| Publisher: | Mattel Media |
| Developer: |
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| Genre: | Adventure |
| Platforms: | |
| Released: | Microsoft Windows 1997 Game Boy Color 1999 |
Adventures with Barbie: Ocean Discovery is a 1997 video game developed by Gorilla Systems Corporation and published by Mattel Media for Windows. A version for the Game Boy Color developed by Realtime Associates was released in 1999, simply titled Barbie: Ocean Discovery.
The game was Mattel Media's first adventure game featuring the character Barbie.[1] Its financial success led to Mattel Media producing further girl's games over the next few years.[2]
The PC and GBC versions are slightly different; The dolphin plays a more significant role in Windows than it does in the Game Boy Color version.[3]
Entertainment Weekly felt the game was "underwhelming".[4] The New York Times thought the game's mentions of Barbie's marine biology degree was a "nod toward enlightenment" for the girl's game genre,[5] while From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games thought the game saw the series branching out from the "true pink fluff" exemplified in titles like Barbie Fashion Designer.[6] French reviewer PVG24 felt the game successfully penetrated the local market.[7]
In a promo with Coca-Cola for its line of Barbie Software Products for Girls during the holiday season and into 1998, Mattel Media arranged a $5 coupon for Adventures with Barbie Ocean Discovery and Barbie Magic Hair Styler inside 12- and 24-packs of Coca-Cola "Santa Packs."[8]