The Hobbit (2003 video game)

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The Hobbit: The Prelude to The Lord of the Rings or simply The Hobbit is a video game published in 2003 by Vivendi Universal. It is a platform game that features puzzles and fighting enemies in a similar manner to the Legend of Zelda series.

The game claims to be "the only game based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic tale", though this is untrue as an adventure game based on the The Hobbit was released in 1982.

Synopsis

The game largely follows the plot of The Hobbit book, but makes several common "video game adaptations", such as added monsters, expanded "chapters" (levels), boss fights, and so on. Some of the more significant changes, however, include the absence of Beorn the shapeshifter until "The Clouds Burst" (or, the Battle of Five Armies). In "Riddles in the Dark", the player needs to fix various pieces of lift machinery to open a gate and free a dwarven prisoner. Also, instead of among the trees, the fight with the spiders occurs in a big "spider hall" with cliffs that the bigger spiders can't climb. The game also adds multiple characters, a full list is mentioned later in this article.

Each level gives the player a series of quests, some of which may be optional to fulfil. For instance, one of the optional quests in the Unexpected Party level is to find four children in a game of hide and seek. An example of a required quest would be to save the dwarves from the spiders.

Mistakes and Glitches

  • There is a statue of a dwarf near the entrance to the water-room in "The Gathering of the Clouds" level that says "Erebor". There was no dwarf who was recorded to be named after the Lonely Mountain. It should have been Thráin I or Thorin I.
  • The game portrays Bard as already the captain of the town-guard. In the book he doesn't take command of the defence of Lake-town until the dragon comes. He also doesn't serve the Master of Lake-town until he escapes ashore after the destruction of Lake-town. But it would seem that the makers of the game wanted to make someone familiar give Bilbo important quests.
  • The runes in the Lonely Mountain are Angerthas Moria runes. This is incorrect. The Angerthas Erebor mode is only used on the sign that says "You must walk through Erebor to get to its heart".
  • At one point in the game, Bombur says something that Bifur says, and with Bifur's voice, and in "Riddles in the Dark", after fixing the wart-lift, when you go and talk to Ugslap again, he will speak like Bard.
  • When you free Beorn a cut scene will begin and you can still see Beorn struggling while he charges at Bolg.

Chapters

  • Dreamworld: During the dwarves' visit to Bag End, Bilbo falls asleep and dreams he is at the Battle of Five Armies. Bilbo also has no health and is invincible in this level. (used to acquaint players with the basic controls and movement)
  • An Unexpected Party: Bilbo is sent to the Green Dragon, but first he must collect provisions for Bombur and do different jobs for the Shire hobbits.
  • Roast Mutton: Bilbo is sent to investigate a fire-light.
  • Troll-hole: Bilbo must explore the troll cave and find the troll key.
  • Over Hill and Under Hill: Bilbo ends up in a helter-skelter adventure trying to get back to the dwarves after an interesting fall.
  • Riddles in the Dark: Bilbo is lost and must find his way through a now goblin infested dwarf mine, fix broken dwarf lifts, and rescue Balfor, a dwarf of the Iron Hills.
  • Flies and Spiders: Bilbo is lost and must find his way through a spider infested Mirkwood Forest (in which he has to fight hundreds of poisonous spiders). He also fights minions of the Wight lord. He must rescue the dwarves from being eaten by the three giant spiders.
  • Barrels Out of Bond: Bilbo and the dwarves are not safe out of Mirkwood yet. The dwarves are captured by elves and Bilbo must find a way to rescue them as well as a way to escape, while avoiding being seen by elves. It is primarily sneaking with the ring, but there is some combat.
  • A Warm Welcome: The dwarves and Bilbo escape to Lake-town, where they are highly welcomed. Bilbo performs numerous missions for the town guard which includes expelling a group of thieves and goblins from Lake-town.
  • Inside Information: Bilbo must steal the golden cup of Thrór from Smaug.
  • The Gathering of the Clouds: Bilbo must find the Arkenstone for Thorin. He must also power the rooms of Erebor: he must get the canals working, repair the gears, and activate the forge so he can create the key that opens the treasury, which leads to the Arkenstone.
  • The Clouds Burst: This level is The Battle of Five Armies. Bilbo must fight or sneak his way through the battle to deliver a message to Bard of Lake-town, saying that the goblins of Bolg's army are coming at him from behind, as Bard is unaware of this. Bilbo also meets up with Corwin, and Lianna. Bilbo also meets Beorn and must help him.

Added Characters

  • Lianna: An elf of Thranduil's Hall in Mirkwood, Bilbo must heal her in the Troll Cave. She eventually helps Bilbo escape from Thranduil's Hall.
  • Corwin: A sad, heartbroken woodsman from Laketown. Bilbo meets him, and he says he is the only survivor of an attack of the spiders on his camp. He helps Bilbo get through an immensely thick web.
  • Balfor: A dwarf of the Iron Hills who has been made a slave of the goblins. They force him to work the dwarf-built mining contraptions. Bilbo rescues him and Balfor tells him how to escape.

Cast

Role Actor
Bilbo Baggins Michael Beattie
Gandalf the Grey Jim Ward
Narrator Tom Kane
Smaug James Horan
Thorin Oakenshield Clive Revill
Gollum Daran Norris
Fíli Robin Atkin Downes[1]
Kíli Robin Atkin Downes
Oso, additional voices James Arnold Taylor[2]
Additional voices Jennifer Hale
Additional voices Kath Soucie
Additional voices André Sogliuzzo
Additional voices Brian George
Additional voices Cam Clarke
Additional voices Steve Staley
Additional voices Dee Bradley Baker