Sprung

Sprung is a video game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in North America on December 7, 2004 as one of the launch titles for the system. In Europe, the game was released under the expanded title Sprung: The Dating Game. Sprung puts players in the shoes of either Becky or Brett in a conversation-based visual novel that mostly consists of dialogue. Sprung can be regarded as a dating sim, though the linearity and variety in the game (as well as its humor) also lend it to being an adventure game. The game was one of the first dating simulation games to have a wide commercial release in North America. The character treatments and overall plot in Sprung were conceived by Colleen McGuinness, who was the lead writer for the project. Upon release, the game received mixed reviews for its gameplay, but was praised for its comedic writing. It was noted as a unique release for its time and for pushing "the limits of the Teen rating". The working title for Sprung was Crush. Two spin-off mobile games were later released featuring characters from Sprung; Love Triangle: Dating Challenge was released in 2005 followed by Heartbreakers in 2006. Gameplay There are two distinct narratives in the game which allow the player to play as either Brett or Becky. Both stories take place at the same locations, but under different continuities. The game is split up by different "scenes" that contain a narrative consisting of dialogue, similar to a script of an episode of a sitcom. Each scene gives the player an objective to complete. During a scene, the player will appear on the bottom screen of the Nintendo DS and the person they are talking to will appear on the top. With nearly every interaction with characters within a scene, the player is given the option from a list of responses on how to respond. Different situations will require the player to use their wit and charm, in addition to a wide variety of collectible items, to progress through the scene. Many of the items can be used at will on any character; using the pepper spray and gasoline items will often end up with the player getting arrested or committed depending on their actions. There are multiple locations in the game, all of which feature their own theme music that is influenced by how characters react to choices. Bonus scenes are unlocked through the collection of "golden lines", which are quotes that are deemed the most witty or absurd conversational options.