy music and tongue‑in‑cheek humor, they flagged the short length, easy difficulty, and occasional camera wobble. Despite the fan‑friendly polish, the PlayStation and PC versions sold just 400 000 units by August 2001, leaving Argonaut disappointed with the royalty returns.

Storyline

The PlayStation title The Emperor's New Groove loosely follows the movie’s storyline and even sprinkles in video clips between levels. Emperor Kuzco is cursed into a llama by his scheming advisor Yzma, who then seizes the throne. Kuzco teams up with the humble peasant Pacha, and the duo races through a series of stages to confront Yzma and her bumbling henchman Kronk. Their goal is to locate an elixir that will restore Kuzco to his human form. Along the way, players encounter an extra character – an unnamed boy riding a llama‑shaped bike who repeatedly challenges Kuzco to races.