Character Customization

By Earl P. Thayton

Most console games offer few, if any, options in the way of character customization. Sometimes you get to name the profile in which you store your settings; other times, you don't even get that! Games like the original Halo: Combat Evolved stood out from this bland standard with an array of tweakable settings, and we all know Halo 2 has even more. However, you may be surprised to learn that the unlikely king of console character customization is actually the time-bending platformer Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space.

At first, you may be wondering why developer Artoon went to such great lengths, allowing you to vary details as minute as the girth of your time-hopping cat's thighs. But, when you consider Blinx 2's multiplayer brawls, Artoon's reasoning becomes clearer. To be sure, you can enjoy your customized avatar in single-player, but sporting your own team uniform, crest, and flag really pays off in multiplayer.

Hey, man, nice jacket!

Plus … it's just plain fun! You want a mustachioed pig in urban cammo? You can do it in Blinx 2—and you will. Oh yes, you will.

Oodles of Options
The cats and pigs of Blinx 2 sport quite the stylish threads, from their reflective goggles down to their boots. (And, before you ask, yes, there are pants in between.) Each item of apparel can be customized with at least one color choice. Often, two colors and a pattern may be chosen for an item, making the characters snowflake-like in their diversity … if snowflakes looked like cats and pigs anyway …

There are nearly endless body parameters to adjust.

The following are your Time Factory feline customization options, with exceptions noted for the criminal Tom Tom Gang:

• Jacket: Choose from 20 patterns and two color choices from a palette of 20. There are 11 patterns for the Tom Tom Gang.
• Pants: You have one color choice from a palette of 20 and five patterns with varying color choices for the Tom Tom Gang.
• Boots: You have one color choice from a palette of 20.
• Goggle Lenses: These are the glasses for the Tom Tom Gang, and you have one color choice from a palette of 20.
• Gloves: Choose one color from a palette of 20.
• Metal color: Choose your hat style for the Tom Tom Gang. Pick a color from a palette of 20. There are also four patterns and two color choices from a palette of 20 for the Tom Tom Gang.
• Emblem: Create your emblem from 11 patterns, 11 colors, and six armband or headband colors.
• Flag: Create your flag from 20 patterns, with two color choices from a palette of 20. Note that your flag has your emblem on it, too.

In addition to the choices outlined above, you have a boatload of ways to customize your body type, with 19 parameters for the cats and 18 for the pigs.

Feline Body Type Parameters

• Fur Type: Five choices.
• Fur Color: Eleven choices. 
• Eye Color: Ten choices. 
• Ear Length: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100. 
• Head Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Neckband: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Shoulder Width: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Body Length: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Arm Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Chest Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Waist Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Hip Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100. 
• Tail Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Tail Tip Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Leg Length: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Thigh Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Calf Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Tail Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Foot Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.

Porcine Body Type Parameters

• Face Type: Eight choices. 
• Skin Color: Four choices.
• Mustache: Yes or no. 
• Mustache Color: Four choices. 
• Ear Length: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Head Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Shoulder Width: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Body Length: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100. 
• Arm Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Tattoo on Left Arm: Thirteen choices. 
• Tattoo on Right Arm: Thirteen choices. 
• Chest Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Waist Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Hip Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Leg Length: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Thigh Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Calf Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.
• Foot Size: Fully variable, on a scale of zero to 100.

(We'd do the snowflake math, but frankly we would rather get back to playing.)

Note that you'll set up your Time Factory cat team first. After completing the first level of the game, you'll hit the Tom Tom Gang locker room and customize that team as well.

Create your own gang of space-warping thieves.

If you like having options, but hate having to work, we have great news: Blinx 2 has a randomization feature. During initial team setup, you can just mash the X button to create a completely random group of characters. You'll quickly spot a variant that you like, and then you can go in for some tweaking, so you don't need to visualize a design from the ground up.

Until next time, you can spot this reporter online by his obnoxious pink and green uniform and flag!