5TH Cell

5th Cell is an American game development studio founded in 2003. It is best known for its original games Scribblenauts and Drawn to Life, which give the player’s own creativity a prominent role. The studio focused primarily on games for Nintendo consoles, but later also worked on projects for Xbox and other platforms.

Its first major success was the Drawn to Life series for the Nintendo DS. Its main feature is the ability to use the touch screen to create your own character and to draw certain objects and other elements of the game world.

The game combines 2D platforming, adventure elements and creative tools. The original title was followed by the sequel Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter, which further expanded the story and drawing possibilities.

The game Scribblenauts brought the studio even greater popularity. The player controls a boy named Maxwell, who solves all sorts of tasks using objects conjured up via a magical notebook.

The core concept of Scribblenauts is the ability to type the name of an object, which then appears directly in the game. This means that a single problem often has more than one correct solution. Players can experiment with a vast array of objects and find their own way to complete the task.

The first instalment was followed by Super Scribblenauts, which significantly expanded the system through the use of adjectives. This allowed players to create even more unusual objects and combinations of their properties.

The series later continued with Scribblenauts Unlimited, which was released on platforms such as the Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and PC. It offered a more expansive world and even greater freedom in solving individual situations.

5th Cell also created Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure. The game combined the Scribblenauts concept with the DC Comics universe, so it features Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and a host of other superheroes and villains.

The studio also ventured into a markedly different genre with the game Hybrid for the Xbox 360. This was a third-person multiplayer shooter released via Xbox Live Arcade.

Hybrid offered futuristic team-based combat and an unusual system for moving between cover points. Instead of the classic free-roaming style across the map, players selected cover points between which their character would move using a jetpack.

5th Cell’s earlier catalogue also includes the games Lock’s Quest and Mini Poccha, with Lock’s Quest in particular becoming another of the studio’s well-known titles. It combines an action RPG with defence-building and tower defence-style strategy elements.

Thanks to its projects, 5th Cell became famous primarily for its efforts to create unusual gameplay mechanics based on creativity and experimentation. It made its biggest mark with the Scribblenauts and Drawn to Life series and the games Lock’s Quest and Hybrid.