Play with the Teletubbies (2024)

Play with the Teletubbies was the first of Teletubbies Interactive Media.

It was originally released on PC CD-ROM, and later on the Sony PlayStation.

Game Play

Play with the Teletubbies is a collection of mini-games. Players control one of the Teletubbies, and can find mini-games by exploring Teletubbyland and the TubbyTronic Superdome.

Mini-games can be activated by certain objects as players explore the world of the Teletubbies.

After each mini-game, players can choose to play the game again when the selected Teletubby says 'Again-Again!'.

Mini-Games

Differences between the PC and PlayStation Versions

Game Opening

In both versions, the game opens with the Teletubbies standing together on top of the House singing the Teletubbies theme tune. After the Teletubbies say 'Eh-Oh!', the rest of the theme tune is the Instrumental. The Teletubbies begin to walk off screen. Then a Voice Trumpet rises and says 'Where have the Teletubbies gone? Then the Sun Baby laughs.

• In the PC Version:
  • Before the theme tune, a title screen appears showing the Sun Baby, the House and Windmill.
  • After the Sun Baby laughs, the House is shown (to where the opening music cue used during the show is heard) before going inside the House to start gameplay.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • Before the theme tune, a loading and title screen appears showing a stock image of the Teletubbies with their Favourite Things.
  • After the Sun Baby laughs, the Teletubbies are shown waiting to be selected.

Character Selection

• In the PC Version, the game opens inside the house, and a random Teletubby is automatically selected to play as. To select another Teletubby, the player can either:
  • Find another Teletubby whilst exploring Teletubbyland.
  • Selecting a Teletubby in the TV Event Game.
• In the PlayStation Version, players can choose a Teletubby by pressing one of the 4 Action Buttons:
  • Tinky Winky: X
  • Dipsy: Triangle
  • Laa-Laa: Square
  • Po: Circle
  • Players can select another Teletubby by pausing the game and pressing Square.

Game Controls

• In the PC Version, players control the Teletubby by moving the mouse cursor (represent as a pink windmill sparkle) on the screen. If the player clicks on the Teletubby, they will look to the camera and say 'Eh-Oh!'. The player can also control the walking speed of the Teletubby by moving the mouse fast. During the Hiding, What's That? and Magic Drum Games, if the Teletubby walks very fast, a fast snippet of music plays on loop. When exploring Teletubbyland, players can click on flowers, clouds, and rabbits which play short music cues. You can also simply hover your mouse over objects for a couple seconds to trigger them instead of clicking them.
• In the PlayStation Version, players can control the Teletubby by using the directional buttons or left analog stick. While exploring, pressing one of the Action Buttons when you are not next to an interactive object can make the Teletubby say a phrase:
  • X: 'Uh-Oh!'
  • Triangle: Laugh
  • Square: 'Oooh!'
  • Circle: 'Eh-Oh!'

Mini-Game Selection

• In the PC Version, players can select mini-games by simply clicking on the activation objects.
• In the PlayStation Version, players can select mini-games by walking towards the activation objects, which will then sparkle (and a piano cue plays), and press any of the 4 Action Buttons.

In both versions, if the player chooses not to play a game again, then the Sun Baby is shown laughing before going back to exploring Teletubbyland.

The Narrator

• In the PlayStation Version, the Narrator is only heard during certain mini-games.
• In the PC Version, the Narrator says '(Selected Teletubby) went for a walk!' when leaving the house, and selecting another Teletubby. After each mini-game outside, the Narrator says '(Selected Teletubby) went for a walk again!' When going into the house, the Narrator says '(Selected Teletubby) walked all the way home!'

The Hiding Game

• In the PC Version, there is a short Ocarina cue that plays on loop during the game.
• In the PlayStation Version, there is no background music at all.

The Magic Drum

• In the PC Version:
  • The Drum is Red, Yellow, and Blue.
  • The Teletubby bangs the drum with a stick.
  • Flowers, clouds, rabbits and the other Teletubbies appear when banging the drum.
  • If you reach the end quickly enough, you will enter a "chaos" section.
    • During this part of the game, a short loop of the Naughty Noo-Noo tune and the Teletubbies' jingle sounds play in the background.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • The Drum has the same design that it had in The Grand Old Duke of York (White with lots of colourful shapes around it)
  • The Teletubby bangs the drum with their hand.
  • Instead of rabbits, another set of flowers appear.
  • The chaos section features no music and triggers no matter how quickly you reach the end.

What's That?

• In the PC Version:
  • The Teletubby will say the name of the objects when they walk towards them or laugh
  • If the player chooses to play the game again after the Teletubby says 'Again-Again!', the same object will appear again.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • The Teletubby will just laugh when they walk towards the object.
  • If the player chooses to play the game again after the Teletubby says 'Again-Again!', another object will randomly appear.

TV Event

In both versions, the game opens with the Teletubbies getting ready to watch the TV Events just like in the TV Series.

• In the PC Version:
  • A snippet of the TV Event tune plays on loop during the opening.
  • Players can choose which Teletubby they want to watch the TV Event. This Teletubby will accompany the player after the TV Event.
  • The Teletubbies' ariel sound plays when selecting the Teletubby.
  • The TV Events are shown through the Teletubby's tummy.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • The full opening of the TV Event tune plays during the opening.
  • The selected Teletubby is automatically chosen.
  • The Teletubbies' jingle sound plays when they are chosen.
  • The TV Events are shown in Fullscreen.
  • When responding to 'Again-Again!', a random video plays rather than the same video.

Magical Events

In both versions, the Magical Event games open with the Teletubbies getting ready to watch the Magical Events.

• In the PC Version:
  • The Cloud Game opens with a long suspenseful piece of music (Proteus 3: On Land Synth). The Train Game opens with the background music heard during the game.
  • When Magical Events end, the selected Teletubby does not say 'Again-Again!', as well as allow you to replay the game.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • The regular Magical Event tune plays during the opening to both Magical Events.
  • Both games will end in 2 minutes. When the games end, the Teletubby will say 'Again-Again!' and allow you to replay the game.

The Musical Clouds

• In the PC Version:
  • There are 3 clouds.
  • There is only 1 tune that the clouds make
  • The instruments for each cloud are: Piano, Glockenspiel and Vibraphone.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • There are 4 Clouds.
  • There is a wider variety of tunes (and instruments) that the clouds make, which changes each time the game is played.

The Magic Train

• In the PC Version:
  • The train is long, with lots of blue, yellow and green carriages.
  • Players can click on the train to hear it make noises.
  • The camera stays in one place. When the train is out of view, the Viaduct disappears and the game ends.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • The train has a blue, green, and pink carriage (corresponding to the Action Buttons on the controller).
  • Players can press the Action Buttons to hear the train make noises.
  • The camera follows the train on a never-ending viaduct. Players can make the train move forwards and backwards by pressing the R and L Buttons. These buttons also control the speed of the train. When the train moves faster, the music speeds up.

TubbyTronic Superdome

• In the PC Version:
  • Players can go to the Dome by moving the cursor to the bottom of the screen (to where a music cue plays).
  • The Dome is fully rendered as a 3D model.
  • When exploring the Dome, the Noo-Noo can be seen moving around the Control Panel.
  • Clicking on the Control Panel causes it to make lots of random noises.
  • If the player chooses not to play a game again, the Control Panel is shown (along with a music cue) before going back to exploring the Dome.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • Players can go to the Dome by walking to the bottom of the screen.
  • The Dome is not rendered as a full 3D model, rather as a series of prerendered images. This trick was common among PlayStation titles.
  • The Control Panel activates a mini-game exclusive to the PlayStation version.

Tubby Custard

• In the PC Version:
  • Players click on the Tubby Custard Machine to make a mess. Then they control the Teletubby to walk around making footprints.
  • Another Teletubby is seen standing at the Control Panel during the game. If the player clicks on the other Teletubby while making footprints, then that Teletubby will say 'Ewww!'
  • Before the Noo-Noo comes to tidy up, the Tubby Custard Machine is shown making lots of noises.
  • Players can make the Teletubby and the Noo-Noo move faster by moving the mouse very fast.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • The Teletubby automatically makes a mess, before the player can control them to make footprints.
  • No other Teletubbies can be seen during the game.
  • Players can make the Teletubby and the Noo-Noo move faster by holding down any of the 4 Action Buttons.
  • After the Noo-Noo tidies up, the Narrator says 'The Noo-Noo tidied up all the Tubby Custard!'

In both versions, a snippet of a slow Ocarina and ChamberWind tune plays on loop during the game. When moving faster, the music changes to a slightly faster tune.

Tubby Toast

• In the PC Version:
  • The same background music from the Tubby Custard Game plays during the game.
  • The Noo-Noo moves closer to the table at any random time while making Tubby Toast.
  • To make the Teletubby sit down at the table, players must click on the Tubby Toast. When the Teletubby sits down, their parp sound is heard.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • There is no background music (except for the opening cue).
  • The Noo-Noo moves closer to the Table each time a piece of Tubby Toast lands on the table.
  • To make the Teletubby sit down at the table, players must walk the Teletubby to the table. When the Teletubby sits down, their parp sound is not heard.

Naughty Noo-Noo

• In the PC Version:
  • When the other Teletubbies start to appear, they appear beside the beds. The other Teletubbies will also appear one-by-one in any random order. They also say 'Naughty Noo-Noo!' and 'Uh-Oh!' throughout the game.
  • When the Teletubby says 'Again-Again!', they are standing beside the Tubby Custard Machine.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • When the other Teletubbies start to appear, they appear from behind the Control Panel and say 'Naughty Noo-Noo!' as they appear. Depending on the selected Teletubby, the other Teletubbies will appear in a specific order.
    • Tinky Winky, Po, Laa-Laa, Dipsy
    • Dipsy, Po, Laa-Laa, Tinky Winky
    • Laa-Laa, Po, Dipsy, Tinky Winky.
    • Po, Laa-Laa, Dipsy, Tinky Winky.
  • When the Teletubby says 'Again-Again!', they are standing with the other Teletubbies giving Noo-Noo a Big Hug.

In both versions, a snippet of the Naughty Noo-Noo tune plays on loop during games. Players can make the Teletubbies and Noo-Noo move faster cause the music to change to a faster section of the Naughty Noo-Noo tune.

Ending the Game

In both versions, the game ends with the Voice Trumpet announcing 'Time for Tubby Bye-Bye!', followed by the Sun Baby laughing and the Female Narrator saying 'The Sun is setting in the sky. Teletubbies say goodbye!'. Then the Teletubbies walk to the top of the House, say 'Bye-Bye!' and jump into the House.

• In the PC Version,
  • To end the game, the player must move the cursor to the top left corner of the screen (to where the sound of a Voice Trumpet is heard) and clicking.
  • The Teletubbies walk up to the top of the House in order of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po.
  • After the Teletubbies jump into the House, the Sun Baby is shown setting as the games' credits are shown.
• In the PlayStation Version:
  • To end the game, the player must pause the game and press Select.
  • The Teletubbies walk up to the top of the House in order of Po, Tinky Winky, Dipsy and Laa-Laa.
  • After the Teletubbies jump into the House, the game goes back to the title screen.

Trivia

• The music cues are taken directly from the TV Series. They are from the episodes: I Want to be a Vet, Sand Pendulum, Bubble Pictures, Naughty Horse, Colours: Pink, Numbers: 2 (Version 2).
• Some of the Teletubbies' dialogue was recorded exclusively for the game, while some dialogue is taken directly from the TV Series.
• The TV Events are shorter in this game.
  • Some of the TV Events in this game also appear in some VHS Specials, both before and after this game's release.
• Internationally, the PlayStation Version received a very limited release, with the only known releases of it being in France, Spain, Italy, and the USA/Canada. The PC Version received a much wider international release.
• In the International Releases of the PC Version, the title screen has a lighter blue sky, and the Windmill is removed.

Cover Gallery

International Releases (PC)

International Releases (PlayStation)

Game Play Gallery

PC

PlayStation