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Putt-Putt Enters the Race - TV Tropes

  • ️Mon Oct 07 2024

Putt-Putt Enters the Race (Video Game)

The fifth game in the Putt-Putt series, Putt-Putt Enters the Race was released a year after Travels Through Time in 1999. In this game, Putt-Putt is tasked to get the materials he needed for the Cartown 500.

Of course, not only is it a point and click game, but also a racing game at the end.

The game is playable on PC and Steam.

Examples used:

  • 2D Visuals, 3D Effects: The rest of the game is 2D, while the racing minigame is 3D.
  • The Big Race: Cartown 500, and it's the game's premise.
  • The Bus Came Back: Various characters.
    • Smokey returns from Joins the Parade.
    • Chuck returns in this game, and it's him who gets the flat tire.
    • Mrs Airbag returns from Joins The Parade.
    • Mr Fenderbender, a minor character from Joins the Parade returns.
    • Rover returns from Goes to the Moon, and is now working as an ice cream vendor.
    • Outback Al returns from Saves the Zoo.
  • Chronic Hero Syndrome: One of the items he needs for the race is a a flag, which he is able to get from Outback Al, who is currently trying to feed one of his Animals. Outback Al says that he's more than happy for Putt-Putt to have the flag, but Putt-Putt feels he should help feed the animal first, before taking the flag.
  • Cool Car: Redline Rick is based on a Ferrari F1 car in the 80s or 90s.
  • Character Customization: The Cartown Paintshop is used again after Joins the Parade for Putt-Putt to change colors if necessary.
  • Developer's Foresight: There is a chance that a small shed will be on fire, with a pay phone conveniently right next to it. The idea was a subtle lesson about how dialing 911 is the first thing you should do in such a situation, but a player might easily think to just go and talk to Smokey about it. If you do, he'll turn out to be out to lunch, with a note on his door essentially telling the player exactly what to do "in case of fire."
  • Easter Egg: Clicking on the green car at the speedway while holding SHIFT skips to the race.
  • Edutainment Game: As with all the other Putt-Putt games.
  • Expy: Cartown 500 is a play on Indy 500.
  • Guide Dang It!: The digging minigame only seems like a Luck-Based Mission, to the avail of many YouTubers. Instead of just spamming holes, you're supposed to listen to Ralphie's barks.
  • Hourglass Plot: Chuck towed Putt-Putt to the gas station after getting a flat tire. Now it's him who gets the flat tire.
  • Irony: As previously mentioned in Hourglass Plot trope above.
  • Meaningful Name: The Cartown 500 is run by Redline Rick. Redline is a term referring to an engine driving at or above its rpm (revolutions per minute).
  • Multiple Endings: The game has four possible endings, depending on whether you placed first, second, third, or fourth and below. The first three have Putt-Putt receive a trophy on the winners podium, while the last has him merely receiving a ribbon.
  • Title Theme Tune:

"Get your tires put on and tune your engine up
Fill 'er up with gas and grab your favorite pup
Go head out to the track, take your place
For some speedway fun when Putt-Putt enters the race
Putt-Putt Enters the Race!"