It seems like another lifetime when my then-seven-year-old daughter and I would sit down at the PC and fire up one of the Humongous adventures featuring Freddi Fish, Pajama Sam, Spy Fox or Putt-Putt. The puzzles were not overly complex, but there was such joy in the way the adventure played out, combined with colorful and entertaining graphics and a sense of joy that underscored the experience. And though not complicated, there was a sense of accomplishment that pervaded the solutions of even the most rudimentary puzzle.

These were point-and-click adventures that featured more than their share of run-and-find missions, backtracking, some static environments that were nothing more than relocation hubs, but also had gentle humor and peripheral action. You might see an object in the scene that seemingly had no purpose, but if you clicked on it, it might jump up and dance or perform some other random action that had absolutely nothing to do with the story or adventure at hand, but was cute and fun nonetheless.

In 1996 Humongous was purchased by GT Interactive, who was purchased by Infogrames, which through other purchases, eventually changed its name to Atari. The original owners of the Humongous company tried to buy the company back in 2000, but that fell through and in mid-2001, Atari laid off most of the Humongous employees and eventually shut down the company completely.

It seemed like the end of these childhood favorite video-game characters, but such was not the case. Freddi Fish has finally resurfaced – in a manner of speaking – with Majesco as the publisher and Mistic Studios as the developer. The game is Freddi Fish in Kelp Seed Mystery and is a straightforward children’s game featuring Freddi and his sidekick, Luther. In this adventure, Grandma Grouper’s kelp seeds are missing and without them, the sea creatures will go hungry. Of course, Freddi vows to find and return the stolen seeds.

Initially you will run into a pair of henchman sharks that hint at something more nefarious going on in this undersea kingdom, but through exploration, cognitive puzzle-solving skills, players will be able to work through the non-threatening environment to thwart the evil-doer and return the seeds to where they rightfully belong.

The game is targeted for ages six and up and while there is a certain amount of repetitive gameplay, that age group may well find this a delightful outing. My 12-year-old tackled it, was sitting with an amused look on her face most of the time and she used the Wii-mote to point out objects and directions she wished to go. Though the game boasts 20-plus hours of gameplay on the box, she finished the game in 90 minutes. However, the game also has new clues and slightly different endings that should prolong the life of the game.

The voices have changed in the intervening years since Freddi last appeared, but there is still that childlike sense that pervades the game. There are also a collection of mini-games and side quests that should entreat young players, like helping Mrs. Halibut free her guppy child from under rocks, or locating a new shell for an insomniac crustacean. Players will need to keep an eye on every setting for would-be pick-ups that could prove useful in other areas of the game world.

The controls are very simple – point with the Wii-mote and hit the A button; that’s about all there is to it.

The game’s sound is kept light with an almost-calypso flair to the music and young voice actors acting out the parts of the game’s two protagonists.

Graphically this game recaptures the lush and colorful world of Freddi in those great PC titles, and the animation is kept lighthearted and fun.

Freddi Fish in Kelp Seed Mystery should be a nice game for the target age group (6-plus). Some of the puzzles might suit a bit younger player, but kids from the age of 5-7 and up may enjoy this adventure. Parents will likely enjoy the $20 price tag.

Gameplay: 7.0
The game has a lot of backtracking but also has a lot of simple side quests en route to finding the treasure chest with the kelp seeds. Easy to control, this adventure should prove to be well within the grasp of the targeted age group.

Graphics: 7.3
Two-dimensional gaming that is lush, colorful and a treat. This is reminiscent of an interactive cartoon.

Sound: 7.0
The music and the voice work keep the game feeling lighthearted and fun.

Difficulty: Easy

Concept: 6.5 
Some repetition and nothing that should prove too hard for the age group. This is a tried-and-true formula

Overall: 7.0
A brief visit with an old friend that rekindles fond memories, this iteration of Freddi Fish is handled nicely. It seems to be on track for the targeted age group and is a treat with the light graphics and sound.