1992 · Sculptured Software · Action · Educational

Captain Novolin

Nintendo exclusive

This is a 16-bit platformer designed to help kids with diabetes remember to monitor their blood sugar.

Released: 1992
Platforms: SNES
Genres: Action Educational Platformer
Developers: Sculptured Software
Publishers: Sculptured Software
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Side view
Themes: Action Educational
Country: United States
Languages: English

About

Captain Novolin is a 1992 educational platform video game, developed by Sculptured Software and published by Raya Systems for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Starring the eponymous superhero with type 1 diabetes, the game sees the player control Captain Novolin on a quest to save the mayor of Pineville from the supervillain Blubberman. It is a part of educational video game series from Raya that also includes Rex Ronan: Experimental Surgeon, Packy and Marlon, and Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus.

Funding for the game came from Novo (makers of the Novolin brand of insulin) and the National Institutes of Health. To promote the game, Novo distributed 10,000 free copies to hospitals. During its initial release, the game was positively received by diabetes specialists, as well as children with the condition. But reception from both contemporary and retrospective video game critics has been poor, and it has been named as one of the worst video games of all time.

Keywords

doctor
side-scrolling
time limit
edutainment
superhero
boss fight
anthropomorphism
checkpoints
male antagonist
bread
villain
linear gameplay

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Captain Novolin is a 2D side-scrolling platformer. The plot has the titular diabetic hero setting out to save Pineville's diabetic Mayor Gooden from aliens and their leader Blubberman, as the mayor only has enough insulin for 48 hours.

Before the game starts, a doctor and dietitian give advice on how to manage one's diet and insulin. Throughout the game, Captain Novolin has to avoid the alien invaders, who have the appearance of junk food items, such as "Cereal Killer" and "Larry Licorice". Meanwhile, Captain Novolin must eat healthy meals to keep his blood glucose within a safe zone. Captain Novolin will die if his blood glucose level exceeds or depletes below a certain amount.

Development

Captain Novolin was published by Mountain View, California-based company Raya Systems. The President and founder of Raya, Steve Brown, had previously worked with medical companies, supplying them software applications. His interactions with these companies had led him to the conclusion that there needed to be a new way to give children medical information, including about diabetes. The company teamed up with Novo to fund the game, as did the National Institutes of Health.

Novo also helped design the titular character. Sculptured Software developed for the game. Their previous titles included Super Star Wars and NCAA Basketball.

Reception

Contemporary reception to Captain Novolin was negative. Import reviews from British magazines gave the game low marks. Super Control, while not wanting to criticize the game from an educational stance, considered it to be one of the worst games they had ever seen. Super Pro was negative towards the graphics, sound effects, and gameplay, with the reviewer concluding it to be one of the most annoying and tedious games they ever played.

Super Action questioned how they could critique the game due to its intentions being about diabetes education, but ultimately concluded the game to be dull and would only consider it a good game if a doctor gave it out for free. Esquire magazine included Captain Novolin with their "Dubious Achievement Awards of 1992“, mocking the game's concept and sarcastically preferring "Super Prozac Brothers".