View source for Pen Pen TriIcelon

{{Short description|1998 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Pen Pen Trilcelon
| image = Penpentriicelon.jpg
| caption = European boxart
| developer = Team Land Ho! <br /> [[General Entertainment]]
| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|General Entertainment|NA|[[Accolade, Inc.|Infogrames North America]]|EU|[[Atari SA|Infogrames Multimedia]]}}
| director = Kyoichi Mori
| producer = Hironori Miyagawa
| composer = DogStarMan	(Hiroyuki Nagashima, Hisahiko Horiuchi, Yuki Osaka)
| designer = 
| engine = 
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|November 27, 1998|NA|September 9, 1999<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-08-04 |title=INA Press Release |url=http://www.infogrames.net/corporate/press_archive/090899_penpenships.asp |access-date=2023-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010804152211/http://www.infogrames.net/corporate/press_archive/090899_penpenships.asp |archive-date=2001-08-04 }}</ref>|EU|October 14, 1999}}
| genre = [[Racing video game|Racing]]
| modes = [[Single player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[Dreamcast]]
}}

{{nihongo|'''''Pen Pen TriIcelon'''''|ペンペントライアイスロン|Pen Pen ToraiAisuron}}, known simply as '''''Pen Pen''''' in Europe, is a [[video game]] created by one of the first Japanese companies to reveal [[Dreamcast]] development, [[General Entertainment]], otherwise known as Team Land Ho! It was released in Japan as one of four [[launch titles]], as well as all other regions.

==Development==
''Pen Pen Trilceon'' was developed by Land Ho!, a former internal team at General Entertainment that later became its own company. The studio was still newly founded by the time development began. General Entertainment had been developing two titles, ''Pen Pen'' and ''[[Godzilla Generations]]'', for the [[Dreamcast]]'s launch. As a result, ''Pen Pen'' had a rushed development which likely explains its short length and lack of promised unlockables.<ref>https://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pen-pen-triicelon/amp/</ref>

The soundtrack was composed by Hiroyuki Nagashima, Hisahiko Horiuchi and Yuki Osaka under the band name "DogStarMan".<ref>https://www.mobygames.com/game/9786/pen-pen-triicelon/credits/dreamcast/</ref> The soundtrack was released on CD as ''Pen Pen Trilceon Sound Tracks'' by the label [[Marvelous Entertainment Inc.]] in December 1998.<ref>https://www.suruga-ya.jp/kaitori/kaitori_detail/120016471</ref>

==Gameplay==
A TriIcelon is similar to the real-world [[triathlon]]. TriIcelons consist of three separate sporting styles in one game: [[running]], sliding, and [[Aquatic locomotion|swimming]]. These three things combine to make a race where everyone competes for first place. The TriIcelons take place in four courses: Sweets, Jungle, Toys, and Horror.

The player controls little [[penguin]]-like characters called Pen Pen, in a race consisting of the three separate sporting styles. Both the sliding and swimming parts are raced by tapping and holding the action button in a rhythmic motion to maintain a smooth flowing pace. The running section is controlled simply with the analogue stick, also with the ability to jump, and charge into other competitors. The playable characters include the Pen Pens Sparky and Tina, the Pen Hippo Ballery, the Pen Shark Jaw, the Pen Walrus Back, the Pen Octopus Sneak, the Pen Dog Mr. Bow, and the unknown-species Hanamizu.

==Story==
The Pen Pen are said to live on a small [[Planet|world]] called Iced Planet, and was here that the strange alien race were first discovered. Since the closest animal on Earth they resemble is the penguin, they were first given the name Pen Pen. The Pen Pen pretty much inhabit most of the planet's surface. It is believed they do, in fact, have their own language, but if so, it is totally incomprehensible to humans.<ref>From Issue #36 of Sega Saturn Magazine</ref> 

It was later discovered that they come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Other types came from other planets to visit the Iced Planet. Six types have been discovered so far.

In a world of snow, ice and water, the Pen Pen have mastered the arts of running, sliding and swimming, and always used to play about on an iced field.

These creatures saw the Pen Pen and came up with an idea, and thus, the TriIcelon was born.

This soon became the most popular sport on the Iced Planet. Pen Pens enjoy this sport everyday and never get bored of competing, but once a year, they hold a grand TriIcelon race to determine the number one TriIcelon player. The PenPen characters later made a cameo appearance on several posters in ''[[Blue Stinger]]'''s Christmas mall area.
==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 64%<ref name=GR>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/198271-pen-pen-triicelon/index.html | title=Pen Pen TriIcelon for Dreamcast | website=[[GameRankings]] | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505060249/https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/198271-pen-pen-triicelon/index.html | archivedate=May 5, 2019 | url-status=dead}}</ref>
| Allgame = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web | last=Marriott | first=Scott Alan | url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20068&tab=review | title=PenPen TriIcelon - Review | website=[[AllGame]] | publisher=[[All Media Network]] | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114183711/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20068&tab=review | archivedate=November 14, 2014 | url-status=dead | accessdate=November 7, 2015}}</ref>
| Edge = 5/10<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Edge staff | url=https://archive.org/details/edgeuk067/page/n73/mode/2up | title=PenPen TriIcelon [Import] | magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] | publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] | issue=67 | date=January 1999 | page=87 | accessdate=October 23, 2020}}</ref>
| EGM = 5.5/10<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=October 1999 |title=Pen Pen TriIcelon |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |issue=123 |page=220}}</ref>
| Fam = 25/40<ref name=Fam>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=3201&redirect=no | title=ペンペン トライアイスロン [ドリームキャスト] | language=Japanese | magazine=[[Famitsu]] | publisher=[[Enterbrain]] | accessdate=October 23, 2020}}</ref>
| GI = 4/10<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Helgeson | first=Matt | url=https://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3258 | title=Pen Pen Tri-Icelon | magazine=[[Game Informer]] | publisher=[[GameStop|FuncoLand]] | issue=78 | date=October 1999 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000531051138/http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3258 | archive-date=May 31, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 7, 2015}}</ref>
| GameFan = (J.W.) 80%<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Weitzner | first=Jason "Fury" | url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_11/page/n73/mode/2up | title=Pen Pen TriIcelon | magazine=[[GameFan]] | publisher=Shinno Media | volume=7 | issue=11 | date=November 1999 | page=72 | accessdate=October 23, 2020}}</ref><br />60%<ref>{{cite magazine | last1=Mylonas | first1=Eric "ECM" | last2=Rodriguez | first2=Tyrone "Cerberus" | last3=Ngo | first3=George "Eggo" | url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_7_Issue_11/page/n19/mode/2up | title=Pen Pen TriIcelon | magazine=GameFan | publisher=Shinno Media | volume=7 | issue=11 | date=November 1999 | page=18 | accessdate=October 23, 2020}}</ref>
| GamePro = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine | author=The D-Pad Destroyer | url=http://gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/1731.shtml | title=Pen Pen Tri Icelon [sic] Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com | magazine=[[GamePro]] | publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG Entertainment]] | year=1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050220214851/http://gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/1731.shtml | archivedate=February 20, 2005 | url-status=dead | accessdate=November 7, 2015}}</ref>
| GameRev = C+<ref>{{cite web | author=Dr. Moo | url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32283-pen-pen-tri-icelon-japan-review | title=Pen Pen Tri-Icelon (Japan) Review | website=[[GameRevolution]] | publisher=[[CraveOnline]] | date=September 1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002234827/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pen-pen-tri-icelon-japan | archivedate=October 2, 2015 | url-status=live | accessdate=October 22, 2020}}</ref>
| GSpot = 6/10<ref>{{cite web | last=Gerstmann | first=Jeff | url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pen-pen-triicelon-review/1900-2540466/ | title=Pen Pen TriIcelon Review | website=[[GameSpot]] | publisher=CBS Interactive | date=December 11, 1998 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722004514/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pen-pen-triicelon-review/1900-2540466/ | archivedate=July 22, 2014 | url-status=live | accessdate=November 7, 2015}}</ref>
| GSpy = 3.5/10<ref>{{cite web | last=Bowen | first=Kevin | url=http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/penpen/ | title=PenPen TriIceLon [sic] | website=[[GameSpy|PlanetDreamcast]] | publisher=IGN Entertainment | date=September 10, 1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124054730/http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/penpen/ | archivedate=January 24, 2009 | url-status=dead | accessdate=November 7, 2015}}</ref>
| IGN = 6.6/10<ref>{{cite web | last=Gantayat | first=Anoop | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/09/pen-pen-tri-icelon | title=Pen Pen Tri-Icelon | website=IGN | publisher=Ziff Davis | date=September 8, 1999 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124184841/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/09/pen-pen-tri-icelon | archivedate=January 24, 2016 | url-status=live | accessdate=November 7, 2015}}</ref>
| NGen = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=NGen>{{cite magazine | last=Pavlacka | first=Adam | url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n105/mode/2up | title=Pen Pen TriIceLon [sic] | magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|NextGen]] | publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]] | issue=60 | date=December 1999 | page=104 | accessdate=October 22, 2020}}</ref>
}}

The game received mixed reviews according to video game [[review aggregator]] [[GameRankings]].<ref name=GR/> Adam Pavlacka of ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|NextGen]]'' said of the game, "If you regularly play games with a group, pick it up – otherwise make it a rental."<ref name=NGen/> In Japan, ''[[Famitsu]]'' gave it a score of 25 out of 40.<ref name=Fam/>

{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{moby game|id=/dreamcast/pen-pen-triicelon}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pen Pen Triicelon}}
[[Category:1998 video games]]
[[Category:Animal racing video games]]
[[Category:Dreamcast games]]
[[Category:Dreamcast-only games]]
[[Category:General Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Infogrames games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]